Our shopping bill a week.....

[supersonic]

I know this is a bit boring but me and DP seem to be shocked at every week when we have finished our shopping - there is myself, DP and my DD (nearly 4 and a dog)we spend between £90 - and this week £115 at Tescos - does this a seem a lot to spend on a weekly shop for three people? We woudl really appreiate any ideas do reduce it or anyone else who thinks this is too much or 'normal'
thanks

caligula please do my shopping for me!!

snugs - u sound like my kinda shopper!

ha ha ks at got stung!

I am honestly amazesd and shockd how anyone can feed a family of 4 for less than £80.. I spend at least that and even recent attempts to shop at Aldi have still got me aruond 85-- and I think some of the food is not worth it cheapness so not sure I would go back..

Just getting the fruit and veg for us must cost at least 15 quid a week if you stick to the 5/day rule. We don't buy ready meals/biscuits or crips or booze.

Is this for all meals - ie packed lunches, snacks, berakkfast and teas? Is it healthy food - I can just about feed us for about 70 quid if we go for sausage rolls and doughnuts from gregs?

Pleae tell me your secrets -- I feel I am singlehandlye responsible for Tesco's huge profits!!

Jessicasmummy - thats for branded stuff as well. My secret is vouchers, vouchers, vouchers!

where do you get the vouchers snugs?

hmmm..... good plan! i love tescos but not sure what there is in colchester when i move next week. i only have tescos now because we have NOTHING nearby and have to pay for delivery as it works out cheaper than gonig ourselves.

with somewhere the size of colchester, im hoping i can find an asda!!!

Message withdrawn

Magazines, leaflets through door, internet (don't like the printable ones cos my printers crap, but a lot of sites let you register to receive them in the post). My local Asda will accept the majority, even if you don't purchase the item.

Also, make full use of Asda's price-match promise. I get a pile of junkmail from all the supermarkets - look through for products I buy and then demand Asda reduce their price to match.

Only use online if I have a code for, at the very least, the cost of delivery.

My local shop is Safeway, now Morrisons, which is very cheap - fruit and veg now costs the same as the local market.

No ready meals or processed food (apart from cheese and butter!), just fresh fruit and veg and fresh or frozen meat and fish. No sugar laden and expensive cereals, just porridge, no pizzas because DS won't eat them (I love them and would buy them if he did!), no drinks except milk and once a week OJ.

Also, I don't go in the car anymore, which stops me going in for a few things and then spending £80, because I only buy what I can carry (uphill).

One great big caveat - I don't have a man in the house. I had 2 male au-pairs last year, and my food bill has plummeted since they left - it's amazing how much men eat!

They weren't there at the same time, I hasten to add!

Lidl for basics and veg (if I haven't been to the grocer) Spent 25 quid there yesterday and my trolley was full!
Sainsbobs or Tesco shop once per fortnight - usually spend 100 then (includes nappies and booze)
If I shop online I always spend much less. It helps to have a menu plan for the week, and do packed lunches instead of buying sarnies etc.

I use Tesco Online and spend on average about £130/week (for me, dh and dd 2.10). But that includes absolutely everything, booze, nappies, wipes, treats etc so there are no extra trips to the shops at all.

Roobie, how d'you manage milk?

The reason I stopped doing big shops and just do permanent small ones now, is because of having to pop in and buy milk three times a week (the kids drink a six pint bottle every two to three days) - I'd pop in for milk and find I'd spent £25 by the time I made it out!

Caligula - bulk buy and freeze milk.

our bill is normally about £120 ish a month, and £40 per month for essentials/ if we run out of stuff, that's for 2 of us and 2 dogs,

I fill the freezer at iceland for about £45.00ish, and then go to either kwik save/tesco for fridge bits, I do splash out on veg thou and get it from safeway - it's a lot nicer, and DH has to have warbertons bread, althou I always have 2 loafs of the value stuff in the freezer just in case. we normally do OK until the end of the 3rd week of the month, then it's iffits until pay day which is normally 4/5 days or so. (either that or make up dinenrs like burger and chips or something)

How long does it last if you do that? Do you have to use it all up the same day, or does it last a couple of days?

Caligula - as long as you freeze it as soon as you buy it, then it lasts just like fresh.

I try to get it out of freezer the night before I am going to need it, but if in a hurry run bottle under cold tap for a while and it speeds up the defrosting. Shake really well before opening the bottle (especially full-fat stuff).

if anyone wants a tenner off tescos online - see my thread....

snugs - so in theory I could buy 6 pints at the start of the month anf stick it in the freezer, take it out at the end of the month and it would still taste like fresh/ last for the 4/5 days a fresh 6 pinter would?

Caligula, we buy six pints of semi-skimmed per week for tea, coffee and cereal mainly which is plenty (the sell by dates are always at least a week away). DD doesn't drink much milk so we generally manage with just 2 pints of blue top for her.

