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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that £500 is far too much to spend on groceries in a month?

293 replies

fartlek · 27/09/2016 14:40

I just totted up what I spent at supermarkets this month and realised that this is why I am £20 away from the end of my overdraft the day before payday. DH has also bought groceries this month so this isn't even our entire bill! We don't share accounts so it gets a bit murky as to who spends how much on what (this is a whole other thread to be started in relationships, we won't go there just now) but I'm pretty sure this is extortionate.
I have never been much of a budgetter when it comes to food shopping, I just buy what we need and try not to go for the most expensive item. What do others spend if I may ask?

OP posts:
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6
Osirus · 27/09/2016 14:48

Probably about £500. Two adults, one baby and three cats.

SallyMcgally · 27/09/2016 14:48

Is it just you and your DH? Seems quite a lot for just two people, but not mind-blowingly extravagant. We probably spend just under that on a family of four.

arethereanyleftatall · 27/09/2016 14:49

About the same. 2 adults, 2 young dds.

happyfeet1 · 27/09/2016 14:50

£60 a week for me and 3 kids. It was £90 a week until I started shopping online (Asda) and using a meal plan. I could do it even cheaper if I shopped around at Aldi etc, and stuck to a list, but I don't have the time at the moment.

horseymum · 27/09/2016 14:50

If you want to make any savings, have a watch of 'eat well for less' on BBC iplayer, gives some good ideas.

Spice22 · 27/09/2016 14:50

Is that just for you and your husband? If so , then I think it's a loooot

Wrinklytights · 27/09/2016 14:51

It depends how many are in your family, but meal planning is the best way to save money on your food shop IMO.

vulgarbunting · 27/09/2016 14:51

It's fine...I worked out the other day that I spend £450 on food for myself every month (excluding meals out!). Eek!

Branleuse · 27/09/2016 14:51

i dont think thats an extortionate amount at all, but it depends how big your family is

liz70 · 27/09/2016 14:51

Roughly that, maybe slightly over. Family of five, two teenagers plus 7 year old, and dog, two Guinea pigs and tropical fish 🐠 as pets.

PerspicaciaTick · 27/09/2016 14:52

How many people are you feeding and how much food do you throw away?

DrawingaLine · 27/09/2016 14:52

Just me and DH and the medium-sized dog.

In a 'normal' month, we'll spend about £350.

In a month where we have a BH weekend or Xmas or birthday we can easily spend £700 on groceries booze

Original poster
fartlek · 27/09/2016 14:53

There are three of us. Me, DH and 6yr old DS. Our cat gets special vet food so this doesn't even count her Shock.
I know that DH has probably spent at least £100 if not more on groceries this month so that puts us nearer £600.

OP posts:
DiJiBiDi · 27/09/2016 14:55

I do a weekly meal plan which costs around 40£ a week, and it's just me and DH.

I find planning my meals out and keeping things organized keeps you on top of everything but I sill think 40£ a week is too much for two people Confused

Original poster
fartlek · 27/09/2016 14:55

What is a BH weekend Drawing? sounds fun!

OP posts:
witsender · 27/09/2016 14:56

It isn't extortionate, if you can afford it. We are probably at around the 100 a week mark with two kids and two adults, plus dog.

Noodoodle · 27/09/2016 14:56

About 80-90 per week I think, 2 adults, 2 kids...some cats. I reckon it would be less if I meal planned properly but I'm rubbih at it.

DoItTooJulia · 27/09/2016 14:56

Is it just food or all cleaning supplies, toiletries, booze? Do you all have packed lunches?

redskytonight · 27/09/2016 14:56

How much you spend will vary depending on

  • number of people
  • number of meals (e.g. DC having school dinners)
  • how often you eat out/get takeaways or conversely entertain
  • appetite of people you are feeding
  • whether you are deliberately trying to spend as little as possible
  • whether you like brands
  • whether you like spending more on items you perceive to be value for money

We probably spend a bit less than that on a family of 4, all meals, 2 DC eat like adult, very rarely eat out.

But I don't think any level of food spending is extortionate if you are happy with it.

nocampinghere · 27/09/2016 14:57

if it includes groceries too (toiletries, non food eg dustbin liners, washing powder etc..) then i don't think it's extortionate.

toomuchtooold · 27/09/2016 14:59

Probably spend about 400 quid on food for 2 adults and 2 kids. Don't feel too bad about that as we seldom go out for food and that figure includes lunches for me and the kids. But we live in Germany, the land of cheap food. If we lived in the UK it would easily be another hundred - not because things are more expensive like for like but I would go nuts buying the sort of posh cook-chill meals you just can't get here. Oh, for a Waitrose 10 quid meal and wine deal!

Original poster
fartlek · 27/09/2016 14:59

I try not to throw too much away but we often don't get to the end of a loaf of bread before it goes off/stale. And DS has almost never cleared his plate.
It sounds like there is a lot of variation in how much people spend. Is this down to different shops or different areas of the country? I'm central(ish) Edinburgh and shop between Sainsburys, Morrisons and ASDA because they are closest to me. Aldi and Lidl are much further away and not on any of my regular routes but I might think about making a special trip if it will make a difference.

OP posts:
MissBattleaxe · 27/09/2016 15:00

Do you buy lots of convenience food or cook from scratch?

I spend £80 a week for me, DH, 2 DSs and 3 cats.

ScarletSahara · 27/09/2016 15:04

I'm in the South and we spend around £300 for two adults, a toddler and a cat. We recently switched to doing most of our shop (80%) at Aldi and topping up after at Sainsbury or Waitrose. I meal plan and shop to that. It's made a vast difference to finances doing these things!

toastymarshmallow · 27/09/2016 15:04

That seems crazy to me. Even if I got wine/cider for every weekend and bought more treaty bits I think I would struggle to spend that on groceries.

We spend £240 a month, DH, me, two DDs aged 3 and 7. I shop in tesco and top up in the local independent or in Lidl.

I think you need to meal plan and you and your DH need to be on the same page. When you say he shops too, does he eat different meals from you as well?