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hello all!
So I'm moving out in a few weeks to live on my own.
Generally how much do people allow per month for the weekly shopping?
I'm in East Yorkshire and there's Asda close by so cheap food is not a problem
So I'm moving out in a few weeks to live on my own.
Generally how much do people allow per month for the weekly shopping?
I'm in East Yorkshire and there's Asda close by so cheap food is not a problem
In reply to CrankCrimp:
Id reckon if you were ultra careful you could get by on fifteen a week. Thirty should see you comfortable.
Id reckon if you were ultra careful you could get by on fifteen a week. Thirty should see you comfortable.
In reply to CrankCrimp:
Can't really give you a figure as I don't live on my own. However if you don't fall into the trap of ready meals and takeaways it can be done very cheaply.
Good luck!
Can't really give you a figure as I don't live on my own. However if you don't fall into the trap of ready meals and takeaways it can be done very cheaply.
Good luck!
In reply to Bimbler:
Yeah, buy veg and meat (if you eat it) and cook for yourself. Definitely less pounds per unit of nutrition.
Yeah, buy veg and meat (if you eat it) and cook for yourself. Definitely less pounds per unit of nutrition.
In reply to rosiet:
Or Waitrose, i've realised.
OP: Do a search for cheap food and eating cheaply threads, and similar titles, it's been asked about approx two or three times.
Not that more threads aren't good.
Or Waitrose, i've realised.
OP: Do a search for cheap food and eating cheaply threads, and similar titles, it's been asked about approx two or three times.
Not that more threads aren't good.
In reply to CrankCrimp:
I eat very well for about £30 a week, including good quality premium cuts of meat a couple of times a week and lots of fruit and veg.
No ready meals, but the odd frozen pizza. It is things like crisps and biscuits that really add to the cost of a shop, I try and avoid that kind of junk.
I eat very well for about £30 a week, including good quality premium cuts of meat a couple of times a week and lots of fruit and veg.
No ready meals, but the odd frozen pizza. It is things like crisps and biscuits that really add to the cost of a shop, I try and avoid that kind of junk.
In reply to lost1977: That's more like it. Good luck to OP.
In reply to CrankCrimp:
If you have freezer space, you can always buy meat (and other things) on clearance and freeze it too. We have a chest freezer, and my other half is incredibly good at filling it with all sorts of stuff at the most ridiculous prices. Once you work out when your local supermarket puts things on clearance, you can eat very cheaply if you have the time to shop regularly.
If you have freezer space, you can always buy meat (and other things) on clearance and freeze it too. We have a chest freezer, and my other half is incredibly good at filling it with all sorts of stuff at the most ridiculous prices. Once you work out when your local supermarket puts things on clearance, you can eat very cheaply if you have the time to shop regularly.
In reply to CrankCrimp:
Shopping at German Supermärkte (Aldi, Lidl) can be a way to save money, as their stuff is pretty cheap. Many of their products are the same as the Big Four's products, but packaged under generic names.
Also, barley is very cheap, so orzotto and soups can be very cheap to make.
Shopping at German Supermärkte (Aldi, Lidl) can be a way to save money, as their stuff is pretty cheap. Many of their products are the same as the Big Four's products, but packaged under generic names.
Also, barley is very cheap, so orzotto and soups can be very cheap to make.
In reply to CrankCrimp: £20 will have you eating really well, you'll get by on £15 or eat like a king for £25-30.
That's obviously including household/toiletry stuff as well. But not alcohol or cigarettes, unfortunately.
Ben
That's obviously including household/toiletry stuff as well. But not alcohol or cigarettes, unfortunately.
Ben
In reply to Sharp: Per month - really?
I'd say at least £30 per week, not including extras (toiletries etc).
I'd say at least £30 per week, not including extras (toiletries etc).
In reply to CrankCrimp: When I was your age I lived quite cheaply by living with two other blokes the same age. We would often take turns cooking. In fact we bought a massive tureen (a big pot) and we would make up about 25 litres of chilli at a time and scoff that up. It lasted about three days or so and got better over time!
