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Is this living hand to mouth and unsustainable?

173 replies

honourthethreat · 16/05/2023 16:50

I've pasted actual 4 weeks' food shopping below, purchased for 2 people in March; teenager and adult. Budget is £70 per week but I've been advised this is unreasonable, their cupboards are bare, they are living hand to mouth, cannot stay within budget and do not have enough to eat.

Note: There is no alcohol purchased and cleaning products have a different budget so this is for food only. I'd like your opinions please whilst I consider if an increase to budget is justified. Thanks in advance.

06 03 - £89 incl. takeaway
Protein: Chicken thighs, bacon, minced beef, smoked salmon, chicken tikka, cooked chicken slices, sushi, pizza & dip, x2Fridge raiders, x2 beef pasties, x2 chicken bake, x2 tikka slice, doner kebab & chips takeaway.
Dairy: 6L milk, x2 butter, cheese, mayonnaise, x12 fromage frais, milkshake.
Carbs: x2 large loaves, garlic bread, wraps, rocky biscuits, choc biscuits, Jaffa cakes, x12 crisps.
Fruit/veg: Onions, potatoes, coriander, stir-fry mixed veg, peppers, spring onions, cucumber, lettuce, tomatoes, coleslaw, apples, avocado, clementines, apple juice.
Other: Stir-fry sauce, mineral water, Large L’or coffee.

13.03 - £75
Protein: x2 pizza, fish fillets, beef mince, 1kg chicken breast, cooked chicken slices, x2 chicken bake.
Dairy: 8L milk, cheese, oat milk, yoghurt, soured cream.
Carbs: Large loaf, garlic bread, cereal bars, x 2 cheese pasties, x2 pasta types, rice, pasta sauce, tortilla wraps, x6 crisps, Jammie dodgers, lettuce, peppers.
Fruit/ veg: Mushrooms, chopped tomatoes, kidney beans, coleslaw, spring onions, broccoli, cauliflower,1kg carrots, cucumber, apples, bananas, grapes, tropical juice.
Other: Volvic water, hot chocolate, Large L’or coffee, 2L Pepsi, X4 Mars bars.

20.03 - £79
Protein: x4 burgers, diced steak, beef mince, medium chicken, salmon fillets, 1kg chicken legs, 1kg chicken thighs, smoked salmon, cooked sliced chicken, x2 tikka slices.
Carbs: x12 crisps, spaghetti, x2 cheese/onion slices.
Dairy: 4L milk, large tub butter, eggs, x6 yoghurts.
Fruit/veg: Plum tomatoes, potatoes, onions, mushrooms, stir fry meal deal, clementines, bananas, grapes, apple juice.
Other: x2 large coffee, vegetable oil, BBQ sauce, x4 Twix, x9 toffee crisp, x5 peanut butter cups, 2L mineral water.

27.03 - £71
Protein: Chicken kebabs, x2 pizza, beef meatballs, chicken breasts, salmon fillets, beef mince, x2 packs cooked sliced meat, medium chicken.
Carbs: Yorkshire puds, biscuits, Naan, garlic bread, flatbread, fries, noodles, rice sachets, x3 biscuits, cereal, x6 crisps, Lge loaf.
Dairy: 6L milk, cheese, yogurt.
Fruit/veg: Veg medley, chopped tomatoes, coleslaw, peppers, cauliflower, cucumber, lettuce, mushroom, onions, carrots, potatoes, kidney beans, bananas, apples, clementines, grapes, cherries, tropical fruit juice.
Other: Chocolate, 2L mineral water, Large L’or coffee, Bolognese sauce, pasta sauce, curry sauce, stir fry sauce, squash, salad cream, ketchup.

OP posts:
Motnight · 16/05/2023 16:52

I am no expert but the food looks heavy on ready made stuff. Also why buy mineral water all!

Motnight · 16/05/2023 16:52

And so much milk!

KateyCuckoo · 16/05/2023 16:54

I got a lot more than than from Aldi yesterday, I spent £81. I think you need to shop smarter and less convenience/ junk foods. And don't buy bottled water!

wildfirewonder · 16/05/2023 16:55

What is it to cover? It doesn't look much in some areas - not much bread - but pointless items in others - mineral water.

Maybe menu plan and shop to that?

