Do I do a DMP

enthusiasticsaver

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/80025382#Comment_80025382

I can get food shopping for 2 to £60 although admittedly that is with no alcohol and little in the way of luxuries now food is so much more expensive. If you use a budget supermarket like Lidl or Aldi and meal plan, batch cook and use unbranded basic groceries you could eat quite well on less than £50 if just you. Where do you shop and do you meal plan?

Wannabehousebuyer

kimwp said:

I'm sorry to hear about your loss, it is a hard loss at any age, but you are at a very young age to lose a parent.


On the subject of finances, I think there may be more to go in understanding why you have this debt - which is crucial to avoid being in this situation again - as you were in debt when you were a single person on £3500. 

honestly? i think its a combination of a fluctuating wage every month and not having something set in stone, i have kept refinancing debt so never really clearing it, and i do have a massive habit of shopping for dinner that evening, being on my own sometimes the only 'fun' for dinner is going to get what i fancy rather than what is in the cupboards.  Its all my own fault if I am totally honest. 

Wannabehousebuyer

enthusiasticsaver said:

I can get food shopping for 2 to £60 although admittedly that is with no alcohol and little in the way of luxuries now food is so much more expensive. If you use a budget supermarket like Lidl or Aldi and meal plan, batch cook and use unbranded basic groceries you could eat quite well on less than £50 if just you. Where do you shop and do you meal plan?

wow that is so low! hats off to you, i need to be better at this Although I must say i don't find aldi that cheap, considering I always need to go to another supermarket after to buy the bits I couldn't buy, and the fresh stuff doesn't last as long. 

I usually do a big shop in Asda or Tesco and then do lots of little shops over the month, which certainly isnt helping. I find meal planning to bore me, not the actual cooking, but the knowledge of what i'm having and then i suppose ADHD in me impulsivly buys something else. I guess that has an impact across everything. not just food shopping. 

Martico

Wannabehousebuyer said:

kimwp said:

I'm sorry to hear about your loss, it is a hard loss at any age, but you are at a very young age to lose a parent.


On the subject of finances, I think there may be more to go in understanding why you have this debt - which is crucial to avoid being in this situation again - as you were in debt when you were a single person on £3500. 

honestly? i think its a combination of a fluctuating wage every month and not having something set in stone, i have kept refinancing debt so never really clearing it, and i do have a massive habit of shopping for dinner that evening, being on my own sometimes the only 'fun' for dinner is going to get what i fancy rather than what is in the cupboards.  Its all my own fault if I am totally honest. 

I get where you're coming from - don't beat yourself up over it. I also live alone, and have found a weekend batch cook and freeze to be good value. Means I have something to dip into when I want and can't be bothered to buy on the day - stew, bolognese, chilli, whatever. But, yeah, £60 seems crazy low

Onebrokelady

Hi I'm single and my food budget is £25 a week. Also I would cancel the gas insurance,I used to have it and it was a waste of money. I put the money aside into a savings account so I have an amount to repair or replace  my washing machine or other appliances. I think you might also be able to find cheaper insurance deals if you feel that you need it 

Paspatur

Single person household (but I also buy food and snacks for grandchildren)

2022 grocery spend per week £26

2023 Jan to Apr spend per week £30

enthusiasticsaver

Wannabehousebuyer said:

enthusiasticsaver said:

I can get food shopping for 2 to £60 although admittedly that is with no alcohol and little in the way of luxuries now food is so much more expensive. If you use a budget supermarket like Lidl or Aldi and meal plan, batch cook and use unbranded basic groceries you could eat quite well on less than £50 if just you. Where do you shop and do you meal plan?

wow that is so low! hats off to you, i need to be better at this Although I must say i don't find aldi that cheap, considering I always need to go to another supermarket after to buy the bits I couldn't buy, and the fresh stuff doesn't last as long. 

I usually do a big shop in Asda or Tesco and then do lots of little shops over the month, which certainly isnt helping. I find meal planning to bore me, not the actual cooking, but the knowledge of what i'm having and then i suppose ADHD in me impulsivly buys something else. I guess that has an impact across everything. not just food shopping. 

I get you on meal planning being boring.  Some seem to love it but to me it is a necessary evil made worse by my DH being able to eat anything he wants and me who has to keep to low fat and low carb to stay a healthy weight.  I hate food shopping too though so that stops me doing little top up shops and I make do with what is in freezer/fridge/larder rather than go out for one or two little things.  One main shop a week and one top up is all I allow myself.  Otherwise it has to wait until the next big shopping day. It sounds like you are better staying out of supermarkets so setting yourself a similar rule may help. 

kimwp

Paspatur said:

Single person household (but I also buy food and snacks for grandchildren)

2022 grocery spend per week £26

2023 Jan to Apr spend per week £30

Would love to know what you buy!

sourcrates

kimwp said:

Paspatur said:

Single person household (but I also buy food and snacks for grandchildren)

2022 grocery spend per week £26

2023 Jan to Apr spend per week £30

Would love to know what you buy!

Well I`m a tad shocked, I live alone and spend £100-£120 a week on food etc.

Only buy fresh, to freeze, and most of that is yellow sticker stuff, have to watch my diet as I'm diabetic, so no rubbish, live in a village so pay a slight premium, but I can spend £25 on one days food, honestly don`t know how you manage spending that a week.

Personally I would rather eat well, than pay down debts, each to there own I guess.

kimwp

sourcrates said:

kimwp said:

Paspatur said:

Single person household (but I also buy food and snacks for grandchildren)

2022 grocery spend per week £26

2023 Jan to Apr spend per week £30

Would love to know what you buy!

Well I`m a tad shocked, I live alone and spend £100-£120 a week on food etc.

Only buy fresh, to freeze, and most of that is yellow sticker stuff, have to watch my diet as I'm diabetic, so no rubbish, live in a village so pay a slight premium, but I can spend £25 on one days food, honestly don`t know how you manage spending that a week.

Personally I would rather eat well, than pay down debts, each to there own I guess.

I've just realised I misread Paspatur's post as that was their spend for the month (it's been a odd/stressful week). My spend this year is working out to be £60 a week which is mostly organic fresh food, though no meat, alcohol, low cheese and fish - mostly fruit, veg, eggs, nuts, seeds and carbs. So £30 a week is definitely do-able from somewhere like Lidl - but I think would need care of the fruit and veg as they tend to go off quickly in my experience - ideal for a family that shops every couple of days and eats everything they've bought in that time, but not so much for a single person wanting their shopping to last the week.