How much do you spend on groceries?

ammiem

Does anyone know how much the average irish person spends on groceries every week? Myself and my housemates were trying to add up our spendings today and we think its around €60 each. seems very high...

Michael Weston

ammiem wrote: »

Does anyone know how much the average irish person spends on groceries every week? Myself and my housemates were trying to add up our spendings today and we think its around €60 each. seems very high...

That wouldnt seem too bad, less than a tenner a day per person actually seems reasonable.

keithclancy

ammiem wrote: »

Does anyone know how much the average irish person spends on groceries every week? Myself and my housemates were trying to add up our spendings today and we think its around €60 each. seems very high...

This is a good indication that you could probably reduce your bill significantly.

golden lane

world food prices are bexpected to rise by 15% next year.....

Cushie Butterfield

keithclancy wrote: »

This is a good indication that you could probably reduce your bill significantly.

I don't think so really. You have to also take into account stuff that you wouldn't actually buy every week such as tea, coffee, flour, salt, pepper, cooking oil, mayonaisse, ice cream or whatever. They still have to be paid for at some stage & all add up.

Bustler

That is insane. I spend 70 per week. That feeds my husband, my son and I and buys nappies too.I meal plan and Husband takes a packed lunch to work. To be fair we do eat a lot of soup and stuff but we do eat healthily. Cook from scratch if you can. Go to Lidl or Aldi. I realise it can be more expensive for a single person though.

keithclancy

Cushie Butterfield wrote: »

I don't think so really. You have to also take into account stuff that you wouldn't actually buy every week such as tea, coffee, flour, salt, pepper, cooking oil, mayonaisse, ice cream or whatever. They still have to be paid for at some stage & all add up.

Of course it is, thats why people have a shopping budget.

Meredithh

Around 30-40 euros a week.This is with shampoo,toothpaste etc. It is handy to have a shopping list.Also don't go to Tesco only.Aldi has really good offers on veg and fruit

datalog

meredithh

I could use some info on you weekly spend-I would love to copy it but don't know how.

Please can you post what you buy and where to keep within this budget?

Thank you

Meredithh

datalog wrote: »

meredithh

I could use some info on you weekly spend-I would love to copy it but don't know how.

Please can you post what you buy and where to keep within this budget?

Thank you

You see it is really what you eat. I usually eat meat free. And trying to eat really healthy. I suppose for a man the budget might increase by 10 euro. But I found out that I can't do my shopping only in Tesco. Aldi and Lidl are great. I also like Dunnes Stores great special offers.
. I buy veg,fruit;wholegrain pasta,some salmon ..look for half price and special offer
I think it is important to plan your meals. I used to spend more then my budget and then threw the food to the bin as it got bad. Also being a good cook can help. Also I don't know whether alcohol is included in your budget. I almost don't drink and would buy it rarely

datalog

Thank you, there is no alcohol in my budget and I can go without meat but still can't get to your level of spending so I would like to see a breakdown of a typical week/'s shopping for you.

I use Lidl a lot and it is better for veg. but yesterday I went to Dunnes and this is what I got, no staples as I have rice and pasta and tomatoes.

Brocolli €2
Onions € .79
Bread € .99
6Eggs €1.09
400g cheese €3
Porridge € 2.59
7 oranges €1.79
400g tuna €3.25

Total €16.28

Lots of the items were reduced but there is not enough there to provide for many meals. Add the staples to make meals and that is €20 and still only a couple of days food with no cleaning items/toiletries.

Not sure how I can meal plan and yet avail of special offers?

Any advice would be appreciated.

mike65

Define groceries
Tell us where you shop
Tell us if you stick to a standard list or chop and change to take advantage of reduced prices/BOGOF type deals.

datalog

mike65 wrote: »

Define groceries
Tell us where you shop
Tell us if you stick to a standard list or chop and change to take advantage of reduced prices/BOGOF type deals.

For me groceries are food but the OP said she managed to spend €30-40 per week on food inc shampoo/toothpaste etc. I was looking for info on what she bought and where.

I chop and change if there are good offers/BOGOFs and generally go to Lidl, occasionally Dunnes.

lukesmom

I spend €100 a week including nappies for 2 babies and formula for one baby.

Tesco special offers
Aldi is a lifesaver
Centra brand milk when stuck

For 2 adults and 3 kids

mike65

datalog wrote: »

For me groceries are food but the OP said she managed to spend €30-40 per week on food inc shampoo/toothpaste etc. I was looking for info on what she bought and where.

I chop and change if there are good offers/BOGOFs and generally go to Lidl, occasionally Dunnes.

My own definition is everything that's subject to frequent consumption in kitchen and/or bathroom, so shampoo, toothpaste, washing powder, bin bags and so on as well as food and drink.

Anyone who is still refusing (as opposed to unable) to shop in Aldi/Lidl is just crazy at this point, you might as well burn a tenner (at least!) per person every week.

dirtyghettokid

my husband and i used to spend between €80-100 per week for the two of us. we were really annoyed by this, so did our best to change things around.
we used to do the shopping in the tesco, as it was handy. this is where the problems are.

now we buy €20 of meat in the butcher once a month (we pick up special deals. i divide up into meals and freeze)

we spend €30 a week in lidl and get a lot for this
and what we can't get, or don't like in lidl, we get in tesco (wish we didn't have to!)
about €14 just for 2 loaves of bread, almond milk, avonmore cream & milk (we don't like lidl brand)

lidl really has saved our arse.. 59 cents for a jar of garlic and onion pasta sauce, vs €3 in tesco!

we don't count the dog food in our shop, as we only need to buy a large bag once every two months (€40) in the local pet shop.

