how the hell am I spending £200 a month on groceries

lawbod

Where do you live that a studio flat is not available for less than £600 a month? Even in North London you can get a decent studio in a decent (and relatively central) area for £115 a week. Have you looked on RightMove?

ExNicotineQueen

allthingsconsidered2009 wrote: »

I don't consider the amount you are spending to be unreasonable. Is it causing you problems?

I think the problem lies in that twirly may be spending £200 on groceries per month for herself, but also has to factor on top of this the cost of ‘other food’ purchases when outside home such as lunch at work, any takeaways etc which can amount to quite a lot of money, especially when you add this amount to what you spend on groceries per month.

Not only that, but if you have spent any time on the OS board or even this one, when people post their SOA’s, the shopping budget is often the part where people are told that they can reduce it and after reading some diaries where people often have large families and spend a crazily small amount of money per week, it can make you feel as though you are overspending in comparison and must be really greedy if others shopping budgets are considerably lower than yours.

I’m not one to talk, like I said before, I now spend £40 per week on shopping for 2 adults and my OH is an avid carnivore and requires some form of meat/chicken with his meals so including that, fresh fruit/veg and all other items such as laundry powder, washing up liquid, deodorant, shower gels etc it can get tricky. I use mysupermarket.com religiously to check the prices of items before I buy in case they are available cheaper at one of the rival supermarket or are on special offer elsewhere. I am lucky that all the major supermarkets are within easy walking distance of where I work and also where I live so this is not a problem for me but it is challenging but I have to remind myself why I am doing this. I cannot emphasise enough how much meal planning and writing lists has helped me. I also now use cash so I cannot go over-budget. Even though I have ‘shopped down’ brands, I do still buy luxury loo roll (sorry but Value range just won’t do!), Heinz beans, name brand shower gel, deodorant, face washes etc but it really is a case of shopping around, using eBay and the Sunday market near where I live and budgeting. It can be done, honest!

I used to spend a crazy amount on grocery shopping and takeaways/lunches etc on top of that. I too live in a shared house so again, I totally empathise with twirly, unless you’ve lived in similar circumstances, it can be hard to understand how intimidating/demoralising it can be living with strangers especially if they are unhygienic/unfriendly. I remember the days where we spent almost day every out of the house, eating breakfast in a caf!, lunch I had a takeaway at work and dinner we went out to a restaurant – all to avoid cooking at home because the people we lived with were awful. :rolleyes:

twirlypinky

lawbod wrote: »

Where do you live that a studio flat is not available for less than £600 a month? Even in North London you can get a decent studio in a decent (and relatively central) area for £115 a week. Have you looked on RightMove?

Yes, in fact Rightmove was where I got my info from. I live in Central Oxford. I did a seach starting at the lowest price and kept going up until i found one that wasn't a shared bathroom/kitchen. £600. Not much point in me moving from a shared kitchen situation right into another shared kitchen situation.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/find.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E1036&sortByPriceDescending=false&maxBedrooms=1&maxPrice=600&index=10

lawbod

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-24322331.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E1036&sortByPriceDescending=false&maxBedrooms=1&maxPrice=500&pageNumber=1&backToListURL=%2Fproperty-to-rent%2Ffind.html%3FlocationIdentifier%3DREGION%255E1036%26sortByPriceDescending%3Dfalse%26maxBedrooms%3D1%26maxPrice%3D500

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-20978452.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E1036&sortByPriceDescending=false&maxBedrooms=1&maxPrice=500&pageNumber=2&backToListURL=%2Fproperty-to-rent%2Ffind.html%3FlocationIdentifier%3DREGION%255E1036%26sortByPriceDescending%3Dfalse%26maxBedrooms%3D1%26maxPrice%3D500%26index%3D10

What about something like this? Admittedly, the first one is a shared bathroom but it's very cheap and the bathroom sharing would be the compromise element.

twirlypinky

ExNicotineQueen wrote: »

I think the problem lies in that twirly may be spending £200 on groceries per month for herself, but also has to factor on top of this the cost of ‘other food’ purchases when outside home such as lunch at work, any takeaways etc which can amount to quite a lot of money, especially when you add this amount to what you spend on groceries per month.

Not only that, but if you have spent any time on the OS board or even this one, when people post their SOA’s, the shopping budget is often the part where people are told that they can reduce it and after reading some diaries where people often have large families and spend a crazily small amount of money per week, it can make you feel as though you are overspending in comparison and must be really greedy if others shopping budgets are considerably lower than yours.

