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Spending on groceries

Spending on groceries

Old Apr 5th 2008, 8:41 am
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Smile Spending on groceries

Originally Posted by itaus
groceries $1000
.
What are you eating!!! In the UK, which even if it is cheaper i am upset if we spend £40 per week and usually under £30
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Old Apr 6th 2008, 12:47 pm
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Default Re: the official jobs/wages thread...

Originally Posted by verystormy
What are you eating!!! In the UK, which even if it is cheaper i am upset if we spend £40 per week and usually under £30

guessing you are still there. Come to Oz - with two teenagers, 2 adults and a dog and then ask me again how we spend $1000 a month on groceries.
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Old Apr 6th 2008, 3:57 pm
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Default Re: the official jobs/wages thread...

Originally Posted by verystormy
What are you eating!!! In the UK, which even if it is cheaper i am upset if we spend £40 per week and usually under £30
Bleedgin h3ll verystormy there are only 3 of us and i spend on average 6 £60 - 70 per week. Literally just got back from the farm shop with the meat for the week plus a couple of jars of preserves and that came to £49!!! I have to say though i'm very luck not to be on a tight budget and I have managed to shop on around £20 for the week when i've had to
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Old Apr 7th 2008, 5:48 am
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Default Re: the official jobs/wages thread...

Originally Posted by vickys
Bleedgin h3ll verystormy there are only 3 of us and i spend on average 6 £60 - 70 per week. Literally just got back from the farm shop with the meat for the week plus a couple of jars of preserves and that came to £49!!! I have to say though i'm very luck not to be on a tight budget and I have managed to shop on around £20 for the week when i've had to
We have no choice - our joint income is about £9k per year at the moment and has been for a long time, so you get used to being VERY frugal. For example, tonight i am cooking a chicken, that will feed us tonight, then get sandwiches for the week, give a another meal tomorrow, then i will boil the remains for a stew that will give me another two meals.
We also eat lots of things like lentils, which can feed two of us for less than £2 and gives two meals each.
By going to the market towards closing time you can get some amazing bargains. For example i was able to get 3 pounds of mushrooms for a £1. This can make enough mushroom soup for two of us for several days. Same with meat. For example, i recently made a beef stew. Total cost including meat £4, but that give 4 meals
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Old Apr 8th 2008, 2:31 am
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Default Re: the official jobs/wages thread...

Originally Posted by verystormy
We have no choice - our joint income is about £9k per year at the moment and has been for a long time, so you get used to being VERY frugal. For example, tonight i am cooking a chicken, that will feed us tonight, then get sandwiches for the week, give a another meal tomorrow, then i will boil the remains for a stew that will give me another two meals.
We also eat lots of things like lentils, which can feed two of us for less than £2 and gives two meals each.
By going to the market towards closing time you can get some amazing bargains. For example i was able to get 3 pounds of mushrooms for a £1. This can make enough mushroom soup for two of us for several days. Same with meat. For example, i recently made a beef stew. Total cost including meat £4, but that give 4 meals
Blimey - good on you, and I mean that. I am trying to cut our shopping bill drastically at the moment but honestly it isnt easy here, groceries are very expensive. The other thing that puts our bill right up is cleaning products and toiletries - the cheapest useable shampoo is $4.99 etc and teenagers get through all of those things like water. I now clean our bathrooms including shower cubicles with white vinegar, does a great job at a fraction of the cost and also saves water as no rinsing required just a rub down with a dry towel.
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Old Apr 8th 2008, 5:38 pm
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Default Re: the official jobs/wages thread...

Originally Posted by verystormy
We have no choice - our joint income is about £9k per year at the moment and has been for a long time, so you get used to being VERY frugal. For example, tonight i am cooking a chicken, that will feed us tonight, then get sandwiches for the week, give a another meal tomorrow, then i will boil the remains for a stew that will give me another two meals.
We also eat lots of things like lentils, which can feed two of us for less than £2 and gives two meals each.
By going to the market towards closing time you can get some amazing bargains. For example i was able to get 3 pounds of mushrooms for a £1. This can make enough mushroom soup for two of us for several days. Same with meat. For example, i recently made a beef stew. Total cost including meat £4, but that give 4 meals
Good on you, i admire anyone who can cook as astutely as you sound like you can. I have made quite a few soups recently and they go an awful long way. I personally love carrot and butternut squash soup, just a bit of seasoning and a pinch of chilli seeds and it's just gorgeous. My smoothy maker gets used more for soups than anything. I'm not very adventerous these days though.

Where about's are you? Where about's in Sydney are you heading??

Originally Posted by itaus
Blimey - good on you, and I mean that. I am trying to cut our shopping bill drastically at the moment but honestly it isnt easy here, groceries are very expensive. The other thing that puts our bill right up is cleaning products and toiletries - the cheapest useable shampoo is $4.99 etc and teenagers get through all of those things like water. I now clean our bathrooms including shower cubicles with white vinegar, does a great job at a fraction of the cost and also saves water as no rinsing required just a rub down with a dry towel.
Vinegar is a lot better than all those expensive cleaning products too, i use it all the time for everything from the toilet to the windows, from the cooker to the floors it's just brill. Bi-carbonate of soda is another one too especially for carpet smells (once a week when you have a dog is all it takes!!) My OH is allergic to bleach so i had to find other things that were just as effective.
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Old Apr 8th 2008, 7:54 pm
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Default Re: the official jobs/wages thread...

mate who was a student on a sho string went from week to week on very little by buying bulk pasta and tuna and fruit etc ... easy to do but most family shoppers dont get the time to shop responsibly and over a period of time forget just how much they are wasting on unnecessary items and just crud that they wouldnt buy if they had more time to prepare proper meals....well done i say to you !
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Old Apr 9th 2008, 8:11 pm
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Default Re: the official jobs/wages thread...

