Food Shopping, How much can you live on ?

chillin117

I only feed myself and my normal big shop is 30 euro. Roughly broken down it's 10 fruit and veg, 10 meat,protein and 10 household stuff, bags, toiletries cleaners etc and I eat well. Its more a healthy eating thing rather than a money saving thing. The amount of fruit and veg you can get for a tenner is amazing. Whats in your trolly ?

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Our weekly shop would be between 80-110.

I suppose I spend around 30 euro a week on shopping for myself. I'd eat out/get takeaway at least 3 times every week though and buy lunch everyday on top of that.

As a student my food and household stuff bill would work out at about €30 and for that I ate very well, these days I'd probably spend the equivalent of €60 -70 between local farmers markets and specialty food stores and supermarkets.

SarahMollie

Ours wouldnt be that representative as we'd probably eat out once a week and each have a dinner at our respective parents once a week also.

I also get free lunch in work, and my OH tends to buy his out. I buy my breakfast in work each morning (subsidized canteen so usually less than €1 depending on what I get.)

With all that already taken care of, we really only need 5x dinners, and lunches and breakfasts at the weekend. That probably comes in at around €50 per week.

Some nights we'd have a lental dahl that I make that I reckon costs about €1 per serving if even(batch cooking makes 6 servings) but other nights it might be something more special life steak from the nice butchers or fish from the fishmongers.

I'd maybe add another €20 for the 2 bottles of wine we might go through over Fri and Sat night, but this of course is non essential if we were trying to keep costs down!

30 would be surviving quite well. Barely surviving could be done on 12-15 a week including the household stuff.

whiskeyman

The food / shopping bill doesn't really add up to much.
It's more the chefs, maids, and servants costs that all adds up...

ArnoldJRimmer

I've been trying to diet and keep myself on a tight budget for the last few months. And have been eating really well for about 30-40 quid per week. This is probably the longest I've gone without a takeaway in my adult life, although I do still go out for lunch on a Friday. Now if only I could cut down on my beer consumption, I'd be sorted

One_Of_Shanks

SarahMollie wrote: »

I'd maybe add another €20 for the 2 bottles of wine we might go through over Fri and Sat night, but this of course is non essential if we were trying to keep costs down!

Wine is completely essential
I'd cut back on the food quicker

Our weekly shop (inscluding the essential wine) would be 85 euro, 2 adults and 2 very young kids

SarahMollie

One_Of_Shanks wrote: »

Wine is completely essential

Ha, this is true TBH

I think because I tend not to buy it in the supermarket (prefer O'Briens) that somehow it doesnt count as part of our weekly outgoings?!? That makes total sense right?

Ush1

Food doesn't cost that much but nappies and wine make the big difference.

OU812

Family of five + dog. Shopping is approx €140 per week from Dunnes. That's taking advantage of their shop & save coupons. Before these it's about €170

Hoop66

Myself and two kids - €120/wek roughly, including wine - say 5 bottles. We eat well, and I do buy stuff that's expensive, were we short of cash I could probably get it down to 60 or 70.

SarahMollie

Actually forgot to mention the cat, who probably costs us about €10 per week in food and cat litter, but he's worth it the little scamp!

TerrorFirmer

I usually spend about €70 every 2 weeks on myself, but I'd eat out a fair bit myself.

Alf Stewart.

I have people to do chores such as cleaning/cooking/groceries etc for me.

I will consult with Mrs Stewart and ask her.

stevek93

Curious what people buy especially when it's just for themselves, I typically spend 30 euro a weeek on myself.

miezekatze

Probably around 100 a week for the two of us on average. We eat breakfast at home and usually bring lunch to work so that's included too. Some weeks we spend a bit more and other weeks a bit less.

BrokenArrows

Usually do an aldi shop every 5-7 days with the misses. Shop is usually between £25-35

b_mac2

Ye feeding birds for €30 a week?
We'd spend about 120-140 a week for the two of us.

Alun

Thanks to the AIB Money Manager, I can see we (2 adults) spend around €85 per week in Aldi/Lidl/Tesco combined. Mind you that amount definitely contains some beer and wine, and may also contain the odd chainsaw and angle grinder

wiz569

We spend about €120 in dunnes (would be 150 if we didnt use the vouchers) and another €25 in Lidl,thats for four adults weekly.

SarahMollie

b_mac2 wrote: »

Ye feeding birds for €30 a week?
We'd spend about 120-140 a week for the two of us.

Are you counting in takeaways or meals out? Much alcohol?

I'd struggle to spend that on just the 2 of us, especially not on a consistent basis.

