harmony Report post Posted April 7, 2008 Please can u help settle this one, keep having disagrements with DH as to how much a family of 5 should spend at the supermarket each week. 2 adults, 3 kids 4 cats fish (6) tortoise and rabbitt. Also have to buy pull ups for DD (age 12) and youngest who still needs them at night (�10.00 a wk for that) animals cost me �15-20. I said to hubby that �150.00 including pull ups and animals was tight, �120 for all food, toiletries, household goods. I also buy as much GF and organic as I can. What do you guys think? we do live in London so everything is very pricey as well. What do you spend it would be so helpful to know. �25.00 (approx ) per person per week doesn't seem alot to me, but DH says �120-�150 is more than enough for everything. HELP! I must be rubbish at shopping, any ideas. Harmony (whos house is not harmonious today) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ASue67 Report post Posted April 7, 2008 Your hubby would have a fit here then...................! There is just me and my 2 boys and our weekly shop is usually between �100 - �120. Mike is so fussy diet wise that the things he will eat end up costing me more than I would like to spend. You are doing fine hon, in fact you must be a miracle worker to feed all of you on that little!!!!! <'> <'> Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justamum Report post Posted April 7, 2008 sorry I can help settle this 'argument' as I am a family of three, two dogs, 1 cat, 5 chickens. For myself and 2 children with large appetites (everyone comments on how much they eat) plus toiletries etc I spend around �120-�150 PER MONTH. �8 one dog food per month, �15 on cat food for 2 months, �10 on chickens for 3 months Yes I live very frugally and shop wisely and we eat like kings. I also have the added advantage of buying some of the best quality meat via friends who have small holdings. In the sumer my food bill drops to below �100 per month as I have a piece of land and grow some veg myself, mainly summer stuff. As for toiletries.....we tend to use vinegar and bicarbonate of soda and limit other more personal 'products' to reduce our own toxicity by not applying too much. Yes some may say we are weird, but it works for us! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Karen A Report post Posted April 7, 2008 Oh dear me....I do not wish to contribute to this thread as I do not wish to incriminate myself. I will say that if my OH saw how much you spend Justamum then questions would be asked of me..... We live in London and it depends an awful lot where I do the supermarket shop......the middle class one or the ''tap hand on trouser pocket'' one. Karen. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justamum Report post Posted April 7, 2008 I will say that if my OH saw how much you spend Justamum then questions would be asked of me..... Actually being disciplined and only shopping once a month saves money it's self as you are not tempted to buy all those extras. But I have access to various things that save me a fortune like meat and my veg (in season) and of course my own eggs and there is a farm shop up the road.......sack of taties, 1lb carrot, parsnips, leaks, onions came to �6. I also make most things from scratch and don't buy packet food. I don't buy bread, can't believe the price of shop bread actually. I don't buy biscuits or crackers, I make all those. The other thing is that I live 4 miles for the nearest shop and 10 miles, on twisty roads, from the nearest large supermarket. So going weekly costs petrol and wear on my car as well as bumping up my carbon footprint. So every journey I make has to be justified, so no popping to the shop for a pint of milk as that IS expensive in the end. Yes I get funny looks when shop and comments are loudly whispered 'what does she need all that milk for' sort of thing. I have also had a comment from someone on a till about me holding the queue up and can I not do my shopping at a later time or more often and smaller trolleys. That resulted in me saying 'yes, I will do that now. You can put THIS lot back!' It didn't go down well, but I just walked out of the shop...I am the customer and if you don't serve me at the till you will have to clear up your error! Oh and I am striving to reduce my bill even further without compromising quality and amount by incorporating more pulses into my diet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justamum Report post Posted April 7, 2008 just to add a medium sized chicken will make 2 main meals and plenty of soup for another couple of meals! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted April 7, 2008 (edited) The head of a larger American pizza corporation once said (when complaining about having to pay minimum wage etc) that people could easily live on a dollar a day and should stop complaining... Can't remember whether it was oatmeal or cornmeal he was proposing three times a day, but mixed with water it was, in his opinion, ample. Nice bloke... Been a while since I worked in a large residential placement, but I think catering costs then were supposed to be less than a pound per day per resident. Jamie Oliver was pushing for 70 pence per day to feed a child a healthy main course and dessert, and averages at the time were around 50p per day... Certainly not gonna make any suggestions into your personal 'domestic' , but I suppose the old addage 'it's cheaper to feed two than one' makes some sense. If you're really strapped, you could