Where to buy? What to buy?

[bluecow]

Hiya

This is my first post but I'm really hoping for some advice.

Due to a massive change in circumstances I find myself struggling financially. I'm now a lone parent and along with being a full time adult student things are VERY tight.

So....

Up until recently I had been feeding my birds rspb foods.... sunflower hearts, winter mix, peanuts, niger seed, suet pellets, mealworms and fat cakes. Sadly I can no longer afford to keep up the amount I was spending.

I have a lovely mix of wild birds to the garden, including a large flock of gold-finches and bull finches which I adore.

The finches love the niger seed, which happens to be amongst the most expensive of the seeds, and the rest is snaffled by the assortment of tits, thrushes, blackbirds, robins and of course the starlings.

What would you reccomend I buy? and where from?

I need cheaper alternatives to the branded seeds, possibly some alternatives to the mixes and seeds I currently use and possibly a reccomendation on where to buy.

I know I could just take a punt and buy from the cheapest place I can find on the net, but that doesnt mean the birds will eat it, and given my tight finances I cant afford to waste money trialling either.

Really hoping you guys can help point me in the right direction.

Thanks

Bluecow x

[tigertom]

I get most of my bird foods at Wilcos as can not afford to buy in bulk my self
a kilo of niger seed just under 2 quid and also get some other stuff from local pound shop who often have national trust bird foods pound stretchers and B+Ms also Worth a look pound stretchers did have fat balls 6 for 49p I do tend to shop around and buy a lot when its on offer building stock ups
MIKE

[bluecow]

Hiya Tigertom

Thank you

I also have the same issue with buying bulk, I just dont have anywhere to store it, so I'm limited to buying under 5kg of each.

Will check out wilkos next time I'm in town and grab a few bits.

Thanks

[Hobjob]

Try looking on line.

'Wild about birds' have their offices about three miles from me and send stuff round the country. RSPB tends to be expensive.

I use a local importer, Charnwoods, Charnwood Milling Company Ltd Wild Bird , but tend to pick up myself and buy enought to get a discount. They have proved cheaper than Wild About Birds.

Buying in bulk is always cheaper, so perhaps have a group order?

[AndrewA123]

Bluecrow, i've just received an email from Aldi stating they're selling bird seed and feed as of sunday. the link is below for details.

ALDI - Sunday Special Buys 5th February 2012

[Billabong Karen]

I've also bought from Lidl, and the food was received just as gratefully by the birds as the more expensive stuff from the petshop.

[Billabong Karen]

The bird feeding station at 9.99 seems a bit of a bargain... I mostly use a small walnut tree outside the kitchen as my feeding station, but sadly will have to chop it down in the spring as its roots are threatening the drainage pipes... May need to do a quick run down to Aldi! Thanks Andrew for the link

[AndrewA123]

Originally Posted by Billabong Karen

The bird feeding station at 9.99 seems a bit of a bargain... I mostly use a small walnut tree outside the kitchen as my feeding station, but sadly will have to chop it down in the spring as its roots are threatening the drainage pipes... May need to do a quick run down to Aldi! Thanks Andrew for the link

No problem Karen, My Grandmother bought one last year when they had them in and despite the price, is still standing strong!

[Brocakat]

Anothe place to try to purchase ( relatively ) cheap bird food - you could try one of those 'Farm Supply' places - which are ( logically ! ) located out in the Countryside/ Villages .

However the amount you'll have to buy - to make it economical - may be of a larger volume or weight that what you are used to buying at one go.
That's one factor in what makes it cheaper, though !