HELP! Need to Reduce my Grocery Bill

[Gillian76]

I'm shopping in Asda for a family of 5. We mostly cook from scratch and don't buy a lot of convenience foods. I also try to buy own brand stuff as much as possible.

My usual bill is between £70 and £80 per week. Do you think I could get this lower? Any ideas how? Or am I being unrealistic?

[Tinker]

Don't think £75 per week for family of 5 is that bad tbh. £2.14 each per day.

[CountessDracula]

give up eating?

Sorry I think that is very reasonable too.

[JanH]

Is that just food, Gillian, or does it include soap, bog rolls etc? If so it sounds incredibly reasonable to me!

[Gillian76]

Hmm, when you put it like that Tinker, it doesn't sound so bad! Just wondering if I can give up working, but we need to shave off some here and there from the budget if that's going to happen

[galaxy]

That's very reasonable. We spend far more than that and there's only 4 of us.

[Frizbe]

If you can get to a farm shop, potatoes by the bag are cheaper, as are eggs by the tray usually!

[Gillian76]

That's the lot JanH!

[kernowcat]

That sounds like a good shopping bill to me and I'm really careful. Have you been to \link{http://moneysavingexpert.com} its a fantastic site with loads of really good ideas and there's also a 'freebies' forum where you can find all sorts of stuff for free or hugely discounted!

[Aero]

It can be done and you'd be surprised how little it can be done for , but it pretty much means no treats and buying mostly smart price goods. I had experience of being very broke a couple of years ago due to an unfortunate event. Was able to shop for three adults and two kids for around £40 a week. Have to say though I was very glad to get back on our financial feet as I wouldn't have wanted to shop that way for a long period - really was just basics! I think what you're spending now is pretty reasonable and is about the same as us - also a family of five (though now two adults and three kids).

[Lonelymum]

I spend an average of £100 a week for a family of 6, but I shop in Tesco which I believe is a bit pricier than Asda? Anyway, you are doing better than me.

[yoyo]

I wish I could get ours down to that much (we are a family of 5 too but youngest is only 2 so doesn't eat that much!). I find that although I do a main shop with a list and all meals planned I still end up going again mid-week for bits and pieces and can easily spend another £30. Admittedly we eat well but I'm talking casseroles, Shepherd's pies, etc. not steak suppers.
Someone had a thread the other day asking if it was possible to live on £300 (hope I've got the right figure someone correct me if so) a month after main expenses had been met and I felt very incompetent when I read all the positive responses.

[MistressMary]

Maybe get the bargains at the end of the day and cut out coupons too.
Other than that it seems you are doing quite well.
mad about bargains
Might be helpful too.

[Blossomhill]

I spend between £80-£100 per week for a family of 4. Do a big shop and then top up once or twice a week with bread, milk, fruit etc when we run out.
I really cannot see how you can realisticly cut it down any more tbh!

[KatieMac]

We spend £30 a week plus about £100 a month...at Tesco

Family of 3 (but also feed childminded children average 4-6 children for breakfast & lunch
plus 1 extra for tea Mon-Fri)

Including loo roll & cleaning

[Blossomhill]

I wish I could be more military with the shopping but I find it so hard. I just chuck whatever I fancy in!!!
Should try though as am so skint at the moment, been an expensive month!

[amynnixmum]

Aldi are cheap but they don't have a lot of choice. I think that £70-80 sounds reasonable.

[sparklymieow]

I spend about £70-£80 a week on food and I have a family of 5. I don't think you could get it cheaper, but I have shopped in Lidi and can get a weeks worth for £50 but they don't have everything need so I still ended up at another supermarket and spent another £15-£20

[nutcracker]

If i actually go to the supermarket ( usually asda) then i spend about 115, but if i do it online then i can get it down to about 70, so i think you are doing great.

There are 5 of us by the way.

[MancMum]

I think you are doing OK - = we spend about 80 quid per week and there is just4 of us and I have tried to reduce but to get the 5 fruit and veg and healthy food into us costs at least 80 quid and I don't see how to reduce== £5 for main meal. £3 for lunch...it all adds up!!

[tallulah]

I've been trying not to go grocery shopping every week because of the cost & ours varies from £60 to £100 when we go (5 of us). That includes washing powder, cat food & so on. (sainsburys)

We have had it a lot cheaper (£40 to £50 a week) when there were 6 of us, but as Aero says, that was really sticking to basics and the value lines, no cakes, puddings or anything remotely nice!

I think £70 a week is reasonable, actually. (Sorry, Gillian, that isn't what you wanted to hear, is it)

[weightwatchingwaterwitch]

Gillian76, might this meal planner help? There's a very old but good money saving tips thread here too might be something useful there.

[Branster]

Morrisons always have good offers on healthy food (as well as processed stuff), frozen items and so on. Their own brand products (cleaning etc) are very cheap. I'm pretty sure vegetables and fruit must be cheaper than anywhere else because I always spend less when shopping there compared to buying the same fresh food in Tesco or Sainsburys.
Also, Wilkinson have good prices on cleaning and bathroom products (washing powder, toothpaste etc) on well known brand names. i think they change prices now and then so it's not always cheaper than in other shop but generally speaking it's worth having a look there.
Frozen meat and fish are cheaper than fresh produce so perhaps you can save there too.
i don't think the budget is unrealistic. You probably have to be very well disciplined to stick to it and make sure most of the money goes on fresh or healthy food first. Cleaning products are not that much of a necessity, you can learn to use less of them with the same result.

[Miaou]

Gillian, just a few things to add to what's already been suggested:
If you were giving up work you could try making your own bread - we've been doing that for about 5-6 years and it is cheaper, even if you buy decent (not budget) flour - unless you usually eat the cheapest white sliced, that is! I work it out to be about 50 - 75p per loaf.
For lunches at home, you could make a big pot of soup at the beginning of the week, or make a few different sorts and freeze them so you can have a variety.
We cut down on our food bill by eating virtually no meat - biggest expense for us. We eat lots of rice and pasta, cheese, vegetables etc. If we do eat meat it tends to be chicken when it is on offer at the supermarkets.
If you can buy fruit daily, or twice weekly, you can get the "reduced to clear" stuff which will save you money - as long as you eat it up quick!
We also make our own pizzas - dead easy and cheap meal, and taste a lot better than the bought ones!
Hope this helps.

[Demented]

I spend more than that and there are only four of us, it sounds reasonable to me.

I ventured for the first time on Friday into Farmfoods and was very surprised (I was looking for Quorn sausages). I had never been in before because we generally don't eat ready meals and I thought that was all they sold. They had good deals on Kingsmill bread, two loafs for £1, toiletries and tinned goods, canned drinks, crisps etc all on good deals (3 for £4, 2 for £2, that sort of thing), I'm definately going to go back in.