How can I change to fortnightly shopping?

Everybody says they save money by shopping fortnightly so I would like to try it.I am on a limited budget - $150pw for 4 of us, so I can't really miss a week of grocery shopping to put that weeks money aside so that I have $300 the next week for a 2 week shop.

I think I could shop with $100 for 3 weeks, save the $50, then when I have $150 I could go from there - or is that not really feasible?

I'm just wanting ideas cos I can't get my head around it, might be too early lol.
Thanks.

It really is way cheaper. I managed to keep to my budget by doing fortnightly shopping. It took a few times to get the hang of it and get it right but once you have it's a breeze. When I was shopping weekly I constantly went way over my budget...clearly I can't do the constant popping to the supermarket, but now I manage to stay within it. Mind you food is so expensive now I did have to increase the budget a bit just to get the things I get all the time.

keep a list of what you need so your not dropping back for little things plan roughly what your meals will be like 4 spuds a meal x 14 days .and keep a small sum for fresh milk and bread

When you first start make sure you get enough toilet rolls, cleaning stuff to last, an extra milk (although I always need to top up milk, bread, fruit and veges), butter, meat (maybe the stuff on special) and so on. You can try to stock up your pantry or freezer a little bit before you start to help ease you into it.

hi, just bumped a thread on budgets for you, have only had a quick look at it but you may get some ideas from there.

Could you put the shopping day back by a day at a time?So you gradually move to 14 days.

Could you every now and then do an eat-up-the-pantry week?It's harder work, but it's surprising what you can make out of the basics that are there.

we used to shop fortnightly but now we shop once a month and we save so much money doing it this way as we dont do the pop in to the shop thing and we buy alot in bulk:)

I would be seriously interested in how you manage to do your food shopping once a month. Can you give me any more details?

I think the difference is based on the amount you have to spend. Greater choices can be made. If on a budget and some things all run out at onces, a weekly amount might not be enough to cover all items but a fortnighly amount makes that more feasible. The thing is also that what say you see a great special on a product you use regularly but still have some left at home? A weekly budget may only cover the immediate needs and prevent the shopper making use of a useful special. The same principle I think occurs when some have a more flexible and perhaps a more liberal amount of money to spend.It is hard for a limited budget shopper to make use of all the opportunitiesin a particular week. A fortnightly budget allows for a greater variety of menu too. Of course the disadvantage of spending it all in one week is the week inbetween may have a special of something you really do use.

Over the next three weeks, I would plan to shop twice (once every 10 days)...
Which will get you into the rhythm...

then extend to every 14 days...

the advantage of shopping less often, is that you learn to make do with what is in the cupboard

I shop fortnitly and it still cost a fortune. We have 3 boys 11, 6 & almost 3. I do I reduce the budget from $400 this amount includes, cleaning product and toiletries. I have tryed to reduce it but somehow it never goes down.

I tried it recently. Two negatives were that hubby found the treats that were meant to last for 2 weeks and so they disappeared before week 1 had finished. Secondly when I shop weekly I buy the meat that is on special (usually only a couple of different varieties) and get a few lots to last a couple of weeks and then the next week there will be a different meat on special and so I will stock up on that - when I tried fortnightly I missed that second week of meat specials - if you can follow me.
The other advantage I found was that I saved petrol as I wasn't driving to the supermarket weekly - my supermarket is about 20 minutes drive from us so being able to save 1 drive is a good petrol saving.

Thanks for the suggestions guys.I have been through all the budget threads and I already make my own cleaners, washing liquid and all that stuff.I don't buy muesli bars and all that stuff, the kids eat home baking.

I already make do with what's in the cupboard, had a change of circumstances in Nov and my grocery bill had to go down to $80pw.We survived though, and now I feel rich being able to spend $150pw lol.

Duckmoon, I will try your suggestion, thanks.

Raewyn, my downfall is having Countdown 3 minutes drive away lol.

The minute I open a packet of something I write it on my shopping list that I keep on my bench.I just keep adding and because I always have a spare in the cupboard I don't have to run down to the supermarket every other day and I usally can make things last at least two weeks, sometimes even three.Also try and buy on the days the petrol is at 20c off as that also helps with the budget.I find they tend to have the petrol offer the first weekend of the month.

