ideas for keeping within my budget?

heuchera · 30 June 2015 at 12:24PM

This month I really need to keep within my grocery budget. It's not a huge amount, but it should (I think!) be enough for 2 people, yet I still always manage to spend it all before half the month's out!

Basically we have a small weekly veg box, and then I have about £150 to feed us and buy toilet rolls, washing powder, etc for the month.

I think I am going to keep a spending diary this time just to see where the money is going (I have my suspicions! Our local small Co-Op is convenient but I seldom come away from there having spent less than about a tenner :eek: ).

How do you all make your grocery money last? Do you take out a certain amount of cash weekly? I have tried doing a big shop at the beginning of the month but the food just gets eaten

and then I have no money to buy more.

honeythewitch · 30 June 2015 at 12:41PM

The first thing I would do is cancel the vegetable boxes if possible. They might be good quality, organic etc but all the boxes I have seen are far more expensive than the shops.
If money is tight I think you will do far better at a market or greengrocer.

suki1964 · 30 June 2015 at 1:50PM

First thing is to take an inventory of all the food and cleaning materials you have in already - including ingredients, and then meal plan

Once you have your meal plan, write your shopping list and stick to it

Meal planning isn't very hard. I look in my freezer and say I find a chicken. I then look at what I have to go around that chicken. Might be a roast then a curry and sandwiches,or I may joint it, make a Spanish type stew with tinned toms and chickpeas, use some in a Chinese , make a soup. Two small pork chops will be thinly sliced and made into pork and spring onions with boiled rice. A few sausages, chopped up will make a casserole. Even one steak will feed three adults with a bit of fine slicing and imagination

If you don't have that one ingredient for a dish, omit it or add something else. Baked beans or any tinned bean instead of kidney beans in a chilli for example

I would spend between £20 to £40 a week for three adults and a dog, that's all meals, cleaning and toiletries. However I do scratch cook and yellow sticker shop

Oh and I find the co op to be the most expensive shop. I do a main shop in lidl and pop into either my local spar/supervalue or tesco for the bits then lidl don't have - which is becoming less and less. Milk I'm happy to buy at the corner ( 4 miles away) shop. Dearer but it means that's all I do buy, no extra spends

*niptuckfan* · 30 June 2015 at 2:13PM

why not join the grocery challenge thread? im a newbie to it started last friday, i have set myself a budget and am taking note of all spends, have also went through my cupboards/freezers and taking note so i only buying in essentials

joedenise · 30 June 2015 at 2:24PM

Agree with Suki - freezer and cupboard inventory is vital followed by menu planning.

Use up what you have before buying more, unless it is a really good offer of something which you use regularly.

Have a look at some of the frugal websites for recipe ideas; there are loads to choose from. A few which spring to mind are: https://www.agirlcalledjack.com; https://www.mortgagefreeinthree.com & https://www.thriftylesley.com.

Cooking from scratch is far cheaper than using ready meals and you know exactly what you are eating.

Denise

PasturesNew · 30 June 2015 at 2:34PM

Toilet rolls/washing powder....and similar items.... can't cost more than £5/month, surely!

£150 divided by two people is £75 each, divided by 30 days is £2.50/day each.

So, be wary of buying anything that costs more than £1. If something is about to go into your trolley that's more than £1 then question it.... see if you need it, or if you could choose something else/cheaper.

Don't just plonk stuff in the trolley blindly because you've always had it, or it's on your menu plan. Think like a poor person.... question everything and its cost and its importance.

£75/person is very doable. Very. Practically luxury!

heuchera · 30 June 2015 at 3:09PM

PasturesNew wrote: »

Toilet rolls/washing powder....and similar items.... can't cost more than £5/month, surely!

I usually get a 2-pack of toilet rolls for about £1 from our local convenience shop, which is cheaper than the Co-Op. A 2-pack lasts roughly a week (I haven't timed it :rotfl: )

But thinking about it, I may be able to get more for less at the supermarket. It's just a question of lugging it home

I am not sure what I spend on washing powder per month, I would guess a couple of pounds. Again, if I am organised and get it from the supermarket it's pounds less than the CoOp round the corner.

Then there's the usual fem hygiene things which I can't really scrimp on, but they don't cost that much, maybe £2.

I am definitely going to start a spending diary because I never feel like I've spent much or bought much, but the money just trickles away..

pollyanna24 · 30 June 2015 at 3:28PM

I don't have a budget as such, but will get better when my brother moves out next year as he hogs the freezer.

Re the toilet roll and washing powder, I buy this in bulk as it seems to be cheaper. Groupon always seem to have offers on toilet paper and I buy loads! But then I have storage, so might not work for other people.

Same re dishwasher tablets. Actually I bulk buy anything that doesn't go off and stick it in my outhouse. Especially if I see stuff on offer.

PasturesNew · 30 June 2015 at 3:34PM

heuchera wrote: »

I usually get a 2-pack of toilet rolls for about £1 from our local convenience shop, which is cheaper than the Co-Op. A 2-pack lasts roughly a week (I haven't timed it :rotfl: )

LOL/timed it.... you need to ration those sheets!

Buying 2-packs has to be the most expensive way of doing it.

Big packs in supermarkets cost about 33p/roll - supercheap packs come in at about 15p/roll.

Lugging it home is an issue, I appreciate that. Maybe in the longer-term think about doing a "big shop", with home delivery, twice a year when they've got a special offer on.

7roland8 · 30 June 2015 at 3:42PM

home delivery with Tesco - then you can see how much everything is - and toilet rolls cheaper!yes

bexster1975 · 30 June 2015 at 3:50PM

I agree home delivery seems a great idea. Also look around as if you haven't shopped online before there are often great first order deals to be had e.g Quidco are doing £12 off a £60 order this coming week.
Do you have a Lidl of Aldi nearby? They really are a huge advantage for saving on groceries. I switched full time last summer and reduced spend by at least 30% and have not compromised on quality or amount of food. I agree about the veg boxes, they are a dear do. But you may well be tied in.

Just think, if you can keep your grocery spends within budget this month how much you could save every month.

For cleaning etc I use star drops, bit of bleach, lemons and bicarbonate. With some good cloths and a bit of elbow grease will clean most things.

Good luck

Bexster

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ideas for keeping within my budget?

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