The Cost Of Living

[NoMercy]

I've just sat and mulled through what we have spent over the last month on groceries alone. We each have our own current accounts and savings, but we also have a joint account and 2 joint savings accounts.

Into the joint account we put £1k each per month. That covers mortgage, all household bills, petrol, mobile phone, groceries, drinks out, takeaways (not that we have that many takeaways). I've gone through and tallied up what we have spent in grocery shops / supermarket visits alone and it's £614.69 since we did our last big shop on pay day, until our next big shop this Friday. That's £24.59 per day. That in itself doesn't seem huge, but when I look at the sheer number of visits we've made to the shops during this last month, it's quite alarming ... £20.51 here, £30.72 there, another £28.46 in Tesco ... and that doesn't include what we've variously spent at Debenhams, the garden centre, Mothercare.

Do you think £24.59 per day is excessive, for groceries alone, for 2 people in their 40s with a nearly 4-month old baby?

What do you think is a reasonable amount of money to live on per day / week / month?

[pixie374]

I drive around a lot with work and like Dave, will stop off for a bottle of milk and come out with two bags of shopping... There are always birthdays going on. I don't smoke (currently lol) and probably spend £10 a week on alcohol. I don't know how I even manage to spend that much a day.

[sunny-dave]

I did try adding up credit card entries to get a more accurate figure - but you never know whether the £75 at Aldi included a chainsaw and a set of Teach Yourself Serbo-Croat CDs ...

[sunny-dave]

However - I do reckon I save an awful lot by always doing my 'big shop' at Aldi and then using Ocado once in a blue moon to top up branded items I can't live without (eg Marigold stock, Heinz ketchup, Guinness).

I can't remember the last time I went into a megasize TescAsdMorriBury's and Waitrose is a (very) occasional treat - usually accompanied by much hilarity ("Essential Quinoa") and teeth sucking at the prices.

[Cloverjo]

This thread has made me think about what I spend on food and drink. I go shopping about 4 days a week and usually spend £60 a time, unless my son is here and then it becomes ridiculous!
I have to feed quite a few people most days.
£24 per day sounds like a lot to me, NoM. Does that include wine, though?

[NoMercy]

Dave, I do hope the Serb / Croat CDs were worth the money. I shall be testing you next time I see you.

Clover - yes. The average of £24 per day is based on everything we spent at the supermarket over the last month including alcohol (up to this coming Friday). The problem isn't solely what we spend on wine / cider / ale but is a big contributory factor.

Islay, yes, self discipline is the answer. Perhaps it'll be easier when I go back to work, though our spending hasn't increased all that much whilst I've been on leave.

[NoMercy]

Clover - I'm reading it that you spend £240 per week on food, based on 4 shops per week of £60 per shop?

I'm guessing you are shopping for far more people than I do.

[sherrardk]

That sounds like an awful lot - excluding alcohol, I spend around £140 a week for seven of us. That includes packed lunch stuff and evening treats - no one goes short and there's always snacks, juice, etc. I shop online and never go to the supermarket for 'bits'.

[anneasquith]

Doubling your mortgage payments is a recipe for disaster unless you can afford the increase financially acceptable.