I've done really well with my shopping budget

Trow

black-saturn wrote:

I don't know how you can all afford to spend £400 odd on shopping. I'm only on an income of £660 a month and I have 2 children to feed. I did my monthly shop today and spent £49 and I put a few treats in the trolley too.

Thats amazing - do you mind telling us what you bought with that, and if that includes everything for the month, or do you top up things like milk and veg through the month?

I could do a week for the four of us for £50, but not a month!

GardenMillie

I too have managed to get my food shopping bill down, although some weeks are better than others.

Since New Year I've been making a concerted effort to use up things in the cupboard and freezer and just buy fresh fruit and veg. I have to say I think Aldi and Lidl are both great for keeping the cost down.:D

Shortie

Wow BS. You never cease to amaze me. I was reading your Menu Planner from a while ago yesterday and was really inspired

Each month for about 5 years we've spent £200 per month on food. This year about August time I will be on maternity leave so have challenged the household to spend £100, there by building up £100 savings to cover the months I don't get paid.

Yesterday was my first shopping trip on this budget and we bought most of what we needed for the month (except milk which we'll buy weekly) plus some things were to cover 3 months etc (like DW tablets and HUGE jar of coffee) and we should have enough to still be in the £100 budget (actually, under budget if you account for the fact I don't have to buy some things next month because I bought larger packs this month)

To be fair, it's only household, dinners and then lunches for me and OH as DS gets brekkie and lunch at the childminders, but still, it goes to show if you really put your mind to it and plan (Excel ahoy in my house recently!!), and check out the recipies on here, it can sooooo easily and nutritiously [sp] be done!

I've made a dinner choice's sheet too and costed the meals up, and it's a shock to realise that for 3 people you can always eat for under £2.50, or as little as 90p for the whole meal (i.e. not 90p per person).It was certainly an eye opener

Oh, hang on... 10p is the cheapest meal I've made, from Sunday Roast vege peelings, chicken carcas and added an onion :rotfl:

Thanks MSE OS :T :T :money: :money:

strawbsuk76

shell2001 wrote:

Strawsuk

Why not include the kids in the baking, my 2 love it! Am guessing mine are similar ages as DD1 will start school in Sept and DD2 will start in pre-school. Yes it is a bit more mess but they really love it, and are more likely to eat it if they helped make it

thanks for the advice. I used to bake lots when my DD1 was younger and i only had the one......since having DD2 they just seem to squabble over i wanna put that in no me etc etc lol just some days seems to take ages to get anything done..... maybe now they a little older it will be ok and they will actually have fun doing it. maybe I could give them thier own bowls and make 2 smaller quantities instead of one large one?...... ahhhh i think i may have just given myself the inspiration needed to kick start me again.
thanks for all the advice etc i love this site

strawbs x

sairy2005

Try reading this blog. It is by Shirley Goode who has written several books on eating cheaply. I think her latest challenge is to live for 10 weeks on £250(there are only two of them now) but they do live pretty well. Whatever I set my budget to I always overspend. Must try harder next month as I am on a pension now so I shall have to.

sairy2005

Whoops sorry forgot the link. Here is is

http://www.shirleygoode.com/

black-saturn

Trow wrote:

Thats amazing - do you mind telling us what you bought with that, and if that includes everything for the month, or do you top up things like milk and veg through the month?

I could do a week for the four of us for £50, but not a month!

I usually end up going back for things like bread (although I bought loads of loaves today and put them in the freezer), milk, fruit and veg but I only spend about another £3 odd a week on those.

lil_me

I think my biggest spend now instead of being convenience food is fresh fruit and vegetables. Buying fresh rather than ready prepared. I spent about £14 tonight on this weeks fruit and veg (for 4 of us, lizard and a few raw veg for the dog, I know he's wierd!) something I am not and never will be willing to compromise on. The rest I have cut down so much I don't mind the extra at all.

As to the affording it, suppose we're lucky in a way as incomes just over £500 most weeks, some have been less recently with DP being basically self employed have to take rough with the smooth, but I suppose January is usually the quietest month of the year but our household income will still come close to £350, all my debts are cleared off now, DP has a few which should be finished soon.

I think if I struggled to afford it I would have done it a long time ago, when we were on much less money when the kids were younger I was so much better at shopping on a budget but I got lazy I think, could afford it so every treat and easy cook item went in the trolley. Now I actually enjoy cooking and the knowledge that what I give my kids is good for them as I know what is in it.

I'm quite impressed with myself so far, the setting target is really helping as it's my challenge to myself, and I tend to do well if challenged. It's over half way through the month, I have a lot in and I have more than half left

sadiedoll

Wow, you lot are top shoppers. I'm happy if I can keep it round the £20 quid mark (and there's only me).

Although this week's shop coincided with Sainsbury's at Meadowbank having a reducing frenzy and therefore I only spent £4.91:j

IWannabedebtfree

Blue Saturn, I'd love to read your shopping list if you wouldn't mind posting it?