Keep Overspending on food

Nobbie1967

I think the biggest savings you can make is by substituting big name brands by own label products. Make an effort to try one new own label each week and if you like it then change permanently. The price difference can be staggering and the quality is often no different. The reason you often get the big brands on Bogoff is they have such a large profit margin in the first place.

dlusman

Nobbie1967 wrote: »

I think the biggest savings you can make is by substituting big name brands by own label products. Make an effort to try one new own label each week and if you like it then change permanently. The price difference can be staggering and the quality is often no different. The reason you often get the big brands on Bogoff is they have such a large profit margin in the first place.

otherwise know as the "downshift challenge"

rockm87

switch supermarkets.

meal plan.

write a list and stick to it.

try to compare prices on mysupermarket, or keep track of what you usually spend and see what you can switch out to keep you in budget.

my DH is the most fussy of pants, and I've really made progress in winning him round. Take him shopping with you, do it together, and make a 'game' of sticking to your budget.

amycollins1977

I'm reading this thread with interest. I too really over spend at the moment (started Slimming World recently and finding the food expensive!)

meer53

amycollins1977 wrote: »

I'm reading this thread with interest. I too really over spend at the moment (started Slimming World recently and finding the food expensive!)

I do Slimming World too, just done a full shop at Aldi, £52. This included, shoulder of pork, whole large chicken, 6 chicken breasts, 2 packs of bacon, 2 packs of ham, 15 eggs, green beans, 4 tins of baked beans, 3 tins of tomatoes, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, bananas, clementines, grapes, 2 packs of blueberries, 6 kiwis, dried pasta, rice, cauliflower, 2.5 kilo potatoes, swede, carrots, chillies. Plus, other household stuff, cleaning etc.

It doesn't have to be expensive but it will be if you shop at any of the big supermarkets.

maman

meer53 wrote: »

I do Slimming World too, just done a full shop at Aldi, £52. This included, shoulder of pork, whole large chicken, 6 chicken breasts, 2 packs of bacon, 2 packs of ham, 15 eggs, green beans, 4 tins of baked beans, 3 tins of tomatoes, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, bananas, clementines, grapes, 2 packs of blueberries, 6 kiwis, dried pasta, rice, cauliflower, 2.5 kilo potatoes, swede, carrots, chillies. Plus, other household stuff, cleaning etc.

It doesn't have to be expensive but it will be if you shop at any of the big supermarkets.

I'm doing SW too (have been for four years) and I can manage easily on £50 a week for two (not including wine as that's entertainment;)). I mostly shop at Aldi too. You'd be welcome over on the SW thread where lots of us post menus.


http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5142695

wishus

Having done SW, it works better for me if I stick to foods from the general free list and not branded things. I will only buy Muller if on SO.

What OH and I have learned is that we don't need to eat meat every day, and we don't need so much when we do. A120g portion is plenty, and is the amount recommended in loads of guides.

meer53

Muller are always on special offer ! I'm addicted to the Skinny Cappucino ones, they're delicious with blueberries. My fav SW meal is Pasta Puttanesca, no meat at all !

Mrs_Rachel_Trelfa

I'm probably going to get stick for saying what I am about to but I've never been impressed with the fruit and veg in Aldi. If I go in there I find that the food is mushy, soft and going bad.

My husband and I budget £100 a month which splits as £80 for asda and £20 for buying home grown pork, lamb, bacon, gammon, sausages. But I also can spend 2 hours doing the shop as I'm after the yellow stickered items.

We do our monthly shop and only top up for milk or any urgent items. That's monthly fruit and vegetables. One of the tips I would suggest is knowing how to store them, I.e. out of the plastic wrapping and a lot in the fridge as they last much longer. Also as others have suggested is recognising when things need using up and create meals so not to cause waste which means sometimes some random meals.

The other thing I would say is that my slow cooker is a godsend. Chucking it on before I go to work, using up anything that needs to be used, and knowing that I don't have to cook when I get home.