Saturday 23 February 2013

An upset and an enlightening.

Now, I'm going to say that I might sound a bit over-dramatic in this post, but I'm upset, with myself more than anything. 

You see, me and the husband creature went food shopping today, as we normally do on a weekend, armed with a shopping list and a menu in place for the week. We wandered round, getting what was on the list and only one thing in our trolley by the end of the shop was not on the list. That was a meal in the reduced section, which is now in the freezer. 

Sounds fine, right? But, this shop came to £80.22....! Yep, over £80. I couldn't believe it, yet it was almost £90 before all the offers kicked in. As I scanned the receipt, I couldn't see anything that wasn't essential. [Apart from the supermarket's own brand of amaretto I suppose, but that'll last me months!] We did buy cat food, which will last the month. I got some more shampoo and conditioner, but it was half price. We got some laundry detergent that was on offer, which will last us about two months. But still, I was shocked. That's the most we've ever spent on a grocery shop.

I'm also upset with myself. I feel like I've taken my eye off the ball. Spends keep creeping up. We can't afford to spend that much on shopping each week. That, combined with the petrol I got on the way home, mean we'd spent over £130 in just over an hour, on things we need to get through the week. 

I need to address our spending, Look at outgoings. See where we can make cutbacks again, so that we can continue to over pay our mortgage so that we don't have it for the 25 years it's supposed to run for. 

Why is money the solution/problem always? I'm finding life a bit overwhelming at the moment, if I'm honest. 


This photo shows my current love for breakfast - cinnamon and raisin toast. I'm toying with the idea of trying to make my own, but worry it'd be rubbish. Also, this is with natural light, and a much better photo. 


This is what we've just had for tea and what a rubbish photo this is. I need to get a better camera. It needs to be light [oh summer, where are you?]

Gosh, what a grumpy mood I seem to be in. I think it's the lack of chocolate [I've given it up for Lent, along with crisps, biscuits and cake] That's my excuse, anyway. 

7 comments:

  1. I've done a double take a couple of times at the supermarket recently. I've looked at the trolley then looked at the total and thought "surely that can't be right?" but on carefully checking the bill it depressingly is. Food prices and diesel prices just seem to go up and up by the day - where will it end?

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  2. Why not try and eat out of the freezer/storecupboard as much as poss for a week or so. Then that will level things out for you a bit.

    We all live and learn.

    Sft x

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  3. Food prices are on the increase again, I have noticed its the basics they keep bumping up. I don't think you should feel bad about how much you have spent this week, as you have said some of the items will last you a month. Maybe if you looked at how much you have spent over the past month and then divide by 4 it will give you a better weekly average. If you can manage a week out of the stores and freezer it will claw a bit back.

    Cheer up :-) you're doing really well.

    Karen x

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  4. I'm not one of those people who holds a list of prices in my head, nor do I do a regular weekly shop, but I sense that prices have been rising steadily for quite a while now. So don't be too hard on yourself.

    Menu planning, as you do, and sticking to a shopping list will help. Swapping meat for pulses saves money, as well as being better for you and the planet. Buy seasonal fruit and vegetables. And check out your local independent stores which, contrary to popular opinion, are not always more expensive and where you can buy only as much, or as little as you need.

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  5. Firstly, hello Nic, and thank you for stopping by my blog.

    I think you are being very hard on yourself! We spent £120 in the supermarket yesterday and I was shocked - we usually spent around £90 a week for a family of four. We bought treats, and alcohol, and nice things to eat, and the kids were there and well behaved so I let them sneak things into the trolley. There was about £10 on toiletries...it goes on and on. I usually shop online and like that because I can control the spending so well. When the total is too high, I just go back through the order and look at every single item and take out those we don't really need. Even with the cost of delivery factored in it's still cheaper.

    Menus planning is an excellent idea, but I'm sure you do that already.

    Gillian x

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  6. Oh I hear you! I've noticed that prices seem to climbing and climbing at the supermarkets aswell as at the pumps, even just a few pence on items here and there, it all adds up and I've done double takes at the till before now. I've started trying to even out the costs by rejigging what we eat depending on what other things we need - i.e. the week we need laundry tablets and loo rolls I know will be an extra tenner, so I try and have us cheap meals that week to make up for it. It's pretty miserable having to penny pinch and we don't even have children or pets so I can't imagine how others must feel!

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  7. I must confess I never knew the price of anything for years, foolish I know. However, I have learnt my lesson, better late than never. I find cash works for me, you can only spend what you have in your purse, you spend consciously, swapping down to meet your cash budget and when it's gone it's gone.

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