always try eating a couple of the cats (and the fish would make good cat food too)... Elmer Fudd would vouch for the tastiness of Wabbit Stew, and if you get another one of the opposite sex they're a sustainable resource too. Dunno about the tortoise, but if he's got his head and legs tucked in I suppose he resembles a crusty meat pie! Right I'm orf for me lunch - Oatmeal today, and just for a change I've stirred some nettles into it. Luvverly BD Edited April 7, 2008 by baddad Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bard Report post Posted April 7, 2008 (edited) t DH says �120-�150 is more than enough for everything. HELP! I must be rubbish at shopping, any ideas. I spend around �400 a month on the 4 of us plus cat and 2 guinea pigs, at the supermarket, so that's food et al. Organic and free range where possible. As a low-maintenance vegetarian, I can live happily on �15 a week, but the children are carnivorous, as is OH. Grow your own is a fantastic idea, but I'm too pressed for time with a full-time demanding job, so that's going to be part of my plan when I've retired! I also will have more time to potter around and select where I shop, rather than being grateful that the supermarket is open til 10pm. My suggestion is to give him the bill and get him to delete what he thinks you shouldn't buy, or suggest an alternative cheaper source. He also gets to deal with explaining and justifying to the children why things have changed or gone awol from their diet. Ideally, he should shop for the next month, and deal with the flack, but that might not be possible. Either way, build a logical and calm case, rather than listen to him woffle about 'HOW MUCH?!' We'd all love to live on 2-/- 6d and have change for a pint, but this isn't reality. And justamum? You really sound organised and together, I'm very impressed with the baking and growing and I wish I could get my act together sooner than 60. Although I've lived on army bases where the nearest shop is several miles away, and having the temptation removed or made harder to access is a help to managing without. And a real inconvenience when you need milk. Edited April 7, 2008 by Bard Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dooday24 Report post Posted April 7, 2008 there is 4 of us and i spend about �100 a week then extras of things that ive forgotten or run out lol love donnaxxxx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justamum Report post Posted April 7, 2008 but the children are carnivorous, as is OH. Bard I should think they are omnivorous rather than purely meat eaters (carnivorous)! Incidentally did you all know you can happily grow your own taties in nothing more than a bucket or a compost bag? They need no time, only water in dry weather, and no caring for until harvest.....pick as you cook. Whilst other suffered badly with blight last year, mine didn't As for making stuff I make enough bread for 1 month and pop in the freezer. I don't get on with bread makers so use my Kenwood. But if you have a bread maker there is no time needed. Pop in all the ingredients, switch it on and off you go to your normal days activities....it's all cooked for your return. Skimmed or semi skimmed milk freezes very well. I ususally buy long life for the space, but used to freeze all my milk when I had/have enough freezer space. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted April 7, 2008 Bard I should think they are omnivorous rather than purely meat eaters (carnivorous)! Incidentally did you all know you can happily grow your own taties in nothing more than a bucket or a compost bag? They need no time, only water in dry weather, and no caring for until harvest.....pick as you cook. Whilst other suffered badly with blight last year, mine didn't As for making stuff I make enough bread for 1 month and pop in the freezer. I don't get on with bread makers so use my Kenwood. But if you have a bread maker there is no time needed. Pop in all the ingredients, switch it on and off you go to your normal days activities....it's all cooked for your return. Skimmed or semi skimmed milk freezes very well. I ususally buy long life for the space, but used to freeze all my milk when I had/have enough freezer space. I've never quite sussed why people grow their own spuds when they're (neenaaneenaa - bad unintentional pun alert - neenaaneenaa) cheap as chips from the supermarket anyway? Me - I'd go for a 'cash crop' (if i could be bothered) - asparagus or something like that. I know you can get those 'home mushrrom kits' for the cupboard under the stairs etc, but has anyone found a 'home truffles kit' or would that demand a mature oak tree in the living room? I'm sure Ben would be good at finding them, judging by his table manners - he could snuffle a truffle before you could shout "shitake"! Poor old harmony must be feeling quite put out at the industriousness of some! Nay worries, hen, they're in the minority, i suspect! Right - must dash... i'm off to knock the slugs of my Prize Marrow BD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bard Report post Posted April 7, 2008 Bard I should think they are omnivorous rather than purely meat eaters (carnivorous)! B is pretty good, but daughter is a disaster. Her idea of a balanced meal is three different varieties of meat on one plate. We're about to set up potato buckets this week, I'll let you know what goes disastrously wrong with them at a later date. Do slugs like them? Ours are anaconda-sized. