Shopping Less Frequently

Discussion in Food & Drink started by Denis Hard • Mar 4, 2015.

  1. Denis Hard

    Denis HardWell-Known Member

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    Shopping less frequently can save you money because among other things you'll avoid impulse purchases at the store. Even the most disciplined shopper will slip occasionally. In addition to that, shopping all the food you need for a month means less trips to the stores which will save you a little bit of "gas money."

    Actually the most important thing is to train yourself to go to the stores less often which will consequently save you more money.

    How often do you guys shop for groceries?
     
  2. Squigly

    SquiglyActive Member

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    I shop once a week since I prefer buying fresh groceries, and they're much more perishable. Still I try to limit any impulse purchases and have never spent more than a hundred dollars at the checkout. I think that overall spending less than $400 a month on groceries is pretty reasonable.
     
  3. JoanMcWench

    JoanMcWenchActive Member

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    I like to shop every week. I stick strictly to my list or when I see something dramatically discounted. I also don't drive when I shop so gas money has never been a concern. I usually do this to keep everything as fresh as I possibly can & I find it kinda fun.
     
  4. Theo

    TheoWell-Known Member

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    I shop less, because I stock up on things and find I need less and use up what I have. When I used to live in the city, I would pass the supermarket on the way home and pick up things then and often bought things because they were on offer. I'm quite a good shopper so only buy a bargain or what I need. Once I moved house I realized how much I stocked up on and that I don't always need to.
     
  5. Winnie

    WinnieActive Member

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    I try to grocery shop as often as I need to, money permitting. Probably about 4 to 5 times a month, maybe more. I don't have to drive to the grocery store, because I have one close by, so that's a good thing. I like to get fresh fruit and vegetables on a regular basis, once a week is ideal, although I don't always do that, and sometimes end up letting my produce spoil because I don't eat it fast enough.
     
  6. IcyFirefly

    IcyFireflyActive Member

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    I totally agree with your idea about shopping less to save the impulse purchase, and trips on gas money. I try to only go to grocery store twice a month if I can. I will exhaust what I have in the house first before making a run to stock up. Since I always concentrate on saving money, I am known for picking up items on sales even when they are not on my list. I can't stick to what I have on my list!
     
  7. May102014

    May102014Active Member

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    I do grocery shopping every week and not every month. I think if you do grocery shopping every month, chances are the food you shop will no longer be fresh. Besides, the food especially the meat has an expiration date. I have tried that before, and almost all the foods I bought ended up in the trash because they have expired and therefore no longer recommended for consumption.
     
  8. jewel777

    jewel777Active Member

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    I like to stock up on pantry and seasonal items but buy fresh food at least every week. I have to really discipline myself not to eat when I'm not hungry to make the food I have last as long as possible. Sometimes this can be quite challenging, but I don't want to have to keep running back to the store.
     
  9. Rosyrain

    RosyrainActive Member

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    I shop once a month for the bulk of my freezer and pantry foods, and about once a week for produce and dairy. I make out a large shopping list right before payday and base this off of the meal plan for the month. I like to get a lot of my foods from Costco because things like meat can be separated into meal portions, wrapped in freezer paper and then froze until I am ready for them. My kid's also go through a lot of lunch snacks, so it makes sense to buy them in bulk at reduced prices. I save a lot more now that I shop less often for sure.
     
  10. missbishi

    missbishiWell-Known Member

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    I don't have a car right now so I tend to do the grocery shopping once a week. I can't carry any more than that. I prefer to buy fresh goods on a weekly basis anyhow - like @May102014@May102014 says, the food can often expire before you get the opportunity to eat it. In any case, I quite enjoy visiting the supermarket so I don't really see grocery shopping as a chore.
     
  11. Sunshine

    SunshineActive Member

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    I do agree with your idea and think you are right. I stop in the grocery 2 to 3 times a week to get random items, and I always end up buying a bunch of other stuff. We use it and eat it of course, but I do also have cupboards full of food that I never get to because we are always using the fresh food from the fridge.

    This past few weeks I have been sick and haven't wanted to get to the store, so for at least a week now I have been trying to make do with what we have. I'm finally making a dent in the cupboard and have had to think of some creative ways to piece together what I have. Although my son's had some strange lunches with no bread in house, I think it's been a good exercise, and probably saved me quite a bit of money this week too.
     
  12. DrRipley

    DrRipleyExpert

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    I try to do this too, but I try not to be as rigid with the rules. I just tend to put off shopping when I'm feeling lazy and I chock it up to getting to save money as well. I think it works best for me since I've gotten to save a lot of money by doing this because It has trained me not to be too impulsive with whatever it is I'm craving at that moment and instead just use my laziness to my advantage.
     
  13. Dora M

    Dora MWell-Known Member

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    These days I shop for groceries twice a week. And that's only because I like to have fresh vegetables and fruit at all times. I usually stock up on dried goods, jars and sauces every fortnight, but I frequently visit the farmer's market for the freshest produce available in my town.
     
  14. goldenmaine

    goldenmaineActive Member

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    I shop for groceries weekly and I buy only what is needed and do not buy excessively because I am sort of a thrifty person. I usually save a lot for my savings, emergency fund and medical insurance because these are very important for me. It doesn’t mean that I am starving myself but I just don’t buy excessive groceries because there were times in the past that I would have a lot of leftovers and food wastes. I set a budget now for my weekly grocery shopping and save more. There are those times that I have the cheat day where I eat out and go on a food trip but this only happens occasionally.
     
  15. sidney

    sidneyWell-Known Member

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    I don't do the grocery shopping around here, but I think that my dad only buys what he needs from the wet market or nearby stores over here. He doesn't go to the grocery anymore since he says it's expensive. Kinda ironic though, because he buys food everyday for our daily meal.
     
  16. Lushlala

    LushlalaWell-Known Member

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    I do my grocery shopping once a week because I often get perishables; fruit and vegetables that last only so long in this heat. I stick very rigidly to my shopping list. There really is no room for anything else beyond my shopping list as I don't have the money to spare. In these lean times, i've even learnt many ways of making the few pennies I have stretch that little bit further.
     
  17. ohiotom76

    ohiotom76Well-Known Member

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    Part of the challenge I have with that, is I don't just go to the grocery store to get what I need and hurry back home, sometimes I go just to get out for a bit and walk around. For many years I lived right by a mall, so I would hang out in the mall during the evening and check out all the stores. But these days the malls are a bit of a drive from where I live, so I spend more time at places like Grocery stores or Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, etc...

    It is challenging thought to not overspend when you are visiting the stores this often, since I feel compelled to buy something, and not just walk around like a creeper not getting anything - I worry they might think I'm actually shoplifting or something like that. So I will kind of justify my frequent trips as trying to find if there are any daily specials or big markdowns on certain items that I can snap up before anyone else gets them.