I need a reality check

Greenwellies_2

Hi Guys,
I wrote a really long essay about my situation at the moment, but in fact all I just need to tell you is that I have been Christmas shopping, with the intention that Christmas will be paid off before the event.

By the end of the month (24th for me) I estimate I will be £1500 in debt again.

I know many people have told me what to do, I just think I need to be nagged again.

I have 5 'adults' to feed, and we all take lunches.
I know my biggest downfall at the moment is food shopping - i'm spending way too much, and more than I dare to think about.

I was planning on doing online shopping, but a disaster with asda only leaves sainsburys and ocado. Ocado order value £90 / Sainsbury's £65.
But that is still far too much for me to spend. We eat a lot of fruit and veg and I don't buy any ready meals, and believe it or not, I have a healthy freezer that I have menu planned against for the next 3 weeks!!!
So where the heck am I going wrong - here's my shopping list
- some items were on special offer, such as the cereal and beef, otherwise I wouldn't get them, but they are cheaper than own brand

Thanks in anticipation

GW
(Off to bed, will catch thread in the morning, NN)

1 x Sainsbury's Bananas, Basics 1.5kg - Total Price GBP 1.17
1 x Sainsbury's Granny Smith Apples - Total Price GBP 1.47
2 x Sainsbury's Apples, Basics x6 - Total Price GBP 1.44
1 x Sainsbury's Onions, Basics 1.5kg - Total Price GBP 0.60
1 x Sainsbury's Clementines x8 - Total Price GBP 1.39
1 x Sainsbury's Kids Pears x8 - Total Price GBP 1.19
1 x Sainsbury's Parsnips, Roasting 750g - Total Price GBP 1.29
1 x Sainsbury's Cucumber, Whole - Total Price GBP 0.64
1 x Sainsbury's Lettuce, Round - Total Price GBP 0.45
1 x Sainsbury's Baking Potatoes 2.5kg - Total Price GBP 1.69
1 x Bisto Rich Gravy Granules 300g - Total Price GBP 1.09
1 x Sainsbury's Liquid Toilet Cleaner, Citrus 500ml - Total Price GBP 0.52
1 x Dri-Pak Soda Crystals, Fine 1kg - Total Price GBP 0.56
1 x Sainsburys White Potatoes 2.5kg - Total Price GBP 0.98
6 x Sainsbury's Wholemeal Loaf, Medium Sliced 800g - Total Price GBP 2.88
1 x Sainsbury's Plum Punnet, Basics 680g - Total Price GBP 1.10
1 x Sainsbury's Washing Up Liquid, Lemon Grove 500ml - Total Price GBP 0.64
3 x Red Seal 400g - Total Price GBP 5.25
1 x Flora Light Spread 1kg - Total Price GBP 1.88
2 x Premier Deli Wafer Thin Ham 250g - Total Price GBP 1.98
1 x Sainsbury's Chestnut Mushrooms, Closed Cup 250g - Total Price GBP 0.80
1 x Sainsbury's Mushrooms, Basics 750g - Total Price GBP 1.18
1 x Sainsbury's Oyster Mushrooms 125g - Total Price GBP 1.08
2 x Sainsbury's Chicken Skinless Breast Fillets x4 520g - Total Price GBP 5.98
2 x Sainsbury's Fresh Milk, Skimmed 2.27L (4pint) - Total Price GBP 2.22
1 x Sainsbury's Traditional Beef Roasting Joint, Extra Large, Taste the Difference approx. 2.3kg - Total Price GBP 10.22
2 x Nestle Fitnesse With Fruit 375g - Total Price GBP 1.98
2 x Nestlé Shredded Wheat Fruitful 500g - Total Price GBP 1.74
3 x Sainsbury's Wheat Biscuits, Organic 24's - Total Price GBP 3.53
2 x Bernard Matthews' Chicken Breast, Premium 200g - Total Price GBP 2.59

Payingitallback

I find Sainsburys really expensive anyway :mad:

Do you have a Netto or Morrisons nearby?