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yoyo Report post Posted April 7, 2008 There are 3-4 of us at home at present, 2 dogs and a cat. All of the humans are in full time employment or education so there is little time for growing our own or doing lots of baking. Bread is done in the breadmaker, a fruit cake is baked at the weekend and the dinners for the week are also pre-cooked at the weekend and frozen. I am increasingly horrified that my shopping bill is over �80 and I know if all five of us were at home that I would be spending at least �120-150 each week. Things have increased in price significantly since the poor summer last year. It seems that the OP of this thread i doing fine where housekeeping is concerned. Yoyo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kellyanne Report post Posted April 7, 2008 there are 4 of us and 3 cats we've just done a 'top up' shop to last us till weekend and that cost us �80, a normal shop will be just over that probably nearing �100 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
harmony Report post Posted April 7, 2008 Please can u help settle this one, keep having disagrements with DH as to how much a family of 5 should spend at the supermarket each week. 2 adults, 3 kids 4 cats fish (6) tortoise and rabbitt. Also have to buy pull ups for DD (age 12) and youngest who still needs them at night (�10.00 a wk for that) animals cost me �15-20. I said to hubby that �150.00 including pull ups and animals was tight, �120 for all food, toiletries, household goods. I also buy as much GF and organic as I can. What do you guys think? we do live in London so everything is very pricey as well. What do you spend it would be so helpful to know. �25.00 (approx ) per person per week doesn't seem alot to me, but DH says �120-�150 is more than enough for everything. HELP! I must be rubbish at shopping, any ideas. Harmony (whos house is not harmonious today) Thanks so much everyone I do seemed to have opened a can of worms here. Could be tasty, I wonder how much they would cost? I am going to make a real effort to manage better on my �120 a week, will start baking a bit more, when I have time. I usually grow, toms, salad and peas in summer anyway. It is good to hear most of us spend around the same (ish) well done justamum you are evidently more than that! I think if I didn't work 4 days a week and 4 evenings a week, I would have more time to think about menu planning. Mind you I still maintain that food is much more expensive in London than anywhere else in the country! Harmony x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Karen A Report post Posted April 7, 2008 Thanks so much everyone I do seemed to have opened a can of worms here. Could be tasty, I wonder how much they would cost? I am going to make a real effort to manage better on my �120 a week, will start baking a bit more, when I have time. I usually grow, toms, salad and peas in summer anyway. It is good to hear most of us spend around the same (ish) well done justamum you are evidently more than that! I think if I didn't work 4 days a week and 4 evenings a week, I would have more time to think about menu planning. Mind you I still maintain that food is much more expensive in London than anywhere else in the country! Harmony x Oh dear.....feeling very bad now. Don't work....don't grow vegetables....don't go to the farm shop....lots of time for menu planning.....still not organised....not talking about our food bill. Right.....won't be around here so much as I am off to get an allotment and plant potatoes. Karen. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justamum Report post Posted April 7, 2008 You must live you life how it best suits you. Personally the materialist, commercialistic and stuff yourself full of prepacked foods, and the salt ladened take away, and rubber burgers is not my way, thank goodness! So you go right ahead have your laughs about the weirdo who grows taties in a bucket, and not for profit ...fancy that not wanting money for the latest must have! You see I have heard it all before......no obesity in our family! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hev Report post Posted April 7, 2008 i spend about 100 pound a week on food,i love food shopping,its my hobby,hence the reason im overweight must get a new hobby Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted April 7, 2008 (edited) You must live you life how it best suits you. Personally the materialist, commercialistic and stuff yourself full of prepacked foods, and the salt ladened take away, and rubber burgers is not my way, thank goodness! So you go right ahead have your laughs about the weirdo who grows taties in a bucket, and not for profit ...fancy that not wanting money for the latest must have! You see I have heard it all before......no obesity in our family! Hey-oop, let's not get off-topic...I don't think anyone was laughing at you, Justamum! This thread has cheered me up no end as I went through my bank statements and added up my food shop, and I spend less than I feared...hooray!! We are a family of 6: 3 adults and 3 kids and 1 cat. I work full-time on nights (as does Kellyanne <'> ), so no time for baking or growing, but nearly all our food has to be cooked from scratch because of severe food allergies. It works out at �160 per week. But that includes all the cleaning stuff, etc, and wine!! Should add that my DH says he has got to the age where if we can't afford booze, what is it all the hard graft for?? No obesity in our family, either...in