Food budget - keeping it low!

junglegirl1980

Hi, this is my first post so I hope this is the right part of the forum.

I've looked at various threads on the debt-free wannabe lists and I'm amazed (and ashamed) that what my husband and I spend on food in a fortnight, other people spend in a month! I have tried planning meals, etc, so that we're not buying more than we need to, but we always seem to have an incredibly huge groceries bill (£200 - £250) per month. I saw that one person had their monthly food bill (for the two of them) down to £100 and were going to try and get it down to £80! Amazing!

Can anybody out there post their food budget/meal plans or offer any advice? I don't know where we are going wrong, it's just the two of us, and it would be useful to see what other people spend on groceries.

Thank you!!

GetRealBabe

Hi

The Old Style monesaving thread has some useful ideas:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.html?f=33

GRB

merlin68

I have got mine down to £35 a week with 2 adults, 2 children and 2 cats it can be done.
I shop between aldis, iceland tescos and approved food.
Typical meal plan:
ham, egg, chips and beans. roast chicken, chicken and pasta bake. sausage casserole and toad in the hole. fishfingers and chips.

Sandrock

Can't help with the meal plans as thats not my place in our household, lol.

I can, however, say that we're a two person household, both working full time and eat well. We buy what we like, most of the time, and spend £130-£140 per month.

I can't imagine what you must buy to get it to £250 a month but there is plenty of room to move. Are you both very big eaters or have fussy diets?

merlin68

ham £1 aldis.
eggs £1 iceland
chips about 80p form tescos
beans 30p tescos
chicken £3 aldis
pasta 40p tesco
sausages £1 tesco big bag frozen
fishfingers 47p tescos
porridge oats 60p tesco
teabags £1 pound shop, fruit and veg aldi £3
Bread 2 at 47p each tesco
milk 4 times 4 in iceland £4
value squash and lemonade tesco £2
cleaning stuff and toiletries from £1 shop

junglegirl1980

thank you merlin for posting that. I think I need to have another hard look at stuff in the supermarket because those prices seem really good. Meat is the real killer for us, maybe we just need to eat less meat and more veggies. Only I'm somehow going to have to disguise that from my OH because he loves his meat.

looking at the replies I feel even more embarassed that we spend so much!

Sandrock, my OH is quite a big eater, though I'm gradually trying to wean him down to 3 meals a day :think: I don't eat a huge amount and neither of us are overweight. Recently though he's been told his cholestrol level is 6.2 (high) so have to avoid things with lots of salt - just to make life easier! he is quite fussy, maybe the bigger problem is how to change his mind on certain things like meat and generic v.s. name brands?

will collect my receipts and post them tomorrow - try not to laugh!!

Mags_cat

Plenty of people seem to get away with "swapping" the packaging - e.g. putting cheaper value items into the empty, branded packaging after they get home from Aldi/Lidl/Other cheap supermarkets are available(!). If you can do this, even for a while it'll make DH's shock less when he eventually finds out

Also, remember it's not a contest - it's about getting your shopping for an amount that is right for your circumstances. Those folk spending very low amounts may have other ways of supplementing their food e.g. an allotment or bartering for their skills or they may simply be happy with the cheapest versions of some things.

chris_m

merlin68 wrote: »

fishfingers 47p tescos

No custard?

:rotfl:

meg72

junglegirl1980 wrote: »

Hi, this is my first post so I hope this is the right part of the forum.

I've looked at various threads on the debt-free wannabe lists and I'm amazed (and ashamed) that what my husband and I spend on food in a fortnight, other people spend in a month! I have tried planning meals, etc, so that we're not buying more than we need to, but we always seem to have an incredibly huge groceries bill (£200 - £250) per month. I saw that one person had their monthly food bill (for the two of them) down to £100 and were going to try and get it down to £80! Amazing!

Can anybody out there post their food budget/meal plans or offer any advice? I don't know where we are going wrong, it's just the two of us, and it would be useful to see what other people spend on groceries.

Thank you!!

I think you may get more constructive help if you post what you are buying and spending and then people can suggest alternative, cheaper options. It is very difficult to offer advice if people dont know what you like to eat, where you can easily shop etc.

Please dont feel ashamed or think you are doing something wrong. Think of it as you just d not have all the info and alternatives yet.

Hope this can be a very fun journey for you and money saving as a bonus.

Best wishes Meg

mattcanary

I buy very few cleaning goods - I feel most are a complete waste of money.

I think you only need to bother with washing-up liquid, washing powder, washable cloths, scourers, cream cleaner, bleach, beeswax polish, and white vinegar

That may help reduce bills a bit.