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Original poster

Please talk to me about food shopping bills and where you shop.

30 replies

CherryPie3 · 05/10/2011 15:53

My dh and I are currently in a bit of a debate as to what is an acceptable amount to be spending on food every month. We have 3 children (6, 5, 15m)

He hit the roof when I spent £135 on a fortnights shop. This was from aldi and telco and consisted of fresh, frozen and cupboard items.

I thought that was quite good as it wasn't just basics, there were treats and biscuits in there too.

Would you mind please telling me how much you spend a month to feed your family and where you shop? I need something to show dh as he thought £100 would buy you a months shop!!

Many thanks xx

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Original poster

CherryPie3 · 05/10/2011 15:53

*tesco. Flipping predictive text on my phone!

OP posts:

Mabelface · 05/10/2011 15:57

£135 for 2 weeks is actually good. I would suggest sending him with the shopping list inserted where the sun doesn't shine and tell him to get it cheaper than that.

blibblibs · 05/10/2011 15:58

Thats good going in my book! We spend about £90 a week and only have 2 children (3 & 2).

Only ever go to Sainsburys and get lots of the basic range.

Maybe DH could do the shopping for a month to see how hard a £100 budget would be.

threecurrantbuns · 05/10/2011 16:00

I agree for two weeks that is really good we have 3 similar ages and our average would be slightly more.

If he can do a whole month for one hundred please ask him to do mine :)

Original poster

CherryPie3 · 05/10/2011 16:25

Thank goodness for you sensible speaking mn'ers!! :)

I used to shop at sainsburys for not much more than I'm paying now but he put his foot down and we decided on Aldi with Tesco for top up shops.

I wish I could send him shopping but he works all the time and I'm SAHM. He thinks all I do is sit down or spend money - or both if I happen to go on the laptop!

Pffft

OP posts:

verybusyspider · 05/10/2011 21:13

I agree with everyone, that sounds like a great amount for 2 week shop. I have 3 ds's (5,3 and 2) and we spend between £140-£180 for a fortnightly shop
both dh and I work so pay the extra to have our tesco shop delivered, we take it in turns to order and do it in our lunch breaks - get him to do that and see how much he can 'save'

TimmyTimeRules · 05/10/2011 21:16

I shop in Asda's and spend between £80 - £110 per week. That's for 2 Ad, 16yr, 11yr, 9yr, 8yr and 7yr.

stressedHEmum · 05/10/2011 23:06

I probably spend between 75 and 90pounds a week. That's for all shopping for 4 adults (2 eldest are grown up now) and 3 kids (14,12,8.) To be honest, I think that I spend more on toilet roll, juice and soap powder than on food, though, food probably comes in between 30 and 40pounds a week, sometimes less.

I shop online at either Asda or Sainsbury and also use Approved Food for a lot of things like crisps/snacks and protein foods like dried beans and lentils.

My DH seems to think that I can feed, water and clean 7 folk for about 20quid a week. He would have to give up his Asda vindaloos and horrible spicy pizzas for that to work

buttonmoon78 · 06/10/2011 16:13

We currently spend about £300 pm on food for 2 adults, 14yo, 11yo, 4yo & 12wko ff baby (but I do use cloth nappies).

I used to spend about £100 more pm (for the 5 of us) but last Nov dh lost his job and we set up a new company so things are damn awful quite tight atm. It is not easy or comfortable and yes, I would like to have more, but we manage.

If your dh thinks he can get away with £100pm then tell him to do the shopping and that you'll split the difference But make it clear that you expect the same level of nutrition, and the same amoutn of treat/snack food.

pinkbraces · 06/10/2011 16:20

Thats really really good for a fortnights shop, I spend more than that and think Im doing well, and Ive cut down.

Please tell me how you do it, I find its not the once a week shop that mounts up its the inbetween shops, such as fresh fruit and veg, bread and milkl etc.

Im trying very hard to cut it down

LieInsAreRarerThanTigers · 06/10/2011 16:24

I agree that is shrewd shopping. I aim to spend no more than about £50 a week for me, 2 dc and 2 cats. We have recently ditched expensive dh who ate a lot of meat, so has cut it down from about £70 a week!

LieInsAreRarerThanTigers · 06/10/2011 16:29

I think with a larger family you should have an advantage over single people/small families who can't always make best use of the BOGOFs etc. I keep my bills low by having no brand loyalty, (I have my favourites but only buy them when on offer), always checking certain non-perishable expensive items like cat food, coffee, and stocking up if it is on offer, and doing an occasional shop in Lidl (it is a few miles away, so not always possible to get there and have to factor in fuel costs)

buttonmoon78 · 06/10/2011 20:05

LieIns that's a darn radical way of cutting down the bills!

