Saturday 17 November 2018

Getting harder to stick to budget some weeks

It would be easier to just up my new food and toiletries budget a tad but I’m still trying hard to keep within it and succeeding most weeks. I increased it from £35 to £40 a week in Spring as rises started occurring then. Most months there is around £10 - £15 left which gets put to one side for winter. Meat is a treat or an add on flavour now as it’s price continues to rise.

Food price rises are noticeable now though. At the start of the year, our loose tea was about £2.25, today it is £2.70! When I bought tinned apricots a few months ago, they were 48p, today 80p. Our large jar of coffee was £4.50, today it is nearly £7. However, it was on offer in Lidl for £4.98 rather than £6.78 elsewhere.

I was discussing it with the cashier and she too had noticed it, going as far as it say it wasn’t just a few pennies either but 20p or 30p a time.

Started my Brexit box in earnest today and I feel better now. If we have a poor winter it will come in handy then, if not, it will keep. Bargains today were 2 packets of good oats for £3 (cheap ones make me feel sick) and 2 tubs of custard powder for £2, plus of course the coffee.

I have written dates and prices on each item and will sort out an inventory list to keep it in order, I love lists. I have money put to one side for this food plus enough for a food bank shop. When shopping for that, I go online first to check what they actually need.

Every £2 coin we get through the year is saved for Christmas. How are you all coping?

12 comments:

  1. It is difficult, and our savings have been decimated recently, helping someone in need. I need to refocus, as I know that stress levels have caused me to pile the cupboards and freezers high. Today I made a good start, not buying any foodstuffs whilst I was in town. I did have my £1.80 coffee and tea cake treat though as I am loathe to give that up. I no longer have to pay for fat club so that is now going into savings. My Brexit cupboard is coming along nicely, and I have started a food parcel for next time we visit our loved one. I know she will be having to choose between heating and eating, which makes me so angry.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Heating oil didn’t get cheaper this summer like normal so we ended up only buying what we could rather than a full top up. I hope as winter bites she can afford both.

      Delete
  2. You are right about prices creeping up - I hope to have a bit of spare cupboard space once the kitchen is finished to stock up on things when on offer.
    Being new to oil heating I was expecting the price to drop in summer but it didn't = I'm glad I have a good wood store

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oil normally does drop considerably in summer so this lack of a drop made quite a difference.

      Delete
  3. We are considering a Brexit cupboard too! Oil is a problem and we will just buy as we can afford it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Certainly not as high as when the oil crisis was on but a bit too high all the same.

      Delete
  4. So far here in Canada prices while rising are still manageable. The cost of gas for our vehicles is dropping and that is a good thing (one of the few things that have gone down in price recently). Still I have been trying to buy Canadian (or rather anything but US) for the last while and my goodness things can get pricey. I do stock up on things when they are on sale, and bulk buy whenever possible.

    God bless.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Our petrol and diesel have risen a lot. I am led to understand that rather than use our own grown, a lot gets sold:(

      Delete
  5. We were disappointed with the oil price not dropping, we have stocked up on logs and friends and neighbours have been generous with peat. The prices are rising at an alarming rate but sadly our pensions are not. I wonder what the justification is for these price hikes?!?!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank goodness we also have a wood burner, going to come in handy shortly!

      Delete
  6. This is all rather worrying, we retired a year ago on just my husband's pension until now I haven't made a real effort to cut back but now I know I have to and plan to attempt a budget of £50 a week for food household, toiletries etc ,this includes home made dog food for 2 dogs. We have just a bathroom and cloakroom to update and then the house is all done ( we downsized on retiring ). I feel for my 2 sons, both on disability, we realise that we may have to help them a little more and those poor people making the transition to universal credit, times are not good. We, like you donate to the food bank and I don't want to give that up. I don't like cheap coffee and buy my favourite when on offer, I would rather cut back my consumption than buy the cheaper ones.I want to keep my dogs on home made food , we have been doing it for a couple of months now and can see the benefits, we look out for meat on offer, they also have fish and eggs occasionally plus brown rice and veg. I like a challenge but it's just not fair for those who have no choice, it makes me feel so grateful that we have no mortgage, have lowered our direct debits and we have no problem with turning the heating down ,snuggling under a blanket with a dog on top with a cup of tea and a bikkie , we are so lucky. Chrissie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ruby is a raw fed dog so here food is not included in our food costs. She has to have offal, fish, eggs and bones as part of her diet but luckily the food we buy her, has most of in. I also Grind and freeze green veg and carrots using an ice cream scoop. Dogs love heart which will eke out the price, plus a bit of kidney and less of liver.

      Delete

I love hearing from you, will read all your comments and try and answer any questions you leave. Please leave comments in English. Don't forget to come back and read my reply! All comments are moderated so if you try to link it to a commercial web site, it will not be published.