food bill for 5 - is £35 a week unrealistic?

kiwichick

I just want to echo some of the statements made .re. how the OS forum has helped them.

Pre OS I was spending 30% more per month on household items than I am now. The change hasnt come about because I cut things out now, its because I have learnt how to be a smarter comsumer. I've really taken on board the advice here and if I have a question, regardless of how daft, I ask it. People aremore than happy to share their knowledge with you.

It really makes me feel good when I see the change in my children, they are only young but now love to get involved with cooking, recycling, shopping. They are begining to learn that money has a vlaue, its not an endless source. I'm teaching them that we need to save some of our pennies if we need new things, they love hearing the small change "clink" into the piggy bank.

I really am very sorry for my earlier post on this thread, it was made in haste and I regret it. I've learnt my lesson.

Thanks you to all OSers, you've helped me to make a really positive change, long my it continue,
Allison.

Queenie

UltraCheap wrote:

Another option is to hop into Sainsburys in the evening (usually around 9:30 ish, sometimes earlier/later) and buy produce and pre-made meals at Reduced to Clear. The prices can get as low as 10p for organic potatoes, carrots, brocolli etc, and almost always in good condition. Also, if you find a few items in the reduced to clear that are on a special deal (say buy 3 and get one free) then hopefully the items will be rung up as the Reduced to clear price, and then the full price of one of them will be deducted, which often makes all three of them free. This only works if each barcode is scanned in, if the person behind the counter enters the price manually then no deal. I also buy produce at local markets and get great prices, usually paying around £15 or so per week for groceries for two people.

I do this in our local Sainsbury's - the mark down is far better than any other supermarket (and I have the luxury of most of the well known ones :rolleyes: ) just wanted to say that you don't always need to wait until the evening.
Meat is often very well reduced from as early as 7pm - particularly if they have taken it from the meat counter and need a quickie sale. The pre-packed meats are also reasonably reduced and I tend to cook them as soon as practicable and then freeze immediately - voila - HM "Ready Meal" for another day. This way, it doesn't impact on my meal plans already in place for the week and when it comes to menu planning next time around, I already have the frozen one to incorporate.

Don't just stop with the fresh produce/meat/ready prepared goods either ... Sainsburys have a designated area where they keep their discontinued items (reduced) plus dentedtins/packet goods that are reasonably marked down.

Tip: If you are thinking of checking out *any* supermarket "reduced" items ... use the "First & Last" principle. Be sure where the stores display the reduced goods and make sure you visit those areas FIRST and then again LAST (sometimes items appear between those times, so it's always worth doing back, just in case).

Tip: As with *any* shopping - double check your receipt once you are through the checkout, (or, if you have eyes in the back of your head, check the monitor as the items go through). Mistakes happen, even on reduced items and it would be a pity if you've bought something and assume it scans through at the reduced price .... only to discover that the scanner has charged the full price.

Nelski

RacyRed wrote:

Gawd! if Nelski sees this post :eek::p

Wait till I tell all!!!


Having said that i own a slow cooker and have been known to buy extra Baileys when its cheap at christmas!!

Seriously I think this is all relative I personally believe that when you are shopping on a budget you do eat better. I am fortunate to not HAVE to cut back significantly at moment but I have been eating much healthier later (fresh veg/fruit etc as opposed to those ready meals ive been living off for years) and i have found that my budget has been cut massively. buying from markets and small shops has been significantly cheaper for me.

Old style isnt only about saving money (although thats a nice added extra) its also about living and eating well. I have learned so much from my old style friends and i hate to see anybody having a go.

Racy I wont tell if you dont tell!:snow_laug

Make Love Not War!

System

Nelski wrote:

Racy I wont tell if you dont tell!

What have i missed? :doh:

ruthyjo

I'm really fascinated by this thread. I would love to spend less on groceries. I have three children (10, 9 and 3) and tend to spend about £100-£120 a week. I can't imagine how anyone manages to spend only £35, but I would love to follow suit. Just a couple of questions. Does your £35 budget exclude a payment for school dinners as I do packed lunches for all three kids every day and I reckon they cost about £1 each (i.e. £15 per week) with pre-packed drinks, yoghurts etc? Also is it a full time job in itself budgeting like this as I have to go to work too? Finally my family is vegetarian and I do shop in a lot of places that are probably more expensive than the local asda in order to obtain some of the things we eat. I've only respect for anyone who can manage this sort of budget and would love tips on how I can save something off my weekly spend.

Trow

ruthyjo - can I just say that being a vegetarian is usually cheaper than being a meat eater!

What kind of meals do you have? This is usually a great way of figuring out where you can cut back. Also - do you meal plan? Planning meals cuts back on waste which cuts back on costs and means you only buy what you need.

Another possibility is to go wholesale - depending on where you live, you can place orders from Suma andget free delivery - if the order would be too large (eg £300 or £500) for delivery - split the order with a friend or two - this way you get wholefood at cost price. I am about as far away as it gets and we have the most expensive order for free delivery - so we have an organised wholefood association so there are abuot 30 people involved - it gets quite complicated, but if you live in England it would be much easier for you.

