Reducing my weekly shop cost - possible?

meg72

AFK_Matrix wrote: »

Yeah I know its a lot and belive it or not I don't drink either :eek::eek:

I really would like to get down to £100 a month. I am wondering if its because Sainsburys prices are quite high. I do also do online shopping so that does add £5 delivery but then it saves me an hour wondering round shopping.

Anyway you can all mock my shopping list later on when I post it tonight

Looking forward to seeing your list and trying to help you reduce it.
Please dont think anyone will mock there are really lovely people on here.

Riversong

I would be interested to see a general meal rota-only to try and shave down some costs. But generally heres what i thought of.

Snacks? Do you eat a lot between meals, if so, are your meals filling enough?

Do you take a pack up for lunch at work/uni/ wherever

Do you eat lots of meat? If so maybe substitute it for veg?

Brands? Maybe buy own/value brands

Pets do you buy meat or veg for any animals you might have?

his_missus

maybe you just need to downgrade a bit and buy slightly cheaper brands.
Do you feel you throw away a lot of food? Do you tend to buy lots of store cupboard items that you don't use over the month?
Does this £200 of shopping include lots of non-food items such as expensive toiletries or CD/DVD/books?
Do you buy pet stuff? (I have 4 cats and probably about 10% of my shooping budget goes on them)

Sometimes we get stuck in a shopping routine, I'm sure we'll be able to help you out xx

sb2_2

ss3n08 wrote: »

I am really fussy but very very slowly (one step at a time) I have been buying basics/value/smart price items (bourbon biscuits yum, chopped tomatoes which I haven't had the guts to use yet). I don't know why I'm so petrified about trying something new. They must be okay otherwise they wouldn't get sold.

Value food is perfectly fine to eat but to cut costs cheaper ingredients are used which is why they dont taste as good as the more expensive item.

I am the same though. I have an aversion to value foods but have been trying more and more. Some are as good as the more expensive stuff but some is horrible and wouldnt buy again.

I think its just testing the value things and if you like it, stick with it. If not, look for another alternative or stick to what you have if the price difference is relatively the same.

hermum

ss3n08 wrote: »

Has anyone tried the frozen chocken breasts? We get through so many bloomin chocken breasts a month (about 16) it would be good to know if these are any good for casseroles and things.

Have you tried chicken thighs instead of breasts?
More flavour juicier & cheaper than breasts.

hermum

OP, do you menu plan? £50 a week is a lot of money for 1 person for a week.
I generally shop in sainsburys unless someone else has a really good offer on, I probably spend around £50 a month for 1 person.

Mrs_Chip

Since we started shopping mainly in Lidl and Aldi we have substantially reduced our bill - mainly because we have sussed out what is cheaper than the big supermarkets, and what is better. Also there are less distractions in those smaller shops, not so much chance of buying 'off piste'.

We have one 'special' meal a week - roast or something nice home made , a couple of meaty home made meals like cottage pie or chilli, and the rest are lighter meals with eggs, cheese or veg based.

Breakfast is cereal or porridge and lunch is home made soup and bread, or toasted muffins with cheese or pate, or a sandwich.

If I do go to the big supermarkets I buy the stuff I need that is on offer (for example I don't buy cheese at more than £5 a kilo, so hunt out the bogofs and offers to get it at that price). Having a ceiling price for all your basics means you always know if you are getting a good deal.

And you don't need to eat unhealthily, or feel deprived!

neilwoods

Also places like Homebargains for the cupboard items, get all my sauces, microwave rice, soups, biscuits and so on. Quite surprising what they have now and then

adelight

£200 isn't that unreasonable outside of MSE, i'd guess ready meals or lots of fresh meat, brands and expensive f/v like loose peppers and peaches. Will be good to see your shopping list so we can all help
Definitely shop down a brand, make treats from scratch (the price of cornflake cakes is mental!!!) and introduce vegetarian meals.
I'm so glad noone's suggested buying reduced/whoopsies yet, everyone is telling people to buy them lately but they are so scarce and unreliable these days.

ragz_2

adelight wrote: »

£200 isn't that unreasonable outside of MSE, i'd guess ready meals or lots of fresh meat, brands and expensive f/v like loose peppers and peaches. Will be good to see your shopping list so we can all help
Definitely shop down a brand, make treats from scratch (the price of cornflake cakes is mental!!!) and introduce vegetarian meals.
I'm so glad noone's suggested buying reduced/whoopsies yet, everyone is telling people to buy them lately but they are so scarce and unreliable these days.

Definitely can't rely on whoopsies! I was so excited the other day to get celery for 10p that I bought 4 packs and froze the lot!

I could easily spend £50 a week on food for me, I have expensive tastes... free range chicken, breast only is £6+ a pack, finest/organic fresh fruit and veg, enough to get your 5 a day would set you back a bit, ready to go rice and noodles, fresh pasta, finest dips etc, few nice treats, shellfish (not that I eat that), fancy ice cream... the odd bottle... mmm

If only I didn't have three kids, a husband and a tight budget....which I keep going over, wonder why? :rotfl: