Twenty five pounds, that's what in my head I am allocating myself for each week of this year for my shopping. It includes all my food, toiletry items and cleaning products. There are a few things that have fallen outside this budget, such as Gingers food which I buy once a month from 'Untamed' and my 'smol' washing capsules that I buy once every three or so months. But by and large this is my budget and one that because of having a massive amount of food already in my food cupboard, I have been able to stick to really well.
So well in fact that I am not finding this to be particularly 'challenging' at all. Don't forget I have been setting myself various challenges for years now and it was only quite recently that I stopped my challenge blog Challenging Myself ... I just checked and it was last April.
Well at the end of this April I decided to go on the Sainsbury's online shopping website and price up what food I would be able to buy for my full £25 per week budget ... and challenge myself to shop my cupboards instead of spending any money at all, and live on just that food for a full week. Unfortunately, I couldn't do it straight away and I didn't have the time to re-check all the prices this week, but I am happy to go with the figures that I got on 22nd April.
(Actually I have just checked and my shopping basket is still there ... and 4p cheaper, the potatoes have gone down in price!!)
Below is my online shopping basket.
I decided to include a jar of coffee in my £25 budget as that is a larger purchase but I had given myself permission to use salt, pepper, oil and any of the herbs and spices from my drawer. With the total of this 'online shop' only coming to £24.52 I decided to spend some of the change on a couple of bananas and a carrot.
This brought my total to £24.95.
Once I had the food out on the worktop I could start to properly plan my meals. I had a loose meal plan in my head when I chose my shopping but it was just that 'loose'. For instance I knew I would have a curry, a pasta dish ... and I had been fancying a Shepherdess Pie for a while.
The Menu Plan
The menu plan wasn't written in stone but more of something to aim for. Obviously all the meals could be inter-changeable as could the days. It's no good waking up to scrambled eggs on the menu when you desperately fancying some peanut butter. 😄
I'll be back soon with some photos of the meals that I actually make.
Sue xx
Wow, seems to me when we really think about our shopping list and plan meals it is so much easier to shave money off the bill - sorry stating the obvious there but , last week I shopped in Aldi and spent over £100 - when I got home it really didn't look as though I'd got that much for my money! I did have a list but as is often the case didn't completely stick to it.........your £25 seems to have gone a long way.
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
Funny you should say that because when I went shopping with Alan the other week he spent over £100 in Aldi and yet still needed to shop again the following week. I know he buys meat that I don't, and more alcohol, but he just didn't seem to have as many meals as I have gotten from this £25 worth of food.
DeleteThis past few months of limiting my spending consciously, has stopped me getting into that 'chuck what I fancy into the trolley' frame of mind that I used to revert to over and over.
I am spending less by shopping mindfully, but still more than I would like to spend. Ideally I'd like to just go once every 3 weeks or so, but that's not going to happen because we eat so much fresh stuff - veg and fruit, dairy, and meat for husband/fish for me. I'm hoping I can cut down a bit when we start eating our own garden produce. Part of the problem is that since we moved into a smaller place with no utility room, we've got rid of 1 under counter freezer and a spare fridge, so have less cold storage space (and less cupboard space).
ReplyDeleteI think the only way to keep things under control is to menu plan and write out shopping lists, but these are the two things that I regularly just stop doing and then things go to pot. I'm also bad at tagging along when Alan goes shopping and being tempted to buy things that I don't really need. It does make life more difficult with less chilled storage space doesn't it, especially with Summer supposedly being on the way.
DeleteI love your idea and have already cut our spending by making a list and sticking to it unless there is a good fish deal on. I was one of the see it and chuck it into the trolley people until I started reading your blog. We should be able to have a holiday this year on the savings.
ReplyDeleteThat is absolutely amazing, well done you. :-)
DeleteKnowing you potentially have a holiday to look forward to must be a great incentive to keep you on the straight and narrow.
Yvonne, ( above comment ) that is a dramatic result of saving - well done.
ReplyDeleteSue, I'll be following this challenge with interest.
I also find that I spend far less when I menu plan, even if its just for 4/5 days.
I did this over the weekend just gone, listing 5 meals and eating whichever one I fancied on each night.
That sounds like another really good way of doing it. Just having a menu list to refer to takes away that standing at the fridge/freezer/cupboard scenario when you go completely mind-blank and end up eating junk for dinner.
DeleteWow-that’s a great way to try and use what you have already. I’ll look forward to seeing your tasty meals. Catriona
ReplyDeleteI needed to do something to give myself a kick up the a*se and get emptying the cupboards with a bit more gusto, hopefully this will work.
DeleteThat's a very clever scheme and I'm really looking forward to hearing how it goes. xx
ReplyDeleteIt's going well up to now, obviously I am a few days ahead of this so I am starting to see it work. :-)
DeleteI am looking forward to seeing your meals. Of course you will be an ace at getting this done.
ReplyDeleteGod bless
You have so much faith in me. :-)
DeleteYou are doing well with your challenge.
ReplyDeleteThank you. xx
DeleteCompletely off topic but I love your handwriting!
ReplyDeleteThat' a very clever scheme. xxx
It's funny a lot of people say that to me but I always think it's really scruffy. I used to have a brilliant signature ... that no one could read ... when I was married to my first husband and was Sue Wright, it's bloody hard to make anything of Hall, so my signature is so boring now. :-(
DeleteI do so love your challenges! Thanks, Sue, for brightening up my day already!
ReplyDelete(PS forgot to say I usually comment as Pensive Pensioner ) ;)
DeleteAww, I'm glad that I did. :-)
DeleteForgot to say ... thanks for adding your more usual moniker to give me a clue, I should it remember now, maybe, perhaps, probably ... well I'll try. ;-)
DeleteWe menu plan although we do get extras some weeks, I think the bulk of our money spent is on meat and fish.
ReplyDeleteThey are the most expensive part of any shopping basket aren't they, and quite rightly really.
Delete