fact some peeps have described my kids as scrawny!! Meant to say, Harmony, you have 2 options depending on your personality and what sort of DH you have... You could very sweetly ask your DH to do the shop for a month so that you can see where you are going wrong and learn from him... OR (if you are like our dear Hev ) you could tell him to do the ###### shopping himself and see how well he does on �120 per week!! Boho ETA: I do think London is more expensive...I lived there for nearly 6 years Edited April 7, 2008 by bid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hev Report post Posted April 7, 2008 bid oh my god how uncanny is that i originally wrote a reply saying that i would tell n to p off up tescos and feed himself but then i thought that wasent very constructive advice so deleted it Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smiley Report post Posted April 7, 2008 You lot are bonkers! <'> I HATE food shopping - it makes me panic, so i just don't unless i really, really have to.. We have all sorts of concoctions here plenty of 'ifits' dinners ........ as in if it's in the fridge............. I have to watch the pennies - so probably around �40 - �50 per week, all things included. I like Bid / Hevs idea......... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted April 7, 2008 Why would london be more expensive? The soopamarkets - with the exception of those little 'local/express' shops - price nationally, don't they? And then you've got all those luvverly jubberly street markits floggin' cheep veg n that "vigdibble - giddlyor fresh fruitenvigdibbles" and the local spiv sellin' legs o' lamb aht the back of a van/barra/suitcase etc... Sorry, not (neenaaneenaa) buying that one... the cost of LIVING may be higher in London, but they dunt mean yer ackchal groceries, do they!? And as for tata's in a bucket - that's how hev serves hers! (It's like the Gravesend version of chicken in a basket... here in Royal Tunbridge Wells we have pheasant under glass - do you know, they even made a special 'Royal' version of the famous dehydrated curries for the genteel folk of Tunbridge Wells by special arrangement with HRH? You've probably heard of them - SWAN VESTA's They're a little fiery than the usual instant curries too) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheNeil Report post Posted April 7, 2008 Why would london be more expensive? The soopamarkets - with the exception of those little 'local/express' shops - price nationally, don't they? You'd think so wouldn't you but the supermarkets do have 'variations' (read 'rip offs') based on area - basically they can adjust the prices depending on what they think the local area will put up with Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
harmony Report post Posted April 7, 2008 Please can u help settle this one, keep having disagrements with DH as to how much a family of 5 should spend at the supermarket each week. 2 adults, 3 kids 4 cats fish (6) tortoise and rabbitt. Also have to buy pull ups for DD (age 12) and youngest who still needs them at night (�10.00 a wk for that) animals cost me �15-20. I said to hubby that �150.00 including pull ups and animals was tight, �120 for all food, toiletries, household goods. I also buy as much GF and organic as I can. What do you guys think? we do live in London so everything is very pricey as well. What do you spend it would be so helpful to know. �25.00 (approx ) per person per week doesn't seem alot to me, but DH says �120-�150 is more than enough for everything. HELP! I must be rubbish at shopping, any ideas. Harmony (whos house is not harmonious today) I LOVE YOU ALL. What a fab tonic, (plenty of gin) to my day! will show grumpy old hub your responses. Just a note to just a mum, we are not fat either, have new scales which tell me we are all Aok (actually kids could do with putting on a bit of flesh) Have just baked a cake, using my mums homemade strawberry jam. So feeling vg now. Sadly have to work this pm, have to pay for food shopping somehow. lol harmony x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
harmony Report post Posted April 7, 2008 Why would london be more expensive? The soopamarkets - with the exception of those little 'local/express' shops - price nationally, don't they? And then you've got all those luvverly jubberly street markits floggin' cheep veg n that "vigdibble - giddlyor fresh fruitenvigdibbles" and the local spiv sellin' legs o' lamb aht the back of a van/barra/suitcase etc... Sorry, not (neenaaneenaa) buying that one... the cost of LIVING may be higher in London, but they dunt mean yer ackchal groceries, do they!? And as for tata's in a bucket - that's how hev serves hers! (It's like the Gravesend version of chicken in a basket... here in Royal Tunbridge Wells we have pheasant under glass - do you know, they even made a special 'Royal' version of the famous dehydrated curries for the genteel folk of Tunbridge Wells by special arrangement with HRH? You've probably heard of them - SWAN VESTA's They're a little fiery than the usual instant curries too) Believe me my local corner shop (that large green and gold place, you know the one) prices way above the national!!! Hence one has to shop at a slightly downmarket outlet, so our pennies can go further! TTFN Harmonyx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tally Report post Posted April 7, 2008 Yes, supermarket prices vary from branch to branch. Not all chains do this, but I know for a fact that two of the "big four" do it (not that the others don't, I simply don't know). Accessing supermarkets in central London is extremely difficult due to congestion and the cost of owning/storing/insuring a car, and the fact that there simply aren't that many due to lack of space for new builds. To shop from markets on foot would mean daily trips in order to feed a family. