Monthly food bill - how much for 1?

MissMuppet

Just split up with my partner and looking for a place to live as we speak... I'm trying to work out some rough money calculations and wondered how much money I should put aside each month for food?

I have a slow cooker so making up lots of food to freeze would be easy (as long as I have a freezer I guess) and I have a cat so would need to include cat food in the budget...

I've never really lived alone for long to work out stuff like this...

MrsB_2

Hi MissMuppet, sorry to hear of your split, hope you're doing ok.

I think your grocery budget will depend alot on what you tend to eat, whether you make it a household budget (ie include cleaning stuff etc), what you do for lunches etc, and how much you can afford to budget. A good place to start would be the indexed collections - there's lots of info in there about setting budgets and storecupboard shopping.

Good luck.

MissMuppet

Thanks I will have a look...

nabowla

I manage on 20 pounds per week, including all food and household groceries (washing powder, dishwasher tablets etc). Some of the real experts here might be able to trim this amount down even further but it's not a terribly extravagent budget. I think you should be able to start at around 30 pounds per week and gradually cut down as you get into the habit of shopping for one.

The key to shopping and cooking for one is planning. Drawing up a weekly menu planner will help you cut down on waste (I used to throw away heaps of veggies because I'd bought too much) and help you to think about preparing meals in advance for the nights when you know you're going to be late home.

Good luck!

voodoozoe

When I was on my own it was MUCH easier to keep costs down...and I had a cat. Unfortunately it was so long ago that I don't have any figures!!!

Our thoughts are with you anyway darlin!!!!

johanne

sorry to hear about your split.

I live alone and spend about £50 month on just food but i do cook almost everything from scratch and dont "treat" myself very often. I also get loads of reduced stuff and shop around to get the best deal wherever i can. AND i dont have lunches for work or anything as im not working at the moment. I started out with £80 a month budget for it though and gradually worked it down (mostly through neccessity)

calleyw

I spend between £80-£100 for two adults.

Both who like there food

I also budget another £10 a month for things like loo rolls etc. But don't spend it every month as a packet of 12 loo rolls last us for ever.


So I would say £50-£60 a month should be enough.


Yours


Calley

Smiley_Mum

I'm currently managing fine on £40 for one adult and two little ones with quite reasonable appetites (4 and 6). No pets. I tend to make a lot of pasta dishes, use tuna a lot. Visit Tescos after picking up youngest at around noon as they have a fridge section with lots of stuff reduced. Doing a roast chicken one day and then making soup etc, curry, fricasse etc after. Lasts us about 3 days, 4 days at a push. Just tend to have soup and rolls during the day and a proper dinner at night. Have porridge with fruit on top for breakfast, or toast and banana with yoghurt. Don't drink, smoke etc and rarely go out as no babysitters etc and not really a party type anyway. So quiet life, if I was single, I reckon I could manage on around £25 a week all in. If you smoke etc, then perhaps you would need £40. Good Luck and sorry to hear about your predicament, can't be easy. Take care.

skintchick

I'm single with a cat and spend £15 maximum a week on food and household - usually it's more like £9. I go to Tesco on the night when they reduce stuff.

HTH

[Deleted User]

Hi,
I can get by on about £20 per week,but I have to use my car to shop and get about in as I am disabled, so I probably use about £5-10 per week on top. But ideally if I am really saving for something, then I can cut it down even more by careful budgeting, and using up some of my freezer stuff. At Christmas I worked out that I probably had about £75 worth of food in my freezer, and another £25 in the cupboards. So I am being fairly frugal at the moment, and just buying the real essentials when I have run out of fresh stuff, milk, veggies ect..So I am only spending about half that amount. After all Food in the cupboard or freezer is like money in the bank isn't it. Also only pick up a basket in the supermarket, as a trolly will encourage you to spend more .At my local Tesco's on a Friday and Saturday you will be hard put to find any of the smaller trolleys as they are stored away at the back of the store .Bigger trolleys = bigger amounts sold ,no one comes out of Tesco's with a half empty trolly ,it's a sneaky psychological trick to get you to part with your cash.
I hope you manage O.K. and remember men are like buses miss one and there is always another one coming along somewhere behind or if your lucky two !!

MissMuppet

I think if I plan what I'm eating over a couple of weeks I should keep the cost down... I don't have a car so I am limited to either online shopping or having to carry it home on the train!

Thanks for all your help...