Last week at Lidl, I noticed two almost identical packets of fish fingers sitting side by side in the freezer. One was priced around €2.15, the other closer to €3. Identical in taste, the main difference lay in the origins of the fish. The more expensive option was certified by the Marine Stewardship Council, meaning [...]

After one too many bouts of self delusion – “put it on the credit card and it’s free” – the one or two trips a year to pricier hotels or spas had to come to an end. It was always beyond my means. I still wanted a break away, and in gorgeous Ireland. But hotel [...]

Since we started working on CheapEats last year, we’ve tried to bring you details of bargains and special offers in supermarkets, along with news and features on local shops and smaller producers. But, as Conor Pope points out in today’s Pricewatch, there are serious practical difficulties. In the UK, the enormously popular mysupermarket.co.uk provides real [...]

FairTrade Fortnight runs until March 7, and this year’s theme is the Big Swap. Organisers are encouraging people to swap their usual shopping choices for FairTrade products. I always buy FairTrade whenever I can: bananas and chocolate being one of the staples. It was great to see Cadbury make thier Dairy Milks a FairTrade product, [...]

Mamma Mia! It’s Valentine’s Mardi Gras at Aldi,with roses, Italian food, and pancake accroutements all on sale. Today’s special buys include: Valentine’s red rose bouquet – €14.99 Pizza base mix – 99c Maple syrup – €2.99 Click here to see them all. This week’s Super6 selection includes white potatoes, Granny Smith apples, and a carrot [...]

Some wallets have a weak spot for takeaway coffee. Mine has one for the multifarious, rubbish chocolate bars and crisps strangling the tills of newsagents. They’re one of those costs I don’t tend to give much thought to: 85c here, €1.05 there. The shops know they can get away with charging us more or less [...]

By Catriona McGrath Since Peter is ‘ill’ with what he claims is swine flu, I will kindly fill space on CheapEats.  Fortunately for him, I’ve been looking for a forum for my sandwich rant. Like many people I’m a fan of the sandwich. Stick pretty much anything between two slices of bread and I’m fairly [...]

Yesterday’s Irish Independent ran a taste-test on concentrated orange juices, and Superquinn’s Euroshopper option came out top of their list. Juice is one of those things I spend more money than I should on. I know that they are much, much cheaper, but concentrated orange or apple juice just don’t taste the same. Concentrated orange [...]

Last week, a queue of angry creditors phoned Joe Duffy to complain about unpaid bills from Dublin’s Town Bar and Grill. The popular restaurant now looks to be on the brink of closure. There’s many more restaurants staring into the abyss, including Eden and Tante Zoe’s in Temple Bar. Of course, it’s a very hard [...]

Special offers at SuperValu this week include: 5 Irish Chicken Breast Fillets – 5 for €5.99 (€1.50 each) Dawn Not from Concentrate juices – €2 each Cadbury 230g Bar Range – reduced from €3.10 to €2 All offers valid until Saturday June 6. Click here for full details. Dawn Apple Juice is €2.99 per litre [...]