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Single person weekly food budget?

user67340348
user67340348 Posts: 101 Forumite
Seventh Anniversary 10 Posts
edited 15 September 2021 am30 11:02AM in Old style MoneySaving
I'm currently trying to cut down on my outgoings... and have budgeted myself to £60–70 per week for my food bill. I also plan to do most of my shopping at Aldi.

Does this sound realistic? I've never really worked out how much I spend on food, and currently most of it is takeaways (hence me wanting to cut down).

Bear in mind I have a fast metabolism, and I eat a lot  :D 
«13

Comments

  • JGB1955
    JGB1955 Posts: 3,734 Forumite
    Fifth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    £70 sounds like a lot....I would be aiming for half that.
    #2 Saving for Christmas 2024 - £1 a day challenge. £325 of £366
  • JGB1955 said:
    £70 sounds like a lot....I would be aiming for half that.
    Thanks, that's reassuring

    I tend to eat around 3000–4000 calories per day just to point out, but I imagine that's still do-able for less money if I cook everything myself
  • elsien
    elsien Posts: 35,098 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    If that’s just food, should be fine. 
    Mine includes all the cleaning stuff etc as well. 
    All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.

    Pedant alert - it's could have, not could of.
  • I live on my own. I probably spend £110-£120 a month in Lidl - as I always get the £2 off at end of month with spending £100 in a calendar month.

    Then spend another £10 a week after work buying a few things.

    That doesn’t include alcohol.
  • Cornucopia
    Cornucopia Posts: 16,378 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    £70 buys a lot of food at Aldi.

    Per person, per week, at Aldi I would have thought that £20-25 is frugal, £25-30 is average and £30-40 is generous/luxury.
  • Have my stuff delivered from the supermarket at approiximately every 10 days.  Minimum spend is £40 and my bill is usually just over that amount.
  • warby68
    warby68 Posts: 3,111 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Even if you eat enough for 2 people, £70 should cover it quite easily.

    A bit of meal planning and costing out will help you and you may find you eat less overall when you switch from takeaways as you will replace bulk with quality to some extent.
  • Thanks for all the replies :) I should be fine then by the looks of it
  • I'd recommend writing a menu for the week, laborious at first but saves both money and food waste. You could buy a whole chicken and have a roast dinner, a curry, soup, and sandwiches for work.  Batch cooking is good.

    I'm a widow and conscious I've been spending too much on food.  I recorded my food spend this month at a convenient big supermarket and I've been spending £50 plus weekly on me, plus £20 on my pets.  I'm going to have to shop at the big supermarket as well as Aldi/Lidl to save money. 
    £216 saved 24 October 2014
  • Home cooking and a freezer can save money - depends really what ready meals you buy and how much they cost....
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