Working v time v food shopping around?

toozie_2

Hello

I just wondered what peoples thoughts were?

I work 4 full days a week, and live in a rural area, on my day off I try and batch bake, clean :eek: de clutter on ebay, and not use car.

After work one day (finish at 6pm) as I'm in the town where there are some large supermarkets I try and do all my food shopping in one go, usually at Lidl. Nornally I buy things on offer or the woopsie (30% off items) and make meals around these items, so I don't necessarly go with a list, apart from maybe the essentials-which I try and only buy when on offer and stock pile.

Last night I was thinking about checking food prices on My Supermarket, and should I be doing this in order to go and get the cheapest on offer at all the shops in the area.
But then I probably wouldn't be home until about 8pm (leave house at 8am) and would have used more petrol driving from shop to shop-they are in the same town but not within walking distance (and all are 20 miles from our home-but it's where I work).

Do people find there is a line between speed, time, convenience and saving money?

As I've said I batch bake and 99 times out of 100 we have a "home cooked from scratch" meal at night, but sometimes I do throw a pizza in (shop bought be maybe a woopsie) with salad, or have egg, chips (home made) and beans.

Should I be guilty I'm not doing more?

M:j

camNolliesMUMMY

I would consider using that site and having it delivered, say on your day off asda do an eight hour slot for £2 so if your in all day this should not be a problem for you.
I'd try and keep to batch cooking and make up a pizza, by pre cooking the base then loading the toppings and place in a carrier and freeze it for when its needed this will help and be cheaper.
Hope this helps? Didn't want to read and run.

rachbc

No you shouldn't feel guilty. Sounds like are doing amazingly well. I drive past 3 supermarkets on the way home from work but only occassionally check for offers/ ys these days. I do my main shop at aldi and noticed last week there were lots of 30% off on monday as I'd been too busy to go on sat so will do my shop on mon now. I check the lidl weekend deal ad go there if I want to stock up as its near the aldi I use anyway (if there is a deal I wan I'll do the alsi shop at the same time)

teeni

For the same reason i now have my shop delivered I work 5 days from 8 -6 I have to pay 1.50 for a toll bridge to go shoping so by the time i add petrol costs i same money and time.

You dont make impulse buys but also dont get to see any special offers that are only available in store.

I cut my outlay by 25% by shopping on line

toozie_2

Hi thanks for all your input.

I used to work 5 days a week at a different location, and do a Tesco.com delivery, mainly trying to find money off or extra points codes to bring the bill down, and obviously buy what was on offer.

But since I changed to 4 days in the same town, I've started shopping at Lidl and I must say I spend less on food than doing the .com order, and of course get the discounted 30% off items to freeze.
I also tend to buy more fruit & veg becuse it's cheaper then Asda or Tesco especially when on offer, so I am definately getting my 5 a day. OH won't touch fruit unless I make it into a pudding though!!! But will eat all the cooked veg I give him.

I question really was, do people work full time and go from shop to shop to buy the offers everywhere?

:beer:

Thank you

bossymoo

I think you have to find a balance that works for your family. I work part time and have 2 preschoolers. Some weeks I manage to get to aldi, which I do prefer, but other weeks I do an online shop if we need lots, or venture to a big sm with the tots if we need household things or they need any clothing.
It depends how much free time you have, how close your shopping options are (I'm living on the outskirts of a large city and have most options within a 15min drive, but most are even closer than that) and also how keen you are on investing that time in shopping around.
I would venture that some weeks it feels worth it, and others it doesn't. I'm a widowed mum, and I do think there is more to life than chasing down every bargain, and I wouldn't dream of taking the kiddies shopping in the evening at yellow sticker time.
Different strokes for different folks.

rachbc

toozie wrote: »

I question really was, do people work full time and go from shop to shop to buy the offers everywhere?

:beer:

Thank you

No - well I don't. If something I know I will use is ona really good offer and it fits in with other things then I might make a trip to buy something but I don't regularly. For example we have just run out of our stash of tea so I am popping to asda 1/2 mile away to buy a few boxes of the twinnings on offer...but whilst there I'll also get OH the new dressing gown he's been mithering for an get my eyes tested. If asda was further and I didn't need the other things Id just get one box of teabags in aldi with the weekly shop. If you are shopping lidl most things are probably already cheaper than the offers!

valk_scot

toozie wrote: »

I question really was, do people work full time and go from shop to shop to buy the offers everywhere?

Even I don't do that and I'm a SAHM. I keep an eye on the offers and will travel to a different supermarket if there's a particularly good offer on or I have a voucher but normally I restrict myself to one big Lidl shop per week and two trips to Tesco at YS time. And these last are only because I've got an hour to kill when DD is at swimming. You can spend a lot of time, petrol and shoe leather on saving every last penny. Sometimes you have to of course if money is the tightest thing but otherwise you have to work to a balance, I wouldn't want to spend my one precious day off work in supermarkets! You can cut costs a great deal just by shopping carefully in your chosen shops, taking advantage of the offers and YS availible, trying to eat seasonally and being creative with your cooking. Unless you really, really have to save every last penny then don't feel guilty about saving as much as you "should".

Linda32

toozie wrote: »

I question really was, do people work full time and go from shop to shop to buy the offers everywhere?

:beer:

Thank you

No, not in my case Thats great if you don't work IMHO, then you obviously have the time to do that.

For instance, Since February I did temporary seasonal work, so it was Aldi on a Saturday Morning and that was it. Now I'm unemployed I can and do shop around. Last week when I did my inital signing on I stayed in town and went around various shops looking for bargins that we will use and eat :T I quite enjoyed finding them.

The difference being I now have the time to spare, but not the money so the bargins are a good find and reduce the grocery bill which can indeed get way out of hand sometimes.


I think the way you are working it now is excellent and you can consider your day off as a days work towards your family eating well and living well. :beer:

nuatha

I keep a list of the items we use regularly and that are worth keeping a decent stock of and when I have a spare hour I'll check for offers on them using Mysupermarket and the Morrison website. If there is an offer I want to take advantage of I'll either use the relevant supermarket or occasionally do an online order and make use of any coupons/discount codes applicable.

I don't do this every week, but try to ensure I do it at least once per month. My regular shop is Aldi or Lidl depending on what is needed.
I do keep a decently stocked pantry and freezer and apart from milk and fresh fruit/veg tend to shop monthly (or sometimes every other month)

sophlowe45

if you have the energy to go from shop to shop, then it would be fine for that person, if you don't, then don't do it.

I can't do it, but I don't have a car and most of the exhaustion is from carrying the shopping back on the bus while having to stand and balance the shopping and keep it out if other peoples ways, getting the tube is better in some ways at off peak hours but all those stairs.

and trying to vary which supermarket I went to, wiped me out and took up a lot of time.

so if you have the energy to shop around, go for it, if you don't, please stop.

think about your time value of money, its different for different people.

I say online shopping from ocado is amazing and much cheaper for me, but this will not be the case for everyone reading this thread.

I'm so grateful when they bring my shopping to the door and no delivery charge.