Still on top of it

Start with a meal plan - and I echo DNMS, check your cupboards and freezer properly for everything you have. I list everything and use that as the start to my meal plan. Then write my shopping list as I meal plan so I know I have all the ingredients for each dish. I live close to three big supermarkets and I have managed to cut my shopping trips down to once a week on the whole. Goodluck, HTH.

To a large extent what's been said about - however I tackle it like this:

1) A full audit of cupboards, freezer, fridge and stores. Knowing what you have, to start with, is key. Make a list of anything you find that's needing used up - whether that's a slightly sad looking bag of carrots, or a jar of something that you know's been opened for a while.

2) Meal plan - but start off by incorporating the things that need used first. So if you have a bag of sad carrots, consider making Jack Monroe's carrot & kidney bean burgers. A surfeit of cheese that's in danger of turning blue - macaroni cheese. Get the idea? Your plan should start off by focusing on the things you have - and then your shopping list is born out of that... Remember to include packed lunches on your plan as well.

3) Shopping list - first up, write in the stuff that you know you'll need, but won't be part of the meal plan. So milk, for example, and fruit as snacks. The go through the meal plan day by day - and add to the list the things you don't have in - but also give some thought to how those are going to be used up going forwards. If you're buying mushrooms for a stir fry on Monday for example, wednesday's chicken & pea risotto might want to become chicken and mushroom. It's a moveable feast - that's the whole idea - the trick is to make it work for you, and to break the "habit buying" that leads to waste.

4) the shop - first up if you're currently shopping at Tesco or Sainsburys there's probably a decent saving to be made on some things by using Aldi or Lidl. This is where knowing what you pay for things comes in. Learn what your target prices are for particular products so you KNOW when an offer is good. If you know taking OH or a child with you leads to extras being bought on impulse then go on your own, simple. If you're the guilty party for extra spending, get OH to do it. If you're both as bad as each other try an online shop.

Something that can be useful is to keen an eye on Aldi & Lidl's specials on fruit and veg - and then adjust your meal planning to take account. Aldi's recent S6 offers on stew type veggies made sure there was going to be a casserole on my plan last week, for example, and also that cauliflower cheese would feature. The rest of the cauli made a side-veg for another meal, the leeks have been used in risotto, and the remaining carrots, swede and onions will be being done as roasted veg next week. Your aim is to use EVERYTHING you buy - THAT is what saves you money.

Set a budget too - we have £150 for food per month, that's for two of us - but rarely spend that. (That budget also includes the stuff we buy as part of the regular weekly shop - so cleaning stuff etc).

I'm assuming that you don't enjoy spending time in the supermarket any more than I do - and using the method above has the huge advantage that it can leave you shopping once a week and that's it - done! Remember to use your freezer for things like bread too - or try freecycle for a bread maker - ours is in use several times a week and the bread is FAR nicer than the supermarket white mush! Works out cheaper too - last time I priced it up it was less than 50p for a loaf, or 8 rolls.

Hi,

It sounds like you have done really well so far.

I agree with making a meal plan.

I once (a few years ago) managed to get our shopping bill down to £250 a month for family of 6. I stuck with it for about 6 months but then we started slipping back in to old habits. The best way I found was to write a list of 30/31 meals, write how many pints of milk you will use for a month, how many loaves of bread, bags of crisps, cereal bars or whatever else you buy. I then did a massive monthly shop of everything. I even froze the bread and milk for the month... The only thing I needed was a bit of fruit or fresh veg each week (although I mainly used frozen) I kept £5 a week for just this.

The worst thing is needing to go the shop for a pint of milk as it will always cost a tenner!

I will be doing similar again, but as much out out of lack of time as money saving.... At the time I was able to go to Aldi for as much of the monthly shop as possible and each week for the fruit and veg. I don't think I will get it that low again as I will be online ordering the bulk and using the local Co op/Tesco for the few weekly fresh bits.

I also made sure there was a mixture of 'posh' meals, 'normal' meals and real 'budget' meals. That way we never felt too deprived as there was the odd gammon steak or posh pie to look forward to in among the vast sea of budget meals.

Good Luck x