I find their fruit and veg an ok price.

gallygirl

Greenwellies wrote:

1 x Sainsbury's Bananas, Basics 1.5kg - Total Price GBP 1.17
1 x Sainsbury's Granny Smith Apples - Total Price GBP 1.47
2 x Sainsbury's Apples, Basics x6 - Total Price GBP 1.44
1 x Sainsbury's Onions, Basics 1.5kg - Total Price GBP 0.60
1 x Sainsbury's Clementines x8 - Total Price GBP 1.39
1 x Sainsbury's Kids Pears x8 - Total Price GBP 1.19
1 x Sainsbury's Parsnips, Roasting 750g - Total Price GBP 1.29
1 x Sainsbury's Cucumber, Whole - Total Price GBP 0.64
1 x Sainsbury's Lettuce, Round - Total Price GBP 0.45
1 x Sainsbury's Baking Potatoes 2.5kg - Total Price GBP 1.69
1 x Bisto Rich Gravy Granules 300g - Total Price GBP 1.09 Buy Sainsburys own!
1 x Sainsbury's Liquid Toilet Cleaner, Citrus 500ml - Total Price GBP 0.52
1 x Dri-Pak Soda Crystals, Fine 1kg - Total Price GBP 0.56
1 x Sainsburys White Potatoes 2.5kg - Total Price GBP 0.98
6 x Sainsbury's Wholemeal Loaf, Medium Sliced 800g - Total Price GBP 2.88
1 x Sainsbury's Plum Punnet, Basics 680g - Total Price GBP 1.10
1 x Sainsbury's Washing Up Liquid, Lemon Grove 500ml - Total Price GBP 0.64
3 x Red Seal 400g - Total Price GBP 5.25
1 x Flora Light Spread 1kg - Total Price GBP 1.88
2 x Premier Deli Wafer Thin Ham 250g - Total Price GBP 1.98
1 x Sainsbury's Chestnut Mushrooms, Closed Cup 250g - Total Price GBP 0.80
1 x Sainsbury's Mushrooms, Basics 750g - Total Price GBP 1.18
1 x Sainsbury's Oyster Mushrooms 125g - Total Price GBP 1.08
2 x Sainsbury's Fresh Milk, Skimmed 2.27L (4pint) - Total Price GBP 2.22
2 x Nestle Fitnesse With Fruit 375g - Total Price GBP 1.98Buy Sainsburys own!
2 x Nestlé Shredded Wheat Fruitful 500g - Total Price GBP 1.74Buy Sainsburys own!
3 x Sainsbury's Wheat Biscuits, Organic 24's - Total Price GBP 3.53 You can't afford this!!
1 x Sainsbury's Traditional Beef Roasting Joint, Extra Large, Taste the Difference approx. 2.3kg - Total Price GBP 10.22 :eek: :eek: :eek: How large????? Cow size????? You can't afford this!!!! Replace with chicken......

2 x Sainsbury's Chicken Skinless Breast Fillets x4 520g - Total Price GBP 5.98
2 x Bernard Matthews' Chicken Breast, Premium 200g - Total Price GBP 2.59
These will do you what - 4 meals? For the same price you could have bought 3 chickens & had 3 meals from each one - roast, with pasta, rissotto, stew with beans etc, curry, pie, 'shepherd' style pie, salad, sandwiches and made 3 big pots of soup.

The veg are v dear - e.g. Nettos do a bag of baking pots for 99p. I agree with OP - Nettos, Aldis etc are v good.

There is no 'bulk' in there (appreciate 1 shop is not a true picture) - what about kidney beans, flageolet beans etc - around 12-15p a tin, even main supermarkets do economy kidney beans. Make a chicken stew with left overs - plus onion, celery, carrots, any other veg looking sorry for themselves, chillis/herbs/seasonings, tin of (cheap) tomatoes, simmer then add chicken at the end. Gorgeous with rice, baked pots, cous cous etc. V v good for you, and a heck of a lot cheaper than basing the meal around chicken breasts.