You could easily live that way for £15-20 a week food wise.
Watch out though, the expensive way is take aways, pre packaged food and that is really easy to fall into.
If you are actually living alone, cook large batches of food (look online for easy cook recipes, cooking for bachelors etc) and freeze what you don't eat in freezer bags.
You could easily live that way for £15-20 a week food wise.
Watch out though, the expensive way is take aways, pre packaged food and that is really easy to fall into.
If you are actually living alone, cook large batches of food (look online for easy cook recipes, cooking for bachelors etc) and freeze what you don't eat in freezer bags.
In reply to CrankCrimp:
The trick is definately get good at the reduced sections. As a rule I avoid ready meals, but sometimes they will be the cheapest thing when it comes to reduced stuff. Our local tesco often has stir fry packs for 10p at the right time of night. Rice is dirt cheap, and goes a long way. I don't eat meat unless it's reduced to crazy prices, a mostly veggie diet is cheapest.
I used to eat for £15 per week, I don't know what I am spending at the moment.
The trick is definately get good at the reduced sections. As a rule I avoid ready meals, but sometimes they will be the cheapest thing when it comes to reduced stuff. Our local tesco often has stir fry packs for 10p at the right time of night. Rice is dirt cheap, and goes a long way. I don't eat meat unless it's reduced to crazy prices, a mostly veggie diet is cheapest.
I used to eat for £15 per week, I don't know what I am spending at the moment.
In reply to CrankCrimp: If you do start cooking everything yourself, try and get as many dried spices/herbs in your first week, so you can experiment and follow recipes. Other wise you'll want to make a chilli see that the combined spices are £15-£20 and a pre-packed chilli is £1 and opt for the crap pre-packed chilli. Where as, if you buy all the cupboard fillers first, you don't really need to think about it, they last forever anyway, and you'll be able spice/herbify (is that a word?) Up something or create a gastronomic delight nobody's ever seen nor tasted before and follow basic recipes.
In reply to CrankCrimp:
Yeah, I'd say about £15 should see you right if you're careful.
Buy lots of fruit and veg, fresh meat, pasta, rice etc. Loose fruit and veg is cheaper, so avoid packaging.
Learn to cook, coock from scratch, cook for two and freeze the remainder, or eat the other half the following day.
Lidl and Aldi are good, but don't buy branded stuff from there. If you want branded, buy from ASDA/Tesco etc. Remember to read the weights versus price and don't always assume that stuff on offer is the best deal.
Most expensive stuff is alcohol and washing powder!
Washing powder can be found cheap in pound shops, but beware pound shops for most stuff.
Yeah, I'd say about £15 should see you right if you're careful.
Buy lots of fruit and veg, fresh meat, pasta, rice etc. Loose fruit and veg is cheaper, so avoid packaging.
Learn to cook, coock from scratch, cook for two and freeze the remainder, or eat the other half the following day.
Lidl and Aldi are good, but don't buy branded stuff from there. If you want branded, buy from ASDA/Tesco etc. Remember to read the weights versus price and don't always assume that stuff on offer is the best deal.
Most expensive stuff is alcohol and washing powder!
Washing powder can be found cheap in pound shops, but beware pound shops for most stuff.
In reply to CrankCrimp: I used to allow 20 quid when I lived on my own. Some weeks I was under, some over.
It goes up when you start adding beer to the shop
It goes up when you start adding beer to the shop
In reply to CrankCrimp:
We spend about £25 per week each and that includes anything that we fancy.
However, we are happy to cook from scratch, don't buy many processed foods, don't really buy fresh meat or fish (we buy frozen), don't buy that much alcohol, eat loads of veg, don't buy crisps, cakes, biscuits, sweets etc. That feeds us for breakfast, packed lunches and a cooked meal in the evening.
What sorts of things are you planning to eat? How confident are you at cooking?
We spend about £25 per week each and that includes anything that we fancy.
However, we are happy to cook from scratch, don't buy many processed foods, don't really buy fresh meat or fish (we buy frozen), don't buy that much alcohol, eat loads of veg, don't buy crisps, cakes, biscuits, sweets etc. That feeds us for breakfast, packed lunches and a cooked meal in the evening.
What sorts of things are you planning to eat? How confident are you at cooking?
Buy a slow cooker, that way the cheapest cuts of meat which are usually the tastiest but are like leather, have 6-10 hours cooking time which softens them up nicely and has a ton of flavour. You can then make batches of 6-10 portions, a few tupperware pots and your freezer is filled up.
Get on approvedfoods for some cupboard fillers at around 50-90% savings, they also have cheap cleaning stuff. 10 cream eggs for a quid at the mo!
Get on approvedfoods for some cupboard fillers at around 50-90% savings, they also have cheap cleaning stuff. 10 cream eggs for a quid at the mo!
In reply to CrankCrimp: Asda aren't really any cheaper than the likes of Tesco or Morrisons since most of the advertised prices wars is over branded goods which are generally expensive anyway.
If you want to live very cheaply, seek out your local Asian veg shop / supermarket. Rice in a supermarket costs about £1.50 a kilo for the boring stuff, but you can buy at least twice as much at independent shops for the same cash.
Good luck and have fun!
If you want to live very cheaply, seek out your local Asian veg shop / supermarket. Rice in a supermarket costs about £1.50 a kilo for the boring stuff, but you can buy at least twice as much at independent shops for the same cash.
Good luck and have fun!
In reply to Wonko The Sane:
I make a lot of soup, often out of leftovers and it always tastes better after the second heating, i don't know why.
> (In reply to CrankCrimp). It lasted about three days or so and got better over time!
I make a lot of soup, often out of leftovers and it always tastes better after the second heating, i don't know why.
In reply to EeeByGum:
A year or so ago someone bet me that I couldn't eat for a £/day. I did some research online using supermarket web sites (ASDA did come out consistently cheaper than Tesco btw) and made a spreadsheet showing that it was possible. Mainly rice, pasta, passata, onions, carrots & kidney beans for meals. Porridge, cornflakes or toast for breakfast. Citrus fruit, apples, nuts, stuff for making cake & biscuits.
I asked them to put their money where there mouth was and sponsor me to stick to it for a month. They backed out so I never did it. I'm not claiming it was a particularly healthy diet, no green veg and not enough fibre as I recall, but I wouldn't have been hungry.
ASDA smartprice easy cook rice 40p/kg
Tesco everyday value long grain rice 40p/kg
They're both 9p/kg cheaper than last year.
> (In reply to CrankCrimp) Asda aren't really any cheaper than the likes of Tesco or Morrisons since most of the advertised prices wars is over branded goods which are generally expensive anyway.
>
>
A year or so ago someone bet me that I couldn't eat for a £/day. I did some research online using supermarket web sites (ASDA did come out consistently cheaper than Tesco btw) and made a spreadsheet showing that it was possible. Mainly rice, pasta, passata, onions, carrots & kidney beans for meals. Porridge, cornflakes or toast for breakfast. Citrus fruit, apples, nuts, stuff for making cake & biscuits.
I asked them to put their money where there mouth was and sponsor me to stick to it for a month. They backed out so I never did it. I'm not claiming it was a particularly healthy diet, no green veg and not enough fibre as I recall, but I wouldn't have been hungry.
> If you want to live very cheaply, seek out your local Asian veg shop / supermarket. Rice in a supermarket costs about £1.50 a kilo for the boring stuff, but you can buy at least twice as much at independent shops for the same cash.
>
>
ASDA smartprice easy cook rice 40p/kg
Tesco everyday value long grain rice 40p/kg
They're both 9p/kg cheaper than last year.
In reply to Wonko The Sane:
Three of you used to eat 2.78 litres of chilli per day for three days running? Bet your toilet was fragrant!
> we would make up about 25 litres of chilli at a time and scoff that up. It lasted about three days or so and got better over time!
Three of you used to eat 2.78 litres of chilli per day for three days running? Bet your toilet was fragrant!
In reply to Blue Straggler:
You can't fill the pot to the top! and figures are an approximation. I'm 46 now and on the occasions I still do this I eat around 1.5 litres of whatever it is per day and I'm not even a growing lad!
> (In reply to Wonko The Sane)
> [...]
>
> Three of you used to eat 2.78 litres of chilli per day for three days running? Bet your toilet was fragrant!
> [...]
>
> Three of you used to eat 2.78 litres of chilli per day for three days running? Bet your toilet was fragrant!
You can't fill the pot to the top! and figures are an approximation. I'm 46 now and on the occasions I still do this I eat around 1.5 litres of whatever it is per day and I'm not even a growing lad!
In reply to Wonko The Sane: The 25l is based roughly against the size of the largest pot I have now.... around 8 litres.
I'd guess the one we had was about 1.5 times the diamter...... or so. And a bit taller.
I'd guess the one we had was about 1.5 times the diamter...... or so. And a bit taller.
In reply to CrankCrimp:
£15 a week? Assuming 3 meals a day that works out at just over 70p a meal - not sure I manage on that.
£15 a week? Assuming 3 meals a day that works out at just over 70p a meal - not sure I manage on that.
In reply to CrankCrimp: I eat bread and cheese until I get indigestion, wait until I get hungry and do it all over again. 30/- a day seems to be enough.
I do have to give a couple of hundred quid to the lass every so often to buy herself rice crackers, humous and mangos.
I do have to give a couple of hundred quid to the lass every so often to buy herself rice crackers, humous and mangos.
In reply to Blue Straggler:
As a friend of mine says "As long as the crapping pot is bigger than the cooking pot; there's no problem."
> (In reply to Wonko The Sane)
>
> Three of you used to eat 2.78 litres of chilli per day for three days running?
> Three of you used to eat 2.78 litres of chilli per day for three days running?
As a friend of mine says "As long as the crapping pot is bigger than the cooking pot; there's no problem."
In reply to tspoon1981:
or get them free - we just pick many herbs out of our garden, which have a lot more flavour, you can use much more, and which cost a lot less!
> (In reply to CrankCrimp) If you do start cooking everything yourself, try and get as many dried spices/herbs in your first week,
or get them free - we just pick many herbs out of our garden, which have a lot more flavour, you can use much more, and which cost a lot less!
In reply to MariaDixon1:
It was per week and I meant including everything apart from alcohol, cigs and newspapers. £15-20 is quite easy, I'm surprised that so many people think it's impossible. I used to live off £20 a week at uni, often that included £10-15 on alcohol!
I eat quite well now, plenty fruit/veg and a few meat meals a week. I am really sad though and I keep ALL my receipts so I can tell you over the last year I've averaged about £70. A couple of months ago I spent just under £50 in a month and I wasn't even trying.
Ben
> (In reply to Ben Sharp) Per month - really?
>
> I'd say at least £30 per week, not including extras (toiletries etc).
>
> I'd say at least £30 per week, not including extras (toiletries etc).
It was per week and I meant including everything apart from alcohol, cigs and newspapers. £15-20 is quite easy, I'm surprised that so many people think it's impossible. I used to live off £20 a week at uni, often that included £10-15 on alcohol!
I eat quite well now, plenty fruit/veg and a few meat meals a week. I am really sad though and I keep ALL my receipts so I can tell you over the last year I've averaged about £70. A couple of months ago I spent just under £50 in a month and I wasn't even trying.
