What should I reasonably spend on shopping per month?

Amanda3266

Hello to all the wise and knowledgable people here. This is among my first posts here and I desperately need advice.
Some background first. I am a newly single parent and looking at privately renting (local council take a year just to process housing application forms). I have found a property at £695 a month and am working out all my finances.
Having downloaded the Budget Planner thingie I can see that each month will be very tight financially but just about do-able. I have budgeted £200 for food for me and my 6 year old. Doing this leaves me £30 spare a month.:j
Is this a realistic food budget though?

I will be applying for Housing Allowance too but to be honest don't think I'll be entitled to anything. Am on £26k and bring home £1554 a month. Entitledto.com seems to suggest only the minimum child tax credit.

Spendless_Dosh

I think you're about right with the figure of £200, our household (2 adults) average over the last 8 months has been £197.16 per month.(excluding the odd pint of milk and loaf of bread).

Clowance

I think your budget is accurate, but large savings are possible if you downshift, there are people on the old style board living on a lot less than this. One painless way if you use cook in sauces or pasta sauces like me is to use only half the amount you used to (or a third for the two of you) and freeze the rest in portion sizes. I also consider how much a portion of meat will cost and plan meals around mostly cheap stuff and the occasional treat like a steak or a joint.
Avoid ready meals / takeaways: even if exhausted a plate of pasta is easy and quick and cheaper and better for you. Or a jacket potato and beans and cheese.
Recommend you read the old style board for ideas.
HTH
Good luck and best wishes

Harrietxxx

You could also start to use money off coupons. Have a look at the discount codes and vouchers board where is a lot of information about using coupons and where to get them from. I try to save about 1/2 the amount of my shopping by using coupons.

Good Luck

Amanda3266

Thank you folks. Was worried that I was being unrealistic and would spend more than this. Downshifting sounds a good idea too. I tend to make my own pasta sauces but jars are good as well for convenience.
I buy pasta and rice in bulk so have a seemingly never ending supply of this.
Jacket pots and baked beans are a cheap and filling meal.

I love a challenge.

Amanda3266

Money saving vouchers are a good idea - thanks - will check out the board.

sharkmark

I also think £200 is workable and in truth you should be able to get it even a little cheaper than this...

I'd recommend you take Harriet's advice and look at vouchers section. Not only will this give you advice on how to save money on shopping but also how to collect more clubcard points if there is a Tesco nearby...The last time I paid full price for my shopping at Tesco was 2 years ago before I found this site. Now I aim to get some money off (roughly 10-20%) off the cost of my shop + thousands of clubcard points too on each shop which are very valuable indeed! (you'll see users speaking about free holidays, days out and even free cars which comes in very handy indeed)

buyitall

I would recommend you join the grocery challenge on the Old style board:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.html?s=&daysprune=-1&f=33 - see sticky at the top of the page, there will be a new challenge starting 1 Oct. You set your own personal limit, the thread is there for support and ideas.
There is also a thread on feeding a family of 4 for £20 per month.