food shopping

chickie1

Hi to you all
I'm new to all this so forgive me if you've heard all this before! I discovered this site last night and finally came to my senses and realised i need help. I am in serious debt but and after reading some posts i feel determined to finally sort myself out. I'm half way through writing down my soa and will post later. I think one of the problems is how much i spend on food. i shop at tescos and spend on average between £60 and £70 per week for myself hubby and toddler. Do you think this is too much?

angelfairy

I am a fairly new poster to this site, and I am sure more experienced members will be able to advise better, but I thought you might want to pop over and look at the Money Saving Old Style board.

There are some brilliant posts there on shopping budgeting/meal planning etc.

Hope you find it useful. I do!!

chickie1

thanks I'll check it out !

elantan

hi and welcome just to confirm what beccaoz has said if anyone can shave money off your food bill it is the os board ..they are fantastic and there are a few on here that will rip your soa to shreds (in a good way) so welcome and good luck

xx-Tina-xx

Welcome on board! I'm new around here too, but there is absolutely tons of useful advice on here! 10 days ago i'd have been sitting here going over my statements etc feeling absolute despair... Now i'm feeling really proactive!!

I've just gotten home from doing a food shop... £22 for a weeks worth which is an absolute miracle for me!!! I went and shopped in the smaller shops in town... Fresh fruit and veg to last a week for a fiver, and then went and stocked up at the freezer shop on meat to make stews etc etc

I was thinking.... If I got rid of OH and DS then I could cut my food bill down to literally a couple of quid a week!! I'd quite happily live on cheap 10p noodles for every meal!! *ponders the thought*... NO, seriously, I AM really pondering the thought... I wonder how much they'll bring on ebay!!?? :rotfl:

Good luck with getting your SOA sorted out... once you've gotten over that hurdle and the suggestions come pouring in, you really will feel a peace of mind!

bobbadog

My OH and I used to spend around £70 a week, and now I get annoyed if it's more than £31.50... Have tried and tried to get down to £25, but that only ever happens when Clubcard vouchers come my way. This includes both of our lunches though, and a lot of fruit and veg

pollyanna24

I've been trying for a while to keep my grocery budget at £160 (figured £40 a week was plenty for two people and a kitten). Haven't actually stuck it yet. This month, we're about £30 over. But this does include all toiletries and cleaning products, so maybe I'm being too harsh on myself!

Hello

Hello

Welcome! I try to keep to £50 once a fortnight however this doesn't include Milk and bread (which I try to make myself) or the occasional top up in salad, fresh veg and salad, no more than an additional £5 per week. This is for 2 adults and 2 (heavy!) cats. This does include toiletries, cleaning products etc. The Old Style Money board will help you save loads on cleaning products - I have already invested in Star Drops, Soda Crystals and cheaper washing powder!!

Batch cooking is a good way of keeping costs down and temptation too, if you can take from freezer to cook on nights when it is all too much it saves on takeaway meals!

Good luck!

Hello
x

kathfisch

I would definitely agree with everyone who has recommended the old style board for help and ideas, there's enough there to keep you reading for years! On computer reading = not out spending money :T :rotfl:

Seriously though, do post your SOA and there'll be plenty of people on later to give advice

Firefly

bobbadog wrote:

Have tried and tried to get down to £25, but that only ever happens when Clubcard vouchers come my way.

Don't spend your vouchers in store!! They are worth 4 times as much in offers!!

Dolly_Smith

I half cut my food bill in half - I used to spend over £100 a week on me, OH and DD plus one cat (now two). I've got it down to £50 and I actually bother to check prices now - currently cooking a chicken stew from scratch

found that buying ingredients to make dinners with rather than just chucking nice stuff into a trolley works wonders !!