Yes. Have had some in there for 5 weeks and that was fine (that was when I first started doing it and DH forgot it was there and kept rushing out to buy more )

ooh bargin, I might well give that a try then, do u need to take a little bit out of the top to start with? I like the idea that I have essentials in the freezer ie/ bread (we do have that UHT milk in the cupboard incase it's a short month but it's minging!) we also have lots of soups and tinns of beans (luckily we've never been that short, but I like to know it's all there incase)

my tescos order for next month...

Guide price £140.38

This excludes savings from multi-save offers. Don't worry, they'll be taken off your final bill from your driver.

1 Tesco 3 In 1 Dishwasher Tablets Citrus 48s 960g 3.52

1 Radox Shower Gel & Shampoo For Men 250ml 1.26

1 Radox Shower Gel Relax 250ml 1.26

1 Tesco Non Biological Tablets 48 Pack 24 Washes/1.8kg 2.23

1 Tesco Food Bowls With Lids X4 Pm 1.99 1.99

2 Heinz 7 Month Banana Wake Up 120g 3.76

2 Tesco Ultra Soft Baby Wipes 3x80 8.08

2 Tesco Unisex Economy Pack Maxi 62 14.28

2 Johnsons Baby Softwash Soothing 400ml 5.90

2 Heinz 7 Month Vegetable & Chicken Noodle 163g 0.80

2 Heinz 7 Month Minted Vegetables With Lamb 163g Can 0.80

2 Heinz 7 Month Spaghetti Bolognese 163g Can 0.80

2 Heinz 7 Month Cauliflower Cheese Pasta & Potatoes 163g Can 0.80

2 Heinz 7 Month Vegetable & Chicken Hotpot 163g Can 0.80

2 Heinz 7 Month Spaghetti Hoops & Pork Sausages 163g 0.80

2 Sma Gold Baby Milk 900g 11.76

5 Sma Gold Ready To Use 250ml 2.05

2 Heinz 7 Month Tomato & Chicken Pasta Bake 163g 0.80

1 Tesco Value 20 Sausages 1kg 1.18

1 Tesco Chicken Breast Fillets 900g 3.95

2 Tesco No Added Sugar Summerfruits Squash 3 Ltr 3.06

1 Tesco 20 Beef Burgers 1.13kg 2.48

1 Aunt Bessie's Homestyle Chips 1kg 1.34

1 Mccain Wedges Nicely Spiced 750g 1.18

1 Tesco Diced Beef 500g 2.09

2 Tesco Value Mince 750g 2.38

1 Marmite Yeast Extract 125g 1.18

1 Tesco Broccoli & Cauliflower Floret Mix 750g 0.89

1 Tesco Sweetcorn 3 X 200g 0.73

1 Tesco Sliced Green Beans 750g 0.73

4 Tesco Garden Peas 300g 1.00

1 Heinz Top Down Squeezy Tomato Ketchup Sauce 700g 1.65

1 Heinz Baked Bean In Tomato Sauce 415g X 4 Pack 1.69

2 Bisto Chicken Gravy Granules 170g 1.36

1 Tesco Sandwich Pickle 625g 0.98

1 Tesco Value Eggs Minimum Weight Box Of 15 1.16

1 Nestle Winnie The Pooh Fromage Frais 12x50g 1.48

1 Tesco 4 Pack Cheese & Onion Pasty 600g 1.59

6 Muller Rice Strawberry 200g 2.28

1 Tesco Butter Me Up 1kg 1.35

1 Tesco Chocolate Mousse 6 Pack 375g 0.64

1 Tesco Value Mild White Cheese Medium 1.82

1 Tesco Value Mild White Cheese Extra Large 3.34

1 T Value Wafer Thin Cured Pork Shoulder 600g 2.09

1 Harris Smoked Rindless Back Bacon 4x200g 3.78

1 Tesco Healthy Eating Semi- Skimmed Milk 3.408ltr/6 Pints 1.51

2 Tesco 2 Pack Garlic Chicken Kievs 285g 3.46

2 Baking Potatoes Tray 4 Pack 1.54

4 Pork 5 Loin Steaks Thin Cut 240g - 360g 8.64

4 Fresh Value Beef Quick Fry Steak 180g - 260g 5.48

1 Tesco Healthy Eating Fresh Turkey Steaks 1.84

1 Tesco Fresh Whole Chicken Small 900g-1.29kg 2.78

1 Value Bananas 1.5kg 0.89

2 Tesco Closed Cup Mushrooms 250g 1.20

2 Tesco Mild Onions 3 Pack Class 2 1.76

1 White Potatoes 2.5kg Pack 0.84

1 Tesco 6 Potato Cakes 0.52

1 Kingsmill Toastie Square Thick White 800g 0.83

oh yes, forgot about milk. We get ours delivered which is very expensive per pint but tastes so much nicer. We do get through gallons of the stuff though because dh works from home a lot and drinks tea constantly and ds drinks lots too. So that's another £20 a month. Our shopping bill does include nappies/wipes too.