How much is your weekly shop?

[HalfStar]

We've been cutting back a lot lately and I feel like I'm getting control of our groceries bill (which includes all household cleaning stuff, toiletries, and a bottle of wine as well as food).

I read about families spending £50 a week in the UK and think that is really low. Since August our weekly shop for a family of 4 is coming in between 70-90 euro, often with the help of supermarket vouchers. (On a couple of occasions when we've had birthday parties or hosting visitors it's been more.)

Honestly I feel I'm doing well to get it down but it does require a fair bit of effort and eking things out over the week. Also a lot of being absolutely dogged about planning, batch cooking and freezing. Next year we'll have a new baby so will be paying for nappies again. I'm just wondering what other Irish Mnetters spend?

Have

I don't know how much I spend - I guesstimate about €100 to €150 a week..... it would vary a lot depending on what's on.

Two adults and 3 young kids. Main shop in Lidl or Aldi - perhaps about €50 or so. But yesterday I picked up a pair of boots for my 3 year old - €12... and would often pick up extra bits as I see them. I've been picking up extra bits for Christmas each week for last few weeks too in an effort to spread the cost and be more organised.

I spend about €15 in butchers - mince, chicken fillets, etc.

And then I spend maybe €30 in the local Centra each week - getting extras like milk, bread, bits for lunch boxes, lotto tickets, weekend newspapers, etc.

I sometimes meal plan - and I often freeze extra portions but our freezer isn't huge.

Our meals are sensible but we definitely spend a lot on extras - example, having a takeaway because we've had a day at the beach and it's rounds the day off nicely! Or a hot chocolate in the local cafe after school because it's raining and life is short!

Or if we're expecting visitors I'll bake something or get cheese and crackers, etc. And if I'm visiting someone I hate arriving empty handed so will often bring biscuits or whatever.

I probably should keep track of it all!!

I think that’s very good. We are a family of four. I try and spend under €100 a week all in - usually around €70 in Lidl at the beginning of the week and then a top up at the weekend including some wine.

I spend at' least' 200 euros a week on food for a family of four that includes 2 hungry teenage boys and a husband with a huge appetite plus two cats.I cook mostly always from scratch and try to do a big shop once a week keeping my pantry and freezer also full with pasta / rice , cans etc.But honestly two days after a big shop the fridge is practically empty and the kids are wailing about the lack of food to eat.The boys do a lot of sport and come home so hungry .No one in the house is overweight so its obviously not too much food for us.

I can well imagine schnubbins. I was doing my online shop earlier and it was hard to keep it below the 100 euro, only reason I managed it was because I had a voucher and also 'did without' certain things. My kids are little like I say - the teenage years are going to be so expensive.

I got to a Lidl during the week which is a very rare occurence since there's no branch near us at all. I took the chance to top up on things like toothbrushes and some other basic toiletries/cleaning items. We'd save loads on stuff like that if there was a branch near us. On the other hand, we'd end up picking up loads of stuff we don't need too

I think this thread has convinced me that it's not unusual to have to work hard to keep the weekly shop bill down in Ireland - and also that the bill is only going to get higher.

Still though it seems like prices are rising fast in the Uk...