To spend this much

[Cookeveryday]

DH wants to spend appx 6% of our household income on groceries (2 adults, 1 toddler & BF baby). It's really tight. I'd prefer to spend 10%. That would make meal planning, shopping & cooking everyday so much easier.

AIBU?

And, if you don't mind sharing, appx what % of household income do you spend on groceries?

If you are going to get him to shop for the month he also has to cook. You can eat much more cheaply if you’re prepared to faff around.

It doesn't work for comparison at all, unless you compare with those on a similar income to yourself!

Havnt done a percentage but currently for family 5 (three kids who eat like adults). £200 a week all in. Pre lockdown I never thought I spent that much but probably did as did £100 big shop, £40odd mid week shop then brought treats and snacks form corner shop so prob aboutnthe same without realising

This is one of those budgeting books he's had a read of that talk about % forhousing, insurance etc.
In the real world one might buy food then fancy something else entirely for tea. I literally could not live with a man who told me you've been allocated tomatoes for tea that's in the budget that's what you'll eat. Miserable existence.

Two adults, a four year old still in nappies at night and BF baby - we are spending £100.00 a week so your £400 sounds about right.

Actually we've been getting some shopping for others so I'd say we're close to £680 a month (still incredibly high!) bits it's all on... even a free bottles of wine

Oh my word.

So many typos.

That is our cost "all in" and it includes a few bottles of wine!!

Just for some context for your DH, when I was on income support I was still spending £100 a week on food out of an income of £150. It's just not doable to drop below that without eating shite.

I find we are spending much more now because we are all eating lunch at home, whereas normally both kids get school/nursery lunches.
Also we are eating more anyway because of boredom.
I’d say ordinarily we spend about 6%. At the moment about 8%. No nappies. It’s the extras that make the difference. Shampoo, shower gel, face cream etc. If it’s just food I could do it. Add alcohol or meat for a roast and no chance.

Honestly have no idea what percentage but we don’t really budget for shopping , we just try to keep it around a certain amount each week but if it’s over it’s not an issue .
Have to say though ,shopping is A LOT more expensive atm . Supermarkets don’t seem o have deals like they used to .
Not Tesco anyway

We spend 11% ish of take home, at the moment, on food.

"DH wants to spend £240 p/m, I want to spend £400. Household income is 4k."
Fuck me but he's tight.

I'm single, live alone and my income is about a third of yours. I spend about £200 a month just on myself! That's all groceries, toiletries etc, and I don't scrimp. He's being a bit tight I feel.

I crunch my numbers and make the money work hard as part of my contribution to the household, but you/ your OH sound obsessed with the statistics. There’s a difference and this doesn’t sound healthy on the face of it, (though I do get loving a challenge😊).

How can anyone answer this? We don’t know what the figures are do we.

Get him to meal plan and make a list of what he thinks you'll need on a weekly/monthly basis without him actually doing the online shop first. You can then discuss any items he forgets.

Having him do it without knowing the prices first should make him less bloody minded about arguing you don't need necessities.

THEN get him to go and shop for the list and see how it goes.

That should be a more realistic test.

The online shop plus necessities sounds sensible

Food is worth spending on. You are what you eat! I’d skimp on anything else.

Sorry you’re having to argue about this.

I would rather drive an old banger and not have a holiday than have to scrimp and save on every food item. I'd happily never go to a restaurant or have a takeaway. But I want good quality ingredients that I can make into nice meals, I would prioritise that over most other things. I think it's more a question of prioritisation than % of income.

We spend £800 per month, 2 adults, 2 primary aged dc who are always hungry, all eat every meal at home. Eat 80% fresh food which makes it more expensive.

£400 is reasonable shopping in Aldi, £240 is ridiculous. Maybe get him to do the shopping, sometimes it's hard to understand till you do it yourself.

I spend about that (55-65 per week) so let's say 65, on average that 65x4= 260 per month! I don't have to buy nappies though OP! Are you including those! Then I think 300 would be fine. Our income is approximately 4500.

So as a % it's 5.7ish so let's say 6%

And YES we eat VERY WELL!

About £120 a week. 2 adults and 2 teens who are eating much more than me.

Are you including alcohol, takeaways, coffees (pre lockdown) etc?
Also are you both WFH/furloughed as that would account for a bigger spend in shopping if you usually buy lunch on the go and he simply hasn't accounted for how much he usually spends.
Our income is just slightly higher than yours and to be honest I'd say we spend at least £700'maybe more (big shop, little bits, takeaways, coffees, alcohol)
That's me DH and 1 year old

I have the same set up as you Op. 2 adults, toddler and bf baby. As we are all home for all meals, I spend approx. £125-£150 a week in Tesco. Nothing extravagant, just our basic necessities. We eat a lot of fruit and have meat or fish every day. We have a mix of Tesco’s own and branded stuff and don’t throw much away. Your dh ibvu to think that you can spend £240 a month which is £60 a week!! How ridiculous. You have a decent income so you need to feed yourselves properly.