Toomuchdebt

1 x Sainsbury's Bananas, Basics 1.5kg - Total Price GBP 1.17
1 x Sainsbury's Granny Smith Apples - Total Price GBP 1.47 why are you buying 2 different kinds of apples when the basic ones are half the price?
2 x Sainsbury's Apples, Basics x6 - Total Price GBP 1.44
1 x Sainsbury's Onions, Basics 1.5kg - Total Price GBP 0.60
1 x Sainsbury's Clementines x8 - Total Price GBP 1.39
1 x Sainsbury's Kids Pears x8 - Total Price GBP 1.19buy the basic ones
1 x Sainsbury's Parsnips, Roasting 750g - Total Price GBP 1.29buying loose ones is cheaper
1 x Sainsbury's Cucumber, Whole - Total Price GBP 0.64
1 x Sainsbury's Lettuce, Round - Total Price GBP 0.45
1 x Sainsbury's Baking Potatoes 2.5kg - Total Price GBP 1.69
1 x Bisto Rich Gravy Granules 300g - Total Price GBP 1.09 buy own brand
1 x Sainsbury's Liquid Toilet Cleaner, Citrus 500ml - Total Price GBP 0.52
1 x Dri-Pak Soda Crystals, Fine 1kg - Total Price GBP 0.56
1 x Sainsburys White Potatoes 2.5kg - Total Price GBP 0.98
6 x Sainsbury's Wholemeal Loaf, Medium Sliced 800g - Total Price GBP 2.88
1 x Sainsbury's Plum Punnet, Basics 680g - Total Price GBP 1.10
1 x Sainsbury's Washing Up Liquid, Lemon Grove 500ml - Total Price GBP 0.64
3 x Red Seal 400g - Total Price GBP 5.25 what is this?
1 x Flora Light Spread 1kg - Total Price GBP 1.88
2 x Premier Deli Wafer Thin Ham 250g - Total Price GBP 1.98
1 x Sainsbury's Chestnut Mushrooms, Closed Cup 250g - Total Price GBP 0.80COLOR="Red"]3 types of mushrooms?[/COLOR]
1 x Sainsbury's Mushrooms, Basics 750g - Total Price GBP 1.18
1 x Sainsbury's Oyster Mushrooms 125g - Total Price GBP 1.08too expensive!
2 x Sainsbury's Chicken Skinless Breast Fillets x4 520g - Total Price GBP 5.98ouch-breast fillets are expensive-I always buy whole chickens
2 x Sainsbury's Fresh Milk, Skimmed 2.27L (4pint) - Total Price GBP 2.22
1 x Sainsbury's Traditional Beef Roasting Joint, Extra Large, Taste the Difference approx. 2.3kg - Total Price GBP 10.22how many meals will this last for?Is there a basic version you could get?
2 x Nestle Fitnesse With Fruit 375g - Total Price GBP 1.98
2 x Nestlé Shredded Wheat Fruitful 500g - Total Price GBP 1.74
3 x Sainsbury's Wheat Biscuits, Organic 24's - Total Price GBP 3.53why are you buying the organic ones?Weetabix taste the same
2 x Bernard Matthews' Chicken Breast, Premium 200g - Total Price GBP 2.59
why buy these?You already bought chicken breasts

hula-hoops

Red Seal is cheese. Sounds like a lot of cheese for 5 adults. In fact, sounds like a lot of food for 5 adults. Do you eat meat every day? Have you tried to cut down to 2 or 3 times a week for meat?

Toomuchdebt

Thanks hula hoops-personally I buy the cheap cheese-could probably buy 1.5kg for a fiver

Lizloz

I buy a lot of my fruit and veg from the market.

I bought 4lb of bananas the other day for a quid!! bargain!

I did have a bargain with a HUUUUGE bag of mushrooms in Asda last night, I only paid 40p for them, they were still fresh looking and I think I was meant to be charged 40p/lb, but hey-ho...I'm not complaining!

I used to buy a pack of 4 tins of beans from Asda too, and I think they worked out about 20p/tin, but now I buy the 16p/tin from Aldi, and they're just as nice...if not nicer!

Anyway...moral is....buy from a market and if you do need to buy other food from a supermarket, buy their own brand.

pink_fairy_7

hi Greenwellies

Just one tip from me, buy potatoes from a farmshop. Large bag about £3ish depending where you live. This could save you approx £7 pounds a month. I feed 4 'adults' and a 12 year old and we survive on £50 a week. I was finding the supermarket pots go green very quickly and I end up throwing them away. Also 3kg of Pasta is £1 at Asda. Very cheap and does at least 4 meals and several tuna/pasta packed lunches for the kids.

oops thats two tips

HTH

pink fairy xx

lynzpower

I think the key to not overspending on food is

What are we having for each meal

Can we have a cheapie option.

Now we never have roasting beef, if we have beef its mince ( leanest) or rarely stewing steak.

We seldom have chicken, I might buy one every couple of weeks, but Id never buy breasts again, but I do buy turkey which is half the price & equally versatile in stirfries,pies, enchiladas etc

We have a couple of cheapie meals on the menu ,like homemade pizza and jackets or 5 bean chilli.

I agree thats a lot of cheese, do you eat all that in a week :eek:

joolz43

Back to the fruit and veg, apples and pears are now in season so farm shops / farmers markets will have these now. I have found veg from them to be much tastier and fresher, even my 15 year old son commented that new potatoes actually have a taste!!

msmicawber

Hi Greenwellies,

Sainsbury's is expensive, but if you can't get your fruit & veb. anywhere else, please check whether weighing out loose fruit and veg. is cheaper than buying pre-packed - I find it is in other supermarkets.