shopping budget for 1 person for 1 month...

starrynight23

How much could I realistically aim to get my monthly food/basic toiletry shop down to per month?

I'm only buying for one person and I know I'm spending far too much on my food shopping every month. I have a bad habit of going into the supermarket and wondering around picking up stuff because I feel like it. I never make a list and I'm terrible for buying treats that I don't need!

This month I've decided it has to change. I know I'm going to have to do it gradually but I would like a reasonable target to aim for.

I'd estimate that right now I spend around £100-120 but I have never sat and worked it out so it may well be more. I know I don't need to spend this much and I have been reading a few of the threads on here to get some inspiration!

kittycat204

I would say step one is save EVERY recipe for one month. Then sit down and have a look at everything. Looking at everything can help you see where your hard earned money is going. It's a shock but a good one.
If you don't know already how to, teach yourself how to cook. Only buy things on offer if you will use them, try not to buy branded items. I find cheapo shower gel to work just as well, but always have to buy fairy washing up liquid.
Keep reading this board and good luck with it all.

vanoonoo

yep - keep all receipts to be able to look at what you really spend

also look at what you actually throw away

make a list of what you have in already

write a meal plan based around things you can make based on what you have in already

write a shopping list

stick to the list (good luck with this bit!)

then drop down a level on everything - so instead of high brand tomato ketchup, get the next cheapest. likewise with soap powder or show gel as mentioned above. some things you will be able to go down a level some you wont.

repeat until you are at the level you can afford. ie keep writing lists, keep dropping levels on items to reduce your spend.

also look at portion size incase you need to trim back that way (I know I need to).

most important, keep healthy

good luck!

starrynight23

kittycat204 wrote: »

I would say step one is save EVERY recipe for one month. Then sit down and have a look at everything. Looking at everything can help you see where your hard earned money is going. It's a shock but a good one.
If you don't know already how to, teach yourself how to cook. Only buy things on offer if you will use them, try not to buy branded items. I find cheapo shower gel to work just as well, but always have to buy fairy washing up liquid.
Keep reading this board and good luck with it all.

I can cook, I just struggle for time as I have a horse so I'm out of my flat for about 12-13 hours a day during the week. I do generally need things that are quick to cook and don't cost much. I usually go for potatoes or pasta but then its the veg that gets me. I buy it but I can't eat it quick enough and it goes rotten and turns to a total waste of money and food (some does get fed to my horse if I know I'm not going to be able to eat it before it goes)! I have been buying frozen which is better as it doesn't go off but not as nice!

I did try buying supermarket own brand loo roll and I have to say it was a total false economy but usually one of the brands is on special somewhere so I always go for that!

Thanks for the advice, I'm off to start a recipe and spending diary right now!

starrynight23

vanoonoo wrote: »

yep - keep all receipts to be able to look at what you really spend

also look at what you actually throw away

make a list of what you have in already

write a meal plan based around things you can make based on what you have in already

write a shopping list

stick to the list (good luck with this bit!)

then drop down a level on everything - so instead of high brand tomato ketchup, get the next cheapest. likewise with soap powder or show gel as mentioned above. some things you will be able to go down a level some you wont.

repeat until you are at the level you can afford. ie keep writing lists, keep dropping levels on items to reduce your spend.

also look at portion size incase you need to trim back that way (I know I need to).

most important, keep healthy

good luck!

Looks like I'll have a busy weekend doing a stock-take!

I know I will have problems sticking to a list, I'll just have to make myself do it!!!

kittycat204

starrynight23 wrote: »

I can cook, I just struggle for time as I have a horse so I'm out of my flat for about 12-13 hours a day during the week. I do generally need things that are quick to cook and don't cost much.

Well I think batch cooking and a stock of very quick recipes are the way to go. There are tons of ideas on this site.

starrynight23 wrote: »

I usually go for potatoes or pasta but then its the veg that gets me. I buy it but I can't eat it quick enough and it goes rotten and turns to a total waste or money and food (some does get fed to my horse if I know I'm not going to be able to eat it before it goes)! I have been buying frozen which is better as it doesn't go off but not as nice!

Some frozen veg can be ok, but certain things can be cooked and frozen, like mashed squash, red cabbage, blanched beans of all sorts.

starrynight23 wrote: »

I did try buying supermarket own brand loo roll and I have to say it was a total false economy but usually one of the brands is on special somewhere so I always go for that!

If you have one near you, get to a Farm Foods and buy some Nicky toilet roll, the kitchen roll is good too.

starrynight23 wrote: »

Thanks for the advice, I'm off to start a recipe and spending diary right now!

