[Growster...]

Just making an Angel Delight Butterscotch whip for lunch, I was using the Kenwood Mini A385 mixer, which we have had for over forty-eight years (got it for the childrens' first 'solid' food)!

I still love it to bits, and the original box has stood the time as well!

Green Shield Stamps gave us so much back then, and we've only just chucked a Spong mincer, as it really had started to show its age, but it would have been a year or so older, so was a pretty good buy back then too!!

So what's everyone here got from those golden days - of power cuts, three day weeks etc...

[Goosegirl]

I used to save those and also those from the Co-op. It was so much nicer to go into a lovely wood-panelled bank or office in those days. My OH has an old Kenwood mixer which he still uses.

[Growster...]

Kenwoods were top of the range back then, Goosey, weren't they!

There might be something else which came from the Hastings Green Shield shop lurking in the back of a cupboard, so will have to check now!

Incidently, an old friend got married a couple of years before all our stamps started to appear, and it turned out that his uncle was 'yer actual' Richard Tomkins, who founded GSS! He was there, and loaned my chum his cars for him and his lovely bride to use for the move back to the reception! (Same church and hotel where Mrs G. and I were wed a year or so later - another story)!

One car had the number 00 7, the other - I think - was 00 07! Lovely people, lovely wife, and there was my great chum, who'd invited me and Mrs Growster to his wedding with an invite hand-written on a used serviette in Mrs Growster's parents' public bar!

[mrs bouquet]

Yes, I used to save all the books of them, but I cannot remember what I did with them.  Probably got Christmas Toys for the children or kitchen bits and bobs, but nothing I have still got.  Those were the days.  We get loyalty cards now.   Mrs B

[Christine]

Good heavens, Christmas toys were mostly green shield stamps in disguise. Hubby was a travelling salesman when the children were toddlers so a great heap to the budget.

[rowlandwells]

yep those good old green shield stamps when in my early lorry driving days we always used to try to fill up at a garage that gave green shield stamps when you had filled up with fuel the stamp used to come of that roll like a roll of toilet paper here comes another mixer 

our boss asked us if we had shares in green shield stamps we also had a green shield depot near us and it was a standard joke that if a driver wanted a day of in the week he was going for an interview with green shield and get measured for his new uniform 

it was a shame when i changed jobs because the next haulage company had there own re-fuelling depots so that was the end of the green shield stamps 

[GraciesGran]

Spong mincer acquired in 1974 with them.  Still in use although the box is a bit tatty

[Growster...]

Spong mincer acquired in 1974 with them.  Still in use although the box is a bit tatty

We lost all but one of the discs on our Spong, GrGr, and always had to use the smallest (?) one!

The base suction pad worked until the end, but the rest went a bit 'rusty'!

[comfreykid]

Used green shield stamps to buy tools etc for my first car , a  G reg Triumph Herald.  I got a socket set , battery charger , grease gun  which are still going strong , and many other bits that have worn out or been lost.
Mum still has her Spong , still in its original box !.

[wighty]

I remember Green Shield stamps, we had to go to Farnborough to redeem them.  I also have a recollection of blue ones?  Can't remember where you go them or what you did with them though.  Any ideas?

[comfreykid]

The Co op used to give blue stamps l seem to remember  , but l think they were saving stamps .   

[Goosegirl]

Yes, they were savings stamps and I collected them too.

[JayG]

Is it only me who remembers saving pink 'S&H' stamps?

They had the same purpose as Green Shield stamps but weren't as popular and went out of business (I'm beginning to see why!  )

[rowlandwells]

yes we also had co op stamps at our co op then it went to points and we still have co op saving stamps it seems the norm is collecting points at quite a lot of places including Garden Centres and others

by the way do you remember collecting national saving stamps some years ago?

[Growster...]

yes we also had co op stamps at our co op then it went to points and we still have co op saving stamps it seems the norm is collecting points at quite a lot of places including Garden Centres and others

by the way do you remember collecting national saving stamps some years ago?

Yes I do, Rowland, we used to pop a few bob into an account at school in the 1950s!

It seems that the only way to get anywhere near all this is to get stuff with a Tesco Clubcard these days, which appears to be a good deal, but probably isn't...