How would you spend a bit of saved housekeeping money

[HonHonoriaGlossop]

Ive been trying to save between £80 - 100 per month since august out of my housekeeping money. This is 1/4 of it so has meant being very creative with the cupboards, using up stuff in the freezer and being very frugal/serious yellow sticker shopping and olio.
by the end of this month (pay runs 20-20th of the month) I should have around £300. I was planning to put it aside for early next year as a bit of a cushion and continue adding to it all the time I can afford to make the savings, however I'm now wondering whether I would be better off investing in buying basics like cereal, coffee, pasta, butter, cat food at the current prices and developing a bit of a stash to be used next year. food prices keep marching upwards so now I'm wondering if it would be more astute to buy what I know we will need.
in my position, WWYD ? Also any tips on what looks like still going up in price and worth the spend now ?

i can't believe I'm looking at how I can best invest my money in the markets of dried pasta and olive oil.... thanks, Putin

you lost me at “housekeeping money” who is “keeping” you?

nobody is keeping me thankyou.
it is the money DH and I (although mainly me ) decide is allocated from our joint income to food and general household items.
i think you know perfectly well what it means unless you're a bit simple

I would continue to save it.

And as I do all of the menu planning and cooking (ex chef) I have control over it.
in our household we allocate tasks according to our strongest skills. Hence I deal with the food.

I would use some for Christmas extras. Some for sticking up and save the rest.

You stand accused of being normal

I'd hate not having well stocked cupboards - not so much rising prices but a snowy winter or a bad illness

Could you maybe invest in the pantry stuff with 50% of it and keep saving the other 50%? Our money is worth less and less in the bank anyway now with inflation, so it's quite sensible (I think) to stock up if you can (alternatively, if saving, you need to find something with a higher return than a standard saving account).

Cash is king - lob it in savings account

any debt to pay off, that works always be my first priority

Housekeeping money is typically a 'wage' paid by the breadwinner to a stay at home partner/parent to deal with all the household tasks. Very 1960s housewife. That's why PP queried it. Not being simple.
I think you're referring to food budget? If you're managed to live in a lower budget for that element is there another pot which could do woth a boost?

We won't be home for Christmas as we are both working (joys of blue light jobs); we don't really go in for much extra Christmas food anyway tbh

Nope

I’d probably stock up on non-perishables with half and keep the other half back in case.

I try to stock up as we go. So if what we need that week is lower than normal I buy basics that are on offer (hence the large amount of nice tinned tomatoes and our favourite pasta in the cupboard).

I'd just save it and perhaps by half and start stocking up too.

Half pantry and half savings.

'Housekeeping money' sounds more like a small amount of money you are given to run the home by your DH, who then keeps hold of the rest. I actually felt a bit sorry for you having to squirrel away a few crumbs of your meagre allowance 🤣
I now see you mean your household food budget.
In answer to your question,it would probably be better to put the money aside as then it can be used for other increasing costs if necessary, not just food.

I did something similar once I ended up being a bit of a hoarder and spending far too much time finding deals and stocking up and inevitably there were certain things that just didn't get used. However, If you can have a bit of a buffer each month in buying in bulk (within reason) I would set aside a bit of cash for this, or if you see a particularly good offer it can be good to stock up a little. I think I read some research that states when things are plentiful (as in a very well stocked storecupboard), you are less careful about usage and I think that carefulness is important. I used to stock up on conditioner but use loads on my hair, now I only buy it when it's running out and I am more careful...I used to stock up on laundry pods and not think twice about washing things twice... that kind of thing. When the item you are using has to last longer - you make it last longer!

If you do decide to stock up on pasta, rice flour you need proper containers to keep them in....

Some items have 'special prices' on a regular basis eg Kenco coffee gets 'reduced' every couple of months. I think they rotate round in turn which supermarket gets the deal. Take note and stock up when the item is on 'special'. Coffee is quite costly so stocking up can cost £10+ a time - it can be expensive saving money!

They do it for toothpaste, too.

I am surprised at the petty quibbling over a term that we all knew what the op meant. What a waste of negative energy on a Saturday morning.

I think I would spend £100 of it on all the dry items you mentioned and save the £200 - keeping a buffer.

can you set up a holiday saving fund?

otherwise nice coffee and tea

I'm would definitely stock up. My passata in the pantry is giving me the best returns on my investment at the moment.

Not that it was the question but since it’s come up I’ve always thought housekeeping money was for keeping house wherever it came from.

Id probably keep saving, OP. Find the highest interest rate you can.

no tips though,
everything is going up in price

If you don't have savings, I would put it away and "forget about it", if you have decent savings already I would buy a couple of extra food items for the pantry and put the rest aside.

You could use it to take advantage of offers on thing you always use, these are scarcer now but still about. We use a specific brand of cereal and if it's ever on offer, I buy five or so boxes, as I know it will be used. So not 'stocking up' in one bulk way but having the flexibility to buy more when it makes sense.