Ben
In reply to Doghouse:
Most people eat more than 3 meals a day but they wont all cost the same. £15 a week is £2.14 a day, I reckon I could feed myself for less than that and have an extra meal left over for the next day...
breakfast -20p- enough muesli for about 500 calories inc. milk, just less than 20p. Porridge would be a bit cheaper.
lunch -61p 2 marmalade baguettes, mine cost about 8p each for one about the size of 4 fists and two of them are pretty filling. Say 5p for a thin slice of butter and some marmalade, that's 21p. Throw in an apple to be healthy, 15p and an egg(free range) at 25p and it's 61p.
That leaves you £1.33, if you have another slightly smaller bowl of muesli for supper (15p) that leaves you with £1.18. That's loads for a meal.
The more experimental you are with your cooking the cheaper it will be, cooking in bulk, with discount items and eating lots of pulses keep things to sometimes as little as 20-30p for a big meal.
It's quite hard to work out though, so as an easy example one pack of pasta plus a jar of tomato sauce (all value) costs 68p and is 1846 calories, so that will do you two nights I reckon.
That leaves you 40p left, say 10p of that for tea/milk etc. you've got 30p left, which you can go wild with and spend on a banana (fair trade price). Obviously that's just one day so if you were buying in bulk and eating a cheaper tea you'd have more money left, which would go to maybe eating a bit better on some days. Obviously you could eat much cheaper if necessary but you'd take a hit in the health department.
Ben
> (In reply to CrankCrimp)
>
> £15 a week? Assuming 3 meals a day that works out at just over 70p a meal - not sure I manage on that.
>
> £15 a week? Assuming 3 meals a day that works out at just over 70p a meal - not sure I manage on that.
Most people eat more than 3 meals a day but they wont all cost the same. £15 a week is £2.14 a day, I reckon I could feed myself for less than that and have an extra meal left over for the next day...
breakfast -20p- enough muesli for about 500 calories inc. milk, just less than 20p. Porridge would be a bit cheaper.
lunch -61p 2 marmalade baguettes, mine cost about 8p each for one about the size of 4 fists and two of them are pretty filling. Say 5p for a thin slice of butter and some marmalade, that's 21p. Throw in an apple to be healthy, 15p and an egg(free range) at 25p and it's 61p.
That leaves you £1.33, if you have another slightly smaller bowl of muesli for supper (15p) that leaves you with £1.18. That's loads for a meal.
The more experimental you are with your cooking the cheaper it will be, cooking in bulk, with discount items and eating lots of pulses keep things to sometimes as little as 20-30p for a big meal.
It's quite hard to work out though, so as an easy example one pack of pasta plus a jar of tomato sauce (all value) costs 68p and is 1846 calories, so that will do you two nights I reckon.
That leaves you 40p left, say 10p of that for tea/milk etc. you've got 30p left, which you can go wild with and spend on a banana (fair trade price). Obviously that's just one day so if you were buying in bulk and eating a cheaper tea you'd have more money left, which would go to maybe eating a bit better on some days. Obviously you could eat much cheaper if necessary but you'd take a hit in the health department.
Ben
In reply to CrankCrimp: i manage on about £35 a week for both me and my son (a teenager who eats like hes starving all day) and two elderley cats who need a senior cat food. that also includes toiletries and cleaning products. shop around. the pound shops usually have branded shampoos and hair conditioner for £2 less than the supermarket. Aldi and Lidl are good for fruit and veg or try your local market for local produce.
I buy meats and veg and cook a lot from scratch rather than ready meals which are full of preservatives and dont taste all that nice. for the same price of three ready meals you can buy all the ingredients and freeze what you dont cook straight away and have 4 meals. a slow cooker is a good way to make pastas and chilli, stews, soups and casseroles and are cheaper to use than the cooker.
I buy meats and veg and cook a lot from scratch rather than ready meals which are full of preservatives and dont taste all that nice. for the same price of three ready meals you can buy all the ingredients and freeze what you dont cook straight away and have 4 meals. a slow cooker is a good way to make pastas and chilli, stews, soups and casseroles and are cheaper to use than the cooker.
In reply to CrankCrimp: Usually around £25 for me; I haven't really got any pearls of wisdom to impart beyond what people have already said but I know for a fact that I could easily spend less if I really wanted to - it would just involve more effort. I'm quite happy with the balance between time and money I invest in my food at the moment, so that extra effort (both in terms of seeking out cheaper food and doing more cooking from scratch) isn't going to happen any time soon.
In reply to CrankCrimp:
Don't economise on tea, coffee and meat. eat less, but good stuff, if you're going to.
and certainly learn how to cook!
good point about herbs.
Don't forget to budget for gas, electric etc.
Don't economise on tea, coffee and meat. eat less, but good stuff, if you're going to.
and certainly learn how to cook!
good point about herbs.
Don't forget to budget for gas, electric etc.
In reply to iwan.wills: Just re-read the wording of your question and I should add that that's £25 a week, not a month.
In reply to Sharp: Muesli for breakfast and dinner, marmalade baguettes for lunch?
I'd rather spend a bit more money....
I'd rather spend a bit more money....
In reply to jezb1:
So would I, as I said. I was merely showing how easy it was to live off £15 a week as a few people had seemed to suggest it wasn't doable.
And that was muesli for breakfast and supper (not dinner), baguettes, fruit and an egg for lunch and pasta for tea. If you don't like marmalade s/w you could have an egg one for the price of a tbsp of mayo or for a little more some cheese.
I did make the point that it's hard to be accurate with a one day budget, hence it's just an example. In real life you can live much better on that amount because you can plan ahead, bulk buy, have leftovers to bulk up lunches and take advantage of offers and reductions.
Ben
> (In reply to Ben Sharp) Muesli for breakfast and dinner, marmalade baguettes for lunch?
>
> I'd rather spend a bit more money....
>
> I'd rather spend a bit more money....
So would I, as I said. I was merely showing how easy it was to live off £15 a week as a few people had seemed to suggest it wasn't doable.
And that was muesli for breakfast and supper (not dinner), baguettes, fruit and an egg for lunch and pasta for tea. If you don't like marmalade s/w you could have an egg one for the price of a tbsp of mayo or for a little more some cheese.
I did make the point that it's hard to be accurate with a one day budget, hence it's just an example. In real life you can live much better on that amount because you can plan ahead, bulk buy, have leftovers to bulk up lunches and take advantage of offers and reductions.
Ben
In reply to hokkyokusei:
Aye - and 3kg of Basmati rice at your local Asian supermarket - £2!
Bit more expensive but a quality grain compared to the floor sweepings found in the Asda and Tesco value range.
> ASDA smartprice easy cook rice 40p/kg
> Tesco everyday value long grain rice 40p/kg
> They're both 9p/kg cheaper than last year.
> Tesco everyday value long grain rice 40p/kg
> They're both 9p/kg cheaper than last year.
Aye - and 3kg of Basmati rice at your local Asian supermarket - £2!
Bit more expensive but a quality grain compared to the floor sweepings found in the Asda and Tesco value range.
In reply to Sharp:
Do they?
People I know have breakfast, lunch and tea - what other meals do you fit in??!!
> Most people eat more than 3 meals a day
Do they?
People I know have breakfast, lunch and tea - what other meals do you fit in??!!
In reply to CrankCrimp:
In my experience you spend what you've got up to a point.
If you're on a tight fixed budget you'll have to learn to cook for yourself from cheaper ingredients. If you have a reasonable income and not so into cooking your food bills can very quickly rise.
I'd guess my food spend is £30 to £70 a week but I really don't have a clue, it's variable, I buy bits and bobs daily plus I have a lot of staple stuff in stock already. Eating well for £15 would take quite some doing!
jk
In my experience you spend what you've got up to a point.
If you're on a tight fixed budget you'll have to learn to cook for yourself from cheaper ingredients. If you have a reasonable income and not so into cooking your food bills can very quickly rise.
