Cheap Food Doesn't (Always) Suck

I thought I'd start this blog off on a positive note because, despite the incident with my nan's cereal, I really do believe that this is going to work out in favour of the own brands. Usual Product: Jacobs Cream Crackers Usual Price: 97p Brand Swap: Tesco Cream Crackers New Price: 54p Saving: 43p (almost half!) Firstly, and it's a little thing, there is no tab to pull to open the package. You either unglue the ends or, as I did, slice between the crackers with a sharp knife. Living dangerously I know! It's no big deal, but I'm guessing this is where they saved some of those pennies. Ok so when I pulled out the first cracker I have to be honest my heart sank a bit, here we go I thought, this cracker is too think and it smells like wholemeal flour. I persisted for science, buttered them up and added some cheese. Then I ate them, and I was converted. This is not a cream cracker as I've always known them, but I think it might be an improveme...

I'm Emily, I'm almost 30, and I'm one-half of one of those childless modern couples you keep reading about on BuzzFeed. With two good incomes and no dependents, our food bills had begun to creep up as we purchased anything and everything that took our fancy. Then I found myself suddenly without a job and with cutbacks needed, the weekly grocery shop seemed like the right place to start. I'd heard a lot about 'brand swaps' and even unsuccessfully tried to get my Nan (who spends even more than we do on just herself) to swap her expensive breakfast cereal for the supermarket own-brand. She gave them back to me a week later declaring "I can't eat those, they're horrible." Once I decided that brand swapping was the route for us I figured I should document the journey for reference and for anyone else who may be interested. I think anyone could appreciate spending less on food, especially if they could be sure the cheaper product in their baske...