Where to start?!

wannabesavvyshopper

Hello, 

Hoping for some advice? 

I'm currently spending between £80-100 a week on a food shop for two adults. We normally buy for 5 nights and then I'll do the food shop again on the weekend. 

How can I cut these costs down?? We do write down meals that we're having to make sure we can stick to a plan but the bill just creeps and creeps up! 

Any advice greatly appreciated 🙏🏻

Cornucopia

Where do you shop at the moment?

calleyw

Probably better on the old style board.  But you have not given anyone any thing to go on.  Like where you shop, what sort of meals you cook etc etc

Yours

Calley x

wannabesavvyshopper

At the moment, Tesco. But we do have an Aldi nearby. I just find the fresh produce goes out of date so quickly at Aldi! 

We use the clubcard deals so that saves a few pounds here and there. 

Generally meals in the evenings are things like spag bol, chilli con carne, curry, quiche with potato salad etc. So quite easy to make and not too pricey but I don't know where the money adds up from! I try not to add too many things to the trolley snack wise like kitkats! 

Not sure what else to try really!

Cornucopia

I'd suggest splitting your two weekly shops so that one is at Tesco and the other at Aldi.   That way you can work out which products work best for you from each shop.

Generally speaking, I find that the following areas offer better value at Aldi (and Lidl):   Breakfast Cereal, Bread and Biscuits, Deli and Dairy, Frozen (but limited selection), Squash & Juice, Crisps & Snacks, Cleaning materials, Condiments, Chocolate.   Aldi now also has quite a large vegan range.  

Wicked_Lady

Try saving your receipts for a couple of weeks and checking them.

Does your shopping include cleaning products and/or alcohol? Do you have large portions? Meat every day? Expensive ingredients? Lots of shop bought snacks?

Pollycat

Lots of threads with a similar theme.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78156510#Comment_78156510

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/77812184#Comment_77812184

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6145169/overhaul-of-the-way-i-deal-with-food/p1

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/77800763#Comment_77800763

Happy_Kitties

I’m with Wicked Lady. A couple of years ago bec I didn’t know where my money was going in general and how much I spent on food and pet food, I kept a spends diary for a couple of months. It really is an eye opener, u will be surprised. Highly recommend doing it

elsien

Bills generally don’t creep up of their own accord, there’s usually a bit of a helping hand.
Does your bill include things like alcohol? Work lunches bought while out, that sort of thing? 
I’d second looking at your receipts; if you’re strict with the main shop it can be the top up shops where the “I’ll just have that” tends to creep in a bit. 

hob_nob_bob

elsien said:

I’d second looking at your receipts; if you’re strict with the main shop it can be the top up shops where the “I’ll just have that” tends to creep in a bit. 

Third this! Our weekly shop for two adults and two children (9 and 14) is usually around £50-70, and we cook from scratch for probably 5 teas out of 7 each week, including a roast on a Sunday. Disclaimer, the boys only eat their breakfast and lunch here two or three times a week, but do eat tea here every night.

When I nip to the shops for a couple of bits, I can easily spend £30 each time. It adds up so quickly!

Toonie

I'm going to ask a few questions...

As well as checking your receipts for a few weeks, I would also keep a record of if you have any wastage. Are you buying ingredients and only using them in one recipe? Do you find you need to clear your fridge out of various fresh things each week if they go off?

Do you buy a lot branded goods? You mentioned kitkats, think about trying own brand instead.

Do you buy prepared items (grated cheese, bagged salad, cut fruit and veg etc)? This is often more expensive and doesn't last as well.

The other question is can you afford what you spend? Do you need to lower it or do you want to lower it? That will also change how you go about it.

My partner and I spend £180 a month on food. We do a big shop at Aldi and stock up for the month on meat to be portioned up for the freezer, store cupboard essentials, and cleaning items. Then we buy fresh stuff weekly at Sainsbury and the local market (and normally we just get fruit, veg, and maybe some meat and a couple of items where we've tried Aldi but don't like their own label).