I'd guess my food spend is £30 to £70 a week but I really don't have a clue, it's variable, I buy bits and bobs daily plus I have a lot of staple stuff in stock already. Eating well for £15 would take quite some doing!
jk
In reply to tlm:
What an odd north-south hybrid.
Surely there is breakfast, dinner and tea (correct), or breakfast, lunch and dinner (southern nonsense)?
Neil
What an odd north-south hybrid.
Surely there is breakfast, dinner and tea (correct), or breakfast, lunch and dinner (southern nonsense)?
Neil
In reply to:
Got a freezer? Buy loads of tupperware/freezer bags.
Not many recipes are for one person, but the time you've added this and that you have too much food. (unless you're cooking single items like fish, chips, frozen peas)
Use this to your advantage, bulk out bolognese sauce/curries/chillies with tinned tomatoes and freeze portion sized portions.
Got a freezer? Buy loads of tupperware/freezer bags.
Not many recipes are for one person, but the time you've added this and that you have too much food. (unless you're cooking single items like fish, chips, frozen peas)
Use this to your advantage, bulk out bolognese sauce/curries/chillies with tinned tomatoes and freeze portion sized portions.
In reply to Neil Williams:
Indeed! In a school, where we all learn such things as etiquette and math, the mid day meal is called "school dinners" it's paid for with dinner money, (unless you get free school dinners).. and is served by dinner ladies..
at lunchtime
> (In reply to tlm)
>
> What an odd north-south hybrid.
>
> Surely there is breakfast, dinner and tea (correct), or breakfast, lunch and dinner (southern nonsense)?
>
> Neil
>
> What an odd north-south hybrid.
>
> Surely there is breakfast, dinner and tea (correct), or breakfast, lunch and dinner (southern nonsense)?
>
> Neil
Indeed! In a school, where we all learn such things as etiquette and math, the mid day meal is called "school dinners" it's paid for with dinner money, (unless you get free school dinners).. and is served by dinner ladies..
at lunchtime
In reply to CrankCrimp:
In 1996 when i was 21 i used to spend £10 a week on food and just about managed. i would imagine if you cooked from scratch, bought simple cheap but quality ingredients you could do it on £20 a week these days. Oh and forget about cheese, when i first moved out of home i was shocked at how expensive cheese is.
I now spend about 180 a week but thats for me, my wife and three kids.
separate rant
I've just come back from Spain, the food in supermarkets out there is so much cheaper and better quality! basically all the fresh food is on a par with what the supermarkets sell here as their high quality ranges and it's about half the price. Food in the uk has gone up so much over the last few years it's shocking. The supermarkets say that its global food prices but i think that they are also profiteering. In spain you get get dutch cheese for about a third of the price you can get it for in the uk. How does that work then!
In 1996 when i was 21 i used to spend £10 a week on food and just about managed. i would imagine if you cooked from scratch, bought simple cheap but quality ingredients you could do it on £20 a week these days. Oh and forget about cheese, when i first moved out of home i was shocked at how expensive cheese is.
I now spend about 180 a week but thats for me, my wife and three kids.
separate rant
I've just come back from Spain, the food in supermarkets out there is so much cheaper and better quality! basically all the fresh food is on a par with what the supermarkets sell here as their high quality ranges and it's about half the price. Food in the uk has gone up so much over the last few years it's shocking. The supermarkets say that its global food prices but i think that they are also profiteering. In spain you get get dutch cheese for about a third of the price you can get it for in the uk. How does that work then!
In reply to tlm:
Only 3 meals in a day...meals yes, but there's more than that:
Breakfast at 0730ish
Elevensies at 11am
Lunch at 1230
Tea at 3pm
Dinner at around 7pm
Supper just before bed
Sorry for the hijack.
To the OP:Enjoy the freedom of having your own place.
Only 3 meals in a day...meals yes, but there's more than that:
Breakfast at 0730ish
Elevensies at 11am
Lunch at 1230
Tea at 3pm
Dinner at around 7pm
Supper just before bed
Sorry for the hijack.
