How many in your household and what is your grocery budget?

eckythump

remember to allow yourself extra for the more costly food times such as easter and christmas and when the kids are on holiday eating you out of house and home.

loobylou2

There are 5 of us 2 adults and 3 children aged 10, 8 and 3. I aim to spend 200 a month feeding us all but this does vary. I always go for the BOGOF offers and check around to see which supermarket is cheapest. https://www.mysupermarket.com can give you price comparisons. Am happy at the moment as have just spent 52 in Morrisons and am more than confident that nobody will be going hungry this week. I've found though that in taking the kids off school dinners and agreeing that they can have packed lunches I am spending more than I did previously because the things I buy for their lunches often get eaten before I make the lunches (If you see what I mean!!!)

crazyaboutsaving

We spend between 180 - 200 a month for two adults (no kids, no cats or dogs). We eat in as much as possible and bring lunches to work. We buy as many value brand goods as we can (although there are some nice foods we just can't give up!) We do tend to have friends over for dinners fairly regularly which is probably why our bill is slightly high (That said I'm really not sure it's possible to lower it any further, we've cut as many corners as we can think of!). Try the monthly grocery challenges, those are a great way to get an idea of how much you can budget within reason. BTW - I also include things like cleaning supplies, TP and washing up liquid on the food bill, since we usually buy them at the supermarket with food...

jo1972

loobylou2 wrote: »

I've found though that in taking the kids off school dinners and agreeing that they can have packed lunches I am spending more than I did previously because the things I buy for their lunches often get eaten before I make the lunches (If you see what I mean!!!)

I was just talking about this with OH! My 5yr old DS said he didn't want school dinners anymore so he's back on to packed lunches this term....I find it costs a fortune as I like him to have something different everyday including fresh fruit and veg, in fact it costs me double the £8.25 school dinner cost! It would work out more economical if we all took lunches so I could buy in bulk and actually use it all before it goes off but eldest likes to get something from the canteen and my youngest won't be staying in school for lunch for another year, both me and OH get free lunches at work (we're very lucky!) so I don't know whether to keep him on packed lunches or not. Plus the fact of the waste of my time making it when he only eats half of it :mad:

bathgatebuyer

For me and my lovely little cat, I probably spend about £100 a month and that includes all cleaning and laundry items too. My work offers a flexible benefit where we can have a sum taken off our salary for lunches every month and so I spend £20 a month in the staff canteen (sometimes taking in my own lunch too).

So £100 of which £20 is spent at work is about right.

Lelc

4 adults, 2 dogs and a cat and I spend about £50 per week. My dd spends most of her time at her bf and ds works away or has irregular hours so tends to eat out. The dog food is specifically for gun dogs but it lasts for about 3 months and only costs about £12 a big bag of it. The cat probably has the most expensive taste as she will only eat Purina One, which is only available from Tesco and costs about the same as the dogs food costs and only lasts a couple of weeks

I'm quite lucky though as they are all working so sort their own lunches. I take a packed lunch everyday which I reckon saves me about £50 a month:eek:

I would strongly recommend meal planning, cooking from scratch and offers and having a look on OS. Maybe join the grocery challenge.

Cornishpixie_2

I'm attemping grocery challenge at £70 per week. This is for Myself, hubby and 4 kids (3-10). They all have packs and I try to vary them, sometimes if I have cooked a HM quiche they have that. I order on line have a 5 week menu plan where I can mix and match, then buy fruit and veg from local greengrocer. I do rely on pasta, noodles, pots, rice and seasonal veg to pad out their meals. Good luck with it all. Its not easy:)

moneysavingmonkey85

Hiya
Grocery challenge thread might help - also lists everyone's targets for the week/month. I've got no kids, or pets (strict landlord!) so 2 adult household, and aim for about £100 a month, and I am beginning to beat this. Most Value products are pretty good, the only things I still buy branded are gravy and teabags!

MYLITTLESISTERLOLA

£40 per week for 2 adults and DS 4, can do it on £20 a week when I'm using stuff already in. DS also needs £11/week for school dinners

~Yorkshire_Belle~

£11/week for school dinners :eek:
1 week here is £8