TLDR; about €50/week now, down from €80-100/week. kick tesco to the curb!

borderlinemeath

About €50 -€60 per week for two adults, one with a big appetite.

Usually spend about €30-€40 in Aldi, the rest in butchers and tesco. It's very easy to make cheap nutritious meals from Aldi for very little money but there's always a few bits I have to get in tesco.

collegeme

2 adults & 2 children one in nappies and formula and we spend less than € 100 per week. Have tracked this month and have spent € 400 since September 30th

xpletiv

Some more tips:

When shopping, go to the reduced section first. Check if there is cheap stuff there that you can freeze, it says that it expires on the day but never actually does! Its always good for at least a day or two, and if you freeze it, no problem.

Lawrence1895

80 Euro/week approx, including smokes and cat food/litter

adox

On average around €100 a week for myself and the Mrs.

trodsky

Meredithh wrote: »

Around 30-40 euros a week.This is with shampoo,toothpaste etc. It is handy to have a shopping list.Also don't go to Tesco only.Aldi has really good offers on veg and fruit

Aldi may be cheaper from the quality of the produce is brutal in particular the fruit and Veg. I find it goes off after a day or two.

dirtyghettokid

trodsky wrote: »

Aldi may be cheaper from the quality of the produce is brutal in particular the fruit and Veg. I find it goes off after a day or two.

lidl is the same. i find the produce to be crap unless you buy seasonal stuff from local farmers markets.
it's awful how produce has a very short shelf life, once it finally makes it to the shelves!!

i buy green bananas to ripen at home, just so i know i'll have em at least a week!

xpletiv

dirtyghettokid wrote: »

lidl is the same. i find the produce to be crap unless you buy seasonal stuff from local farmers markets.
it's awful how produce has a very short shelf life, once it finally makes it to the shelves!!

i buy green bananas to ripen at home, just so i know i'll have em at least a week!

This is a big way that the supermarkets make money. Ive seen quite often fresh fruit and veg come in and be left in the back for a couple of days to get them closer to the BB date, and continually doing this. This is even more evidential if you think about it a few years ago, it wasnt like this; fruit and veg lasted longer as it went onto shelves much quicker. BTW, I know because I worked in 2 large supermarket chains that both did this.

Best recommendation is buy from the farmers themselves at farmers markets.

tigerblob

I spend about €30 euro a week on myself, including alcohol and occasional things like shampoo and ketchup. I shop in Tesco. I eat well and I eat healthily! I drink really cheap wine though :P

I usually go to the reduced section first and pick up anything that looks nice, and work my meals for the week around them. I go shopping on a Sunday. Anything you get in the reduced section will be fine for Sunday and Monday, anything for after that I just freeze.

I tried meal planning in advance a couple times, but found I spent more than my current method because you couldn't know in advance what food would be reduced.

countrynosebag

i do home cooking, and yes it can be time consuming
try 20 slow cookers - one for the meat eaters and one for veggies
so...i will buy a pack of pork chops for him from aldi and quorn sausages for me
half the following veggie (for instance) into each pot onions, carrots. celery, broccoli, cauliflower, a vedg or two in season (the ones you like obviously) and i try to make that around 7 vedg. herbs.
I only add potato for one serving each that night (on the top) as i find i don't like it frozen
these are portioned out for freezer and do well in good ziplop bags and i also bag one portion of cooked rice or pasta for those - they always come in handy
try them another way - do courgette, capsicums, leeks, aubergine, red onions and passata (tastiest from lidl) and loads of fresh tomatoes and tabasco sauce etc. i always add celery and meal for that night with rice (courtesy of trusty rice cooker) or pasta - again, freeze single portions and single rice/pasta
no-cook nights are plentiful
try different combnations of meat and different combinations of quorn products or soya
do one a week of that double and your freezer keeps filled and all are fed quickly. at any time (if you remember to take dinner out of freezer every morning)
loads of variety too
i only bother with tray bakes now too - i use dried and tinned fruits and just experiment - i throw in different spices or not, plonk in nuts, ground sunflower seeds and punpkin seeds if misx a bit sloppy and spread over greaseproof tray or two and cut chunks when cold
always a cake to hand for the lunches for pudding.supper or visitors
unusual when not around 5 varieties to choose from ie ginger cake, fruit cakes, coffee cake, chocolate cake (but only use good chocolate drinks for that for budget conscious - it really does matter)
i do hope there are some ideas there to fire off your imagination
and p.s. do make sure there is planty of liquid with the casseroles - i mix with soup mix, lentils, black beans etc. (buy dry and soak in water o/n so much cheaper) and simmer gently and that makes wonderful soups when whizzed smooth - add any flavourings you like or none as there is plenty there)
i use portions (also from ziplocs) or from ex-milk cartons - they freeze well
we love the soups and have a sandwich, toasted or otherwise to pad out a good meal there
p.s. do not forget your stock cubes in the crockpots or slow cookers and cook o/n if you are a bit nervous about leaving them all day
you save on fuel too
do give something a go and use containers of your choice so many don't like plastic bags nowadays

countrynosebag

sorry i meant 2 slow cookers!

lukesmom

Love the reduced section but it's always hard to get a look in as there are usually always people rifling through it too

annascott

About €100 a week plus about €60 on coffees and lunches etc while at work...

More if entertaining..

Rhys Essien

annascott wrote: »

About €100 a week plus about €60 on coffees and lunches etc while at work...

More if entertaining..

Thats madness.If you took the time to make your own lunch you could save about €40 a week.That about €1800 plus a year.

Tabitharose

might be of interest.... article on feeding a family on £50 a week

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2237634/Feed-family-50-week-Top-cook-Prue-Leith-shows--wont-just-eating-baked-beans.html