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Karen A Report post Posted April 7, 2008 Yes, supermarket prices vary from branch to branch. Not all chains do this, but I know for a fact that two of the "big four" do it (not that the others don't, I simply don't know). Accessing supermarkets in central London is extremely difficult due to congestion and the cost of owning/storing/insuring a car, and the fact that there simply aren't that many due to lack of space for new builds. To shop from markets on foot would mean daily trips in order to feed a family. The other problem in some areas of London is that the supermarkets [especially express] don't stock economy ranges....so you can buy caviar but not fish fingers.Karen. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smiley Report post Posted April 7, 2008 I lives in dee countray...... Plenty of Farmers with ickle signs offering organic / free range tatties and similar. (spotted a sign saying 'Free Range Children - Please Drive Carefully' today ) Unfortunately, i also live next to some vairy stoopidly rich people who are happy to pay a daft amount of money for said tatties - I'm liking the idea of growing me own - and sticking a sign in me window........ 'tatties for sale - to any silly b*gger who's willing to pay'...... Of course, there's always the teeny-tiny bunnies and pheasants and deer wandering about if things get really tight........ 'Boy, fetch mammy the gun, boy......' Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bard Report post Posted April 7, 2008 (edited) You must live you life how it best suits you. Personally the materialist, commercialistic and stuff yourself full of prepacked foods, and the salt ladened take away, and rubber burgers is not my way, thank goodness! So you go right ahead have your laughs about the weirdo who grows taties in a bucket, and not for profit ...fancy that not wanting money for the latest must have! You see I have heard it all before......no obesity in our family! Well, I was a weirdo before it was fashionable to be green, after having escaped from the diets of the early '70s where everything was day-glo colours, Smash was the height of sophistication and your fish fingers clashed with your peas. At Uni, I was a happy hippy in a shared student house. We grew our own; mushrooms, carrots and lettuce, and a lot of herbs, sprouted stuff in jam jars and ate lots of things you had to boil for an hour before you could chew them. We cooked huge amounts and shared with friends, so we'd eat at several different houses during the week We recycled whatever we could, even though there was only one set of bottlebanks in the city, so you'd cycle along clinking and hoping not to fall over. All this commercial who-ha is far too modern for me, or too retro. I'm glad not to be eating 70's style any more! And now it's cool to be green, and I've got my dad advising me on a healthy diet. The same dad that weighed me weekly when I went veggie at 14, because I wasn't eating 'proper' food. The wheel turns... Edited April 7, 2008 by Bard Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oxgirl Report post Posted April 7, 2008 Of course, there's always the teeny-tiny bunnies and pheasants and deer wandering about if things get really tight........ 'Boy, fetch mammy the gun, boy......' Down here they don't wander around, they take naps by the side of the road, about one every 100 yards or so. Today I saw a badger snoozing in the middle of the road, most unwise! ~ Mel ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScienceGeek Report post Posted April 7, 2008 Well for us there is only me and gf plus two greedy cats. We spend about �12 a week on the cats, food and litter etc. For us we spend about �50 a week. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tally Report post Posted April 7, 2008 I spend around �40 a week on groceries for myself, which includes food & litter for 2 cats, cleaning things and toiletries. I eat fairly well these days and treat myself to a nice steak or lamb chops or something once a week. I cook most of my food from scratch and do quite a lot of baking, but I avoid gluten and dairy, so that drives the price up. There are lots of farms around here where you can get really nice veg fairly cheap, but you'd have to drive around several to get them, so it's just easier to pick them up in the supermarket, especially since I am there nearly every day for work anyway. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zaman Report post Posted April 7, 2008 Believe me my local corner shop (that large green and gold place, you know the one) prices way above the national!!! Hence one has to shop at a slightly downmarket outlet, so our pennies can go further! TTFN Harmonyx Do you call Harrods your corner shop then? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted April 7, 2008 I lives in dee countray...... Plenty of Farmers with ickle signs offering organic / free range tatties and similar. (spotted a sign saying 'Free Range Children - Please Drive Carefully' today ) Shopping at the weekend I bought a new bog cleaner block, and it said on the packet 'New! Cageless!' - I said, 'oooh look, Ben, a free-range crapper cleaner!' the woman standing next to me hurriedly backed away with a very nervous look on her face... Whatever happened to all the fun in the world? