Needing Help.

ETanny

GreyQueen wrote: »

Your budget for 2 adults and 1 small child looks a bit high to me but it's hard to advise without seeing receipts.

Thats why I have posted here. I really want to get our shopping list down to a more reasonable price! Espeically when that small child hardly eats anything anyway.
I know we're guilty of putting like magazines/clothes/ps3 games into the trolly every now and then when we're just browsing.
I am also a sucker for the BOGOF offers even if we dont need the free one.
We dont really buy fizzy drinks with me being on a diet and my OH prefers juice and my LO I wont let drink fizzy pop.
We buy the tesco own brand juice (the concentrated one)
We tend to buy 'big brand' wash powder/softner as our LO has VERY sensitive skin and comes out in a rash when we have tried to downgrade in the past.

We do buy expensive cheese (cathedral city) as my husband is a cheese snob - and says the cheaper stuff tastes like plastic. lol.
We drink a lot of coffee - we use nescafe gold blend - can anyone recommend a cheaper but as nice alternitive?

We dont normally buy kitchen towels and bin bags - we get them for free from DH's dad.

I also have a company card for a company shop so we get deodrants for really cheap aswell as some luxeries like biscuts. They sometimes have sausages/bacon/chunks of beef/chicken breasts for really cheap too but the stock changes everytime we go.

Thanks for all the advice so far

phizzimum

just a thought re your daughter's sensitive skin - have you tried not using fabric conditioner at all? It really irritates my daughter's eczema as does biological detergent. I find her skin is better with cheaper washing powder because they don't have so many chemicals in as fragrance.

Try one load of washing without the conditioner. You'll probably miss the fragrance when you're putting the clothes away, but once the clothes are being worn I don't think it makes any difference.

If you find you really miss it...well, at least you tried! you'll never know otherwise!

Another advantage of using less detergent is that it will dissolve properly, again making it easier on sensitive skin.

When I had my first daughter I started using branded laundry detergent, Fairy things like that, but it brought her out in a rash. Health Visitor told me to stick to the cheaper things and it did seem to make a difference

phizzimum

by the way, totally agree with you when it comes to Catherdral City cheese - but I stock up when it's on offer. you might have to hide the extra packets at the back of the fridge so DH doesn't eat it all! I reckon the offers come round every couple of months.

and I wouldn't compromise on coffee - cheap stuff tastes so yukky in my opinion, that I'd rather go without! (perish the thought of life without coffee though!:eek:)

Gillyx

Tesco's own brand is an alright substitute for Gold Blend, I've been using it for a few months now and don't notice the difference.

weezl74

It took us a LONG time to reduce our budget because I think you do need time to adjust. My recommendation would be finding a meal you both like that is really cheap, and having that once a week/fortnight for a bit and then looking to frugalise another meal, and so on. Baby steps! Our cheapest meal is a version of nigellas marmite spaghetti (for us it works out at 11p per person per meal)so that can keep costs very low with just one meal substitution per meal, IYSWIM?

Linda32

Hiya, Sainsburys and Tesco do a nice coffee, its call Classic Roast, it has a similar label to Nescalf, which I used to drink. its about 86p a jar, got to be worth a try :money:

I havn't used fabric softener for years either, as I could never tell the difference with it or without it.

ETanny

My husband has just found this months receipt - as its not our usual months shop its slightly different.
Just going through it there is hardly any treat bits in it.

I am going to plan and then withdraw enough money to cover it so i cant spend more then I have on me.
We will need to spend a fair bit this month as we need a few of the more expensive items (wash powder etc)

janb5

I shocked myself by going through the cupboard under the sink and finding loads and loads of cleaning stuff - goodness knows why! I know myself that I need to write a list for what I want and not to `guess`! Also I agree with earlier posters to keep all leftovers whenever possible and be a little canny in using them up. For example the baked beans could always be warmed through and put in a large pitta bread as a warm snack. Keep the leftovers at eye level in the frig and then you`re less likely to forget them. WW used to be points- I know they have now changed but you could always put little stickers on the food to remind you which ones are for you and which for the family. Btw I am still puzzling over ` helping my husband with his BR`.......

Another tip is to use older veg is in soup which is very forgiving! ALso dont tell everyone they`re using up old veg, just comment how nice the soup/stir fry/casserole is!

Well done with the weight loss - havent you done well!

beemuzed

Cathedral City buy one get one free in Mr T's here at the moment - and a sell by date in March! We are stocking up!
My best advice is to plan your meals before shopping and to only ever shop with a list. Good luck!

Mrs_Jojo

Mr T's non-bio washing tablets are half the price of the big brand ones and are very good on sensitive skin - I have sensitive skin and it is fine and a friend has a DD with awful eczema and she can use it - I don't do conditioner though, have never felt the need!

Mr T also do mature cheddar..... why not pop it in the bag the Cathedral City came out of and see if he notices..... lol!