Expenditure Guide

lou031205

Hi

This is my first post, i think, here.

Just working out a budget. What is a reasonable monthly figure for FOOD only? (For couple with one child).

Thanks!

yung

Welcome to the forum, someone will come along and advise there is three of us in the house we budget on £10 a day and it is adequate.

SunderlandBlackCat

Might be worth looking at the menu planning threads on the moneysaving old style board. That should give you an idea of what your food shopping will cost.

joeblack066

CCCS advise between £210 and £320 pcm. Personally we get by on £160 pcm, and I've fed up to 6 of us on that, lol!! There's only 3 of us now so we live like kings!! Debs.

piggeh

Overstating expenditure is better than understating and struggling. Obviously there is a limit, and they will advise you if you take the biscuit, whereas they wont advise you if you reckon you can get by on 20 quid a week that it should be more.

I initially underestimated my expenses, set a payment of £200/month, and then couldnt afford to go out or do anything beyond working to pay my DMP! It's easier to increase payments later on than to try and decrease them imo.

Verbatim

Yes good advice as it's always easier to save a bit extra if you have a little slack. People on here recommend reducing your spend gradually rather than all in week 1.

Good luck with the budget.

tiff

At the moment I'm spending around £50 a week for a family of 2 adults and 2 children. Everything I know about food and food shopping I learned on the Old Style forum

Xbigman

I wouldn't give blanket advice to anyone to just take the maximum CCCS will allow as you could pay off your debts sooner if you pay more, BUT, I agree with others that you should not take the minimum you think you can do it for. Maybe put down an extra £40 a month and bank it for emergencies and a bit of splashing out on food at xmas. Getting through xmas on normal food budgets is hard. I'm single and I spend an extra £20 a week on food over xmas and new year fortnight. Having a bit extra in the house and having a stress free xmas are really quite important. Mind you I then use the frozen leftovers to keep my budget right down in January. Turkey sandwhiches, turkey stew, turkey curry, etc... Even turkey and chips
I used to have a book called (I think) 1001 spam recipes. Just insert turkey instead of spam.
Regards


X

lynzpower

we do 100pcm for 2 so I reckon you should aim for 150 with a nipper.

not all at once tho!