Neil Gits Essentials

I’ve lived at my current address for just over 35 years now and boy – has my life taken some twists & turns along the way ! So many things have happened to me, good & bad, in my time here, it would be impossible to even condense 10% of them in to a brief summary in this week’s blog, but if there’s one thing that’s been a constant all these years, it must be my weekly visits to Asda !!

When I first moved into my own place, life was really good, everything was going well, I had a nice bit of cash in the bank and though I’ve always written out a shopping list, I didn’t really have a budget so if I saw something extra nice on the shelves I fancied, in the trolley it went and out of my wallet came some extra notes at the till. Over time, the need arrived to reign in my spending and show a little restraint instead of “going wild in the aisles” but with a newly aquired credit card to fall back on, paying five or ten quid more than planned wasn’t a problem now and then.

So here we are in 2026 and much has changed for me personally over the last 6 years. I opted to take early retirement in 2021 and make my savings last till my full pension comes along – but that didn’t quite work as planned and I have had to make some serious cutbacks in my lifestyle for the time being. It’s not too big an issue really, I’ve always been able to live quite cheaply anyway, but with prices rocketing the way they are these days, I’ve had to be quite creative to keep the fridge & cupboards stocked.

Just five years ago, a pack of 4 Cadbury Dairy Milk bars was £1. Now the same (but smaller!!) pack is £2.24 so I have had to greatly reduce the number of my fave choccie bars that I consume – and that really hurts ! However, on the positive side, I have discovered all sorts of things to eat which I’d never tried & really rather like now, such as sardines, cream crackers & tinned peaches, along with other low cost items like bourbon biscuits, soup & Pot Noodles, which I’d previously turned my nose up at years ago but have been pleasantly surprised by when trying them again.

Asda do a ‘bargain’ range of products in store called “Just Essentials” and I’d always avoided those horrible yellow labels like the plague, much in the same way as their old “Smart Price” stuff back in the 90s, but some of them have been a revelation. The ‘regular’ cheesey slices are £1.43 for a 200g pack of 10 whilst the “JE” range equivalent is 255g, sells for just 83p – and there are 15 slices in it ! Also a tub of ‘normal’ coleslaw is £1 but the ‘Essential’ one, same size, is half the price and in both cases I cannot tell the difference ! I can’t wait to walk down to town this week and see what else I can find to try, save money on and enjoy with my TV dinners …

I think at this point I am supposed to say “other supermarkets are available” and indeed I do take advantage of special Clubcard offers in Tesco and Nectar deals in Sainsburys, both of whom have conveneient stores along my regular routes to pop in to. Also Morrisons have a happy knack of continuing to stock certain items after “The Big Three” have taken them off their shelves, which is nice. Likewise, other soul shows are available on your radio, but I promise you that I NEVER cut corners on the quality of the music – and have NOT ONCE put the price up in 15 years !!!

Check out the latest playlist and enjoy some more similar tunes soon !

The Tunes – Monday 18th May 2026

Earth Wind & Fire – Got To Get You Into My Life
Lou Rawls – Sit Down & Talk To Me
Victor Haynes – Feel (2026 Remix)
Leon Haywood – Don’t Push It Don’t Force It
James Ingram – Try Your Love Again
Barry White – I’m Gonna Love You Just A Little Bit More Baby
Teena Marie & Ronnie McNeir – We’ve Got To Stop Meeting Like This
Ty Juan – Look Where We Are
Family Brown – I’m Gonna Getcha
Jermaine Jackson – Let’s Get Serious
Teddy Pendergrass – When Somebody Loves You Back
Ramsey Lewis – Whisper Zone
Whitfield Baston – Still Got A Thing For You (Reggae Mix)
Dynasty – Love In The Fast Lane
Ashford & Simpson – Love Don’t Make It Right
Beggar & Co – Somebody Help Me Out
Anastacia – I’m Outta love
O’Jays – How Time Flies
Commodores – Nightshift
MF Robots – The Pressure
Gayle Adams – Let’s Go All The Way
Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes – The Love I Lost
Jessie Laine Powell – On The Edge (Nu Jazz Mix)

Feel free to get in touch with your soulful request or just for a mention on the show – put a post on “The Old Gits Soul Show” page on Facebook, text (01268)833978 or message me via e-mail : [email protected].

The Old Gits Soul Show is broadcast LIVE from 7pm–9pm every Monday, repeated on Saturday evening from 5pm–7pm, on Gateway 97.8FM in Basildon & East Thurrock, across South Essex on DAB and available nationally via the Radio Player on your TV as well as online via www.gateway978.com You can listen on your smart speaker or your phone too … plus you can hear it again anytime you like via the “Listen Again” button on the Gateway website – just search “Cool Soul” !