I hate grocery shopping here!!!

I have just gotten back from doing the shopping and I absolutely hate shopping here. The stores are way too crowded, nothing is ever in stock, and, they make you Frickin pay for a trolley (i had no cash, it's nearing payday and money's tight so I couldn't get any out) and there I was carting a basket around Asda while 5 months pregnant cause they wouldn't trust me with a flipping trolley.

And to top it off, they were out of mac and cheese.

I'm going to go take a nap before I start crying.

You do get the money back when you put the trolley back, and you can get little coin-shaped tokens for your keyring the fit in as well- I got mine in a Christmas cracker! Anyway, not all shops have that, and I first saw that system in an American supermarket years ago.

<breathe>
I didnt know they had Mac and cheese I havent found it...

Do your grocery shopping online - they delivery and if you choose the right time its CHEAP!

http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/

I swear by it when I dont feel like treking to Tesco...Asda is close but small so I order from Tesco which is larger but still drive to Morrisons for stuff they have I love - hot and spicy sauce.

Trust me take the stress out and have it delivered

The weekend is worst time to shop.  Have you considered shopping during the week?

I work, so weekend shopping would be the only suitable time for me to go to the store.  Instead, I've been shopping online for at least three years and get it delivered during the week.  It means less 'out of stuff' and it's very convenient.  Usually only have to get bread, milk and a few fresh things on the weekends which makes for a much less stressful trip to the store.

Can you find a 24 hour Asda or Tesco and shop at night? I used to do that in the US, especially around the holidays, just to avoid the crowds. But yeah, definitely try getting your shopping delivered. It really is sooo worth the delivery fee to avoid that racket! I really hate it sometimes, too, and when I first moved here, I would get really claustrophobic and start crying every time we went shopping and freaked out by the people getting so close to me and reaching over me for stuff and just coming at me with their trolleys like we were going to face off or something. LOL. Now, I just barrel down the aisle like all the rest of them and practically elbow people out of my way. It really is every man or woman for his or herself at the shops here sometimes! I feel your pain.

Internet shopping. Seriously. The fee is worth it to avoid the hassle. 

Thanks for letting me rant.  I was so close to breaking down and crying in the middle of Asda. 

I know they give you your pound back, but it's principle.  I usually go to Sainsbury's but didn't feel like taking 2 buses so i figured it wouldn't kill me.  Sainsbury's trusts you with their shopping trolleys...

I do need to look at having it delivered.  That would probably cut down on my impulse buying as well.  Unfortunately, because I work the only time is weekends.  We used to do the 24 hour one, but I can't stay up past 10 anymore!

Vent away!

If your Asda is closer to the city centre, they'll charge. Suburban ones don't.

We always kept a spare pound coin around for the shopping carts.

I agree, the stores always seemed more crowded and the people more 'in your face'. The only place I find that here in the US is Walmart. In the UK, we were fortunate enough to shop on off hours, as others have suggested. I wasn't a huge fan of online shopping as it seemed that more often than not, they didn't have some semi-odd ingredient I needed. What I did a lot was order the basics and non-perishables online and buy my fresh food either at the supermarket or at the markets/independent shops.

I hate grocery shopping---anywhere!!!
Luckily DH has volunteered to do the monthly 'big shop'-- if he didn't it would definitely be online shopping for me!

I know they give you your pound back, but it's principle.  I usually go to Sainsbury's but didn't feel like taking 2 buses so i figured it wouldn't kill me.  Sainsbury's trusts you with their shopping trolleys...

The ASDA near me doesn't charge for shopping trolleys and it's a massive store (the first ASDA-Walmart Supercentre in the UK) - I would guess, as balmerhon suggested that it's because of the location of the store that they charge for the trolleys. The ASDA near me is in a big out-of-town retail park just off the M5 and is in a safe area... very few people are likely to run off with the trolleys. However, there is another ASDA in the city centre, about 15 miles from where I live, which is not in a great area of town and has a few dodgy characters hanging around... they do charge for trolleys at that ASDA.

I have found it has more to do with location too---and in fairness I have seen people pushing trolleys from our town centre asda to their houses often-- would guess if the pound wasn't there, they wouldn't find their way back.

KSand- is the one near you by Cribbs?
I hate grocery shopping here too. I do alot of it online and then only go for nappies and things like that. I tend to stick to green grocers and markets for fresh.
I also find that if you say excuse me or apologize for getting into someones way to anyone in the supermarket they ignore you! Really gets on my nerves and my husband has told me to stop saying it to people but it is just something I cant seem to shake!

I also find that if you say excuse me or apologize for getting into someones way to anyone in the supermarket they ignore you! Really gets on my nerves and my husband has told me to stop saying it to people but it is just something I cant seem to shake!

I noticed this too for the most part. 

KSand- is the one near you by Cribbs?

Yeah it is . I actually work at Cribbs at the moment, so I spend a lot of time down there!

Been working in Bristol, at Flowers Hill, Brislington. I visited the Aldi there, and found they don't have baskets, only quid-in-the-slot trolleys. If you want less than would make a trolley worthwhile, you have to juggle it all in your hands, as I saw several people doing. Still, great value cream sherry, parboiled rice and Parmigiano cheese.