I tried shopping once a fortnight thinking that it would be a saving, but like raewyn I found I was missing out on too many specials, and then paying full price for them the following week, so I have gone back to shopping weekly.Sometimes I go over "budget" (it's only a vague budget, not a critical one and if I overspend one week I spend less the next - I always pay by using my credit card which I pay off every month, so I keep track of what I spend, get points on my card, and can make allowances for overspends by cutting back before the end of the statement period - it works for me, I realise that wouldn't work for everyone).Anyway, like raewyn, I stock up on any meat specials.If chickens are on special at $10 I might buy three, put two in the freezer and cook the third one.I feel that's better than buying one and going back in two weeks time and paying $16 for the same chook.I use a lot of tea bags (originally from the UK !!) so when they are on special I buy several weeks supply.In fact when I look through my grocery bill I find I don't buy an awful lot at the full price.I have a good stock in the pantry, and there are some things I just go without rather than paying full price for.

I keep a notebook and jot things down as I realise I need them.When I go shopping my trusty notebook goes with me.As I put things in the trolley I cross that item off the list and write the price alongside.When I get home I check that docket thoroughly, and you would be surprised how many times I find I've been overcharged.I always take that docket back next time I'm there and get a refund on the item that has been charged incorrectly.The week before last I bought grapes.There were red or green ones.The red were $3.99kg and the green were $5.48, I prefer the green ones so bought them.Got home, found I'd been charged $7.95kg for them.Yesterday I got a refund on that overcharge.The money is better in my pocket than theirs.

cautis - if your Countdown is only 3 minutes drive away, could you walk to it?If you have to carry your groceries home, you would certainly be very careful about how much you bought.Just a thought.

Another trick is to always use the smallest trolley.Because it doesn't hold so much you are less likely to be tempted to put "extras" in.

I guess it does depend to a certain amount on how disciplined you are, or could be if you really tried.

After making my list, I allow myself 3 items to be added to it as I go round the supermarket, these could be items I just fancy, or items I've forgotten to put on the list but had intended to buy.If I'm on the "strict" budget I do not allow myself more than those 3 extra items, so if I've actually forgotten 3, then that means no extras.

If I am really wanting to buy only a few items, occasionally I give the list to hubby with instructions that he is only to buy what is on the list, and he goes to the supermarket.He is usually very good and rarely comes backwith extras.

Also, don't go shopping when you're hungry.It's been proved that shopping on an empty stomach makes you more vulnerable to buying stuff you didn't intend to.

Kuaka, no I can't walk there because of a disability I have, and to be honest I only use it for top ups like today I wanted pecans for something I was baking, drove down, found out their price, freaked out a bit and bought chopped nuts instead lol.

I don't actually get much from Countdown.There are some things I know are cheaper there than elsewhere, so will get those items on my shopping trip.I buy milk powder and enough bread at once for the week.I found if I didn't buy a weeks worth of bread, I'd run out of bread and cash lol, so I just throw it in the chest freezer.

I usually cook a couple of meals at once, especially slow cooker meals and any sausage meals.

oh yes I definately agree with kuaka about the trolley size. i always shop with the smaller trolley - I think it is a bit of a mind game that because the trolley fills up faster my mind says I must have spent all my budget and I ease off on things I don't need :)

If you head into the supermarket for just a couple of items dont take a trolley or a basket . That way you can only buy what you can carry and are not tempted to throw in little xtras as you cruise the aisles.

well I went to Countdown yesterday (it's our only supermarket so I don't have a choice really) and didn't want much, so I deliberately only took a basket.I filled it of course and it was heavy, but I bought everything I had on the list, except I wanted more grapes and as they were on special they had none left, and I only spent $58.Course I spent over $200 the week before, and it was only 4c a litre on fuel the week I spent $200.Never mind, the fuel tank is full at the moment, and as we do very little mileage, I wasn't going to gain much by spending money just to get a 20c a litre fuel docket.