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How often do you shop?

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Comments

  • lambanana
    lambanana Posts: 685 Forumite
    I do maybe one "big shop" a month then go once or twice a week for extra bread, milk, fruit and veg and this does work for me, probably because I try to use cash for food shops so only buy what I'm there for and not little extras.
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  • missychrissy
    missychrissy Posts: 741 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 6 August 2010 at 9:29AM
    I only go shopping about every 4 to 6 weeks. I live on my own so it is probably easier to last that long. I find that the less I go shopping the less I spend. Sometimes I enjoy the challenge of seeing how long I can last. After Christmas and New Year I always try to last as long as possible before going shopping and I have been known to last well into March.

    I have 2 freezers so I freeze meat and fish and just take them out when I want to cook something. I keep my bread in the freezer and just defrost the quantity I need. I havn't noticed a change in taste in defrosted bread as opposed to fresh. I buy my milk in cartons in Aldi that keep in the cupboard for months when unopened. I buy fresh veg when I shop and chop and freeze some of it on the day of shopping such as peppers, and also if I think something will go off before I can use it up. I do buy some frozen veg and tinned peas/beans etc. Once I have used up all of the fresh stuff I can then move on to the frozen and tinned. I also buy fresh fruit but once used I then move on the tinned/jars/frozen.

    It works for me. If I don't go shopping I can't spend any money.
  • The_Thrilla
    The_Thrilla Posts: 1,021 Forumite
    I live centrally. My corner shop is Lidl. I tend to shop about 2 or 3 times a week, but don't spend much. Sometimes I go into the Co-op and head straight for the reduced sections. I used to be the only one there. But now there is often a crowd of people gathered round like it was a road accident.
  • p-pincher
    p-pincher Posts: 727 Forumite
    i do a big shop once a month online and spend about £80, i get all my big bulky things like loo rolls, toiletries, pasta, rice, beans, passatta, meat etc and 1 weeks worth of fruit veg and bread, then i speed about £25 for the other three weeks on fresh stuff,. Sometimes i go wilkos for toiltries. Thats for 2 adults and 2 litttle ones, to be honest id love to be able to spend a bit more to take a bit of the pressure off.
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  • CupOfChai
    CupOfChai Posts: 1,411 Forumite
    I go once a week, then usually end up popping again for 'bits' once in the week too. It's usually for the odd thing that I didn't need until the end of the week, that either would have gone off by the time I wanted it if I'd got it during the big shop, or that I couldn't/didn't want to carry it back in my big shop when I wouldn't need it for a while.

    I couldn't do a big shop once a month like some do on here as I walk to the shop and walk back carrying my bags. This does help a little bit with not buying loads of rubbish I don't need as I have to think about how I'm going to drag it home! Shop is also on my route home from work so it's easy enough to quickly pop in if I need something.
  • Penelope_Penguin
    Penelope_Penguin Posts: 17,216 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker I've been Money Tipped!
    I do a big shop monthly, for storecupboard and toiletries. I then shop once or twice a week at the farm shop, butcher, local grocer for perishables :)

    As this has fallen from the front page of OS, I'll move it to the Shopping Board.

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  • Kimitatsu
    Kimitatsu Posts: 3,883 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Like Penny I do a big shop once a month for the bulky items and then shop on an as and need basis for the perishables........having said that though I live in the stix and I have a box of fruit and veg delivered every week and would be lost without the massive freezer that I have. Storage I think is probably the issue for most people, I have 2 fridges (one in the garage) a huge freezer and shelving in the garage for tins and jars, so that when I shop at approved foods I am not swamping the kitchen!

    Milk and milk substitute (LO is lactose intolerant) are probably the only things I shop every week for, if we had a cow I could probably do away with that too :rotfl:
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  • jezza2412
    jezza2412 Posts: 238 Forumite
    I shop several times a week, mostly at lunchtime at work, but usually for not more than one basket's worth a time.

    Advantages:

    1. I can visit all the different supermarkets to cherry-pick the bargains

    2. Fewer items in the basket means I can easier check my receipt for overcharging errors that seem to happen quite often

    3. I don't need to use the car

    4. I don't have to waste valuable leisure time shopping after work and at weekends
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