OS Meals for 8 - what is a reasonable spend?

themarsbargirl

Just to add, Mum bought in bulk-peanut butter and tvp from a co-operative, potatoes by the sack, made her oqen jam etc. fruit and veg were from the local farmshop. Tesco was for milk, cheese and tins and anything good reduced.

recovering_spendaholic

It is very hard when people are fussy eaters. My two DDs are horrendous, and the rows which break out if I try the "eat it or go hungry" tack are just dreadful. I think that your budget sounds quite good to me. I find that most people like macaroni cheese, so
I make that a lot - I buy rice and pasta in Aldi as it is very much cheaper than big supermarket equivalents.

Have you tried putting up a blank meal plan and asking for suggestions?

Linda32

I think it sounds very good as well. We spend between £60 to £80 per week for two of us. With a free hot meal at lunch time from work.

If you want to spend less and who doesn't? How about looking at your toiletries and cleaning stuff, can you go down a brand maybe?

madmoneysavingmum

Thank for all your replies. It feels like such a lot more than we used to spend, but we do have both older children and extra adults, so perhaps it is not so unreasonable. The time is the bigger issue in some respects - I can see how I could get costs down a fair bit more with more time, but until someone invents a 26 hour day, I haven't got more time. I do not normally cook more than one meal per night, but if anyone really does not like what is on offer one night I will microwave a jacket potato or try to keep an extra portion of another meal they do like from a previous night to be reheated. This works well if no one eats it for lunch when I am out! (And if I hear any complaints about the same things twice in one week.... )


I make all our bread/pizzas etc. and bake any biscuits/cakes (Twinks hobnobs are very popular), make filling puddings, grow some fruit and veg and bulk out all meat dishes with lots of veg and lentils/chickpeas/beans. We eat at least one and often 2 veggie days a week. I make jam, chutney and so forth. Our local supermarket in our village is pricey, so I shop at a Mr T on the way to work or order online from them. Our nearest Lidl is a 30 min car journey but I do try to get tins, fruit and veg etc. whenever we are nearby, Aldi is 30 miles away so I very rarely go there. Market is also half an hour away by car, so again, I rarely go unless we are going to town anyway. Most of our food/cleaning stuff is own brand or value, unless a brand is on offer and cheaper. The exception is laundry stuff, we can only have stuff that doesn't affect the DCs eczema. Haven't found an own brand that doesn't cause a reaction so I try to stock up on the 'safe' branded one when it is on offer.


I have now made a meal plan for the week to put on the fridge with a list beside it of what is going in each dish and a list of what is fair game for snacks if required. Hopefully this will help. I have also started a list of meal plans based around one meat or another so that I can go with whatever is on offer when I hit the supermarket. Lunches are easier at the moment, as lunchbox treats do add up - I have warned the DCs that juice cartons etc. are off limits. At home lunch is soup and bread, or sandwiches, with fruit/salad bits and a biscuit or small piece of cake. I have got out receipts to start looking through to gauge spending patterns. DPs are trying something new from time to time, if it is not spicy (this is OK as it is easy enough to take out a little before adding spices) - DN is a different story, but there is always bread. I am also going to look again at where else we can make savings in other areas. I think if we can get everyone to only eat what is intended at the right time this will also help. (So I only buy everything once.) A quick look at last week's receipts shows more than £10 on topping up things I had already bought for dinners which had been eaten at lunch times.


Thank you again.


MMSM

maman

Linda32 wrote: »

I think it sounds very good as well. We spend between £60 to £80 per week for two of us. With a free hot meal at lunch time from work.

If you want to spend less and who doesn't? How about looking at your toiletries and cleaning stuff, can you go down a brand maybe?

I'm often surprised that people see their cleaning stuff as a big part of weekly spend. Except for the occasional expensive week when we need washing powder all the other bits seem to add very little to the bill and I don't need them that often. Maybe I just don't do enough cleaning.:o


If you wanted to linda, I'm sure you could cut your bill. £60-£80 for two for effectively breakfast and an evening meal seems steep to me.

edinburghlad

maman wrote: »

I'm often surprised that people see their cleaning stuff as a big part of weekly spend. Except for the occasional expensive week when we need washing powder all the other bits seem to add very little to the bill and I don't need them that often. Maybe I just don't do enough cleaning.:o

Ditto. My average cost of cleaning and household stuff is c£10 per month plu toiletries at £10 per month.

madmoneysavingmum

Apart from washing powder, cleaning materials add very little to the bill - less than £8 per month. (I definitely don't do enough cleaning.) But we do get through quite a lot of washing powder, and loads of loo rolls! Toiletries also add very little, and are generally bought when on offer. I include these in my grocery spend as they are bought at the supermarket with the food etc.

maman

madmoneysavingmum wrote: »

Apart from washing powder, cleaning materials add very little to the bill - less than £8 per month. (I definitely don't do enough cleaning.) But we do get through quite a lot of washing powder, and loads of loo rolls! Toiletries also add very little, and are generally bought when on offer. I include these in my grocery spend as they are bought at the supermarket with the food etc.

I go to Farmfoods specially for the Nicky loo rolls (£4 for 9).


I include all toiletries in the groceries too but I make an exception for things from a cosmetic counter.

Gigervamp

We get through a load of loo rolls, so I buy the Cushelle 24 packs when Lidl's have them on offer (usually about every 6 weeks or so). They're about £7.49 when on offer.

edinburghlad

18 rolls of velvet are on offer at Mr Ts for £6.00 which is a good deal.