Break up with the supermarket challenge ~ week one down!

This break up is going extremely well, no tears, no withdrawal and certainly no going back for a quickie.  I'm free!  I haven't been near the big boys and haven't missed them one teeny bit.  What I've found has filled me with hope and if things stay this way, I may break up for good.  

So let me tell you a bit about my shopping experience this past week.  Sorry its a thesis but I just wanted to share.

I shopped at the local fruiterer and had a lovely conversation about our kids with one of the owners and left smiling. I can get my delicious greek yoghurt there, pulses, nuts, olive oils and a few other kitchen staples, amazing when you open your eyes.  I noticed at a local coffee shop too that they were selling sea salt flakes for $5, bloody bargain!!! I brought our meat from a large butchers where I asked about the chance they could stock some free range goods~they sounded enthusiastic but actions speak louder than words!! Will have to see on that one.  I went to the opposition health food shop and was greeted with lovely customer service and knowledge of what I was after.  I must admit, I didn't need anything but I wanted to see if it was any better than the first one I talked about last week, but I will give them another go, everyone is entitled to a bad day,   

some of my new organic goodies

My happiest shopping moments came from IGA the independent little man.  I was nervous, I didn't know this place very well, it was my once in a blue moon supermarket booty call.  I drove into the car park and my pleasant experience started.  No waiting for a park, there were tons of them available, no sign of the agitation I usually feel driving into the Woolies dodgem car park where your lucky if you don't get collected walking across the pedestrian crossing.  I grabbed my green bags and free trolley and off I went.  

I was after some organic produce too after reading alot about it (that's another long story....), it's time to switch to some, a little bit at a time.  There was a large variety to choose from which was my first surprise and even though some things were expensive ($12 for the eco organic drinking chocolate that is replacing my wicked addiction of a $5 a pkt of 12 Jarrah hot chocolates a week. I'm ridding my body of artificial sweeteners, evil it is, pure evil.)  I noticed that the majority of the shoppers were elderly and the mood was rather relaxed, no one was rushing around.  My greatest joy was at the register. The middle aged lady serving me was cheerful and genuinely seemed to want to know how my day was.  I nearly dropped dead with shock when she asked me if I'd like a hand out to the car with my groceries. Really? Oh yes! I didn't take her up on it but I was more than impressed. Good old fashioned customer service at its finest, I'm a sucker for it.  I could have just high fived the little old lady that drummed up a conversation with me at the checkout only to give me a wave and a smile in the carpark.  Where the hell was I? I liked this place.

I was way chuffed to actually find
this product, love the name!

Even though I brought some organic produce there wasn't a multi buy in sight so I didn't over spend at the IGA.  I did well and truly get a tad excited in the Health food shop so this weeks total of $345 is about $70-80 more than I normally spend.  I'm hoping I won't be so excited next week and that amount will be down, it better be or I'll have to give up somthing, but it won't be my hot chocolate, it, by the way is heavenly.

If I have to be honest the only thing making me hot and sweaty about the break up is the everyday rewards points at Woolies, I'm a junkie.  I want them!!!! They are connected to my Qantas frequent flyer points that I've been on a mission to accumulate for a trip to god knows where, but in all honesty if its for the detriment of real money in the bank and a better shopping experience, then I'll forego it.  I really need to unsubscribe from the scheme online though as Woolies and their liquor department must know I'm not shopping there.  They keep sending me emails of points giveaways and discount offers..but I won't be broken damn them!  But it is SO hard to resist buying 6 bottles of my beloved wine with 30% off in anyone's terms, but I will stay strong.  But I may need a wine to help me.

So thats me, how did you go?  I would love to hear of anyone else's experiences be them good or bad.  If you want to start its not too late, you can read more about the challenge here, go on give it a try!!  Its time to be the dump-er not the dump-ee.

Ciao, Jan