How little can you get your food shopping for?

endisforever88

Hello
I have just joined today because we are really struggling money wise at the moment. OH lost his job a few months ago and we have used some savings which are all gone now. We are claiming JSA and tax credits but I seem to be only able to make them go so far.

Now our food shopping seems like something I could save money on. I either go to Morrisons or I can shop online. These are the only options as I don't drive.

But realistically how cheap can I expect to get the weekly shop down too. We are a family of two adults and a 3 year old and another baby on the way. We have recently got a relatively large freezer and are not overly fussy eaters, and don't eat meat very often! But me and my partner are guilty of drinking coke, which we badly need stop!

But how cheap could I make it ? And any tips would be very appreciated? Thanks

lucinad

i average about £40 a week for me and oh, son18, daughter13 and daughter2. it used to be over £100 a week every week and i just couldnt afford it, i can get it down even cheaper, but i do use a lot of tesco value food, so it just depends how fussy you are. i always write a menu for the week and a shopping list before i go and stick to it(unless i find something cheaper ooops that i can swap), i use the websites to see which food is cheaper where and do my lists to accommodate this, however i do drive so it is easier for me to nip to both tesco and asda.
i buy my 2 older kids the tesco cola (not the value but cheaper than coke) they would obviously prefer coke but i cant afford to buy them 3 bottles a week, and they always drink it with no complaining, and i buy the cheap value cordial

Frugal_Mouse

Hi and welcome,

Sorry that you are having problems at the moment but try not to worry as this site is full of great info and helpful people.

I can't really answer your question as my situation is different to yours but I would suggest that you visit the Old Style forum (if you haven't already done so). There you will find a very friendly bunch of people and lots of fantastic ideas for cutting your shopping costs and making the pennies go a lot further.

Good luck to you and your family.

FM
x

PasturesNew

For the coke obsession I'd say: ONLY buy coke when it's on really really great offers. Then stock up ... and set up a "shop" in your cupboard, and "buy" it from yourself using cash in your pocket at full retail price. That way you're saving money, in a way, yet curbing your excess as you're aware of the cost. Keep the "profits" in the jar so you're aware of how much it's costing you. You're allowed to "repay" yourself from the jar to stock up at the cheap price. Do that and it'll pay for Xmas... AND you still get to drink coke

I can't abide big bottles as they go flat - and won't fit in the fridge here... so I buy cans. Last week's "best price" I could find was at Tesco, 6 cans for £1.37, so I bought 36 At £0.23 per can it could go in the cupboard and you could then sell it to yourself at 50-60-75p/can.

Swans1912

I've recently switched to Sainsburys basics range which is the equivalent to the value range. Their stuff is great! I used to be a food snob only buying brand names so I am now saving a packet. I did a 2 week shop for £40 (theres are 2 of us in this house) which included pork, chicken, salmon, prawns etc - you'd be surprised how good some of the stuff is!

ailuro2

I'd look at moving down a level on things, that way it's not such a big difference - so if you use Kellog's cereals change to Morrison's own brand ones, then once you're used to them and like them you can swop down to the basics range, but going from premium brand to basic in one move is less likely to work.

Write out a menu plan for the week and stick to it, allow yourself a "ration" of Coke in this but have a bottle of cheaper fizzy juice available too - the orange flavoured ones are better than the cola ones, imho. That way you can have something cheap and fizzy to wean you off the coke.

Look at WHAT you eat, can it be made cheaper from scratch ( taking into account fuel costs) for example making a pot of porridge costs a few pence but buying Oatsosimple works out much more expensive. Buying frozen veg is just as nutritious as fresh but tends to be cheaper.

Use https://www.mysupermarket.co.uk to compare store prices - it might be worth a trip to Lidl / Aldi / Asda once a month and then pay for a taxi home or a delivery to save on bulk buy items. ICeland is also good for freezer foods.

Obviously food is not your only outgoing, so use this site to get info on how to save money on fuel bills to get the best deal and make a bit of money on switching to another provider. Look at what serivces you pay for - TV, broadband,phone, and see if you can downsize some of these, or simply phone up and threaten to leave to get a loyalty discount.

best Wishes, hope your Dh picks something up soon on the job front.:)

onetomany

lucinad wrote: »

i average about £40 a week for me and oh, son18, daughter13 and daughter2. it used to be over £100 a week every week and i just couldnt afford it, i can get it down even cheaper, but i do use a lot of tesco value food, so it just depends how fussy you are. i always write a menu for the week and a shopping list before i go and stick to it(unless i find something cheaper ooops that i can swap), i use the websites to see which food is cheaper where and do my lists to accommodate this, however i do drive so it is easier for me to nip to both tesco and asda.
i buy my 2 older kids the tesco cola (not the value but cheaper than coke) they would obviously prefer coke but i cant afford to buy them 3 bottles a week, and they always drink it with no complaining, and i buy the cheap value cordial

thats really cheap hun dont supose u have a menu do you so i can nick some ideas

[Deleted User]

I budget for £120 per month for just myself , but I usually managed to cut it back to around £100.This month I have been really frugal and cut it back even more as I am saving toawrds our family holiday.I adapt as much as I can and stay away from supermarkets as much as possible and only buy ESSENTIALS not impluse buys.I have alist which I take with me when I go out and only enough cash to cover what I am buying This month I so far have only been to the shops three times in three weeks so I am doing quite well.I need to buy a few bits tomorrow but that will be it until the new month starts.its different for you as you have a family to keep but I suppose I can get by with whats in my cupboards and fridge freezer on around £20 odd per week.

frugal_shopper_2

It is worth taking a look at the sites selling short dated food sites listed in this thread.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3188628
Even with the delivery costs you can save an awful lot of money if you are selective about what you buy & you make sure you make full use of the maximum weight allowance for your orders. Most of these sites add new products daily but the best bargains can sell out fast. As they deliver to your door you don't have to worry about carrying things home.

Coke is available as postmix syrup (the concentrate used by pubs to make coke on tap) from the aforementioned short dated websites occasionally, aproved food had several types of postmix recently but it looks like most sold out over the weekend however food bargains currently has diet coke postmix available @ £10.99 for 7 litres which will make 45L of diet coke when mixed with soda water or sparkling spring water. If you do buy some postmix you will need a few empty bottles to decant the syrup into when you open it & as you only make it up when you need it, it will always be as fizzy as the water you use to make it is, soda water/sparkling water is always available cheap somewhere (soda water produces a fizzier drink than sparkling spring water does).
http://www.foodbargains.co.uk/products/Diet_Coke_7_Litre_Post_Mix_Syrup_8kg-2286-11.html

emsywoo123

PasturesNew wrote: »

I can't abide big bottles as they go flat -

Oh I am exactly the same, and I think they are a false economy for me, as the thought of flat coke makes me shudder, and I am the only adult in the house, so cans (on offer!!) all the way here

Middy

1 can of Coke Zero does 2 Bacardi and Cokes.