New to this and feeling very stressed!

Hippeechiq

Hi and welcome Mrs Bea :wave:

Please do come and join the grocery challenge It's my 2nd month of trying, and everyone is so friendly.

The biggest saving for me personally, has been online grocery shopping. That way I'm in charge of how much I spend. I put everything into my trolley that I want, and then remove anything that I don't absolutely have to have, until it comes to the amount I need it to come to

debbsi wrote: »

I write a meal plan for a month - I have fussy kids too but mine are older. Then I write the shopping list. I go on mysupermarket and using the tesco section do my shopping list and write it all down with weights and prices (my printer broke). Then I go to aldi and if somethings cheaper there (even if its only a few pence - it all adds up).

I always include some cheap meals each week such as past or corn beef hash.

I've also got fussy (grown up) kids and I do the same as debbsi It's a bit of a mission to start with (I started planning for a week and built up from there) but it's essential if you want to make the most of your food and to take the stress out of mealtimes, especially when everyone isn't eating the same meals. Then, of course, you buy the food that you've meal planned for, rather than buying a load of food and thinking "what am I going to make with this?"

If I do have to go out shopping, I work out how much it will come to (roughly) before I go out shopping, then I take as much cash with me as is needed (or as close to as I can) which means I can only buy what is on my list - stops impulse buying

I also incorporate two vegetarian meals into my menu per week for just my partner and I (kids wouldn't eat it) and although I know the cost of vegetables are constantly rising I find it works out cheaper for us to have two meat-free days a week.

And of course - probably mentioned before - try dropping a brand, and even down again to the smart price/value/basics range. You'd be amazed at how much money you can save by doing this. Give it a go and see.

Let us know how you get on with things, and good luck.

maman

meritaten wrote: »

tip - roast dinners are not as economical as casseroles and stews because people expect more meat with them.

I completely agree meritaten, one of my favourites is cutting three sausages up into bite-size pieces in a sausage casserole for two, which would look very stingy in sausage and mash. BUT I find making plenty of stuffing with a roast chicken helps to pad it out and also makes meat go further in sandwiches. Also, carving as much as you can spare for the roast dinner and putting the rest away PDQ is a good tip. I think stir-fies are a good, healthy way of cutting back on expensive meat too.

Mrs_Bea wrote: »

I feel better already

x

That's great to hear.:T

My DD has a habit of going to Tesco for a 'few bits' on the way back from school. I'm horrified how much she spends. I suggest you go in and get the milk (if you must but it's so much cheaper to just do one shop a week if you can store everything) before you pick up the children.

ladylouise62

How much bread do you eat (and if not much, could you eat more - bread with a meal helps stretch food)? It might be worth investing in a breadmaker I would suggest ask on Freecycle, but if you are rural that may not be much of a possibility).
In the longterm it will save some money, but more importantly, it tastes good and you can get really inventive with ingredients... I found that it actually enhanced my eating rather than just saving money.

Further to the idea of 'enhancing your food experience' whilst saving money (wow, doesn't that sound really stupid! :-) ), I've had to cut costs seriously (and OH is on a diet so had to consider that too), so have concentrated on flavours and little touches (for instance I have a small garden so have grown loads of herbs), and in some ways have improved my meals as I've thought so much more about them and experimented.
The key to my changes was to to lose the habits I had in feeding myself and start to really think about how you put together a meal. Don't think "save money" think "make it delicious"
We're actually quite enjoying the new meals - I can't wait until the diet is finished so can experiment even more!

Al I have to do now is persuade the cat to go veggie ;-)

ladylouise62

In case you are interested in a breadmaker, there is an interesting discussion thread here https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/534787

Hippeechiq

ladylouise62 wrote: »

How much bread do you eat (and if not much, could you eat more - bread with a meal helps stretch food)

The key to my changes was to to lose the habits I had in feeding myself and start to really think about how you put together a meal. Don't think "save money" think "make it delicious"

I agree with that too - adding a round or two of bread and butter with a meal can make a meal much more filling.

I too have had to make serious savings on my outgoings having been made redundant in January - but ladylouise is right - it's all about attitude to food. We eat far better now than we used to - and I though we used to eat reasonably well before.

I've discovered loads of new recipes that I really enjoy trying out - I can now plan a months menu without repeating a meal -and there is something very satisfying about creating a meal from scratch, and from spending half as much as it used to on food but creating something that tastes twice as nice.

