Realistic budgeting idea?

williewonder

I'm not being successful with my budgeting. After all my bills I have £180 four/weekly for food shopping so £45 a week. I don't smoke and trying to stop the alcohol. I have a takeaway habit so find it difficult to stick to my four/weekly £180 budget.
Do you think it's a better option to put the whole £180 into a separate account at the beginning of the month and do a big shop for all food and use rest of money doing little shops and don't go over the £180, once it's gone it's gone? I havent been able to stick to spending £45 a week.

Neil_Jones

You might do better to stop (or cut back on) the takeaway food and switch the bulk of your shopping to a discount store, like Aldi or Lidl if you haven't done so already.  Takeaways cost a fortune as you pay a premium for the convenience of not having to cook.  This is probably fine as a one-off on occasion but one takeaway a week at £5 a time is £260 a year..

ZeroSum

Draw up a meal planner & just buy what you need.
Look at stuff like pasta & rice which is really cheap

blue.peter

ZeroSum said:

Draw up a meal planner & just buy what you need.
Look at stuff like pasta & rice which is really cheap

Planning menus for a week (or whatever) in advance, and then just buying what you need for them would be an excellent approach. And keep the back menus, so that you've got a list of the meals that you've had and don't repeat the same things too often, whilst still having a list of known favourites on which to draw. Assuming that you have a freezer and a microwave, making several portions of dishes and freezing the extras can mean that you're able to produce a meal quickly and easily, reducing the desire for a takeaway to save on cooking. Depending how the money goes, you might still be able to work in the occasional takeaway - but only if planned in advance.

It might also be worth finding a few vegetarian recipes, using things like lentils rather than meat, even if you aren't a vegetarian. These are often cheaper, and more environmentally friendly, whilst still being tasty, filling and nutritious.

Incidentally, your maths isn't quite right. £180/month is less than £45/week, because there are 4.333 weeks/month, not 4. £180/month is nearer £41.54/week.