How can I reduce the shopping bill further..?

Kippaxmum

Hi All,

I've been in lurkerdom on here for quite a while & picked up some useful tips (and now am the proud owner of a BM & SC) I have started batch cooking at the weekend but am in need of ideas for reducing the shopping bill further.

There is me, dh & ds (3), the dog & the cat. Dog & Cat don't eat much so we don't need to worry about them. however, even without dog & cat food my shopping bill for the 3 of us is regularly between £50 & £70 (including toiletries & cleaning stuff) plus up to £20 in top ups!!!!

I've cut back and now make dh's breadcakes as he prefers them to shop bought, I'm trying to cook & freeze dinners for ds that can be reheated the next day. I also now bake cookies & buns for snacks and sausage rolls/pasties for dh's morning snack at work.

We take all our food to work so none of us buy lunches and I provide ds with a packed lunch which includes snacks, lunch & tea.

I try to buy fresh products rather than processed as I'm following slimming world and it doesnt really include much processed food. DH isn't a big meat eater and is quite happy with a plate of veg and ds is now discovering he can be fussy - although, it doesnt work with me. He has what he's given and doesnt get another option (hard but worthwhile, no waste then)

A typical daily food diary for us is:

Breakfast: Me & DS Porridge and milk, DH cereal or boiled egg

Lunch: Dh - sandwich, crisps, pop & pasty. Me - left overs or a mug shot, yoghurt and fruit. DS - carrot sticks, cucumber sticks, pieces of Ham, couple of yoghurts, packet of crisps or fruit flakes.

Dinner - ds - whatever has been cooked and frozen or a tin of ravioli/pasta in sauce type stuff. Me - meat & veg/pasta or quorn & veg or soup. DH - pizza (now with hm base) meat & veg, veg only, pasta n sauce. Occasionally we do eat together lol.

I try to bulk out bolognese with lentils (haven't been brave enough to try oats) and am very rubbery with my chicken (cooked in sc, pulled apart, make stock then make soup & paella!)

Other than that not sure where else I can cut back! We eat very healthily and my trolley hardly has any processed stuff. Its fruit & veg, small amount of meat (we have cut right back), yoghurts & dried/tinned bits.

Gosh, I've waffled but I wanted to give you an idea of what we get. Just been today & spent £62 in Morrisons. This did include some new baking trays for my newfound cooking abilities (£7.50!) and some washing liquid (fairy non bio £3.75) and a non stick baking sheet (£1.99) so it makes me feel a bit better, I just need to stop going out in the middle of the week haha.

Any ideas appreciated guys. Off to scour for sc recipes suitable for all of us.

Thanks in advance

donna

ps: well done if you got to the end :T

angelpye

Just to say that I think you're doing amazingly - all that cooking/baking and working and raising the family! Well done!

My only thought is to tell yourself you have to make do - my friend lives in the country and so no local shops and she makes the most out of whats in the house - anything else goes on a list for next week. Obviously no need for you to go to the extreme of freezing milk but you could try only allowing purchases of basics like milk?

Kippaxmum

Thanks Angel.

I think Ive done enough for this week. We have plenty of milk & yoghurts, I've stocked up on my pasta snacks (lunch for work or on a Saturday) lol so next week it 'should' just be fresh fruit & veg.

Not sure how I manage to fit it in along with 4 gym visits/runs a week!!! No wonder I enjoyed my morning to myself before going to work yesterday :-)

x

juliejay

I know what you mean about reducing the bills. I'm trying to do exactly the same.

I've found planning the menus ahead really helps because I dont buy stuff just-in-case. Casseroles seem to go further than meat and two veg sort of meals. I also try to only shop twice a week. Once on a Friday for everything and once midweek for top ups. I found it was the top ups that should only be £2 were often £10++ so I try and buy extra bread and freeze it and also have a carton or two of long life milk in the cupboard. That will get you tea and porridge and maybe put off the shopping til the next day. I'm better not going in to the shops if I can help it because theres always stuff that I 'need' and half of it just sits in the cupboard anyway.

Rowan9

I agree with others that making do with what you have saves money as you're not tempted with stuff, even offers, when you do your top-up shopping. Otherwsie, maybe your ££ is ok since you are buying healthy food? What about making your own yoghurt? I know some people on here can make it (not me...but I'll learn one day!).
Finally...have you thought about joining the grocery challenge? It's a good way to keep you focused and on track and has some great recipes
w

minimooch

One of the best ways I have found to cut down my bill has been a noticeboard on the fridge. When I runout of something it goes on there for the next shop, so it doesnt get forgotton, and I dont end up in Mr Ts a few days later ,buying things I didnt need. The problem is pursuading DH to not buy things mid-shop. Do we need it now? Can it wait till next shop?

I'm not good on meal plans, because I like to cook with whats on offer/comes inthe organic box, but i now make a point of cook with what I have, and be inventive with what I have rather than buy something extra to make a speciific meal.

well done with all your hard work. i bet your family love the new home-cooked food, my lot certainly approved when i went all OS. Oooh and its hot cross bun time, cant beat home made ones

teeni

I have just been on annual leave for a week and live in an area with only one little corner shop which i only use for milk (it is so Expensive in there). I usuall go in to Mr T every day to buy for the nights tea etc. meaning a top up of £60-£70 per week, this week i have cooked for the family everyday (no one has gone without) and only spent a fiver on milk.

This is rediculous i could save a fortune without my nightly visits to Mr T's. I have decided from next week i will be more organised and stay away from the shop during the week. I CAN do it.

missstropy

Just a little tip, but do you need to buy Fairy non bio for any reasons, allergies or anything.

I buy the Asda own brand big box for £1. something, but add a decent softner. Have also tried tesco and morrisons own brand washer tablets and they have been fine too.

I found it cleans clothes just as well, doesnt smell as great as Fairy but thats why I buy a nice softner.

Well done to you on your baking and cutting back.

OrkneyStar

I think you are doing well, especially with prices as they are right now.
x

poppet

I noticed that you had "pieces of ham" on your list - ready cooked and sliced ham is expensive. It would work out cheaper if you bought an uncooked gammon joint and cooked it in your slow cooker for a couple of hours. Plus you'll end up with better quality ham that hasnt been pumped full of water and addatives.
I cook one joint at the begining of each week and usually spend about a fiver, this then gives me enough ham for 30 fat sandwiches (6 people in our family/5 days in the working week) plus enough to use as either pizza topping or put in a carbonara or just with egg and chips..again for 6 people.

bargainbird

good tip about gammon joint :T,

I would stop the top-ups, i do live in the middle of nowhere and only shop once a week, freeze milk and bread, if i ain't got it you can't have it