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

[fartlek]

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?

£400 at the most for a month that's for 7 of us,myself,DH,5DC(20,18,15,13,9)3 Dogs,1 Cat and 2 Rabbits that usually includes food for the wild birds as well.

I'm in the SE not far from London so prices are usually quite high where we are,we usually shop in Asda and Lidl and we pick up some bits from M&S and Waitrose.

I'd say we eat about 75% of home made meals,we eat out now and again and have a take away now and again.

We get through alot of food because there's 7 of us but also because all 5DC have very large appetites,they all have 4 meals a day and pudding after lunch and dinner.

They're all very active though and alot taller than they're peers,it doesn't matter how much they eat they all seem to just burn it off instantly and they're always ready for more food.

I'm very glad DH can't read this - we spend about £800 a month, around £150 on the main shop but it's the top up visits that do the damage. And that's for 4 of us, all adults. I cook everything from scratch but the DDs still at home are monsters for snacking. We have a huge fridge, eat lots of fruit and veg, but having said that, eldest DD and her 3 munchkins are here most days for lunch, snacks etc........ and big family meals at weekends. God knows what we'd spend if we drank!!

I spend around £450 a month, 5 adults.

We spend a lot for two people, too. But we do eat low-carb, and likes salmon etc. Usually, I will be next to a person with a cart-full of groceries and his/her bill would be half than my basket!

I have spent just under £300 this month, and that's for two adults, one child, and a child that eats loads every weekend (my "son-from-another-mum").

I was spending about twice that, then decided to shop only at Aldi, with the odd top-up here and there for essentials at the local shop. I cook from scratch, and we have no take-aways at all, nor do we eat out.

Bloody hell. Reading that, and I really do live up to my user name!

See I always balk at MN suggestions that an amount like that is 'ridiculous' (not on this thread to be fair, but on other). Whether it's reasonable or not surely depends on whether or not you can afford it. You've identified you're going to close to the limit, so want to cut back and I'm sure you can do so.

DP and I spend £400-£600 a month on what we would call ' the messages' - just us and the cat. That includes soap powder, bin bags, cleaning products, bog roll and basic toiletries like shampoo and shower gel as well as food and drink. It doesn't include DP's lunches (I try to make my own for healthy diet reasons, but am a bit hit and miss) or any tea / coffee bought at work.

Thing is, we are in a position (now) where we don't fuss too much. So I totally recognise that my costs are driven by things like buying butcher fillet / sirloin; free range, organic chicken; organic eggs; decent wine; a pampered moggy. So it would be totally possible to cut this back by quite a lot.

When we had less money we still liked 'nice' meat etc. so what we did was eat far more veggie meals tbh which made a big difference. We also drank cheaper drinks when we did drink.

We spend £150 per week on food and petrol for 2 adults and two children.
But, I'm following slimming world more or less atm and that relies heavily on fresh fruit and vegetables so that has made a significant impact on the amount we spend.

Three adults, sometimes four. One cat. About £120 pw plus £40pw top ups. No packed lunches. Lunch on top. If ds is home closer to £150 pw plus top ups.

If I didn't work full time could bargain shop.

I genuinely don't have a clue how much I spend on food a month because it's all so random and constant.

I do online shops from Sainsbury's, pop in to Waitrose as it is my closest shop, buy stuff in Scotmid when it's close to children's sports and I work near a lidl.

I have recently started to buy more in lidl rather than just buying lunch stuff and I do think it is a lot cheaper so am going to try and do more shopping there. All the things I but regularly seem to be about 20p or more cheaper so reckon it must add up. Some things are hugely different eh figs in lidl were 4 for a £1 whereas in waitrose and M&S they were 70p each.

Between £100 - £120 per month for two adults. We shop at Aldi and this includes almond milk, seabass, lots of fruit and veg (stays fresh for over a week - same suppliers as m&s!), free range chicken, etc. I'll never be able to do a sainsburys shop again!! We cook from scratch on most days.

£320 per month for 4 adults and a very active 6yo, 3 cats. This includes washing powder, dishwasher stuff, loo roll and cleaning products

Most of our fresh food is yellow sticker and yes, i work full time

I shop online, Asda atm. I don't drive and DH hates going grocery shopping, with or without me. I buy own brand and smartprice stuff whenever possible, and check for rollbacks. Tomorrow's shop comes to around £108 including delivery.

I disagree with pp about the ready meal lasagne being cheaper than making it from scratch. If you swap your mince you'll immediately save money. I used two packets of pork mince tonight and made 8 portions. I reckon I spent easily less than £5.

I also agree with the Eat Well for Less tip. When the first Series came out we were struggling with our weekly supermarket spend. Off the back of their advice we meal plan now and have swapped supermarkets. We are in a better place financially now (though with an extra mouth to feed) so probably spend a similar amount to OP over the month if you include the top up shops and takeaways for a family of 4 (one in nappies) and two pets. That said this week's main shop cost me £42 (including cleaning products) I normally do a weekly shop and then once or twice a month I do an Asda store cupboard shop with tins and nappies.

we spend £450 per month for 2 adults and 2 teenagers, a cat and a dog. That includes food and toiletries. But also spend another £100 per month for teenagers school dinner money (refuse to take a packed lunch as not cool) We usually get a takeaway twice a month on average too at another £60 so scary stuff with a total of over £600 on food each month!

Loads. Goes on lots of lovely stuff- nice wine, organic meat, fruit and veg etc. Mainly shop with Ocado and with a local service (hubbub.co.uk) that delivers from nice foodie shops, Riverford and farmers' market.

What counts as "too much" depends on your budget, and you can eat well for far less than I spend. I don't see food as something to scrimp on more than you need to, however- what could be more important than the quality of food you eat (for heath and pleasure) and paying a fair price. As a nation we spend too little on food IMO and expect it to be dirt cheap.

I sound like a right twat.

I have to agree fully with all posters who have said fruit especially pushes up your bill- in the school holidays my 5 were eating £35 worth of fruit a week- could have bought the equivalent in doughnuts for £10..

For myself, DH and 4 children (with bloody huge appetites) all have packed lunched. 2 rabbits and 2 fish spend £550 pm.
I order meat online at musclefood then plan what we are having and try to only buy that but still throw stuff away.

£400 a month at aldi for two adults, toddler and cat. It used to be about £280 when we were buying oven food but changed to a fresh diet and the meat/fruit costs more! Still happy with that amount though as it includes all toiletries etc.

Sorry added it up wrong, we spend £340 now!

That's extortionate!!! Maybe 160 on food a month and 40 on essentials (shampoo,cleaning etc) that's me And my daughter when i was with EXP and DD it was around 200.

Around £500 for family of five and a large dog. Shop in Aldi and local butcher, dog food bought online. This includes toiletries - home bargains and washing powder, foil, bin bags etc. I meal plan and cook from scratch, take out or eating out no more than once a month. DC have school meals but they still have a hot dinner each night. Includes approx £10-£15 on fruit and veg weekly.
I don't think I could reduce it further without buying cheaper meat or replacing home cooked food with cheap pizza and chips or processed pie type meals.

Used to spend £160-£180 every 2 weeks for me and DP when shopping at Asda. Switched to Aldi and £100 lasts us £3 weeks with top up of stuff around £60. Everything I cook is from scratch, very rarely have freezer dinners. Plenty of meat, veg and fruit.

I think that's a reasonable amount, tbh, if you add it up it roughly works out at 46p for each meal a day (breakfast, dinner and tea, + a few snacks)