Advice on a food budget

maman

Pollycat wrote: »

Checking your bank statements would be a good start.
And - as already suggested - a spending diary where you list everything food related that you pay cash for.

I'd add keeping all receipts (especially as many places you now have to ask for them) then you can see any impulse buys. I don't have a problem with treating yourself to something if you really enjoy it and can afford it but buying, for example fresh food that gets wasted or ready meals because you didn't plan ahead should help you save.

FrugalWeirdo83

Thank you for your comments. I will start keeping a diary and hanging onto receipts. I don't think I'm spending shedloads but I am a bit of a sucker for the offers and probably buy stuff I don't need

SunnyGirl

FrugalWeirdo83 wrote: »

Thank you for your comments. I will start keeping a diary and hanging onto receipts. I don't think I'm spending shedloads but I am a bit of a sucker for the offers and probably buy stuff I don't need

Everyone has done that so don't feel bad. The supermarkets do it on purpose to make us spend more and buy more stuff :eek:

suki1964

We all get suckered into buying what we don't want and often waste it. It's why ad people get paid mega bucks

The other thing to do is if you decide to keep a notebook, in on the opposite page of spends, write what of that is binned

This is usually the eye opener ( says she admitting to binning 2 aubergines at 49p each so nearly £1 )

maman

FrugalWeirdo83 wrote: »

Thank you for your comments. I will start keeping a diary and hanging onto receipts. I don't think I'm spending shedloads but I am a bit of a sucker for the offers and probably buy stuff I don't need

Don't worry so much about that. Provided you can afford to pay the money up front, offers can save you money in the longer term. What matters is that they are offers on things that keep not fresh stuff (unless it can be frozen or cooked and then frozen). Sadly many offers are on junk.

[Deleted User]

spending diary, shopping list
Menu plan
hang on to the receipts
Use cash only I do and have a seperate purse for my food budget and a £20.00 float in my ordinary purse for treats called my Happy Cash Stash. Keeping your food money in a seperate place makes you concentrate on what you are spending
I also have cut back on the amount of times I go anywhere near a shop.

Ergo you go into a shop you will be tempted to spend :):) stay away from them they are after your hard earned cash honey

JackieO xx

Pollycat

suki1964 wrote: »

Spending diary is the first step

Every penny spent on food drink sweets snacks etc, you need to write it down

As the expression goes, bite it write it, only add drinks as well

Until you have that in black and white in all honesty you cannot write a food budget

Suki
I was gob-smacked when I started doing this.

Not just food stuff but every penny of cash that went out of my purse that wasn't included in my spreadsheet budget (i.e. credit cards, bills), that included birthday cards, wrapping paper, magazines, window-cleaner, bus fares/parking etc.

It's amazing how it all adds up.

zippychick

i've merged this with your older thread to keep all the suggestions together

kind regards

Zip