Grocery Shopping budget thread

wssla00

I rarely go over £200 for me OH plus many guests, lunches, takeaways, free range or organic meat, food for two kitties and I shop in waitrose....but the most important thing is it takes time to get into the grove of doing this! Don't expect a shopping budget to reduce down to half overnight- you will feel like you are on the bread line and are depriving yourself so cut it down slowly. Also, you see on here a lot of people can make a chicken go for about five meals- but don't feel like you are letting yourself down if you can't/wont do this.
I meal plan for a month but I know most people find this a difficult way of planning and plan week to week. I then highlight all the meals I already have the ingredients for and only then concentrate on the ones I don't.
Come on the grocery challenge and say hello

Triker

Well I'm trying to monitor myself this month as I have quite a lot to pay out.

I spent £80 in Waitrose on thursday, much was reduced meat, which is now in the freezer. Most of that is free range or organic meat.

The freezer is full so I now need to menu plan.

I've buried my head in the sand re how much I've spent and wasted re food but I'm trying to get to grips with this.

OrkneyStar

tessie_bear wrote: »

thats very impressive...do u mind if i ask what u changed...meal wise? thanks

Not really that impressive for only 2 adults and 1 toddler.
Basically I buy whoopsies when I can, freeze leftovers, eat basic meals some nights, buy BOGOF/offers when I know I can use it, cook mainly from scratch, eat seasonally, stopped buying ready made cold meat (cut our own from joints), don't buy 'carp' (if we want crips/sweets they normally are from our own treat budget, and mum sends biccies from south every now and then!). We don't drink or smoke. I also buy decent meat, so it has a better taste and can be stretched (local red meat, pork when I can get it, bacon etc), meal plan (but be flexible if need be!).
We need a new bathroom and I would rather save any spare money for that than fritter it!
TBH this week, as DH is off work and we are not going away, we will eat out once or twice, so that will thankfully stop food budget being so stretched, but normally we don't really eat out (unless one of us has some unexpected spare cash!).
It is hard work and I am thinking whether £30/wk is realistic long term- we will just see!

mardatha

OS, I can do £30 for so long then I run too low.

OrkneyStar

mardatha wrote: »

OS, I can do £30 for so long then I run too low.

Yes I am trying to think about long term.
To be fair I am replacing any stock that I use, eg making stew on Monday so from last weeks shop purchased a similar quantity for freezer, to replace what I am using. I have quite a lot of flour etc in, but even so I am always buying a new one next shop when one is finished and so on. It will be interesting, as prices change and DS's appetite might increase too!
ETA Decided £30 p/w is not enough for us long term- so we will be upping the budget next month- still using only cash though, meal planning etc. I think realistically perhaps 2/5 weeks could be £30 or less, but the others would be a little more!

lola34

CFC wrote: »

At the moment I am spending £65 per week for all shopping for myself and 6' 4" OH who never stops eating or drinking (He keeps pepsi and red bull in business!)

I got cans of Pepsi for 25p each in Home Bargains if you have one nearby, cheaper than most of the supermarket deals too

[Deleted User]

I allow myself £120 per month for everything food,toiletries ect but I can bring the month in under budget by shopping carefully and cooking from scratch.This month I have enough left over to take me through to when I go away on my holidays in August . I come home on 27th August and will still have enough in the freezer to last me until 1st September when I start again with £120.00. Usually what's left over goes in the holiday pot towards our food whilst we are away I go away for two weeks with my DD,her OH and the five grandchildren.Everything is carefully budgetted for in advance since last September, and its good, as we don't want to go into the winter without having some bits put by.My eldest DD says I am like a squirrel at times but its better than worrying about the coming Christmas festivities and a lot of family birthdays that I have from November round to March.

darkblue_2

At the moment I am spending £65 per week for all shopping for myself and 6' 4" OH who never stops eating or drinking (He keeps pepsi and red bull in business!)

Supermarket own brand energy/stimulant drinks will save you an absolute fortune! As would own brand cola drinks. There are a few naff ones, but he's sure to find at least one he likes.

I really should do this. I'm the type of person who frequently visits and buys as I need it, which leads to impulse buys and "oh that's on special" kind of purchases. I've tried to use my debit card to buy all my groceries so I can see at the end of the month how much I actually spend. I'm going to have a heart attack!

Hootie19

OMG - I was thinking cheerily that I would be able to join in this thread, but having read how little some of you spend, there is no WAY I would be able to do it!!

We are five adults, one dog, and three goldfish.

I have just re-started meal planning and was very proud of myself for bringing our food bill down from around (I never really priced it properly) £750 a month to £564.09 (that's from 28th June to 31st July).

The above includes all our food shopping, including cleaning stuff, and this month there were no takeaways (due to the meal planning and knowing what to take out of the freezer in preparation).

Looks like I need to give myself another stern talking to though! But no way will I ever be able to bring the bills down to the few pennies that some of you seem to spend!


p.s. Most stuff is cooked from basics, but there are some convenience stuff in there (jars of curry sauce and pasta sauce, for example)

darkblue_2

Hootie19 wrote: »

OMG - I was thinking cheerily that I would be able to join in this thread, but having read how little some of you spend, there is no WAY I would be able to do it!!

We are five adults, one dog, and three goldfish.

I have just re-started meal planning and was very proud of myself for bringing our food bill down from around (I never really priced it properly) £750 a month to £564.09 (that's from 28th June to 31st July).

The above includes all our food shopping, including cleaning stuff, and this month there were no takeaways (due to the meal planning and knowing what to take out of the freezer in preparation).

Looks like I need to give myself another stern talking to though! But no way will I ever be able to bring the bills down to the few pennies that some of you seem to spend!


p.s. Most stuff is cooked from basics, but there are some convenience stuff in there (jars of curry sauce and pasta sauce, for example)

I can see three meals if you're stuck. :j

It's amazing how much you can save by 'dropping a brand'. I.e. if you currently buy lurpack, try the store's own brand. If you use the store own brand, try the cheapest own brand. Trial and error will tell you what's edible and what's not.

I too am always impressed when I see what people can spend and eat a healthy, well balanced diet. It just goes to show what preparation and forward planning can do for the wallet.

Hat off to you all.