I’m not one to talk, like I said before, I now spend £40 per week on shopping for 2 adults and my OH is an avid carnivore and requires some form of meat/chicken with his meals so including that, fresh fruit/veg and all other items such as laundry powder, washing up liquid, deodorant, shower gels etc it can get tricky. I use mysupermarket.com religiously to check the prices of items before I buy in case they are available cheaper at one of the rival supermarket or are on special offer elsewhere. I am lucky that all the major supermarkets are within easy walking distance of where I work and also where I live so this is not a problem for me but it is challenging but I have to remind myself why I am doing this. I cannot emphasise enough how much meal planning and writing lists has helped me. I also now use cash so I cannot go over-budget. Even though I have ‘shopped down’ brands, I do still buy luxury loo roll (sorry but Value range just won’t do!), Heinz beans, name brand shower gel, deodorant, face washes etc but it really is a case of shopping around, using eBay and the Sunday market near where I live and budgeting. It can be done, honest!

I used to spend a crazy amount on grocery shopping and takeaways/lunches etc on top of that. I too live in a shared house so again, I totally empathise with twirly, unless you’ve lived in similar circumstances, it can be hard to understand how intimidating/demoralising it can be living with strangers especially if they are unhygienic/unfriendly. I remember the days where we spent almost day every out of the house, eating breakfast in a caf!, lunch I had a takeaway at work and dinner we went out to a restaurant – all to avoid cooking at home because the people we lived with were awful. :rolleyes:

So lists and things are the way to go. I've started a daily spending on food spreadsheet already for this week. I've not costed things I had already in the fridge/cupboard, this is just things I've bought to eat that day. So

Monday £1.80
Tuesday £5.70
Wednesday £2.64
So far today 90p

It's a very expecive way to live. Since i hate preparing food in the flat, I'm going to do it at work. I'll buy a load of bread on a monday and some cheapo pate and do toast in the office everyday. And start a new mantra "I must not go to the sandwich man for maltesers and crisps... i must not go..."

twirlypinky

lawbod wrote: »

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-24322331.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E1036&sortByPriceDescending=false&maxBedrooms=1&maxPrice=500&pageNumber=1&backToListURL=%2Fproperty-to-rent%2Ffind.html%3FlocationIdentifier%3DREGION%255E1036%26sortByPriceDescending%3Dfalse%26maxBedrooms%3D1%26maxPrice%3D500

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-20978452.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E1036&sortByPriceDescending=false&maxBedrooms=1&maxPrice=500&pageNumber=2&backToListURL=%2Fproperty-to-rent%2Ffind.html%3FlocationIdentifier%3DREGION%255E1036%26sortByPriceDescending%3Dfalse%26maxBedrooms%3D1%26maxPrice%3D500%26index%3D10

What about something like this? Admittedly, the first one is a shared bathroom but it's very cheap and the bathroom sharing would be the compromise element.

I am not willing to compromise on the bathroom, seriously. If I'm going to share a bathroom then I'll quit my job, move home and share with my sister. I'm not 18 just starting out at Uni, I'm 27, I've owned two houses in the past (with ex-husband) and I am simply not going to do that. No way.

Number two I already looked at, but it's not really any cheaper than where I am now, and it would be a right pain to get to work. I couldn't drive from there as it's too close for a permit, and the buses are both expensive and nightmareish. Aside from all that, it's not all inclusive, so i'd still have to pay council tax on top.

Thanks for looking though, I do appreciate the efforts, it's just that I've gone down that road, i tried and failed, i just got into more debt.

Daffykjs

I think that sounds like a good idea Twirly!!

I've somehow managed to spend over my budget this month and I'm not really sure how! SO next month I intend to write EVERYTHING down so I can see where the money goes!

I too don't like cooking for long just for me! I don't have the same reasons as you however, mine are simply laziness! I like cooking for other people but for me it just seems like a waste of time! Things i eat are things like jacket potatoes and beans, pasta parcel things from morrison (2 packets for £1.50 and just the right size and i love them), stirfry, fishfingers, spaghetti on toast. And i've just started eating salmon. it's actualy really easy! put spices (and maybe philly) on it, wrap it in foil and bung it in the oven for 20 (or more if it's from frozen) in the oven! that could be something you could put in and leave and go back to! I also take my lunches to work. salad! and i'm surprised how much i like it and am not bored of it yet!

i sometimes think i eat like a student still (if i allow myself to buy cheese i still find myself putting it on EVERYTHING!! ) but it's the way i live!! It's a shame about your circumstances coz i think it's knocked your confidence and made you quite down!! And it must hard when you had a house to now not! But you will get there and you can do it! and try and have a more 's0d them, i'm here making my dinner i don't care if they're there too' attitude. easier said than doen i'm sure but worth trying!!

roxalana

Apologies for only skimming the thread!

