If you live in Central London and don't have a car...

[homeedregret]

How do you do a big shop? What about going to Home Bargains or B & M? (I always end up buying loads of stuff and can't imagine lugging it on public transport). Do you travel out to a Lidl or Aldi?
Or do you just shop in your local Tesco Express?
Sorry for the sort of TAAT, but I wondered this on my latest trip to London and the thread reminded me.

The other big advantage of central London is that it is really easy to rent a car or van when you need one and only for as long as you need it. You can also rent your drive out if you don't need to use it.

I'm further out in zone 4 but I'll walk/bus to the big shops and get an uber back. (This is £6 once a week for me) I have a small co-op and Sainsburys within a short walking distance for bread and milk top ups. Lots of deliveries from Amazon. Argos does same-day delivery. Decathlon will deliver to my local ASDA. Sainsburys will delivery to my local small store.

Home Bargains and B&M are a bus ride away in Charlton but they are generally full of stuff I'd like but don't need so don't go there. I do occasionally visit one if we are on holiday at the coast and have a car.

If you're in central london, you are likely to live in a much smaller home with storage issues and with a small mini fridge. So Tesco Express, mini Sainsburys etc does the job where you pick up bits and pieces every 2-3 days. For furniture stuff, I either order online with delivery and a couple of times we have hired a zip car. I have a car now but I don't use it for shopping at all and I mainly use it for outings or going to the gym as my old gym has an excellent crèche and kids club and the gyms near my new place don't and without a car, it would mean 2 changes with a tube with no lifts etc taking longer with a toddler on tow and buggy.

I have been to B&M, The range and Home bargains before when visiting parents and honestly I'm glad we don't have one nearby as most of my salary would go on tat on impulse buying because they look nice but aren't practical. We do have a wilko nearby so I just stick to that for cheaper items again not going overboard.

Comefrom £30 a week food budget is quite healthy for a single person. I can see that delivery charges would eat into it if a weekly shop was done, but a monthly heavy things shop would be manageable. Though do see that storage may be limited in a shared house.
I love a backpack and wheely trolley for a big supermarket shop without a car.
Never been in a B&M, am sure I would buy a whole bunch of shit I didn't need so will happily stay away!

I take my granny trolley to the (10-minute walk away) street market once a week, when it's there on Saturday mornings. Great meat, amazing fish and VERY fresh veg. Much better than any you can buy in the supermarket. There are loads of these markets everywhere in London. Then just cleaning products, lemons and store cupboard goods (oil / soy sauce / flour) as and when from the supermarket. Zone 1. Two kids. Not wealthy.

Also apps like Getir, Ocado, Deliveroo for groceries is your friend if you don't want to carry around tins and bottles of waters.