Are you buying all branded and/or convenience products? Do you end up throwing a lot in the bin?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Two of us. Butchers for meat/fish 35: greengrocers 12: supermarket (but this includes non food items like detergent, etc) 55: milkman 15.
So about 115 per week including non food items.

RobertKK

The usual buys every week:

Milk

For breakfast:
Porridge oatlets
Green and red grapes for my porridge.
Bananas

Dinner:
Potatoes
Broccoli
Either fresh chicken or fish/frozen
----
Mince beef if having a pasta dish like lasagne or spaghetti (plus their sauces)

Supper:
Love a good Apple tart

Tea, butter and sugar if getting low, don't use much sugar. I don't really eat bread that often.
Then snacks like tayto crisps and the white chocolate and milk chocolate Kit Kats.
Also buys some nice chicago town pizza for the freezer in case I am feeling lazy or for something I am really looking forward to at night.
I keep it simple.
I suppose somewhere around €35 a week.

andekwarhola

b_mac2 wrote: »

Ye feeding birds for €30 a week?
We'd spend about 120-140 a week for the two of us.

Perfectly easy for two people to eat on half that without skimping on taste and healthiness. Obviously not including stuff like alcohol, fresh milk etc.

Presuming you can cook and you don't think words like Marks and Spencer, Organic, or Artisan confer a magic superiority to your ingredients.

Not judging, just that doing so is far from feeding birds.

Sue Pa Key Pa

Ush1 wrote: »

Food doesn't cost that much but nappies and wine make the big difference.

If you drank less wine, you wouldn't need as many nappies

b_mac2

b_mac2 wrote: »

Ye feeding birds for €30 a week?
We'd spend about 120-140 a week for the two of us.

You are probably eating every meal at home for that though. I probably only eat 4 dinners at home every week, sometimes only three and then add in household stuff etc to bring it up to around 30 euro a week in the shop or even less a lot of the time. I usually bulk cook stuff like bolognese etc and freeze it too some some weeks I might spend more buying lots of stuff on offer and then the next few week only spend not very much. I don't usually eat breakfast during the week just have a few cups of tea at work in the morning (tea and milk provided for free).

But that's just in the shop, I buy sandwiches everyday for lunch that comes to about 30 euro a week and I would eat out or get takeaway nearly every Friday, Saturday and Sunday and some Thursdays too. I'd also go out for breakfast or get a breakfast roll often enough on Saturdays and Sundays while some weekends I'd cook a fry myself on sat and Sundays which would increase my shopping cost them weeks.

I wouldn't buy much drink in the supermarket but would go out to the pub twice most weeks so again it doesn't reflect in my shopping but adds a lot to what I actually spend in the week.

Like I spent 30 euro last night alone on a few pints and some food in the pub, tonight I'll probably spend 60 or 70 euro between a good scatter of pints and a take away after so its difficult to compare peoples shopping when some are getting 7 days of every meal a day and drink for their shopping and others only a few dinners.

b_mac2

SarahMollie wrote: »

Are you counting in takeaways or meals out? Much alcohol?

I'd struggle to spend that on just the 2 of us, especially not on a consistent basis.

Are you buying all branded and/or convenience products? Do you end up throwing a lot in the bin?

Nope, that does not include alcohol or eating out.
Not much goes to waste either tbh.

We're both in good shape as well, before you think greed is an issue.

MrMorooka

Same as you OP, €30 on the big weekend shop. Plus maybe €10 during the week for milk/bread/treats, and possibly the price of a takeaway once in a while.

SarahMollie

b_mac2 wrote: »

Nope, that does not include alcohol or eating out.
Not much goes to waste either tbh.

We're both in good shape as well, before you think greed is an issue.

Wow ok, fair enough. So is it a lot of chicken fillets and other high protien stuff that makes it expensive.

Are you both having breakfast, lunch and dinner at home every day?

I'd really struggle to spend that without buying fillet steak or similar every night.

Both my OH and I are in good shape, he cycles a minimum of 120km per week in and out of work (can be up to 3-400kms if he's also cycling for fun) so he needs good nutritious dinners, so no skimping goes on. We do try to eat vegetarian one night a week (but thats just us being yuppies) and fish maybe 1-2 nights. I shop mostly between tesco and aldi and then pick up some supplementary nice things from Doneybrook Fiar and M&S. I always buy the leanest meat products I can get, ie 5% mince and high meat content sausages. I still couldnt make it ad up to €120 per week without including alcohol!