Me and my boyfriend houseshare after we had lived just with each other for a long time and it is a bit weird afer you are used to privacy. If you can afford it I would get a small second hand freezer to stick in your room so you can batch cook (stew, bolognaise, soup etc - see the threads about this).

We have got used to seeing each other in a less than perfect state! We pretend we don't see each other and don't mention it cos all embarrassed!

Failing that my ninja-style recipes are:

veggie omelette on toast (eggs don't need to be kept in the fridge!)
Veggie stirfry (sometimes with some pad thai sauce and peanut butter) with noodles or rice.
Pasta - especially pesto or pesto with a bit of creme fraiche in it if you are feeling flush! (also good for taking to work)
Try and cook things for your tea that you can take a portion to work the next day for your lunch.
Curry made with spices and the creme fraiche leftover from your pasta.

We are careful with our food shop but not as careful as we could be as we like getting treats and can afford to do so at the moment. We spend about £160 a month for 2 of us.

ExNicotineQueen

Just sending you some extra hugs twirly, hang in there girl. :grouphug:

Also, I found it extremely hard in the beginning with lists and budgeting, before my weekly shopping consisted of putting whatever I fancied in the trolley and to just stick it on the cards or overdraft. If you are spending roughly £50 per week, don’t do anything drastic like drop it down to £25 per week because you’ll only find yourself overcompensating in other ways. If you do find that you buy snacks (e.g. chocoloate/crisps/fizzy drinks from a vending machine or canteen at work) and you are not at the stage where you are ready to give them up, just make sure you buy the multipacks when you go shopping and just taken them in to work with you. I used to love crisps and at the beginning when I did my weekly budget I cut them out completely of the shopping thinking I do without them but yet all I was doing at lunchtime was going to the shop and spending 50p on the same bag of crisps that could have cost me 19p had I purchased the 6 pack multipack when shopping. Eventually I cut down and now don’t bother buying them at all, but that has all taken time and me realising what my limits are and that we don’t change our habits overnight.

Do things in gradual stages, drop it down by say a fiver per week for say a month and see how you get on and then take things from there. You have to start off small, it’s the small steps that make way for the eventual big changes. Good luck hon, if you’re ever feeling down about your situation or want to moan, PM me anytime. :A

twirlypinky

Daffykjs wrote: »

I think that sounds like a good idea Twirly!!

I've somehow managed to spend over my budget this month and I'm not really sure how! SO next month I intend to write EVERYTHING down so I can see where the money goes!

I too don't like cooking for long just for me! I don't have the same reasons as you however, mine are simply laziness! I like cooking for other people but for me it just seems like a waste of time! Things i eat are things like jacket potatoes and beans, pasta parcel things from morrison (2 packets for £1.50 and just the right size and i love them), stirfry, fishfingers, spaghetti on toast. And i've just started eating salmon. it's actualy really easy! put spices (and maybe philly) on it, wrap it in foil and bung it in the oven for 20 (or more if it's from frozen) in the oven! that could be something you could put in and leave and go back to! I also take my lunches to work. salad! and i'm surprised how much i like it and am not bored of it yet!

i sometimes think i eat like a student still (if i allow myself to buy cheese i still find myself putting it on EVERYTHING!! ) but it's the way i live!! It's a shame about your circumstances coz i think it's knocked your confidence and made you quite down!! And it must hard when you had a house to now not! But you will get there and you can do it! and try and have a more 's0d them, i'm here making my dinner i don't care if they're there too' attitude. easier said than doen i'm sure but worth trying!!

I did try it a few times when i first moved in. I remember going to tesco and getting a bit of steak from the deli (all the prepacked ones were too big) and taking it home to have with salad and a jacket potato. I forgot to buy oil though and thought, sod it, it'll be okay. Half way through destroying it a guy came in and said "Well you've burnt that haven't you" and laughed at me. I thought "sod you" and ate it anyway, did my washing up and left it to drain. I came in a little while later to put my stuff away and he was in there eating a yoghurt with my spoon!! He didn't wash it up either!! So now I wash up all my stuff and put it away before I even eat my dinner.