To the OP:Enjoy the freedom of having your own place.
In reply to CrankCrimp: Just drink olive oil.
800 calories per 100ml. Not cheap as chips........ miles cheaper.
Total weekly foor bill = 300ml per day (2400 cals) x 7 = 2.1litres per week. Say another 200mls for bedtime snacks. 2.3 litres per week. Total cost at an asian supermarket approx £4.
Sorted.
Toilet roll bill may go up a little.
800 calories per 100ml. Not cheap as chips........ miles cheaper.
Total weekly foor bill = 300ml per day (2400 cals) x 7 = 2.1litres per week. Say another 200mls for bedtime snacks. 2.3 litres per week. Total cost at an asian supermarket approx £4.
Sorted.
Toilet roll bill may go up a little.
In reply to tlm:
I think it's a southern English thing, i.e. 'supper' etc. I've always just had breakfast/dinner(occ. lunch)/tea (occ. dinner), I've never heard of anything else in these parts.
I think it's a southern English thing, i.e. 'supper' etc. I've always just had breakfast/dinner(occ. lunch)/tea (occ. dinner), I've never heard of anything else in these parts.
In reply to hindu: Eating SIX times a day! Can feel the face ache coming on already..
In reply to tspoon1981:
I def second budgeting a bit extra for buying spices and staples at first, so you don't get put off when you're having a skint week- even better if you have any relatives helping you move that might treat you to your first shop.
ie.
-litre bottle oil olive
-rice
-tinned tomatoes
-spices (salt, pepper, paprika, rosemary, thyme would be essentials!)
-big bottle soy sauce
-cheap balsamic vinegar (chuck loads on chopped veg and roast for YUM)
I reckon £15-20 doable, £25-30 comfortable (excluding branded snacks and booze)
stews and stirfry and good quality sausages are the way to go!
I def second budgeting a bit extra for buying spices and staples at first, so you don't get put off when you're having a skint week- even better if you have any relatives helping you move that might treat you to your first shop.
ie.
-litre bottle oil olive
-rice
-tinned tomatoes
-spices (salt, pepper, paprika, rosemary, thyme would be essentials!)
-big bottle soy sauce
-cheap balsamic vinegar (chuck loads on chopped veg and roast for YUM)
I reckon £15-20 doable, £25-30 comfortable (excluding branded snacks and booze)
stews and stirfry and good quality sausages are the way to go!
In reply to stonemaster:
normally eat six meals myself, what you have to remember is when your eating 6 meals a day you dont snack like 3 a day people do (most peoples snacks arent exactly healthy)
normally eat six meals myself, what you have to remember is when your eating 6 meals a day you dont snack like 3 a day people do (most peoples snacks arent exactly healthy)
In reply to lost1977:
That sounds pretty spot on to me. It always surprises me how much less active people snack on stuff. A couple of slices of toast for breakfast, a small lunch and a small tea and people wonder why they are putting on weight. It's the biscuits at tea break, crisps at lunch, chocolate bar mid afternoon, sweets throughout the day and a pudding at night that do the damage.
> (In reply to stonemaster)
>
> normally eat six meals myself, what you have to remember is when your eating 6 meals a day you dont snack like 3 a day people do (most peoples snacks arent exactly healthy)
>
> normally eat six meals myself, what you have to remember is when your eating 6 meals a day you dont snack like 3 a day people do (most peoples snacks arent exactly healthy)
That sounds pretty spot on to me. It always surprises me how much less active people snack on stuff. A couple of slices of toast for breakfast, a small lunch and a small tea and people wonder why they are putting on weight. It's the biscuits at tea break, crisps at lunch, chocolate bar mid afternoon, sweets throughout the day and a pudding at night that do the damage.
In reply to hindu:
I just eat my 3 meals a day and don't bother with snacks. I don't get hungry between meals...
I just eat my 3 meals a day and don't bother with snacks. I don't get hungry between meals...
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