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do you find it cheaper to buy groceries 'as you need them'?

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  • Molillie
    Molillie Posts: 134 Forumite
    No help on the shopping daily/weekly, it depends too much on what's available nearby, and how prone to overbuying you are, really, but I recently saw a design I liked for mealplans and shopping list. Using the paper turned lengthways (landscape) put the list of seven main meals on the left, and then on the rest of the page put in sub-categories for foods and toiletries, etc. you can add in things you get every week, Mealplan at a good time for you, when you are relaxed, and can check recipes if you need to. Once your plan is done, check what you'll need to buy against what you already have. You might leave some things open until later in the week, to get fresher stuff, or use a shop somewhere you'll be anyway. If you don't want to print off the template every week, you could laminate it, and wipe it clean after shopping. This format seems to work well, as it cuts down on what you have to think about, and can be used for a big shop or a series of little ones. If you pick up reductions or bargains, then it's easy to adjust the meals. I caught myself constantly overspending, and then eating too much to finish things off, so this works for me. I don't bother planning the non-main meals, but you could if you wanted to.
  • I agree, it depends on how you operate. I live in London and don't have a car, so (unless I make a big trip to one of the giant supermarkets) my only choices are small 'express' style mini supermarkets, or fancy expensive delis.

    About once a fortnight I order a big online shop from Sainsbury's and stock up on essentials, tinned goods etc. I pretty much solely buy own-brand stuff. I buy a big bag of onions, a giant bag of potatoes, a big bag of carrots etc. I always order 5 bottles of own-brand sparkling water because it's only 20p a bottle and it's delicious! They sometimes have good deals online, and the benefit of online shopping is you only get what you want, can compare prices easily, and don't get distracted by other things. It's better for me as well because I don't have to carry it home on public transport - which is really awkward for big things like sacks of veg or toilet rolls - or pay for a taxi.

    Then I usually make a lot of things that I can freeze - things like soups, lasagnes, pasta sauces, hotpots, curry etc. I put them in freezable individual portions which I take to work for my lunch and easy freezable dinners.

    I usually have to stock up every few days on fresh things like milk, yoghurt, salad, greens. For this I try to use the deli near my house. For basics it's not much more than the Tesco Express next door, and I feel much happier supporting an independent business than supporting Tesco. Plus their veg is organic.

    For toiletries I usually buy in bulk online (makeup, shampoo, tampons etc). So long as you know what brand you want and are happy to buy 6 months worth at a time I think you can save a lot of money! I have a big box of toiletries in my cupboard and just keep it stocked up.

    Hope this helps!
    Saving £6,000 in 2015!
  • Goldiegirl
    Goldiegirl Posts: 8,805
    First Anniversary First Post Rampant Recycler Hung up my suit!
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    People in the 50's shopped daily for two reasons


    1) They didn't have the means to store lots of fresh food (no freezers or maybe even no fridge)


    2) They didn't have transport. If they did massive weekly shops they'd have to lug it all back home on the bus or walk home.


    Therefore it was much more convenient to go to the local shop down the road and get what they needed when they needed it.


    So if you wanted to do it true 1950's style, you'd need to go to your local shop. I don't know about you, but I find that the local shops are always more expensive than the big supermarkets. I came back from my holiday last Saturday and walked to the local farm shop to get a few fresh bits. I spent £10 on hardly anything.


    Shopping daily might work if you lived right next to a big supermarket, if not there'd be the cost of all the extra petrol or bus fares for daily trips to the shops to factor into the costs involved.


    Then there's the time factor. Even though I don't work anymore, I haven't got the time or inclination to shop for food everyday.


    Bulk buying and meal planning works for me.


    When I worked, I'd do an internet shop each week, and would pick up a few oddments at the weekend.


    Now that I don't work, I do a massive internet shop once every 2 - 3 months, and go shopping for fresh items once a week.


    I've got transport and the means to store food - I don't need to go shopping everyday
    Early retired - 18th December 2014
    If your dreams don't scare you, they're not big enough
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