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

Generali

keza wrote: »

hi everyone,

so my question stems from the show 'back in time for dinner'. im only a youngish wife and mother (29) so have only ever known supermarkets and home deliveries etc.

I am just wondering from some of you more experienced old stylers (as im still learning), do you find it cheaper to shop like in the 50's - for groceries by the day/every couple of days as you need them, or weekly/fortnightly?

Im interested because i am about to embark on maternity leave in the summer and will have more time on my hands so wondering if shopping 'as we need' would work out cheaper as well as keep me busy? TIA

It's what I've always done. I'm 44 so only really know the supermarket age but it's worked for me. I'm good at avoiding the temptation of buying 'stuff' though. Mrs Generali would be a nightmare as our world would become one of 'useful' plastic tat.

System

I think my choice would be pretty limited if I shopped daily as I'd have to use my local mini supermarkets and they only sell the basics. Plus the fact I'd be tempted to throw an extra couple of things in my basket.

NoGoodNamesLeft

For me to shop daily I'd have to spend a lot more on petrol that I could ever save. I live in a remote little village with a single shop (that also acts as a bakery and charity shop!) and the nearest big supermarket is a 30 minute drive away, although there is a Spar mini market about a 15 minute drive away.

We only moved here a couple of weeks ago after living on the outskirts of a town with Co-op and Lidl in walking distance and a city 10 minutes away, so it's been a huge change.

We will need to get used to doing without things as we can't just pop out to get them, which will hopefully save us money even if we can't look out for reductions every day.

Pollycat

NoGoodNamesLeft wrote: »

For me to shop daily I'd have to spend a lot more on petrol that I could ever save. I live in a remote little village with a single shop (that also acts as a bakery and charity shop!) and the nearest big supermarket is a 30 minute drive away, although there is a Spar mini market about a 15 minute drive away.

We only moved here a couple of weeks ago after living on the outskirts of a town with Co-op and Lidl in walking distance and a city 10 minutes away, so it's been a huge change.

We will need to get used to doing without things as we can't just pop out to get them, which will hopefully save us money even if we can't look out for reductions every day.

I think this is key to whether people shop daily, weekly or less often.

As you say, it's not very MSE to get in the car and drive for 30 minutes to shop on a daily basis.

I buy a weekly bus ticket (although I'm retired I'm not of state pension age so haven't got a bus pass) so I can hop on the bus that goes every 10 minutes from across the road and go to my Tesco Extra to see if there are any bargains/offers - without incurring any additional cost.
I can buy good fruit & veg from a local shop when I'm in the village.

I can also do the rounds of our 5 charity shops at the same time - but that's another thread....

good_advice

I grocery shop once a week in a large Tesco store.
My method is to keep a running list in the kitchen of things I need and what is running out of the basics.
Over the week I print out coupons and look on the Tesco web page for price of item and to see if on offer.

Oh drops me at Tesco stores with bags and £ for trolly and I give him a ring when going to the check out. ( he does not come in as he puts extra things in the trolly and pushes the cost up).

Today is the 2nd time I have had a delivery from Approved foods.
The last one was about November.
Stocked the cupboards with packets and boxed food.Snack/lunch stuff.
This will last several months. Spent £30 & P+P.

jennyjenssen1990

I always try to shop online, it saves my time and money both. Sometimes you need to go to grocery shop and it makes you spend more money that's fine. Looking now days expenses at the month we are just forced to use our savings. Concluding I would say by not going to grocery saves your money.

cheerfulness4

I've tried every which way during my 32 years of doing my own shopping and at present it works best for me to shop as I go rather than one big weekly or monthly shop.

I have time in my present circumstances to shop frequently but I work to a very strict budget and will rarely go off piste when it comes to my shopping list.
Reduced items have to be bought within a budget set aside. I NEVER shop without a list. It might have general items ie fruit as opposed to bananas etc on it but that's it, otherwise its a very specific list.

In truth I love this way of shopping, I'm fortunate to have the time and lots of local shops and I'm saving money as I am learning to be so disciplined with my buying.
Sometimes you just have to try things and see.
I shopped this way when I had my little ones. I found getting my eldest out in the pram was the one guaranteed way of getting him to sleep. Even in snow I was plodding the pavements.

Evil_Olive

Skint_yet_Again wrote: »

I find that I spend less if I stay away from the shops as much as possible !

This is me too.
I do one massive bulk online shop a month from 3 different shops (Tesco, Asda and Iceland) and then top up on bread and milk ONLY at the local Nisa as they are as cheap as the supermarket for those things.

This means I can buy huge bags of things at a cheaper price and save lots of time too.
I keep my fridge very cold so veg & dairy stuff lasts all month - I also meal plan to use the veg that keeps longest, last.

When I started doing this, my total big shop bill for two of us went down LOADS to £150 a month and my top-up shops went from £50 down to around a tenner a month. (That includes ALL toiletries, household items/cleaners, work lunch stuff and pet food/accessories) So I'm definitely better off in the one big shop category - I have to work/spend time on being fairly organised though.

I think it probably depends on your individual personality and habits.

anotheruser

Skint_yet_Again wrote: »

...what I pay at Ald!
...I shop at Ald! on my day off...

You do realise it's Aldi don't you?

keza

duchy wrote: »

I did smile at your need to keep busy whilst on Mat leave........ I honestly don't think you'll find you have time on your hands........ I got more rest when I went back to work !!

yes sorry I described that wrong there I'm already a mum of a toddler who works full time and studies so I am the busiest of busy let alone when baby comes along. i think i meant more to go for a walk to the shops with baby to get out rather than being indoors all day