How much is your grocery shopping?

[Maximillian]

between three of us we probably spend around £220/month easily - but this will include toiletries which are expensive...can't believe how much it costs to wipe yer bum! I cook alot from scratch - at least four times a week, occasionally make bread if the mood takes me, usually make fresh sauces like tomato from scratch. problem is that i only have limited cupboard/fridge/freezer space. in a way this is deliberate as if i had more space i'd make more food that i wouldn't fancy eating and would then waste! i am now trying to buy little and often with a cupboard full of tinned/dried basics. always have nice things like tinned artichokes, tinned tuna and salmon, jars of salted anchovies and capers and vacuum packs of sundried tomatoes so always a good store of items for quick dishes. i always have basmati, jasmine and long grain rice at home but can't stand brown rice! i agree with lynda66, you can eat cheaply and healthily my son is 13 and refuses to eat canned soup or prepacked sandwiches as he prefers homemade. he might be slightly weird though as he doesn't eat ketchup or fishfingers either . i always buy fresh prawns in their shells and save the shells up for seafood stocks / soups and i always keep my chicken carcasses for stocks and soups.

[Two_Sheds]

I haven't worked out my budget, let's have a go:

breakfast: latte & porridge or yogurt: 87p
lunch: boiled FR egg: (20p) & salad (free). Diet Coke or OJ: 28p.
dinner: hummous, rice (65p) & allotment veg (free).
Snacks: maybe a breakfast bar (30p) or an apple

What's that? £16 a week. Plus wine ~ that doubles the bill!

[Two_Sheds]

toiletries ...are expensive...can't believe how much it costs to wipe yer bum!

It can be. Get them to use 2 sheets max per visit Nouvelle Recycled bog roll is about 25p a roll on offer. And it comes with a free parsnip/carrot pot inside!

I am trying to wean Mr Sheds off his branded shampoo/shave foam/toothpaste etc and onto own brands. Not happening yet!

I've just discovered A3da do an own brand suncream for £1.11. Factor 15. And a Basics Feta cheese (78p instead of over a quid).

We recharge our batteries (for remote controls, torches etc) and never have to buy any now.

What else? We don't use fabric conditioner (it's designed to eliminate static from synthetic fabrics ... we don't have any, so don't buy it). We use own-brand laundry tablets, bought when they're on offer.

Basically, I use a shopping list for what we need, but if something we use is on offer, we stock up. Eggs were 40p a dozen last night, so we're having omlette tonight. And tomorrow

[Two_Sheds]

Mr Sheds has increased his mileage from 41 mpg to over 44 mpg, just by NOT racing and braking, racing and braking between junctions. He now drives sensibly, and is saving a few pounds too.

[SlugLobber]

There's a trick to reducing use by visitors of your loo roll. Leave an almost empty roll on the holder, with no replacement in the room. Most people are too polite to leave zero loo roll OR ask for more!

I took my driving test 13 years ago and I was also taught to brake and then select the gear appropriate for the new speed, so it's been around for a while.

[Mike and Louise]

Back on topic... we spend about £70 a week for all 5 of us, and that is at our local farm shop where food is 'apparently' more expensive.