Monthly Grocery Budget ?

Nicki_Sue

Hi all,
I'm rejigging our YNAB budget (thank you April and all of your increases).
As with most people our grocery budget is the one we have the most flexibility with, although not as much as we did!

I'm curious what people are setting as their grocery budget.
I'll show you mine. Please show me yours.

We are a family of four: 3 adults (DS is 19) and 1 hungry teen.
A vegan, a veggie and DSs are meat-eaters but have some restrictions food-wise due to having additional needs (i.e. one doesn't eat potatoes, rice, grains, veg is limited etc).

I meal plan, scratch cook and I batch when I can. 
I've had my monthly budget set at £440 but always go over. 

Looking forward to seeing what others spend. 

Lindlou

Our budget for 2 adults is £300 PM but I do aim to come way lower at around £240. Excess is swept into emergency funds. However, it does include  2 or 3 bottles of wine per week. I think your budget is quite low to be fair. 

HouseMartin567

2 adults here, and checking our 2024 spends we averaged £350 per month. This includes laundry liquids, toilet rolls etc, but personal toiletries are accounted for separately. I’d guess about £20 per month of the £350 was alcohol.

t14cy_t

hi, we are a 2 adult 10 chicken and one large dog household!! our monthly budget is £200, this includes everything except alcohol!! i am a big coupon/voucher/yellow sticker/olio/tgtg fan!!

RedLipstick

Myself and a wee cat here, I budget £300 per month, I buy lots of organic and gluten free food though. Sometimes it comes below £200 depending on what I have in the cupboards/freezer - I also use YNAB so whatever is left at the end of the month I move the leftovers to debt OP category. When I fancy a wee challenge, I take £200 from ATM for groceries and see for how long it will last! I think you're doing very well with your budget, you should be giving us tips!

YorksLass

I budget £100 a month for groceries (just me) including cleaning materials, loo rolls etc.  It's tight at times (and getting tighter by the day) but I can afford to go over if need be - my mantra is a budget is a limit not a target.  Like OP, I meal plan, batch cook from scratch and try to avoid processed foods.  Budgets will vary a lot as all households are different according to their make-up, needs and circumstances but it's interesting topic.

PipneyJane

Please join us in the monthly grocery challenge, @Nicki_Sue.  The second post lists every participant's monthly grocery budget. 

Mine is £160 for supermarket spends, plus £40 for meat purchased at the butcher's shop (not spent every month).   It covers pretty much everything:  all meals, cleaning products, toiletries, etc.

- Pip

kimwp

Just under £250 a month for me through 24-25, no meat or alcohol, organic fruit, veg, chocolate and eggs, "normal" tinned/frozen fish. Does not include toilet paper, cat food or Uber eats junk food/takeaways.

mandy47

Dh and I were averaging 200 pcm including cleaning, basic toiletries and dog food. Parrot food is extra because she's on a special diet for her diabetes.  Yes I have a diabetic parrot luckily off the insulin and diet controlled. Alcohol is extra but we don't over indulge. 
Last month BiL came to live with us for an undetermined time. Food bill has rocketed. April is a new start and I plan to get it back under control. 

Greenqueen_2

We are 3 adults. Everything that we need, food/alcohol/toiletries/cleaning supplies etc. costs us around £55 per week - so around £240 per month. We eat very well, enjoying meat or fish almost every day along with some treats. I couldn’t do it without using my 10% discount card courtesy of a family member. I also have an occasional delivery from Approvedfoods or discountdragon.

Rosa_Damascena

t14cy_t said:

hi, we are a 2 adult 10 chicken and one large dog household!! our monthly budget is £200, this includes everything except alcohol!! i am a big coupon/voucher/yellow sticker/olio/tgtg fan!!

Even so, how do you keep the budget so low with a big dog to feed?