Good to hear. When you know where your money goes, if you want some help, let us know.

starrynight23 wrote: »

I know I will have problems sticking to a list, I'll just have to make myself do it!!!

Simple trick, never go shopping hungry. It really does help. If you know you have an apple crumble in the freezer, or cookie mix that will take 12 mins to cook it really helps stop you buying the naughty things.

If you like takeaways then I can't suggest this book enough. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2665259
That's where I get my cookie recipe from.

vanoonoo

starrynight23 wrote: »

Looks like I'll have a busy weekend doing a stock-take!

I know I will have problems sticking to a list, I'll just have to make myself do it!!!

it's something I really struggle with big style so you have my sympathies on that one - but if you can try to at least set yourself a budget for your spend and try to keep track as you go round so that you have to limit yourself somehow - that way if you see a great bargain you can get it but maybe put something else back to get next time (there's always a next time!)

fresh veg for one is a tricky one too, some people get the prepared stuff but I always think it tastes a bit funny. perhaps invest in a veg box delivery every couple of weeks so you have the element of surprise but also not too much to get thru and potentially waste

many people on here use the freezer for their own "home made" frozen veggies and also dehydrators - I havent really done either but I am considering!

flutterbyuk25

I live on my own and am currently budgeting £50 per month for food, and I have stuck to this since June. I am veggie so that is cheaper, and I do have a good storecupboard (filled with tins/pasta/rice etc).

I buy my fresh fruit/veg from Aldi (super 6 is great) and never waste anything. Stuff that is on the turn gets chopped and frozen or turned into soup etc. What I have found is that before I was buying too much veg e.g. brocolli/cauli/cabbage/carrots but I would only ever use 2 with a meal. So now I only buy 2 out of the 4, yes it's less choice with the meal but I waste nothing. Or I buy frozen veg, most things are just the same frozen.

I spend about 3 hours once a month on a Sunday batch cooking. I make big pots of chilli/spag bol/curry, a veggie roast dinner option (nut roast or lentil loaf) and numerous different soups depending on what veg I have in. This then goes in the freezer so I have hoemmade ready meals for when I'm too tired to cook after work, I just need to cook pasta/rice etc. If this is too much for you to do then, always cook a meal for 2 people and freeze/save the 2nd portion.

The only meals I cook from scratch after work tend to be stirfries as they don't freeze well, but I still chop twice the amount of veg and marinade two lots of tofu, pop veg in water in fridge and tofu in sealed container in fridge, and then it's fine to eat 2 days later.

HTH

starrynight23

flutterbyuk25 wrote: »

I live on my own and am currently budgeting £50 per month for food, and I have stuck to this since June. I am veggie so that is cheaper, and I do have a good storecupboard (filled with tins/pasta/rice etc).

That is about what I would like to spend a month so good to know it can be done!

I'm not a huge meat eater, I do eat it but not every night of the week so i wouldn't miss it if I only had it on the weekends or something! And I am constantly thinking I should make lots of soup at the weekend so that will do a good few nights of dinners at least!

I keep meaning to go to Aldi so will go this weekend, with a list and some recipe ideas!

elsien

Try the food saver bags for veg. They do them in the pound shops and the veg stays fresh for longer than it would just in the fridge.

And things like peppers if they are on offer you can chop and freeze so they're ready to chuck in things like spag bol or stir fries when you need them.

Get some pulses, tinned or dried so that if you are making a lorry load of soup they're a bit more substantial - a meal rather than a snack.

madmittens

I agree with all the previous posts!

I'm also a singly with horses (and cats, full time work and a voluntary role).

I went through the whole budget/spending diary things a couple of years ago to pay down the mortgage.

My shopping then, including everything (and catfood for 3), averaged about £15 a week. I also don't eat that much meat - red lentils (bought in the ethnic aisle of SM if that's all you have access to) are your friend! Cook/save extra portions for a quick ping-ping meal when you come home tired from the horse/dark/mud and really can't be bothered to cook.

But if you like meat - a whole chicken lasts me a week and more (on that basis I can afford to buy freerange) - roast chicken and veg, chicken/sweetcorn/noodle soup from carcass for at least three lunches, chicken in gravy with leftover veg, chicken curry, chicken pie... still with some leftovers for the freezer. To the point where I'm sick of chicken!

I cook from scratch, mealplan, write a list, stick to it :cool: Nothing gets wasted - every useable leftover goes in the freezer, and the horses get appropriate peelings (carrots, swede, parsnip, celery etc.).

Carrots seem to keep almost forever in the fridge, and I always keep frozen peas, sweetcorn, fine green beans and spinach.

Join the grocery challenge, to keep yourself motivated?

Good luck.