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Original poster

Whats your average weekly shopping bill???

50 replies

SHHHH · 27/03/2006 11:41

Out of curiosity.....

Dh has given me a budget of £40. I have been trying to do the weekly shop (for dh,dd (10mths) and I) on this budget and seem to go over from between £10-£40.

I personally think it's unrealistic esp when I have a dh who will eat "some" store own foods but not all. ie mince has to be best and not "value" range, bread "Hovis" and not tesco own..etc.

I have challenged him to next weeks shop..all with £40 Grin.

Is anyone else the same..? Is it men..? Do they not realise the cost of everyday items.?

OP posts:
acnebride · 27/03/2006 11:44

my budget is £78 for 3 of us and I do think £40 is low, i have to say though that i have read threads on here where people say they are coping well on £40 and i feel very chastened by it. am going to have to try.

i think getting him to do the shop is good but will he have to try and then feed the little one with what he gets or will you be stuck with it...?

if you can afford it, try and get some things 'off-budget' that he pays for, e.g. milk delivered???

sandyballs · 27/03/2006 11:45

I aim for £90 and that is for me, DH and two 5 year old DDs and includes everything. £40 is very unrealistic for 3 of you, especially if you are including washing stuff and toiletries.

Hattie05 · 27/03/2006 11:48

Weekly??? you should definitely manage around that. I budget myself around £50 a month.

Thats for me dp and dd who is 3, and a cat with very expensive tastes!

My budget includes all household stuff too - cleaning products and toilet rolls etc.

What i tend to do is do a big shop once a fortnight where i spend between £60 and £70 And then in between i may need to pop out for little bits which don't amount to more than £30. So theres £100 spent in a fortnight.

Perhaps its worth going less frequently? Sometimes i do my big shop online as well to stop me being tempted by unnecessary goodies.

Hattie05 · 27/03/2006 11:50
Blush

Obviously i mean £50 a week in that first line!

acnebride · 27/03/2006 11:55

Mmm. From SHHH's first post, she is spending £50 a week in a 'good' week. Sounds about right then. Do you think your dh would go for that SHH?

don't forget child benefit has just gone up by £2 a month so you can include that Grin

Original poster
SHHHH · 27/03/2006 12:29

Ha!! thanks for the replies. I was planning on giving dh a list of essentials and see what he comes home with, I also want to let him think for a change of what to do for weekly meals. Again hopefully he can keep within his budget!

Acnebride, we do have veg delivered every 2 weeks so its cheaper that the supermarkets. This is on top of the amount I currently spend.I am a sahm so dh pays for it all.

I go weekly as it's easier to get meals etc a week in advance. If we went every 2 weeks for example I know for a fact we would need to shop for items such as bread and milk etc during this time. Causing a trip to the shops and the possibility of buying more!

I still think it's not realistic for us as a family, hey ho suppose I better discuss it with him!!! Just wanted to know about others and their budgets. Anyone else out there..???

OP posts:
Hulababy · 27/03/2006 12:35

We spend bween £60 and £80 a week on the online shop. This includes food and household stuff, and usually 1-2 bottles of wine. There is me and DH, and DD (nearly 4yo).

We tend to eat out at weekends so this covers us for 5 days a week plus other bits. I take my own lunch to work. DH doesn't DD is out for lunch 3 days a week.

I then find i have to call at the shops for bread and the odd bit of veg during the week - so another £10-20 there.

Milk is dlivered by milkman, at about £4 a week.

I try and menu plan before ordering online, which can help a little to reduce waste.

CarlyP · 27/03/2006 12:36

we spend 90-130 per week for me, dh, and 2 ds's.

cx

CarlyP · 27/03/2006 12:36

we spend 90-130 per week for me, dh, and 2 ds's.

cx

magnolia1 · 27/03/2006 12:37

We do £100 for me, dh, and 4 kids, 2 dogs, 2 cats and 2 fish Grin

Could probably manage on £80-£90 but that would be without treats etc...

