The trip to the super: it can mean a lot of extra money.

I do my shopping twice a month and it certainly save me quite a bit of money I usually plan my meals and something extra just in case I get unexpected visitors...which happens quite often I Am lucky to have a mayor super market just around the corner so if I happen to need fresh vegies or fruit I can always go there and the prices are good. I try to save on car fuel so I go out once or twice a week the rest of the time I just walk it gives me a good excuse to exercise!

My shopping arrangements, dear guicha, are manipulated by where I live (can't complain as I chose to remain here)and they tend to be about once every three months...as I have to add a huge Ferry fare, and about 50 miles of gas to the price of everything! I do have a huge pantry, that is stocked with a back-up of just about all the essentials. Summer is easy...if I don't have it in the garden, I don't need it! Winter is more difficult, but with a very cool basement, I buy the veggies that store well, beets, potatoes, carrots, turnip, cabbage...they do last long in cool & dark. About the only thing that I run out of on a weekly basis, is some dairy products, and I have taken the bite out of the "fuel challenge" by having my Electric bike! The nearest store (market is about 1 1/2 miles away) and it literally costs me pennies of "electricity" to go there! The Electric bike costs (now with hydro increase) 58 cents to go 90khm. That is less than a cent a kilometre! Most of the times, it is a very enjoyable journey, too! I do 95% of my Island shopping on my E-bike, with a back-pack. I am a huge believer, marguicha, of being as friendly, as I can to this beautiful planet..and all it's lovely creatures, (not so sure about mankind)LOL! Have the best day in this world...

We live a mile or so from a major grocery store so the gas isn't really an issue. We shop at Sams Club which is a warehouse store with large quantity items as opposed to small sized items so we have a pantry we stock quite often. We make it to the regular store weekly at least as there's always something I crave. HAHAHA! HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB!!~

We try to go to the store less as well. One big trip in the beginning of the month and two weeks later we do a perishable trip if needed. We try to get our milk, fruits and vegis from a local food co-op so that we dont go into the store. Anytime I can stay out of the store I know that we have saved money. Even if it was just a pack of gum thats one more dollar I can put towards paying off my house or cars. Im trying to count every penny. We use what we have or do with out it.

I don't go but once a month sometimes longer for more reasons than one.I'm like u i stay pretty stocked up . I hate to go to cook something & not have what i need.Thanks for your well wishes. Hope u are feeling as good as u can.

Here at home we shop once or twice a month and do take inventory of what we need. We try to make sure we get what we need on the list and since my boyfriend is conscious about lists he always assures we have one. I use to go on my own when I lived alone and forget it, I use to forget the list at home. But yes that is how we plan our shopping trips and do try to take note of unnecessary extra trips. The gas is not cheap so we make the best out of each trip.

For the most part, we do do a lot of our major shopping once a month, and try to plan out things that we would like to Eat for the month. It would be nice if this was the only time that we had to go. When we have to go other times we will try and pick up the other things we are needing so it is maybe only a once a week think as well, as the Gas does add up and it seems like you buy things you might not buy otherwise as well.

yes, it means savings. and any savings can help extend the value of hard-earned money. i think the trip to super is worth it if, as you said, the amount of gas used will be lesser than the savings. well, going out and away somehow provides additional relief from stress. a drive outside of the usual may shift the focus and provide fresh and alternative outlook in life.

I live in walking distance of three supermarkets so if I run out of something small, I can just walk there if I feel like it. Most of the time when I go shopping in the car it is because I am already out and it is on the way. If I need to buy big things then I do go by car even if I only need one or two things since I can't carry much. Since I volunteer at the Red Cross many days a week, I just go to the store that is two blocks from there, sometimes after going to the gym that is right across the street from it. Those are all about five miles from home, but since I am in the area anyway, why not? I do try to keep a variety of food in the house, but I am just in the beginning stage of stocking up and haven't figured out how to do the beans and other staples yet. Fortunately, I never got into smoking so I never had that particular expense. Have a great weekend!!!

I only go once a week and if they don't have something or I forget it just has to wait until the next week. I do run a list all week and it's a great help.

I live in the center of a town and I have two small supermarkets at two streets from my house. They are a little more expensive than if I was taking my car and going outside town in discount supermarkets to buy my groceries, but like you said, gas is not free, and I have no problem for a last minute lettuce or a bottle of salad oil -- one of them is opened until 9 pm --.

I'm lucky to live in a subdivision that is very near SM ( the number one mall in the Philippines) so going to the grocery is not really an issue, the wet market is just walking distance so we always have a choice, grocery or wet market. 7-11 is also very near and there is also a store that is open 24 hrs just near my house so I can buy anything I like to consume while Mylotting, I thank God for all the blessings and the food.

i agree with you marguicha! i do go to the grocery only twice a month and i make sure that i have a list of things to buy so that i wont get tempted in putting things on my basket which i dont need. i dont have a car so it saves me with the fare on the taxi too. good idea that you have stopped smoking so that you can travel more. i salute you on that.

First of all I would restrain myself from going to the super often. The gas issue later but the super issue first. The whole idea of the guys who create them is to entice people visiting them to indulge in indiscriminate, unplanned & impulsive buying. Its good for the affluent but for the modest budget families, its not on. The whole ambiance is flattering because you get to lay your sights & hands on almost everything, feel them look them over and do let yourself free on the items displayed. Even when I go there with a list, I have been tempted to pick up things impulsively. I would rather go to a mini store with my specific requirements and do a disciplined shopping. In my previous work, I used to walk to a store post lunch and pick up daily essential needs and leave the bag with the lift man to pick it up home while leaving for home in the evening. The rest, if I had forgotten any, would be for another short walk with spouse in the evening. So, the gas literally was bare minimum. Its such a wonderful thought to save as much gas as possible. My company used to car pool about three of us, which again was another contribution to the green cause we could be proud of.

I try to make a list before I go and ask everybody in the house to make sure they get what they need also and then if there is anything extra left I try to get a few snacks to eat for the rainy days.

For me, it is not about saving the planet earth. It is just a matter of using things at the right time at the right place for the right purpose. If I need something that is far away, I will go that far away to get it. I may store up something but storage itself isn't exactly free of charge. For example, putting stuff in the freezer cost electricity and not to mention the extra space needed.

Well, with our family, I have to go to the supermarket once a week because that is how our budget allows us to do grocery shopping and I will shop with a list so that I don't forget things that I'm going to need. However, there are the times that I will forget something that I needed to make a meal. In those situations, there is a smaller grocery store a few blocks away from our house and if the weather will permit it, the kids and I will take a walk over there to get the things that have been forgotten.

aww, that is nice, Ma'am. well, several years ago I wouldnt bother think of gas reduction, saving energy and so on. yup, too reckless and ignorant. I would just grab my motorcyle to go to nearest market (4 minutes on foot) just to buy matches just because I didnt like the one I had had at home. now, I prefer walking to riding my motorcycle to go to places especially if it is not for the sake of work (my workplace is 1,5 + hours by public transportation). I try to reduce the usage of my motorcycle since it consumes gasoline (Which in this year, the price will increase again. it has increased 4 times in recent 6 years. there is a traditional market that I can go when I need things, not too far, I do my shopping daily, so it also will be my exercise. oh and since I made it, reducing my motorcycle usage, I can alocate the gas-expenses to buy other things I need. :)