CupOfChai

Mrs_Bea wrote: »

Thank you so much for all the replies and support.
I have done a list of all the food that I have (loads!) and planned my meals for the rest of the month. (I LOVED the idea of the children choosing one meal a week).
In terms of shopping the biggest problem that I am going to have is that we live in a very small rural market town and Tesco is the only supermarket! Have decided to utilise the market more and stop popping for little things (the problem is Tesco is right next to the kids school so waaaay too convenient!).

I feel better already

Thanks again for all the help, I'm really touched!

x

You've only got a Tesco? Do you live in the same place as me?! :rotfl: Oh, as our mothers before us, and their mothers before them, ad infinitum, we do our best with what we have eh? Remember to pick up your Clubcard points every time you visit to at least get some benefit from having to go there, you also get points for reusing bags (any bags) instead of getting more carrier bags, just in case you or anyone else weren't aware.

I agree with those saying don't go in the shop with your children, and would add don't take your husband/let him do the shop either unless you know he is as good as you at it. I have neither children nor a husband, but I still know this to be true as my mum banned me and my dad from going with her, apparently we cost her more and he slowed her up to boot!

EstherH

I found it helped to have a savings jar and every time I saved money by buying something I normally would at a cheaper price or used a till spit for £3 off when you spend £30 etc., I would put it in the jar. It's amazing how quickly it mounts up and saves it just getting absorbed into your money and not getting noticed.

Agree with those who say, don't take husband or kids shopping. Lol!

meritaten

so glad you are feeling better mrs Bea!

I do a quick inventory of my freezer and cupboards before I go shopping - saves me buying something I already have! (I dont know why, but I am always convinced I am running low on Tbags - even though I may have three packets of them in the cupboard- but usually forget to get my ground coffee!).

I have two savings jars in the kitchen one is a huge jug which in which I empty the pennies out of my purse every day, leaving one two pence and one penny. I also add 'found' pennies to it. (found pennies can be those left in OHs pockets or picked up outside) this I save until just before christmas, then start taking it to the bank in batches. (I had £28 last year from the penny jar so its worth doing).
the other is the silver and end of week jar - this jar has saved my bacon many a time! at the end of the week when i get the next weeks housekeeping money I completely empty my purse into it! sometimes its just a few 20ps and 50ps, but if I have been really good that week there may be a fiver or some pound coins! I use this as my emergency stash! found silver or even the odd pound coin also go into it! at the moment I have about £18 in there - so I know that if i do run out of money and need bread, milk, potatoes etc I can at least raid the jar!

silligilli

Hi Mrs Bea - Meal planning really works as everyone says here. I'm a nanny for 3 little girls, the oldest is nearly 5 and they are quite fussy so I ask them what they want to eat - we have a 'menu meeting' every week, even the baby joins in - some of the suggestions are bizarre and the cause of much laughter but once the menu is written down they have to eat it after all they chose it! It can be difficult to cook a donkey though lol. They need some guidance but generally come up with good ideas. Good luck

Mrs_Bea

lol - got to laugh at some children's meal ideas!
I haven't been on here for a week because we were away on holiday. I spent £110 for the week including fish and chips out and ice creams etc so quite proud of myself. Will have to be really careful for the rest of the month though as have just totted up and considering hol expense only have £80 left but have got so much food that I think I'll be ok.
I do have a breadmaker and tend to make bread 2 or 3 times a week. The 'problem' is that it is so popular that one loaf sometimes lasts one meal so I supplement with shop brought bread! My two sons are very tall but skinny so I don't like to restrict how much bread they eat so end up spending loads on it (I can't cope with value bread so tend to buy whatever 'nice' bread is on offer - they will all eat any type). Perhaps I ought to bake very day ... um ... will still have to pad it out with shop bought but could perhaps save a little? Have to be honest and admit that they biggiest piggie with homemade bread is me .. just can't resist the smell lol.
Thanks again for all the advice. Now I'm back from holiday am going to join the grocery challenge and feel really motivated. DH just couldn't believe the difference last week, I baked cakes and took them for picnics, cooked most meals at the cottage and actually banned DH and I from having ice cream on the last day because we were somewhere where they were sooooo overpriced. Am a woman on a mission!
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