MSM's Guide to Asda.com

I LOVE asda.com, and I have compiled a quick stress-removing guide here for you to help you make the most of your online shopping experience. This guide could easily be applied to any online supermarket facility, it just happens that I use Asda. Please note that if you have any specific dietary requirements or allergies to specific products, you may not be able to follow this guide to the letter.

• Before you even THINK about touching a computer, stop. Write yourself a basic shopping list of essentials, (e.g. Milk, bread, yoghurts, Juice/pop, sandwich fillings, butter) but DO NOT write a specific brand. Open your mind to the frugal way of thinking.
• If you do not have one, create a login for the website of your choice. This is fairly easy to do, and will also remember everything you buy in 'favourites' so next time, it will be easier to shop.
• Choose a delivery slot that suits you. I find evening slots are cheaper, but, in Asda's case, they can offer 8 hour delivery slots, which are cheaper again. This is ideal if you have no plans to go out on the day your shopping will be delivered.
• You are now ready to begin compiling your shopping list. Here is where the money saving begins!
• The first thing I do is type in 'smart price' (or whichever your supermarket's value range is). This will bring up a list of all the Asda Smart Price range. From this list, select as many products from your list as you can. Remember, a chicken is a chicken is a chicken. A Smart Price chicken breast may need a little bit of trimming compared to a normal Asda chicken breast, but so what?
• Next step, check the special offers, and see if any of the things you love or want to treat your family to are on a multisave or a rollback. At the moment, they have a £1 groceries list. This is great for picking up a few treats you wouldnt normally fork out for.
• The third and final step in your shopping trip should be to complete your list. Remember, swap brands for own-brand and you could save a chunk off your shopping bill.
• Complete your order at the e-checkout, and decide if you want to allow substitute items. If you find that its something you don't need, you may want to uncheck the 'allow substitutes' option. If you dont need it, you don't need the substitute either! All thats left once you're done is to wait until it arrives.
• 48 hours after delivery, log into Asda Price Guarantee and if asda weren't 10% cheaper than competitors, they will give you a voucher for the difference, which will be credited to your asda.com account.

You may find you do the bulk of your monthly stocking up online, like I do, and then get little top-up-shops as you need them. I find that I prefer to buy my bread, and a few other little bits such as sandwich fillers and coleslaw, in store, as online delivery pickers give you the stuff with the shortest date. In store, you can dig through to find the longest lasting produce!

Need a hand with your frugal shopping? Drop me a line at moneysavingmummy@gmail.com and find out how I can help you!