Weekly or monthly shop?

[charlie7]

Hi
Just after some advice about how to get our shopping down. We don't have an Aldi or Lidl near us, so it's just Sainsburys or Tescos. I already meal plan, and I already buy at least 50% value range. I'm just wondering whether to start shopping once a month or once a fortnight for all the non-perishables (storage isn't an issue) and then just top up from the local market/coop during the week? Do people find they spend less doing this? At the moment, we spend approx £100 a week for 5 of us, that includes nappies, toiletries etc. Even when I do on line shopping I still spend this amount, and then end up buying stuff in the week anyway because of the substitutions... And advice?

[muppetthecow]

We found our shopping bills dropped hugely after we started doing a monthly 'bulk' shop from the supermarket for non-perishables and getting what we needed fresh at the butchers/greengrocers on our high street. We're lucky to have a good selection of local shops though - don't know if the same would work with a Co-op/Costcutter type chain. We also realised that the cost of delivery for an online shop was less than it cost us in petrol to drive there and back; not by a lot but please excuse accidental Tesco pun 'every little helps'

[charlie7]

Thank you- yes we too have local shops that I could use, plus a decent market twice a week. I'd have to drive but I can fit it in with going somewhere else instead of doing a specific shopping trip. Think I'm going to try it!

[takeaway2]

I think by not doing a weekly shop or more you won't get so many 'oh that'll be nice' purchases and you'll stick to your list a lot more. I last did a big shop 2 weeks ago. About a week or 9 days later I did a top up shop of bread and cling film etc. and today dh did a shop for nappies but that was it. I reckon I can do another big shop at the end of this week which will mean that I've only done two big shops in a long month and that's it. It should save money.

[charlie7]

Yes I think I do far too many of those "that would be nice" purchases! I'm
put off the idea of having to meal plan for an entire month, but I guess I wouldn't have to- just get the staples in and then meal plan each week as usual, then buy fresh stuff.

[Thatsinteresting]

I meal plan for the month. It does take a couple of hours but then it's done rather than doing a new one every week. I do a big shop of non perishable stuff and week 1's fresh and then top up once a week with fruit, veg and milk. I save money by not being in a shop so often and doing my small shops with ds in the buggy as once I've bought the fresh stuff for the week there's no room for treat items and ds doesn't like shopping so we're in and out quickly! Also by meal planning for the month I can group meals better do instead of using half a tub of natural yogurt one week then throwing the rest away and doing the same two weeks later, I'll move my plan round so both yogurt dishes get cooked in one week.

[MagratGarlik]

I found that by popping to the shops for fresh stuff we spent more because you never come out with only the bread, milk, veg, fruit or whatever you went in for.

We do a weekly shop with Ocado, rarely have substitutions (using them for 4 years now, in that time only had three shoppings where we had substitutions. This was very important for us, add the dc's have multiple allergies). We are then very strict about not buying anything in between the weekly shops. I buy lots of non-perishables when they are on offer too.

I find Tesco very expensive. I recently tried them because I had a £10 off voucher and even though I bought lots of stuff in the value range, I spent the same as I would have spent normally, but for significantly worse quality food. I recently got sent another £10 off voucher, which I threw away. Horrible shop!

[charlie7]

Thanks all, it's given me some things to think about. My DCs hate shopping too so I don't think I'd be buying too much else locally- just quick in and out!
I've not tried Ocado, just assumed it would be really expensive. I agree about Tesco- I rarely go there, just stick with Sainsburys. But I'm tired of their 5 or 6 substitutions every week. I think I might try Ocado (especially if I can find the voucher off a first shop I had!)

[peggyundercrackers]

i find tesco and sainsburys expensive - we use asda and morrisons now. altohugh we use costco for a lot of non-perishables.

ive never tried a monthly shop as a month seems a long time ahead to think about when it comes to meals. i would be interested in seeing someones meal plans for the month ahead.

[charlie7]

Yes I'd be interested in a monthly meal plan too. Our Asda and Morrisons are too far away to justify the travel- and I've heard terrible things about online Asda!

[usedtobe]

I shop online regularly with Asda and I prefer them from online tescos. I rarely have substitutes, deliveries are on time, I don't receive 5 packets of meat that are due to expire in next couple of days -like with tesco- and customer services are always helpful and will refund if anything is wrong. We do 2 big shops a month and top up with fresh stuff in-between. Also I find them much cheaper than tesco.