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smiley Report post Posted April 7, 2008 It got scared away by all the sain normal boring people............. Mel - Driving to school couple of weeks ago me and my little man had this conversation... M - mum why's the fox laying on the road? Me - ummmmmm i think he's just having a little snooze hunni M - don't be silly mum - how can it possibly sleep with all it's tummy falling out like that...... Me - ermmmm it's a very, very deap sleep ..... To my monkeys credit he got the joke Only problem was telling the Headteacher in assembly......... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pearl Report post Posted April 7, 2008 I reckon I spend between �45 (good week) & �80 (bad week) at supermarket, depending on what we run out of. Thats for three adults & includes cleaning stuff. But I do a top up at our local supermarket midweek, really good quality northern name but a bit dearer, once a week & spend mebbe a tenner. Once a month theres a farmers market in our village & I stock up on local goodies there - pies for the freezer, nice cheese, good mince, free range chicken, spend about �25. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mariaterisa Report post Posted April 7, 2008 Gosh..have loved reading these postings to do with food shop....a bone of contention for me to up until a month ago when i decided to do what my mum did..in the good ole days!!!...well...feeding 5 of us plus entertaining other peoples kids after school etc...teenage ones at that...i was spending about 150 a week....and also noticing how much i was throwing away....it is those bogof items that i am a magnet for...yet half of them are no good to man or beast....also the packed lunch is costly if ur having to put a big choice in co my youngest with as is extremely picky....ANYWAY...back to my mum...she didnt have a credit card but got her housekeeping on a friday....well i know it is different now and even if we are working...we can get the cash amot ..say no more than 80 a week for family of 4....and i dont use my card...i sit down witha cuppa and a couple of meal idea cook books and plan the wks menu...now for example...i have started buying quorn...excellent..simmered with onion,garlic..diced toms etc...half bag of mixed diced veg...jar of passata/dolmio sauce...a dash of tabasco...and hey one night have half as spag bol or sheps pie(add some baked beans if sheps pie)...and have the other half as chilli con carne (add some chille powder0...the 2 nts meal for all of us costs about a tenner.... since i have done this...am saving quite a bit ....i do agree with other comments about growing your own...but sometimes there are not enough hours in the day to be fully compus mentus....would love to hire an allotment cos our garden is boringly ornamental....and acc to my hubby that is how its staying..humph!!!As for supmarkets in london being pricier......cant say...i would have thought so though.....here in sittingbourne...am surrounded by endless tat and pound shops yet....i dont seem to have more money in m y purse!!!!.....gosh..have gone on a bit..sorry!!.maria xx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScienceGeek Report post Posted April 8, 2008 here in sittingbourne...am surrounded by endless tat and pound shops yet....i dont seem to have more money in m y purse!!!!.....gosh..have gone on a bit..sorry!!.maria xx Oh I remember the tat and pound shops! Practically all there is to that place. Then again there isn't really that much choice when it comes to supermarkets over that way. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
warrenpenalver Report post Posted April 8, 2008 I spend exactly �3.76 per day for my food. (�26.32 a week). Although i have kitchen facilities you pay for meals on base even if you dont eat them so its not worth me cooking often for myself. I do wonder how much it will cost me to eat as a single person when i leave navy in june. When i do cook i always cook for 4 then freeze 3 meals just because the very limited number of things i know how to cook stems from living in a household of 4 so i cant easily scale down. On cleaning products i spent �400 last month. I went insane in t***** on buy one get one free offers on toilitries!!!! I figured while i got the spare cash before i lose my job, to stock up on a good years worth of cleaning products i will need for my new house. I also spent about �200 on non-perrishable food that i have boxed up. When i do cook i use lots of tinned tomatoes, tinned pulses, kidney beans, rice, pasta, tomatoe puree etc etc and all those have a year to 18 month shelf life so ive stock piled loads of them. I need a van to move my stuff to the new house so i might as well fill it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mossgrove Report post Posted April 8, 2008 (edited) We have a family of two adults, four chilren and various rodents and we spend about �150 a week at the supermarket, plus a bit extra topping up with things like milk or bread. All four children eat packed lunches at school and that mounts up over a week! I am not really sure how we would do it for much less as everything gets eaten! Plus I am not brave enough to suggest we should be spending a lot less! Simon Edited April 8, 2008 by mossgrove Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
