Dh is spending a fortune on the weekly shop !!!!

[Comps83]

It's always been DHs job to do the big shop as he says I'm shit at it and he knows what we need as he does all the cooking
But since lockdown he is going crazy . He's spending between £200-300 every week
There's only us and a small baby
I'm about to go onto statutory maternity pay soon!
Anyone else spending a lot more since lockdown ?

We are spending between £230 - £280 a week, family of 4 (two very young children) but it's me in a superstore picking up everything and buying more than just food, totally excited at being out!

There is a huge difference between £200 and £300 @Comps83 ?

Which is it closer to?

I admit our weekly shop has gone up to £180 approx a week. Plus I do maybe £30/£40 in M&S (it's my weekly outing )

That is a family of 5. All of us having 21 meals each a week at home now. Plus nappies / milk for toddler (she has soy milk) and wine

We have the same family set up. Me, dp and small baby. We spend about £55-65 a week in Lidl on food since lockdown (an extra £10-20 than usual). We probably spend about £20 a week on alcohol, which needs to stop because we can’t afford it.

£300 a week in Aldi? I need evidence

It's actually really easy to do, they have their premium range which isn't cheap, just cheaper. DH once spent close to £400 on a weeks shop when his parents came to visit, it was the wine , steaks and snacks (olives, charcuterie, naice crisps) that did it.

But this is every week not a one off

That is absurdly expensive, sorry.

Two adults and a cat here, and we are spending £100-120 a week in Sainsbury’s including cleaning products and booze.

I think you have a 'DH is an alcoholic' problem, not a 'grocery spending' problem.

I think you need to go through the receipt. I'd be worried it suits him to do the shopping so you don't see how much alcohol he's getting through.

Throwing stuff out would annoy the hell out of me! We don’t get more fresh food, until everything is gone. It’s like that with most of our shopping, as we don’t have room for big stocks anyway.
I’m not going to the supermarket right now, as I’m pregnant. Friend picking up the bulky items in her car, Mum doing fruit & veg, DH getting meat & fish etc... Not costing too much, overall.

DH has been spending more on booze, though. Then again, he’s not going to the pub anymore!

We’re spending about £110 a week for 3 of us, about £40 more than usual. I tried to work out whether we were spending more overall, accounting for the meals and food we used to eat out, which we aren’t. For that much you may as well do Gusto

Me and two grown-up kids here plus two cats. Spending an average of £130 a week at Tesco. Paid a little bit more at the start to make sure the cupboards were full. He’s spending too much - on booze, I expect. I have bought the odd bottle of wine but have never drunk much.

I can definitely see how it adds up. Ours is £180 - £200 a week, plus maybe £20 of top ups. It’s me, DH and a toddler. I’m not drinking because I’m pregnant so probably just one bottle of wine and a couple of beers a week. We eat mainly a vegetarian diet so no expensive meat. It’s Ocado though so a bit pricier.

I am spending a lot more on my grocery shop, having said that there are 7 of us and I am easily spending in excess of £200, probably closer to £250. One week I did nearly touch £300 which was horrifying! However for 3 of you it does sound an awful lot.
I think food is more expensive, less offers. Also perhaps a tendancy to buy more just in case as popping to shops is a pain, queuing outside etc so no top up shops which can easily hide the true cost of a weekly shop. I also have a vegan and two vegetarians at home so often cook more than one meal and vegan snacks, cakes, ice cream etc can be expensive . I suspect your DH is buying some very high end ingredients! Does it also include toiletries , nappies, pet food ,cleaning stuff etc?

I sat down and did the sums yesterday in order to sort a realistic budget for the next month and we are spending 50% more on groceries in lockdown than previously: £300 pcm vs £550 last month for two adults and a toddler.

There are one third more meals being prepared and eaten in the house during lockdown than there were before due to working from home and nursery being closed. We are also buying all our food from local shops i.e. mini market, butchers and corner shop as opposed to Morrisons where we shopped before.

The £550 figure includes two takeaways and a delivery from our local
craft beer pub which we wouldn't normally get! (I hope the pub don't stop doing deliveries when this is all over, it's been the best bit).

Another vote for checking receipts - cashback weekly at each shop = £100 spends
Or his alcohol consumption
Or weird addiction to buying stuff in the centre aisles eg computers!
That's an almost impossible amount to spend weekly on two adults in aldi/lidl

You need a list to avoid duplicating freezer stuff. Even with one I can spend about £120 every 5/6 days - 4 adults- but dh can easily spend £150+ as he will buy alcohol, brands and treats. Pre cv it was around £80 plus a takeaway and his sandwich lunches. Sounds like you need to take the odd walk though, before baby comes, to destress and he needs to find an alternative to alcohol.

@Comps83 have you calculated how much he is spending on alcohol?

I think prices are rising too, and fewer discount offers. £150 this week , with less meat but more freezer food.

@Needallthesleep that's nearly £30 a day on food for two adults and a toddler, on a home-cooked veggie diet, what on earth are you eating?

We're eating 15 lunches at home instead of at work/school plus teenager proportions of cereal which they usually skip. I seldom add wine to the trolley and if I do it'll be a £7 or less bottle. I'm spending about £100 a week at the moment but that includes everything from pet food to washing powder, toiletries and we're eating some really good quality home-made meals. Absolutely less than we normally spend including takeaways!

Are you buying other things on your shop other than groceries? Clothes? DIY stuff? Books? That could add to the price

I'm not sure it matters what other people are spending.
He drinks too much
He spends more than you have
He is aggressive if you want to discuss what he's buying/or suggest doing it yourself
I suspect he is an alcoholic and can't afford for you to be involved with the shopping in case it ends up with you reducing his supply

For now stop doing anymore shopping, do a full inventory of everything in kitchen & freezer. Then make a meal plan and start using what you have in already to make space.

Stop throwing away excess fruit and veg, it can be chopped, pureed or cooked and frozen.

Don't buy anymore fresh stuff until you've used up what you've got. Go shopping less frequently, so once a fortnight rather then weekly.

Cheese, fruit, vegetables, eggs, milk and bread can all be frozen.

You spend £800-£1200 a month, on groceries for 2 adults and a baby, at Lidl/Aldi? Wtf?

Have you actually seen the receipts?