car free grocery shopping savings

Desperate_Housewife_2-2

I scrapped my car last month and bought a cycle with triple panniers and I can't believe how much I saved on my grocery shopping. I have had to rethink my shopping and make sure I buy only 'nutrient dense per pence' food, none of the cr*p such as biscuits etc as I have only limited room in the panniers.

I have triple panniers, a rucksack that expands and a shopping basket. I went to Aldi today (its the nearest supermarket thank goodness) and only spent £20. I think it is going to turn out to be the best saving ever as not only am I saving on the shopping but also upkeep and running costs of the car, plus I'm not eating rubbish and I'm getting exercise!

It got me thinking that this would be a great idea for a new thread where we can pool our thoughts about light, easy to carry, cheap small food! I am looking at things like dried pulses, dried peas, tins are ok in small quantities too. I suppose it would cut down on the need to store large quantities of food at home (I am big on this as I hate to run out of things and then have to eat the same thing for a week because its out of date!)

It helps that I have a veg patch too so I can cunningly supplement grocery shopping with stuff out of the garden. I usually get my meat from the supermarket but I reckon the butchers will be better, cheaper and have less packaging.

Does anyone have any other ideas?

cuddlymarm

Hi
We went down to 1 car 18 months ago when OHs car died and we couldn't afford a new one. Since we moved 3 months ago I carry my shopping from the local shops. It keeps me fit and I have to think about what I buy (I have a list of what I will need in the next few days and what I need that day and buy what I can carry (no biscuits, pop etc) Luckily theres only 2 of us and we've a lovely little Coop in the village. I could just do a Tesco delivery shop once a week but I choose to do this cos it keeps money local and keeps me fit

Cuddles:rotfl:

Bargain_Rzl

Hi Desperate Housewife,

I'm single and live alone, and while I don't shop by bike, I do shop either on foot or on the bus. I usually do something resembling a weekly shop - I have a Rolser trolley which I take out once a week (it has the recycling in it when I leave the flat, and the shopping in when I come home). I have all major supermarkets except Waitrose within walking distance, and depending on what I need and who's got the best deals on those items, I'll choose a "group" of supermarkets to go to. For example, Lidl, Morrisons and Netto are all in the same direction; I can do Tesco + ethnic supermarket in one direction, or Somerfield + different ethnic supermarket in another. But my definite favourite "group" for choice and value is Asda + Chinese supermarket + Aldi :j :j all on the same stretch of the Old Kent Road in London. If I've been to Asda and Aldi and they're out of something I really need, I can hop on a bus to Tesco (a few stops in one direction) or Sainsburys (a few stops in the other )

I have wine delivered by the case so I rarely have to lug many heavy bottles home from shopping trips, except milk and orange juice. When you have to drag a wheely trolley up 23 steps it tends to be an incentive not to over-buy heavy items :rotfl: If you have the storage space at home, what you could do - though I don't - is have a delivery once a quarter of non-perishable bulky or heavy items like pasta, rice, tinned goods, bottled water, washing powder and so on.

I have considered shopping by bike but to be honest I'd find it very limiting, as what quite often happens at Asda is I go with a shopping list but then happen upon a fridge full of yellow-stickered bargain meat for the freezer. I've sometimes had to limit my yellow-sticker purchases because of the capacity of the trolley (and the effort involved in lugging a trolley PLUS two carrier bags home on a 20-minute walk through the park!) but I think I would find shopping by bike a bit too limiting.

thriftlady_2

Ah, I used to do my shopping like that when I was a student. I had 3 panniers on my bike too. I used to pack them as full as possible which meant it was quite tricky to get started on the return journey -fell off once:D Boy, I was fit and slim then -there's a lesson there:rolleyes:

Mind you I was just shopping for one -now I'm doing it for five. The difficulty I see is things like washing powder, loo rolls etc which are going to be cheaper in the biggest size.

It is a great idea though, I seriously thought about doing without my car for a while. I tried not using it for a few weeks but found myself borrowing OH's at the weekend to shop at farmshops and get big things and I loathe shopping at the weekend/evenings.

Good luck to you:T

Desperate_Housewife_2-2

Thanks for the replies, I agree about the reduced items and can see that as a bit of a problem, also a good idea is to do a monthly shop for heavy items speaking of which I have noticed a distinct lack of free delivery codes lately for asda.

Also xmas shopping might be a drag but i already have squirrelled away a pud, cake and a few bottles of organic cider for the big day

My parents never had a car, they couldn't drive and they used up everything, judicious use of leftovers etc. Mum had a trolley thst she took to the supermarket too.

I also think maybe we eat too much these days and this is a bit of an experiment to see if i can do it, I'll keep you posted

Cornishpixie_2

Hi, Great idea it just means you have to be more resourceful. I am still learning to drive so when I drop off the kids and do pick up from school we all walk. Shop on line but get fresh fruit and veg as I go along from local green grocer.:D

MrsFraggle

Hi
I too shop by bike (Although I do have a car for work but I avoid using it at weekends as much as poss!)
I have large double panniers plus if I know I'm getting a bit more stuff than usual I'll also take my rucksack
What I like best about shopping by bike is the fact it stops any impulse buys cos I can only buy what I can fit in! I also go to Aldi , usually first thing on a saturday when its lovely and quiet
It's amazing how much I can fit in though - I come out of aldi with a trolley approx half full and I can see people watching thinking 'she'll never get all that in' and I haven't yet not managed to :rotfl:
We are a family of five and I shop weekly, with the odd top up every few weeks from asda.

Bitsy_Beans

Sad thing is my local Aldi etc are all on a main road and it's not one I'd trust my life on (seeing as how my H has been knocked off his bike on there )
However it does sound like a lovely idea and if I could get away with riding on the pavement and not getting my bike nicked (which my FIL who uses nothing but a cycle has found to his cost) then perhaps I'd be tempted.
Mind you not sure I could fit in a baby and a toddler and the shopping in the panniers!
Good on you for doing it though. Cycling and me don't really mix. I need a seat as comfy as a sofa to entice me to get on a bike.

MrsFraggle

Here's how the dutch do it - although admittedly they have the infrastructure <envy envy envy>

http://bakfietscargo.blogspot.com/2006/11/carrying-children-dutch-way.html

Desperate_Housewife_2-2

this looks cool

Desperate_Housewife_2-2

you could get loads in this...