Just moved out of home for the first time, whats yr best place to do your shopping?

Kitty_Ears

Makes me sound like a right numpty, doesn't it? Basically, I've just moved out of home for the first time to a small town with just a morrisons, waitrose, ALDI and a farmfoods. There's a tiny sainsburys but it's a bit like a 'local' one than anything else.

Now, food shopping is driving me mad. When I use to live in a city with my partner at Uni, we would go to the nearby ASDA once a week. Now that we're here, it feels like we're going shopping ALL THE TIME and the supermarkets here are so small and have little choice. At the moment I'm doing a main shop whenever I commute to Uni, but by the time I get home food has defrosted etc.

Basically I need advice, would you stick with what you have ie, the small supermarkets and shop at each one to get the best things or drive the 30 miles there and back to the HUGE ASDA which always seems to have the best deals? The local asda hasn't opened yet (I think it's Christmas time) but I'm getting sick of shopping every 3 days or so at different places. *pulls out hair*

MatyMoo

I would buy a freezer bag and do the main shop when coming home from Uni fortnightly or monthly.

I would then do top up shops locally taking in to account any offers.

santer_2

Couple of sites

mad about bargains, look for either half price or buy one get one free and then the supermarket(s) you have locally

http://www.madaboutbargains.co.uk/offers/Off-Your-Trolley.htm

supermarket own brand guide

set the score to 9+ then select the supermarkets, tick if the product needs to free from or organic etc, tick to include tasting notes, enter the search item, see if any are suitable

http://www.supermarketownbrandguide.co.uk/search.php?table=all

Hollie84

I like morrisons,we have tried tesco's and asda but found we was spending more there than what we would at morrisons,i also like iceland for frozen food.very good value for money,do u have one of those by you?

Gillyx

I've not long moved out either and we're on a tight budget for groceries, we've tried a few different ways shopping weekly, doing a bulk shop once a month etc.

I find the cheapest way is to do an online shop fortnightly, meal plan and buy everything that we need. I have a note pad stuck to the fridge and anytime we run out of stuff I make sure I write it up on the list. We don't go to the supermarket in between shops, only the local shop for fresh bread, milk. Greengrocers for fruit and veg.

Works really well for us, but what works for some may not work for others, I think it's trial and error. I find shopping online is an easier way to keep a tab on how much you spend.

Middy

I haven't done a proper weekly shop for yonks. Obviously, there are things I buy weekly such as milk, f&v and yoghurts.

Other things, I buy as and when I need them or on a good offer.

glowgirl_2

Hollie84 wrote: »

I like morrisons,we have tried tesco's and asda but found we was spending more there than what we would at morrisons,i also like iceland for frozen food.very good value for money,do u have one of those by you?

I second this, its exactly what I do, Morrisons own brand, even the value is excellent with a few exception and the meat is quality and good value, loads of offers regularly too:)

DCFC79

Can you not get stuff delivered eg via tesco/asda/sainsburys or do you have an iceland to buy the frozen food from there and either get your groceries at same time or buy dry goods from asda once a week.

Kitty_Ears

Hollie84 wrote: »

I like morrisons,we have tried tesco's and asda but found we was spending more there than what we would at morrisons,i also like iceland for frozen food.very good value for money,do u have one of those by you?

I WISH we had an iceland, nearest one is about 15 miles away. at Uni we always used it and no where is as cheap for frozen chicken & meals.

Kitty_Ears

Gillyx wrote: »

I've not long moved out either and we're on a tight budget for groceries, we've tried a few different ways shopping weekly, doing a bulk shop once a month etc.

I find the cheapest way is to do an online shop fortnightly, meal plan and buy everything that we need. I have a note pad stuck to the fridge and anytime we run out of stuff I make sure I write it up on the list. We don't go to the supermarket in between shops, only the local shop for fresh bread, milk. Greengrocers for fruit and veg.

Works really well for us, but what works for some may not work for others, I think it's trial and error. I find shopping online is an easier way to keep a tab on how much you spend.

I think that's a good idea that we hadn't considered. Our Morrisons is about 10 minutes walk but I always have to take my partner with me; I can't lift/carry a lot at the moment as I have a poorly hip. Otherwise I would go by myself...

I think I'll have a look on online shopping. Do you have to have the store nearby or do they deliver? I can't wait to have to new ASDA opening here, it's a pain in the !!!!!

Kitty_Ears

MatyMoo wrote: »

I would buy a freezer bag and do the main shop when coming home from Uni fortnightly or monthly.

I would then do top up shops locally taking in to account any offers.

This is what I had been doing, but we always seem to run out of the frozen stuff and then have nothing else left. I'm a student nurse so for 3 months on, 3 months off I'm at the Uni near the Iceland.. the rest of the time, no dice!