LieInsAreRarerThanTigers · 06/10/2011 23:12

Yes I would only recommend it if there are other factors which swing it...

lollystix · 07/10/2011 13:33

We go between lidl and Tesco (with 10% staff discount to boot.) Do about 3 shops a month and generally spend £80-100 each time plus we get bits in the local co-op. All in all I reckon we probably spend just under £400 a month. Kids are 5,3 and 18m (lots of milk needed - that's why we go to Lidl). Your bloke is deluded if he thinks £135 can cover a month - maybe if you just eat lentils and baked beans and make a total industry out of cooking from scratch. Send him out to do it for a month and it will open his eyes. Food is not cheap any more.

joruth · 08/10/2011 10:21

I think you are doing good. I just had my 2.5 weekly shop (trying to stretch a 2 weekly shop to reduce spending) delivered it's £180 for 2 adults 4 children. But I will have to buy milk and fruit/veg inbetween.

My delivery is free and because I shop thru' www.mysupermarket.co.uk I also have no brand loyalty and swap anything that is reasonable...I shop at sainsburys because it's delivered free and the same shop at Tesco and Lidl combined came out at more...especially as I would have to drive over to get it.

DH sometimes shops "to save money"he has never managed to get all the housekeeping supplies that are in the budget above but always gets lots of "nice things" ...I think they think it's all about the food bill and forget the rest!

Rikalaily · 08/10/2011 11:07

About £150 a week in ASDA for 2 adults and 4 kids (one in nappies and is dairy free which adds to the total) We get alot of meat but use the 3 for £10 offer, will only buy minced steak mince though (but it's 2x500g for £5 so not bad for two meals worth). Everything included, household, bathroom, catlitter (get a 20l bag a fortnight as have 4 cats!) Also have to get the catfood from a nearby farm as can't get the one my oldest cat needs from the supermarket which is about £25 a month. Also includes everything needed for 4 packed lunches a day on weekdays (3 oldest and dp). We could spend less but like the odd treat (dp will throw in a £5 dvd for the kids etc now and then). We go through alot of fruit and veg, I cook from scratch most days and we eat very well so I think we do amazingly for £150.

Your dp is unreasonable, only a childless couple could eat for £100 a month, you should send him out for the shopping by himself, I bet his total will be higher or he'll only get enough food for a week or so.

mummysleepy · 09/10/2011 15:10

I spend about £50 a week for me, dh, and ds 1&2 ( ds 3 not on solids yet)
However I also have a delivery of fresh fish for Friday nights tea every week, and sometimes go to the butcher if I fancy pork instead of chicken or mince! Plus top up shops for bread and milk so will be approaching £300 a month all in ( baby is ebf and in washable nappies so he doesn't cost much yet!!)

MindtheGappp · 09/10/2011 15:13

I have five children and have no idea what our shopping bill is as I don't have regular shopping habits.

I shop in Sainsburys and Ocado, and occasionally Tesco. I also go to Costco about four times a year.

I had an Ocado delivery this week, with enough food for about half the week and it was £150. I had about £50 savings from BOGOF and 3for2.

Original poster

CherryPie3 · 09/10/2011 19:47

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to reply - picked up a few tips too for further frugal living :)

Dh and I are due a "budget review" talk soon so I'm going to keep this thread especially for that!

Thanks again ladies, I think everyone combined on here might just give dh the expensive reality check that is food shopping!!

xxx

OP posts:

fidelma · 16/10/2011 23:39

quitely about £200 a week for 2 adults and 4 dc ofen a few extras {blush}

icooksocks · 20/10/2011 15:08

We shop at aldi and asda, there are currently 2 adults and 3 kids and our shopping bill is around £80-100 but occasionally £120 and that's per week

UmmOfUmbridge · 23/10/2011 01:28

£150-£200 per week at Tesco's but we have 3adults, 2 teens, 1 child, 2 babies in nappies. My teens would eat the carpet if they could so a lot of money goes on feeding them.
We can do a £100 shop when things are tight but that's very few luxuries. Nappies and formula alone come to about £30. I agree with a pp, we go through a million loo rolls a week and lots of juice and bread!

Dee03 · 23/10/2011 13:03

Myself and 3 dc 9,12 and 14....between £100 and £130 a week but I do have 2 dogs and 4 cats to feed in with that shop aswell....
Apparently the CAB say that each person should be allowed £25 a week for food....I was told this by my housing officer when I had to go to court over rent arrears!!!!

ASuitableGirl · 23/10/2011 13:17

Someone linked to this a while ago - supposedly a couple with 2 children should as a minimum be spending just over £100 a week on food. It then goes into what clothes you should have and how long they should last and so what the weekly cost is - a scarf should last 10 years . As should a 99p baking tray.

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