Checking in. These threads are helping me so much, am grateful for them and you nice frugaleers. Have been making a game plan to try for future shopping.
I have made a list of things I would like to keep buying from Sainsburies, Tesco etc. Largely these seem to be fairly inexpensive things e.g. Sainsburies no sugar blackcurrent squash that I like, small tins of baked beans/ peas that DP eats and I don't . We are guilty of buying individually packaged things like these but I take the attitude that it's not economical if we waste half a bigger tin. I'd rather get smaller tins and see it eaten up, and you can't get these in Aldi/Lidl. Most of these fall into the category of a monthly shop and I buy the supermarket own brand anyway.
Things like bread, butter, cold meat, cheese , milk, meat etc I don't really have a preference so will try to get these from a less expensive shop, Aldi is the most convenient, and perfectly nice. I don't like the aisle in the centre and avoid it.
Local farm shop for potatoes, veg, the best sausages. And a stroke of the farm cat who had a bed next to the till. Joints of beef better than the supermarket.
We have a Costco membership and go about once a month. Household essentials like loo roll, washing powder, bin bags etc. Big packs of chicken gougons that I divide into smaller bags for the freezer. Costco is fine as long as I add up what I spend as I go through the shop. What is least necessary can wait for next time. Costco can be a bit dangerous for impulse purchases, you just have to be careful.
Top up shops, I'm really guilty of. I was talking to a colleague at work who turned out to be a neighbour too using the same small Tesco local to me . She made the comment that if you really need to top up anything it's best to use a smaller shop as its less interesting and takes less time than a big supermarket where you can get lost in other departments and there are a lot more opportunities for impulse spending.
So I'm going to aim for a monthly shop at a bigger supermarket and at Costco, and get my weekly things at Aldi. Top ups if really needed at local shop. I want to get the best value for money, gets nice food we will eat and not waste. While I enjoy food shopping and planning, it takes over. The more organised I am, the more time I will have to play at the seaside, national trust, nice walks with DP , reading, swimming. I don't want life just to be work, the supermarket and chores.
Rather a long post. I'm feeling things falling into place, and if I post things here I'm more likely to action them, and I can also refer back to keep me motivated. Hope all frugaleers are having a good Monday.