What is your budget for food, toiletries and household products a month and how big is you family?

[AmeliaToppingLovesShopping]

My budget for a month is £260 for everything and in my household there is myself and 3 DDs aged 12, 5 and 3.

I have just done a weekly shop with Tesco for collection (which is free) and it came to just over £70! That includes evening meals until Friday, lunch for DD3 all week (the other 2 get free school meals) and fruit for snacks.

I want to make healthy meals that include vegetables that can be hidden as DD2 and DD3 won't eat any if they can see it!

I buy all my cleaning products from the 99p store where possible and we use Boots basic bubble bath and shower gel

I have tried buying a chicken and using the left overs for another meal but it never works out that way

Are there any other tips?

Thank you

[prettymess]

Regarding toiletries, there's small things you can do like buying baby cotton buds instead of cosmetic ones. Same thing and they can be up to a pound difference. Buy generic paracetamol and ibuprofen. Boots own brand hair dye is good. If you want anything branded, never pay full price... Always wait for deals or at least get loyalty points.

[CremeEggThief]

At the moment, I'm trying to stick to £75 a week, broken down into £50 food, cleaning products and toiletries, and £25 miscellaneous, such as travel, postage, little things the school asks for, the occasional coffee or lunch out, etc. So £300 a month. That's for me and DS (11).

[Mum2Fergus]

Drop to basic/value brands for as much as you can...or dump Tesco and get yourself to Aldi/Lidl. Meal plan using only what you have in fridge/freezer/cupboards,no new shopping til cupboards are bare!Pasta/rice dishes will be cheaper than meat based ones...

[Oly4]

I don't know how you do it - £260 for a family of five! Well done if you manage on that, seriously

[chanie44]

With regards to the chicken, I always buy a bigger one than I need so I can stretch it to two meals. There isn't much price difference. We will have roast chicken one day then something that can be bulked out with veg the next day, like a pasta bake or chicken in a sauce.

I have cut down on our portions as well, only slightly, but it means the chicken can last for two meals.

[MincedMuffPies]

I really need to start budgeting. ATM I just meal plan and then buy what's needed. My cupboards are full to the point they can't close properly but I have nothing I feel like cooking.

[JasmineLondon]

Creme egg thief you are amazing, was inspired to read your budget is 75 a week. Respect and blessings to you!