Friendly dialogue is opening up for us as we swap tips and suggestions with many people, in the streets or via the blog, who strive to follow similar agendas.

But there are also a few who just don't seem to get it, seeing no benefit in avoiding supermarkets and incredulous that it might be even vaguely possible.

(One visiting relative even offered to sneak into Roys to buy things for us – she seemed disappointed that we denied her a covert grocery mission.)

In fact, the wealth of independent traders in and around Sudbury has meant that our self-imposed regime is not only possible, but really quite easy and enjoyable.

This is something we should not take for granted. Friends in other parts of the country talk of their sadness that a stance like ours would not be viable for them, where the only town-centre alternatives to supermarkets are high-class delicatessens with prohibitive prices.

For our friend in Knightsbridge, the closest thing she has to a corner shop is Harrods (but then let's not feel too sorry for her!)
In discussing our plan with friends and family, we have experienced some sucking of teeth from those who imagine we're letting ourselves in for increased expense.

Others are more cynical about supermarkets and predict the opposite. We have not yet made direct price comparisons, but we suspect that on balance we are spending less.

There are many issues still to arise; we've barely touched on toiletries and cleaning supplies (no clever comments, thank you), we have yet to hammer out DIY materials and neither have we turned to drinks.

In a sense then, we are still some way from achieving our short-term goal.

Even so, our smooth progress so far prompts us to take things up a notch and concentrate on sourcing goods that are actually produced in the region.

Just as we have the good fortune of plentiful local outlets, Suffolk has reportedly the country's greatest density of local producers.

We may expect then that our path will continue to be straightforward as we delve further into East Anglian home produce.