As a student on a budget, most of us can attest to the fact that the weekly food shopping proves to be a bigger mental battle than our degrees. The questions remain: walk the extra ten minutes to get to Lidl or walk to the Tesco metro around the corner for an easy trek? Do an Asda online shop with your housemates or walk fifteen minutes to the big Sainsbury’s over the canal?
The lazy side of us would probably prefer the local Tesco and Sainsbury’s that is situated in Lenton, whilst my inner Frugal Queen would encourage the extra walk to Lidl, the latter of which usually reigns over the former.
However, with many supermarket options available, including online shopping, combined with a restrictive student loan, requires an ability to decipher the best place to shop. What I’ve come to realise is that your best bet is to shop at multiple stores in order to get the best deals on products and foods.
So, you’re in luck since I have created a list of local supermarkets for you to browse:
“visit nearer the closing time for the best finds in the reduced section!”
1. Lidl
Lidl is my personal favourite, so this will be slightly biased. Not only is it very cheap, the location of the supermarket isn’t too far from the centre of Lenton. Situated just behind Jubilee Campus, it is very accessible and makes for a perfect trip after lectures and seminars. With fresh fruit and vegetables delivered daily, there is an array of food to choose from – it even has a fresh bakery. Once it’s time to load the contents of your basket onto the conveyer belt, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to discover how much you bought at such a low cost.
2. Tesco Metro
Despite living fairly close to Tesco, I always seem to forget its existence. However, the few times I have been, the deals are very good. I started comparing the basics; the things I would usually buy on a daily basis. The results were similar to that of Lidl’s, with only a few pounds difference. For me, the store doesn’t have enough in it for me to be able to do a big shop, but for the odd few things I’d go back.
3. Sainsbury’s Local
Located in the middle of Derby Road beside the Savoy Cinema, Tesco proves useful for most students in Lenton, especially in the evenings or when you’ve ran out of a particular item and need to pop out quickly. Some things can be slightly on the overpriced side, but it is a matter of scouring for the deals. Top Tip: visit nearer the closing time for the best finds in the reduced section!
“the main idea is to shop around at first to find out what works best for you”
4. Asda Online Shop
A few of my housemates have done their weekly food shopping online but I have yet to do the same. For me it would only be worth it if I was to do a big enough shop to go over the amount for free delivery (yes, I’m that person- aren’t we all?). Although, the ease of online shopping is a positive, so if you don’t have time to go to the shops then this is perfect for you. Just be warned, you may not get the best of the bunch since you can’t physically choose the item yourself.
5. Aldi
Heading towards Radford you’ll find Aldi, which has the best prices for us struggling students. Now, I have to confess that I haven’t actually ventured there myself but two of my friends have and did not regret the trek. One was even caught in the rain, but the cheap offers ensured that she didn’t have to shop again for just over two weeks.
Whichever option you decide on during your years at the University of Nottingham, the main idea is to shop around at first to find out what works best for you. Happy Food Shopping!
Shanai Momi
Featured image courtesy of Christian Schnettelker via Flickr. Image license found here. no changes made to this image
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