To not agree with dh that 160 is extortionate for a food shop for 4 adults?

[Fadedchintz]

I'm recovering from Covid and while I was ill dh and the dcs (over 18, one on gap year and working part time, one here temporarily for a fortnight) did the shopping and cooking, all good. Over the last 10 days they've used up a lot of things. Went shopping yesterday and spent 90 in Aldi and then 70 in Tescos - dd is gluten free so can't get that in Aldi plus there are some branded things we like. I also spent 15! on olive oil which was extortionate but that was 2 litres from Aldi. I use it for cooking and it will last ages. No alcohol, some dog food and that shop will feed 4 for the rest of the week for breakfast lunch and dinner. Lots of things to stock the freezer, chips, peas etc. Tinned Tom's, baked beans, ketchup (both so expensive now - should move to heinz dupes and will do in future). Lots of fruit because I've been so ill and want to eat healthily. Washing powder, flash bleach cleaner (dogs!)

Anyway, dh looked at the joint account and was really shocked and slightly judgemental. Told me we really need to rein in our spending. I felt a bit like a naughty kid.

AIBU not to agonise over a 160 shop? I've meal planned and that is 6 good dinners, 6 lunches and breakfasts for a week. We never have takeaways. We also live a long way from the nearest shop so food needs to last.

And I bet his mum only has herself to shop for too!

Ask him what you should have left out.

Same here- 160 a week for 4 adults...absolutely bonkers but I'm used to it now!

It's going to vary so much. We are two and I spend over £20O a week at this time of year as we are stocking up for Christmas.

That works out £1.90 per person per meal. If he thinks he can do better, let him.

He definitely needs a trip to the supermarket to see prices.
I do the shopping every week it irks me no end at the price leaps in a week 70 p plus ...it's the same stuff in the warehouse from the week before.

I’m well into my 30s but I remember as a kid my mum spending about £200 quid a week at Tescos for 6 of us, and that was 20 years ago. I assume that would be close to double that now. £160 easily sounds about right for 4.

You can’t walk into a food shop and spend less than £50 these days.

Ik on food?

I don't think it's great if it's every week but some shops will be that much. I spent double this week in Sainsbury's because I topped up on items that we buy rarely. I think monthly spends are a more accurate picture of prudence or frivolity. I'd hope for £500 a month in your position but no shame on £600! £1000-2000 a month is extravagant.

It’s rare for us to spend less than £150 per week on food (including for two cats) and we are a family of five.

We have a weekly budget for food and petrol (£150) at the end of the week we put what’s left in a separate account to cover the weeks where we have big purchases (or the kids are off school and wanting 3 million snacks 🤣)

its split into DH petrol £30, my petrol £20 and food £100 roughly but can depend on how far I drive with work to if I need more

food is based on 2 adults and 2 children under 6 (one of which gets free school meals and the other does nursery 2 days so gets fed there)

it’ll be going up shortly with another baby due soon and it’ll go up again when I return to work and again when my eldest doesn’t get the free meals 🙈

I think it’s ridiculous he thinks that’s extortionate for 4 people for 10 days. I struggle to keep mine under £200 a month just for me, and I’m quite careful.

I read the title and thought 'yes that is extortionate '.

But that's four adults and people you don't have all the time so you've got a few more staples to stock up - and I'm sure they are taking advantage of home comfort more than if this was normal set up where they might eat out or get a takeaway then odd night.

Gluten free adds a big cost and it's more like £120 if you knock off olive oil, washing powder and dog food.

I think if you spent it week in and week out he might have a point but in the circumstances you describe it seems okay.

I don't spend that much for a week if there are 8 of us at home. Really 'expensive' is all relative

It’s not even a week! It’s 10 days! I don’t think less than £500 a month for a family of 4 is bad at all, let alone extortionate!

I've just spent £115 for two people in Tesco. Nothing flashy, all food/pet/cleaning supplies and not even a single bottle of wine. It doesn't take long to add up, particularly when you have to restock stuff like dishwasher tablets.

£160 seems very reasonable to me, especially if you were stocking up on staples too.

There's only usually 2 of us and excluding pet food, washing powder, etc we spend easily 120 per week. Might actually be a little more as my DP will pop to the butchers at least once a week for good sausage, bacon and anything that looks reasonable to make an evening meal

Probably unreasonable three years ago but everything shopping wise is now so much more expensive, inflation may have come right down but the prices certainly haven’t

Hubbys being unrealistic I spend £100 every week for two adults & about £75 twice a month on fresh meat, this does not cover animal feed; alcoholic drinks etc & I still buy fresh fruit in between both healthy weight (not over weight) but we do not eat processed foods at all everything is made fresh.

DH needs to give his head a shake, he’d soon complain I bet if food supplies were low in the house and his belly was empty and clothes unwashed. £160 goes nowhere these days and it sounds like you were catering for 4 adults. Let him cook, clean and budget for a month, see how he manages the finances, especially with a vegan under the roof too, those ‘Free From’ foods are costly.
Sounds like your doing a great job OP, it’s not your fault the government seek to bleed the British people dry.

Well said, that’s a good response Haroldwilson

I’d be tempted to ‘charge back’ for any cupboard essentials he used last week, and then total his spending up versus yours (don’t forget to reduce your shopping total, this week, by the cost do things you wouldn’t have needsd if he’d covered them last week, too)

We're never less than £600 pcm in supermarkets.

Obv that's some non food as well.

But doesn't included other snacks/eating out/school dinners etc.

I noticed this with my shop this week re clubcard. Is this a normal thing supermarkets do before Christmas? And why?