Dh does all our shopping so he can't moan Smile

elliott · 27/03/2006 12:39

I should think it would be possible, but you'd have to be prepared to budget quite carefully. But if you're the one doing the shopping, shouldn't he listen to you about the costs? Though your suggestion that he tries it for week is an excellent one.
I find the idea that 'he pays for it' a bit strange though - don't you agree how you allocate the household income?

elliott · 27/03/2006 12:41

Also, I should add that we spend about 60-90 a week for four of us, without really trying to budget at all. I agree that £50 might be more reasonable - it does depend a lot on what gets included, for example alcohol, cleanign stuff, toiletries, nappies etc etc

Kelly1978 · 27/03/2006 12:41

I really couldnt do it and eat healthily. I used to live off £25 a week four years ago with my exh when there was three of us, and we lived off basics.
Now there are 6 of us and I struggle to keep it under £100.

Twiglett · 27/03/2006 12:42

spend over £100 / week easily

MerlinsBeard · 27/03/2006 12:43

we have the same budget and find it hard to stick to some weeks (nappy weeks Wink) but it is doi-able just about. i get cheaper things, shops own toilet cleaner for eg. I do shop online so i can't be tempted and i don't include the delivery as part of my budget.
i meal plan (ish) so i have an idea of what we will actually eat so theres not much wastage.
if ur dh will only eat certain foods then make him buy them and u can get the rest of the shopping! if u cook most things then hes not going to notice if u use economy mince every now and then is he?

MerlinsBeard · 27/03/2006 12:45

should add that that £40-50 is for me, DP a 3 yo and a 1 yo

we have overspent this month so this week we can't afford ANYTHING !!! its a week of whatever is in the freezer!

Bozza · 27/03/2006 12:45

Right we budget £60 a week for 2 adults, 5 yo and 1yo still in nappies. That includes nappies, toiletries, cleaning stuff and booze. However it would be less if it didn't include fruit/veg because we eat quite a lot.

Think your DH is being unreasonable stipulating what quality of food you have to buy but then only giving you £40 to do it.

Original poster
SHHHH · 27/03/2006 12:47

elliott, I don't know what you mean by "don't you agree how you allocate the household income"...

Apologies !!

DH earns the money and it is spent however we see fit..? DH earns it and ensures bills etc are paid. Why is this strange? Money is also given to me monthly for me to spend on myself etc. I do also have access to our bank account whenever I need it.

OP posts:
Original poster
SHHHH · 27/03/2006 12:49

mom thats crafty Wink.

OP posts:
milward · 27/03/2006 12:50

Does this include nappies?

iota · 27/03/2006 12:51

can you not sit down with him and go through the till receipt and discuss exactly what you have spent it on?
If he agrees with what's on the list, he will just have to give you more money.

I'm not expressing this very well, what I mean to say, is does he appreciate how much things cost?

Bozza · 27/03/2006 12:52

SHHH I agree with Elliot actually. You wrote "DH has given me a buget of £40". IME (and Elliot's I think) DH shouldn't be giving you a budget - it should be you and DH agreeing the budget.

Original poster
SHHHH · 27/03/2006 13:04

iota, I don't think he realises 100% what things cost! Think that may be the cause!!

Bozza, explained that way then I also agree. Think dh see's what we are spending and wants to try and keep the outgoings down.
I just wanted to see what others spend a week.
Milward, the budget does inc nappies.!

OP posts:
MrsRecycle · 27/03/2006 13:11

£40 a week - and I control the finances. Dh does the shopping and is able to stick to my budget. That's for me, dh, au-pair and dds (8,5).

No booze, no processed meals, just fruit/veg/dairy stuff/fruit juices/expensive bread. We do a CostCo (wholesale)shop every two months where we buy meat for the freezer and cleaning products/loo roll/kitchen roll/fruit juices. But we're lucky that we have the extra space to store it.

So averaging it out, our budget is around £60 a week.

iota · 27/03/2006 13:12

well Shhhh, we spend easily over £100 a week on food and household stuff, and thats for 4 of us plus a cat.

My dh does know where the money goes, however, as he used to do the weekly shop before I was a SAHM and sometimes still goes out to do top ups at the weekend.

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