Best of luck, there are loads of ideas on this area of this site to cut costs - so my other tip is to read it all!

sans_2

I find keeping a daily total of how much you spend on a spreadsheet really helps. I was horrified to see how much I was spending at the end of each week and I consider myself to be quite thrifty (but definately not miserable). I sell the odd item on Ebay when I have the time and make the most of their 5p listing days etc, so the money I make is extra to what my wages bring in. If buyers pay via paypal then I charge them a bit extra to cover the fee paypal charges me. I end up having spare cash in my paypal account to buy things like money off coupons, gift vouchers, dvds etc off Ebay which helps cut down my shopping bill a little.

I recently brought £20 of M&S vouchers off a 100% positive feedback seller fpr £18. Although it wasn't a massive saving it is still £2 less money I'm spending when I go into M&S.

I brought £25 of BHS credit vouchers for my sisters X'mas present for around £20 off Ebay, since I was able to save £5 I paid £5 in BHS for a £5 BHS gift voucher, so £30 worth for her. So she is able to buy a bit extra, had I just went to BHS and brought her £25 in gift vouchers then that is all she would have.

I also always ask my mum/ sisters to keep their eyes out for any leaflets/ adverts for grocery items etc so that I can take it along to my local Asda for a price match. Today this allowed me to get lucozade on BOGOF, Walkers crisps 6pk on BOGOF and 1 litre bottle of Baileys for £8.99. Also after using a few coupons I brought my total shopping bill down by a few pounds.

Only a few years ago I would have never have dreamed of using a money off coupon and remember cringing at my mum for using just the one. Now my mum's the one cringing at me. LOL What spurred me on was the fact that I din't work whilst pregnant and didn't have my own disposable income/ felt guilty spending my husbands money so I looked on the website at ways I could stretch my husbands income a bit further. Now I've caught the bug I can't turn back.

Also what I tend to do is ask my mum before I go shopping if she needs anything so I can buy it for her. Generally speaking I will always get at least 20% off my shopping anyway. Instead of my mum giving me money she will give me something in exchange she has brought in bulk to get a discount/ cheaper which saves me from purchasing that item.

I also find Boots is fantastic for baby food/ nappies particularly when they have an offer on. Whilst I accumulate points from various offers etc I take advantage of, I spend my points on getting Johnson baby wipes when they are on BOGOF, or Heinz tins of baby food which are 32p at present (4 for the price of 3), list is endless.

If you haven't registered with TOYS R US/BABIES R US then it is worth it. They send you a sheet of various coupons when you first join including a spend £30 and save £5 voucher, often BOGOF on wipes or £1 off their own brand nappies. It is so easy to spend £30 (or just over) to take advantage of the offer. Last time I brought my son a Christmas present; tomy branded toy and box of Pampers nappies. I managed to used £5 off £30 spend voucher, another £3 off when you spend £20 or more on a Tomy product and a £2 off Pampers voucher.

Again same with the Tesco baby and toddler club, a few useful vouchers to be had and useful reading in their free baby/ toddler magazine.

Anyway I shall stop rambling on...

Sarahsaver

ruthyjo wrote:

I'm really fascinated by this thread. I would love to spend less on groceries. I have three children (10, 9 and 3) and tend to spend about £100-£120 a week. I can't imagine how anyone manages to spend only £35, but I would love to follow suit. Just a couple of questions. Does your £35 budget exclude a payment for school dinners as I do packed lunches for all three kids every day and I reckon they cost about £1 each (i.e. £15 per week) with pre-packed drinks, yoghurts etc? Also is it a full time job in itself budgeting like this as I have to go to work too? Finally my family is vegetarian and I do shop in a lot of places that are probably more expensive than the local asda in order to obtain some of the things we eat. I've only respect for anyone who can manage this sort of budget and would love tips on how I can save something off my weekly spend.

I have 3 kids, and I roughly spend on groceries in a month what you spend in a week ruthyjo, so it CAN be done and it isnt that difficult or time consuming. They have packed lunches, which is a sandwich, a couple of bits of fruit and a hm cake/biscuit or a yoghurt(tesco value or reduced to clear frubes which i keep in the freezer) They are all very much 'full of beans' fit and well.
I always bear this in mind, I used to spend between £50 and £70 a week on food, so thats at least £30 quid a week (when we have the spare £30!) which can be used for other things:) savings, paying off bills, etc...

thriftlady_2

ruthyjo wrote:

I do packed lunches for all three kids every day and I reckon they cost about £1 each (i.e. £15 per week) with pre-packed drinks, yoghurts etc.

I have 3 packed lunches to do everyday as well ,and the best way to save money on these is never buy anything in an individual packet/carton like drinks etc.You could try filling plastic drinks bottles with value juice -diluted to make it go further?

A typical packed lunch in my household is HM roll 6p,filled with value cheese 15p,a HM blueberry muffin 5p and an apple 12p from the farmshop, and a bottle of water -total 38p
I do have time to bake as I don't work but I'm sure you can do it for less than £1.

Best of luck :santa2:

kitster_2

give the little buggers tap waters?