Shenshen

Food for 2 adults and 4 cats comes in around €50 - 60 a week. We shop for ourselves mostly in Lidl, and for the cats in MaxiZoo.

b_mac2

SarahMollie wrote: »

Wow ok, fair enough. So is it a lot of chicken fillets and other high protien stuff that makes it expensive.

Are you both having breakfast, lunch and dinner at home every day?

I'd really struggle to spend that without buying fillet steak or similar every night.

Both my OH and I are in good shape, he cycles a minimum of 120km per week in and out of work (can be up to 3-400kms if he's also cycling for fun) so he needs good nutritious dinners, so no skimping goes on. We do try to eat vegetarian one night a week (but thats just us being yuppies) and fish maybe 1-2 nights. I shop mostly between tesco and aldi and then pick up some supplementary nice things from Doneybrook Fiar and M&S. I always buy the leanest meat products I can get, ie 5% mince and high meat content sausages. I still couldnt make it ad up to €120 per week without including alcohol!

I don't know what we're(she) is doing wrong so, because we eat out a good bit as well. I have noticed her shoe collection getting bigger though haha....

SarahMollie

b_mac2 wrote: »

I don't know what we're(she) is doing wrong so, because we eat out a good bit as well. I have noticed her shoe collection getting bigger though haha....

Ha, keeping our shopping bill under control is how I justify my many shoes

I do cook a lot from scratch and I think that really helps. I buy bulk where I can, but not to a ridiculous extent, not sacks full of stuff or anything.

For example this week looked like this...

Monday - Lental Dahl - happy pear recipie, really filling and probably the cheapest meal of the week. (I pot feeds 6, so thats 3 nights worth of dinners - freezes well so don't have to eat the same stuff non stop)
Tuesday - Beef stirfry - I buy aprox 300-350g sirloin steak cut up pieces from butchers, wouldnt cost more than €4 for the meat. Use M&S Medium Egg noodles as they're the nicest I've found, about €1.50 a pack but that would do for 4 ppl, so we use half a pack at a time. Maybe say another €2-3 on veg to bulk out the meal
Wednesday - Bolognaise which I cook 2 dinners worth at a time. Aldi do organic 5% mince for €3.79, and this cost is split over 2 dinners, so half goes in the freezer. Don't think it would cost more than €1 for the proportion of spagetti, parmasan cheese (grate our own - much nicer) and oil etc.
Thursday - Make our own pizzas, bases cost €4 for 2, and then maybe another €4 spent on topings.
Friday - buy some sort of fish from fishmongers and make own chips and salad. Probably most expensive meal of the week, maybe €10 on fish, but a bag of rocket and some potatoes per meal wouldnt be more than €2 when portioned out.

That probably totals €30-35, and then the other €15-20 goes on cleaning products (no preference, buy whatevers on offer in tescos) bread and milk etc. We'd eat out a lot at the weekend, but would just keep in a few yoghurts, cheese etc for snacks, so no major expense there either.

Moo Moo Land

Surprised at how many people drink wine at home.
I like wine but tend to only drink it in restaurants.
Do most couples "polish" off a bottle of wine at the weekend at home?

SarahMollie

Moo Moo Land wrote: »

Surprised at how many people drink wine at home.
I like wine but tend to only drink it in restaurants.
Do most couples "polish" off a bottle of wine at the weekend at home?

Oh yes, Friday night is wine night (unless we've a better offer) but normally tired after the working week. Usually just 1 bottle between us as otherwise wouldnt be able to get up on Sat morning. Saturday can be the same, although we'd more often than not have actual plans that involve eating out on a Saturday, so we;d have drinks with out meal.

Ush1

Moo Moo Land wrote: »

Surprised at how many people drink wine at home.
I like wine but tend to only drink it in restaurants.
Do most couples "polish" off a bottle of wine at the weekend at home?

My wife does but I'm more working class than her so I drink cider, but in a pub.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

andekwarhola wrote: »

Perfectly easy for two people to eat on half that without skimping on taste and healthiness. Obviously not including stuff like alcohol, fresh milk etc.

Presuming you can cook and you don't think words like Marks and Spencer, Organic, or Artisan confer a magic superiority to your ingredients.

Not judging, just that doing so is far from feeding birds.

Organic produce tends to taste better, but I don't think it's down to it being organic.

About 80 - 100 a week, and we both get lunch and breakfast in work.

_Kaiser_

Generally about €50-ish a week for myself but then I'm not much of a cook and have a sweet tooth. Lunches during the week on top of that.

Surreptitious

Moo Moo Land wrote: »

Surprised at how many people drink wine at home.
I like wine but tend to only drink it in restaurants.
Do most couples "polish" off a bottle of wine at the weekend at home?

