Hello guys .. shopping tips needed!

Hayley33

Posted here a while back and pleased to report that I’m now out of my overdraft, two of my loans have finished (spare £250 a month which I can use to save/ spend on as we need) the huge £200 finished last month yey! 6 months to go before final debt payment £150 per month has finished ( in time for Xmas woohoo)!!

So I have spent almost 3 years now trying to keep afloat, paying off, no overdraft etc and so we try and set aside £250 for our food shopping as a tough guide ( I can add to it and do buy out/ takeaways here and there on top) but try to stick with the £250 over the month to avoid us getting into more debt/etc.

I’ve been ok with this but just lately the shops seem to be going up and up. I do the cheap shops eg Aldi/Lidl/ Poundstrecher/ Home Bargains. I also do a list & I meal plan.

I’m just wondering does anyone have any tips to keep the good shopping in a budget?

Exodi

There's a lot of content on the MSE forums that give advice regarding shopping habits.

My personal tidbit: either do your shopping online or eat shortly before going. This reduces the likelihood of 'impulse purchases'.

JCS1

Pop over to the Old Style board, you will find lots of hints and tricks.

StokieBecks

You probably already have done or do some of these but things to consider

- you say you list and meal plan. Does this include using up what you already have in?

- swap branded for own labels

- look for yellow sticker reductions that you can freeze and can definitely use within a decent time frame.

- when purchasing offers, check it really is an offer to you. No good buying 5 of something if you are only going to use one etc, also check the price per 100g (or equivalent) sometimes an item may be on special offer but still works out more expensive per 100g/100ml than the size that isn't on offer. Washing tablets are a great example of this.

- loose produce is typically cheaper to buy than pre packed

- if you need lunch for work plan for this within your food shop budget

System

Online is a good idea. But what helps is a descent size freezer. Helps with buying months worth of food in one hit. Dont be fooled by offers. For example you usually get 4 pot noodles in a pack for £3, but usually i find the single pot noodles for 50p each.

Hayley33

I don’t use up everything I have in as I find if it goes too low it’s counter productive, I have to then do a huge shop to stock up so always have stuff in the freezers. Have lots of freezer space ( have two)
I do love a yellow sticker bargain though I don’t find many. And I almost always make a lunch pack up for me my daughter and hubby everyday.? She prefers a pack up to dinners though she has a few at school. I do swop a lot if branded, however I won’t change things like tuna, tomato ketchup and spaghetti. Have always found them horrible. Happy with ALDI beans though. I dunno what’s a realistic budget for a family of three?

stripeyfox

I never get anywhere near as low as that for a monthly shop. Our family of four shopping usually comes in at least £100 week with top up shops for bits over the month. In fairness this does include beer and wine etc and I'm sure we could cut back if need be but £600+ is not unusual in our house!

YORKSHIRELASS

I think you have to find a system that works for you, if I bought a month's worth of shopping my 18 and 20 year old would work their way through it in no time!

Our budget is very tight here so I meal plan religiously, only buy what i need and look at prices on everything before it goes in the trolley. We eat a lot of Lidl chicken breast £3.50 for a bag out of the freezer. Breakfast is porridge, DH and I both take a packed lunch.

We rarely eat salmon or steak but actually eat well, I am pretty much a vegetarian and we cook everything from scratch. Nothing is wasted and I have cut our food shopping from £450 a month to £300 for 4 adults without too much difficulty.

datlex

Don't fill you cupboards. Buy what you need for meals that you will use or freeze within the use-by date/ before it goes off. Vary your choice of veg/fruit depending on which is cheapest. Don't replenish pasta/rice etc until you have actually run out.