How many slices of bread can a teen eat? Answer: infinite.

TellHimDirectlyInDetail · 16/05/2023 16:59

I spend £80 a week on 2 adults, 2 children and a cat and that includes toiletries and cleaning products. Also includes lunches for both adults.

KnittedCardi · 16/05/2023 17:00

x4 burgers, diced steak, beef mince, medium chicken, salmon fillets, 1kg chicken legs, 1kg chicken thighs, smoked salmon, cooked sliced chicken, x2 tikka slices

I would say that should feed four for a week, but maybe I have a small appetite. 2kg of chicken, plus a medium roast chicken, is a fuck load of chicken!

peachespeachespeaches · 16/05/2023 17:04

The water is odd. It's not enough bottled water to last a week, so why are they buying it. Either they're only drinking 2 litres of plain water a week, or they're drinking it and then having tap water, which means just stop buying it in the bloody first place.

And 8 litres of milk between two people in a week is madness.

mast0650 · 16/05/2023 17:04

I've not read the details. £70 per week for two adults should be fine. We are on a high income, spend similar and eat very well.

peachespeachespeaches · 16/05/2023 17:04

Also I agree with PP, shop to a meal plan.

mast0650 · 16/05/2023 17:05

Having looked at it, it is a HUGE amount of meat!

MichelleScarn · 16/05/2023 17:07

I don't think most people would call having smoked salmon, salmon fillets and all that chicken living 'hand to mouth'?
And so much branded goods, the L'Or coffee must be about £8? Could as pp says go to Aldi and get much cheaper. Are you trying to help and they are resistant?

cocksstrideintheevening · 16/05/2023 17:07

I don't really understand your question. Buying take away isn't living hand to mouth.

Do you have a teenage son that is on a protein kick and this is some odd kind of reverse?

ArnoldBee · 16/05/2023 17:08

We have £60 per week for 4 of us. We buy Aldi coke for example which is only 37p. We have lots of random bits in the cupboards! Check out the fb group feed your family for £20 a week for ideas.

InDubiousBattle · 16/05/2023 17:09

Is the teenager complaining? In that 'there's no food!!' kind of way I'm led to believe teenagers do!
What meals do you make op?

Iwrote · 16/05/2023 17:10

Who are "they" and why are you in charge of their food budget?

LookOutBandits · 16/05/2023 17:10

So this is the budget of someone you know and they think it's not enough for and they want to spend more money?

Secondwindplease · 16/05/2023 17:11

Sorry but why are you in the position of approving/rejecting a budget increase for two people you don’t appear to live with? You write as if you are not one of the two people the budget relates to, but you are responsible for their costs?

This context would be helpful because I’m sure everyone here wants to avoid giving ammunition someone who is financially controlling (not saying you are, but from the scant information you could be).

BirbFriend · 16/05/2023 17:21

That's loads. We're 2 people and we spend about £50 a month on food.

That's also loads of processed stuff that you could spend less to make yourself.

BirbFriend · 16/05/2023 17:22

BirbFriend · 16/05/2023 17:21

That's loads. We're 2 people and we spend about £50 a month on food.

That's also loads of processed stuff that you could spend less to make yourself.

Sorry £50 a week 😄

Motnight · 16/05/2023 17:22

BirbFriend · 16/05/2023 17:21

That's loads. We're 2 people and we spend about £50 a month on food.

That's also loads of processed stuff that you could spend less to make yourself.

😮

Dacadactyl · 16/05/2023 17:26

£70 for 2 people is high if they are claiming they're living hand to mouth.

If I had to, I'm reasonably confident I could get 3 meals a day for 4 people (2 adults, 1 x 16 yo girl and 1 x 11yo boy) for £70.

TheFutureIs · 16/05/2023 17:26

Lots of luxury items there, sushi, branded coffee, chocolate bars, bottled water.

Also lots of processed food and a crazy amount of meat.

Lots of scope for spending less!

Floralie · 16/05/2023 17:27

Plenty of ways to save money if they wanted to, if they don't need to then yes the amount seems fine.

Flowertight · 16/05/2023 17:29

Why are you controlling someone else’s food budget? As this is in divorce I assume it’s your ex?

SleazyLizzard · 16/05/2023 17:34

i spend way more than that