setting my grocery budget,y 'almost eight' son and I. Advice appreciated x

cheel

Hello,

So I've recorded my spending, faced up to my bank account , I kbow what I have coming in and going out and I'm ready to set a grocery budget.

Its me and my 'eight really really soon' son to feed and keep in toiletries and cleaning things. Also my mum comes for a meal about twice a month.

I'm thinking £45\£50 a week. I'm a reasonable cook. Have freezer and slowcooker and can follow a recipe. My son is a good eater, not too fussy. I'm awful for drinking cocacola and I'm happy to cut down but probably not out! I'm not a drinker so no alcohol needs to be allowed for, nor a smoker, cocacola is my vice

Do you think this sounds a good starting point ?
All tips to get me started are very welcome

Thanks in advance

Cheel. Xx

cheel

Sorry I forgot to say, all three meals for both of us. We both have a packed lunch!

springdreams

My grocery budget for my 15yo DS, our Westie and myself is £45 - £50 per week. Some weeks I go over this and some weeks I go under.

Lindlou

Hi,
Didnt want to read and run. I'm sure there willl be lots of people here soon who will tell you that your budget is more than doable. Grocery challenge thread would be a good place for encouragement/ideas.
There's just me, my hubby and cat. We spend about £50 a week for food, toiletries, cat food, litter and cleaning stuff. We also have a couple of bottles of wine a week too. We eat well, very well I feel, and have packed lunches each day too.

maman

Definitely doable cheel.


What range of shops do you have available?


Not sure if you mean cola is your treat or if it has to be the real stuff? It's worth searching round for places where it isn't full price.

cheel

Thankyou both. Yes I'm hoping its a good starting point. And I dare say I can tweak it a bit.

I didn't want to set it so low that id fall at the starting gate if you see what I mean.

I plan to make a roast one week sunday the next week monday, use the meat from that for my lunches and one other dinner, probably pie. My son loves mince type meals so planning a cottage pie and chilli for two more meals one week, and the other week mince and dumplings and a spaghetti Bolognese, so that's 4 meals a week already. Put in a fish pie, noodles, pizza night, sausage and mash, tacos or fajitas, southern fried chicken , hot dog night (probably have pizza and hotdog nights alternate Fridays as that's our games night together) and I think ill have a good varied rotation going.

I'm hoping to work on a two week rolling plan and then as I get better at planning and shopping I can maybe do a three week rolling one.

Cheel xx

enjoyyourshoes

Sound good. Just spend on what is on the list in the kitchen. Not on list then does not purchased !

Also do meal plan first, stock check the kitchen and then generate the 'shopping list.

Freeze sarnies for the week, make em on the day you shop (saves waste)

Make food for the week and freeze (bulk buy and bulk make. Big tins tun from Asda cheaper by miles than smaller tins per 100 gm

Don't buy pre prepared chicken do the jointing yourself and freeze (you tube)

Use soya protein to extend mince for lasagne/shepherd pie etc (add Oxo and juice from tinned tom to rehydrate the protein)

Use Aldi cheap fruit/veg of the week for soups and puds (freeze soup for lunches)

If you have money left over from budget the either reduce your budget or put the £ in savings for fantastic multi buy offers that really are offers (not subtle marketing tricks of smoke and mirrors)

cheel

I'm hopelessly in love with 'the real thing' sadly mamman!! I'm happy to cut it down if the budget gets tight tho!

I'm lucky on the shops front, I walk past and aldi if I go one way from school, a Tesco and a lovely butcher if I go the other way. I have an Asda near me too, tho I dont walk past it its doable easily. I can also get to an Iceland co op and lidil with a little planning once a week. An embarrassment of riches on the supermarket front!

I cant get to the shops at yellow sticker rime due to 'almost eight' being in bed! But I think I can still save even if I miss out on those whoops reductions xxx

cyantist

On one of eat well for less episodes there was a woman who drank a lot of coca cola and swore she'd be able to tell if they replaced it for a different brand. She couldn't tell. I think it was morrisons own brand cola they had swapped for and was way cheaper.

enjoyyourshoes

Butcher= Hock ham= cook for 4/6 hours (use liquor as basis for next soup)

Make short crust pastry pie, layers sliced hard boiled egg, then English mustard then chopped up ham+saut!ed onion and apple, to top it sliced egg and mustard then the pie lid

Cheap as chips (well chips are not cheap unless you make them yourselves and best chips are sweet potato home made chips)

grunnie

Cheel I am a diet coke drinker too and ration myself to 1 can a day. If I buy it by the bottle I would drink too much. I buy it when it is on offer at Asda or Mr Ts and get it delivered. It stays in the garage where I can't see it and 1 can put in the fridge at a time.
I had 3 sons and brought them up on a very restricted budget. Sit down with your 8 year old and make a list of all of your favourite meals. Maybe he likes curry or chilli and you hate it. Make up meal plans from this list and also lunches and
not forgetting snacks. A little chocolate treat is much cheaper from Home Bargains or Aldi then from the local sweet shop.
When you are helping with homework and hearing his reading after school then have your cola then while he is drinking his fav drink.