TAKOBOTO

while doing A, I had a chance to do B, since doing A anyway, do B
while I was at my parents,

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じっかにかえったついでにむかしのがっこうにいってみた。

At the time I went back to my hometown, I also took the opportunity to go see my old school.

しごとへいくついでに、ゆうびんきょくでてがみをだした。

While on my way to work, I mailed a letter at the post office

でていくついでにたのむのはわるいけど、ゴミをすててくれる？

I hate to ask you to do this, but since you are going out anyway, would you get rid of the garbage bag?

パリへいくついでにロンドンによる

Since I am going to go to Paris, anyway, I will also drop by London

デパートへいったついでに、そこでひらかれていたてんらんかいをみた。

While out at the department store, I also took the opportunity to see the exhibition being held there.

ゆうびんきょくへいくの。それなら、ついでにきってをかってきてくれない。

You're going to the post office? If that's the case, while you're at it, won't you go buy me some stamps?

そこにつくついでに、さんにおかねをかえします

I will go there and on the same occasion, I will return Mana-san's money.

かれをむかえにいって、ついでにこのてがみをポストにいれておいて。

Go and take him home, and while you are about it mail this letter.

かれははなしのついでにじぶんのさいしんさくにげんきゅうした。

He mentioned his latest work in passing.

ぎんこうへいくついでにてがみをだしておこう。

I`m going to send my letter on my way to the bank.

ついでにいいますと、かれはしょくじをしていないといってしまった。

He said, incidentally, that he had had no dinner.

see [simultaneous-actions-group] for explanations and similar grammar

dc

「Aついでに、B」: A is the main action and B is another action done while peforming A.

V(dict. form)・(plain past form) + ついでに
N + の + ついでに

rubyhatchet

I might have thought this was usually used for past things, but it can also be used for the future.
　パリへ行くついでに、ロンドンに寄る
Since I am going to go to Paris, I will also stop by London

dc

V-plain or V-plainpast + ついでに

dc

ex#1006 From the content, wouldn't it be better to say, 仕事に行く時に、ついでに郵便局で手紙をだした。?

Miki

仕事に行くついでに is a common parlance.

bamboo4

ok

Miki

implies at the same time

dc

After doing some Googling, I think it means something close to "While you're at it", but much more flexable (ie, not limited to present or "you").
I saw it at the beginning of a sentance. The person requested that someone teach him how a broadcasting system of some sort worked, and the sentance ended. Then the next began with "序でに," and it was requested that a related concept also be explained.

LittleFish

this page [simultaneous-actions-group] tries to explain some subtleties of nuance...

dc

can you use this as a standalone casual expression to mean "while you're at it...?"

Leslie

I have heard as a standalone expression "あとついでに、〜する". "Oh, while I'm here I'll do 〜".
If example, if you are in a convenience store and you suddenly remember to buy mints. "Ah, while I'm here, I'll buy some mints"

blabby

Is the nuance a bit like the English expression: "killing 2 birds with 1 stone"?

nitrate

The connection to "two birds with one stone" seems a bit on the weak side to me, but not entirely absent. I think the two birds saying has more to do with deliberately combining two tasks, while ついでに makes the second one more of an afterthought.

I'd explain AついでにB as, A is the main thing I'm doing, and B wasn't necessarily even in my plans, but doing A makes it convenient to do B, so I might as well do B too.

KWhazit