Originally Posted by jaca
mate who was a student on a sho string went from week to week on very little by buying bulk pasta and tuna and fruit etc ... easy to do but most family shoppers dont get the time to shop responsibly and over a period of time forget just how much they are wasting on unnecessary items and just crud that they wouldnt buy if they had more time to prepare proper meals....well done i say to you !
Quite agree Jaca,
I am one of those who has got complacent in my shopping but i still love cornbeef hash and pasta with plum tomatoes and tuna and then a little sprinkling of cheese melted on the top - best of all it doesn't cost a lot at all
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Old Apr 9th 2008, 9:05 pm
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Default Re: the official jobs/wages thread...

These posts have been split from the original thread to keep that long-running thread on topic. Please carry on the discussion here instead
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Old Apr 9th 2008, 9:27 pm
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Default Re: the official jobs/wages thread...

Originally Posted by verystormy

For example, tonight i am cooking a chicken, that will feed us tonight, then get sandwiches for the week, give a another meal tomorrow, then i will boil the remains for a stew that will give me another two meals.
Bloody hell, what size chicken is that

4 main meals and a week of sandwiches from one chook, I am having visions of one very big chicken

I would probably need an EMU to cover that agenda for my lot
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Old Apr 9th 2008, 10:35 pm
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Default Re: Spending on groceries

I really don't understand how everyone finds shopping here more expensive than the UK, well people who have come recently at least, as prices in the UK have gone up a fair bit.
verystormy, you sound very much how we are. Do it for long enough and it becomes second nature even when you have more money.

The main things which are more expesive here are chicken, chocolate and yoghurt.
Personally I never bought ready made meals in the UK, or jars of sauce etc, we make everything other than gravey by scratch. If something is too expensive that day we change our plans to something cheaper.

You can buy a whole half lamb here for around $45, I personally think that is GREAT value, and lasts ages, roasts, stews, chops and gravey, yum.

If you are into yoghurt then you can buy an easiyo yoghurt maker for $20, and just use natural yoghurt to set it off and use powdered milk, MUCH cheaper than buying it.

Prices for veggies can be a little variable, but if you shop around you can find things cheap.

Also, the supermarkets here seem to reduce meat rather readily. We have had a few things at half price with 4-5 days left on them!!

Bread is expensive in most of the supermarkets, but our local IGA has 'proper' sliced loafs for $1.50, and our local bakers sells bread baked the day before for $1. Both those prices are less than I paid in the UK.

I don't use much in the way of cosmetics, but I have found shampoos etc to be the same price as I was paying back home for the same makes. Cleaners etc, there are cheap home brand ones which work fine.

If you are not set in your shopping list you will not find it any more expensive and will be fine.
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Old Apr 9th 2008, 10:36 pm
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Default Re: the official jobs/wages thread...

Originally Posted by itaus
guessing you are still there. Come to Oz - with two teenagers, 2 adults and a dog and then ask me again how we spend $1000 a month on groceries.
Hey I want your bill - two adults two older teenagers and two dogs A good week would be $250, including toiletries and a cask of wine and a few beers. I also find the cleaning stuff expensive and use white vinegar or buy large containers of cheap bleach and mix in previously used spray bottles if need must. I refuse to buy shampoo over $2 for the kids and me I use the cheap shops like hot dollar etc to see if they have any products in I buy and get a few at a time. Washing powder and dishwasher stuff seem dear to me as well.

Cheers
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Old Apr 9th 2008, 10:40 pm
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Default Re: the official jobs/wages thread...

Originally Posted by Sandra
Hey I want your bill - two adults two older teenagers and two dogs A good week would be $250, including toiletries and a cask of wine and a few beers. I also find the cleaning stuff expensive and use white vinegar or buy large containers of cheap bleach and mix in previously used spray bottles if need must. I refuse to buy shampoo over $2 for the kids and me I use the cheap shops like hot dollar etc to see if they have any products in I buy and get a few at a time. Washing powder and dishwasher stuff seem dear to me as well.

Cheers
I agree, I have started using home brand vinegar to clean everything and to be honest it works better.
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Old Apr 9th 2008, 11:00 pm
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Default Re: the official jobs/wages thread...

Originally Posted by itaus
The other thing that puts our bill right up is cleaning products and toiletries - the cheapest useable shampoo is $4.99 etc and teenagers get through all of those things like water.
Have you seen TiddlyPoms thread in the Barbie about not using shampoo! Can't see it going down too well with teens though!
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Old Apr 9th 2008, 11:10 pm
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Default Re: Spending on groceries

Hi everyone,

Am really interested in the vinegar as a cleaner - never done it. Can anyone explain in more detail? What can you clean? How? I mean, do you just wipe it on with a damp cloth?

Really hate cleaning the shower cubicles, the cleaners you buy seem to make them smeary and for all the will in the world, i can't rinse it off properly as the shower doesn't have a hose so can't direct the water. Makes the smearing worse and drives me up the wall

Am thinking of going back to uni next year so need some tips on reducing our bills!

cheers

sarah
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