God forbid some peasant actually drinks wine at home. I'm shocked and amazed that someone might partake in the comfort of their own home.

I like a glass of prosecco the odd time at home
The one in lidl is a lot nicer than some of what you get when out

Saipanne

I lived on 25 euro food budget per week during my masters in 2010.

harr

Was doing the big shop in tesco which was costing between 130-150 that's for 2 adults,2 kids and the dog.... We decided only two weeks ago to give Aldi a go...
We got the same shop for 85 euro and we were happy with selection and Quality ...they have most stuff tesco would have be it different brands..
Only problem I have is walking by the special offers ,the likes of chainsaws and crap I convince myself might come in handy someday 😁

OU812

SarahMollie wrote: »

I always buy the leanest meat products I can get, ie 5% mince and high meat content sausages.

The majority of the meat's flavour is in the fat. Instead of frying 5% in a hot pan with oil (so it doesn't stick) , start with a cold pan with 10% (or higher), let the fat render then drain off about half way through. That way you get far less fat & flavoursome meat.

I do agree with you on the Sausages though. Looking at some of the ingredients list it's a wonder some of them are allowed to be called Pork sausage there's so many fillers in there.

chillin117

SarahMollie wrote: »

Ha, keeping our shopping bill under control is how I justify my many shoes

I do cook a lot from scratch and I think that really helps. I buy bulk where I can, but not to a ridiculous extent, not sacks full of stuff or anything.

For example this week looked like this...

Monday - Lental Dahl - happy pear recipie, really filling and probably the cheapest meal of the week. (I pot feeds 6, so thats 3 nights worth of dinners - freezes well so don't have to eat the same stuff non stop)
Tuesday - Beef stirfry - I buy aprox 300-350g sirloin steak cut up pieces from butchers, wouldnt cost more than €4 for the meat. Use M&S Medium Egg noodles as they're the nicest I've found, about €1.50 a pack but that would do for 4 ppl, so we use half a pack at a time. Maybe say another €2-3 on veg to bulk out the meal
Wednesday - Bolognaise which I cook 2 dinners worth at a time. Aldi do organic 5% mince for €3.79, and this cost is split over 2 dinners, so half goes in the freezer. Don't think it would cost more than €1 for the proportion of spagetti, parmasan cheese (grate our own - much nicer) and oil etc.
Thursday - Make our own pizzas, bases cost €4 for 2, and then maybe another €4 spent on topings.
Friday - buy some sort of fish from fishmongers and make own chips and salad. Probably most expensive meal of the week, maybe €10 on fish, but a bag of rocket and some potatoes per meal wouldnt be more than €2 when portioned out.

That probably totals €30-35, and then the other €15-20 goes on cleaning products (no preference, buy whatevers on offer in tescos) bread and milk etc. We'd eat out a lot at the weekend, but would just keep in a few yoghurts, cheese etc for snacks, so no major expense there either.

Please post more weekly idea's thanks. Very helpful

Galwayguy35

Usually between 30 - 40 quid a week for myself, shop mostly in aldi and a small bit in SV.

SarahVOW

When in college I used to spend about €25 a week and eat well.

Now working and cohabiting our shopping is about €70 when we do an Aldi weekly shop and about €110 when its a Tesco weekly shop. We do alternating weeks so we get what we like from each.

Then about another €30 each on work lunchs....

questionmark?

Moo Moo Land wrote: »

Surprised at how many people drink wine at home.
I like wine but tend to only drink it in restaurants.
Do most couples "polish" off a bottle of wine at the weekend at home?

I think putting the feet up with the OH after a long week of work, enjoying a bottle of wine, watching a movie and some nibbles on a Friday night is as good if not better than any restaurant! Why only drink wine in restaurants?

Anyway back on topic two person household and it's about €70 per week.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

theteal

I can easily do a weekly shop for the 2 of us for £30. We did quite a large shop the other evening that came to £77 but that will do us for the guts of 2 weeks and did contain a few bottles of raspberry cider (looks weird but tastes nice!) and nappies (stocking up for arrival in October). That's all Aldi though, it used to be quite a bit more in Asda and especially Tesco. We cook everything from scratch so I'd tend to do a big bolognese/chilli/curry on the Sunday that'll cover lunches for most of the week.

Cat food (2 cat) is bought from zooplus and comes in at £30 every 6 - 8 weeks.

andekwarhola

Are people including home alcohol in the cost of groceries. I don't include it. If I did, it'd probably be another €100-150 monthly on top.