October 2008 Grocery Challenge. Please read first two posts.

kla

tiredanddesperate wrote: »

I've been completing a spreadsheet since 1st September detailing everything I spend, cook & eat!:D It's obsessive though, if you decide to do it.....
be afraid, be very afraid :eek:

I...

I think I might have to do something like that, it is just me and OH and we seem to spend a fortune on food but I do not know exactly how much. I think a spreadsheet would be good!

Penelope_Penguin

I_Used_To_Lurk wrote: »

I also spend £50 to £70 a week on just me. How on earth are all these people feeding families of 4 on £50 a week????:eek: :eek:

Those of you who feed multiple people on low amounts of money - do you eat really low-quality food? Do you buy organic?

No, of course we don't :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: I don't spend as little as £50/week for the 4 of us, but I could do, if I needed to.

We have cut our meat eating down, and eat veggie at least 3 times a week. Meat is bulked out with lentils and vegetables. I make 500g of mince stretch to 12 portions, using red lentils and grated carrot

We cook nearly all of our food from scratch (and those prepared things we buy is where we could make savings).

Yes, we do eat organic, as we spend time growing our own fruit and vegetables Though, as far as I'm concerned, it's better to eat local than organic, and I'm keen to source all our food as locally as possible (not the lentils, though ).

Penny. x

Jacks_xxx

pinkjen wrote: »

Hi Flylady

Hope you don't mind me being nosy but how did you change your name & keep your details the same?

Pinkjen

Hiya hon, :hello:

I think people can email the MSE team and they will change it for you - but usually only if they've used something that makes them identifiable such as something very similar to their real name.

Love Jacks xxx

PS I am hoping to have time for the grand add up tomorrow!

PPS CW18 Well you know, it's entirely possible that a few treats may fall into my online trolley now and again - but I use your method at least half of them are sensible stocking up and then a few little treats if we still have the space.

But I know you can't tell 'em - my eldest has just bought a TV for his room when I thought he ought to wait for the sales but as soon as he had saved enough money it was burning a hole in his bank account! (Should I be offended that he's prepared to pay good money just so he doesn't have to sit beside me on the sofa?!:D )

jscalow

I spend £60 per week but at present I do not eat out so this covers everything. I always make a chicken salad to take to work and am careful with the prices. I can't afford to care about organic, locally grown or any hippy crap, maybe one day....

tiredanddesperate

I don't think we eat low quality food. I use a number of different methods to keep our food bill down - all from MSE & OS

I buy some foods in bulk
I use some foods to bulk out other meals
I menu plan, so I know what I need to buy for the coming weeks meals
I shop with a list and only buy what is on that list
We grow some of our own veg

I have just splashed out on half a pig from our local butcher - got 6 joints, 20 good sized chops, 20 or so belly pork - 27 kilo of pork - for £64. That works out at £2.37 per kilo average. That's a big saving on the equivalent from Mr T and is fantastic quality as well :j

I now bake my own bread & save £1 a day on bread - and my 3DS love it. They say it is loads better than shop bread!!

Our best meal this week -

Roast pork, roast spuds, roast carrots (home grown), roast parsnips (home grown), cauli & broch (home grown), peas (Mr T) Cost £5.40 total (for 5 of us)

2nd best meal this week -
Leftover Sunday lunch stew with HM bread - cost £1.30 (for 5 of us)

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

pinkjen

Thanks Jacks

I know someone who wants to change theirs for that reason, but we couldn't see how so i'll let them know.

LindseyandMatthew

we now spend about £90 a fortnight for 2 adults and a 7 year old. We also have a baby but she's breastfed so only need nappies for her! It used to be £60 a fortnight and I'd love to get it back down again

MrsE_2

We used to spend about £100 pw on food for three adults, but since the prices went crazy a few months ago, I'm having trouble getting it below £120 pw:(

I do my shopping at a mixture of shops.

I use M&S for mince beef & sausages & their offers.
I use Sainsburys for my beef & Candia milk - we like skimmed UHT, but in the nice bottles:o
I use Asda for their fruit salads & ready preped salads (M&S ones are so expensive).
I even go to Morrisons now & again for white pudding & donuts.
If I'm in Tesco, I make sure I get some brown soda bread.
If I'm in Waitrose I get their ham & walnut bread.

But I don't go to them all on a Saturday, I do M&S & usually Asda on a Saturday.
I stock up on the others when I pop in mid week for fresh bits.

I'm not on top of any one of them, but near enough to all of them.
Waitrose & Tesco are only about 3 miles from my home. I work very near Morrisons.
M&S, Sainsbury & Asda are only about 7 miles or so away & near where I go for other shopping.

[Deleted User]

About £70-£80 p/w for one adult

Edit: That includes food for two cats, toiletries and other things to keep the house ticking over.

juliapenguin

wildcat2608 wrote: »

I spend about £60 a week and thats for 2 of us and 2 cats The cats are mightily expensive

I'm with you on the expensive cat.... Mine is still grieving for her recently departed twin brother (not as much as I am though ) and is refusing all the cheap food she used to eat perfectly happily. I feel sorry for her and she's comfort eating THREE Whiskas pouches a day plus a good shake of Purina One.

Can I also echo someone earlier on in the thread who said that Sainsburys Value products are nicer than Tescos? I think they are much better and still a very good price. I also noticed that some Basics products offer a money back guarantee if you DON'T like them, so you've got nothing to lose by trying them.