Saturday 31 December 2016

2017 budget and food resolutions

I have entered the last of the Christmas spending on food and household goods plus the price of a loaf which is the only thing we needed extra between the two holidays. Over 12 months the accounts tell us we spent £2,800.40 on feeding ourselves and any guests at home.  £53. 85 a week.  I would like to make this £2600 or £50 a week.
This would be a small reduction plus absorbing the (much promised by the media) food price rises in 2017. It may also mean increasing the fruit and veg we grow slightly. Last year we had a lot from the garden but failed on apples/pears, peas, sweet potatoes and swede in particular!

How else can I save money?  Resolutions?
1. I will continue to get the regular shopping on line and delivered for £1. I may have to plan ahead a bit more to make sure I book the low cost deliveries as lately I have not done this too well.  It is still cheaper than driving the car on a 12 mile round trip and using up half a day shopping instead of gardening.
2. Plan the veg so there are no gluts which fill up the limited freezer space I have and that restricts any large scale batch cooking. Already have the New Year exciting reading arriving to drool over!


3. When I do go into town FREE on the bus I must make sure I know the supermarket price of the sort of household goods you can get in Pound shops and look out for bargains I can carry.  Trouble being if I go over 8 library books on these trips I then have an extra heavy bag to drag back up the lane! I can't take much advantage of shopping for yellow stickers or Aldi/Lidl as the supermarkets are not near the bus station and savings would not pay for the petrol.
4. Portion control. I have made a habit now of weighing out meat and pasta/rice but I think I need to go a little further, We are not massively overweight but it is tempting to have that extra portion that's left - if I don't cook it then it will save money and save weight gain.
5. Look into bulk buys of dry goods. I recently found buying granulated sugar 5kg is a lot cheaper per kg. I will soon have the kitchen improvements that will make this possible to store.
6. This year we have often had home made cake instead of shop brought biscuits at coffee/tea times but I need to get more in the game and make more home biscuits as it must be cheaper!
A sort of resolution:
Went to have my blood pressure reviewed again at the GPs and it is only slightly above normal (considering Xmas). I have had 10 days without SALT and the nurse thought if I could go on for another week taking the salt out of our otherwise healthy diet I could make it lower. Another review booked.
so NO SALT diet for 2017. Which will be hard as I love salted stuff.

Happy new Year to everyone!


15 comments:

  1. I'm with you on the £1 deliveries. For me it's a 20 mile round trip. I find that when I order my food on line I am a lot more rational and better at planning what I need rather than picking up what I want (fancy!) whilst walking around the supermarket. Happy 2017.

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    1. Me too! I can stick to the basics far more easily.

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  2. I'm with you on this one. I need to do more baking of snacky bits which will be cheaper and untilse the jam and chutneys we've made. I do shop but I'm very strict with myself.

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    1. Happy new year. I thought I was strict but the other day I did a shop and I was not concentrating - it was £80!! and did not fill 2 bags. then I lost the receipt before checking it out - the husband was not impressed.

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  3. Great resolutions - hope you can stick to them. Have you tried a shopping trolley? I'm on my third and I wouldn't do without it. It comes on the bus with me and saves me carrying heavy bags.
    Happy New Year
    xx

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    1. I do sit on the bus and have shopping trolley envy sometimes - some are very bright and cheerful

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  4. Have you tried Lo Salt and others? Endorse Mums advice on shopping trolleys.

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    1. I had just stocked up on salt so I will wait till I need some and then try that out. Thanks

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  5. Wonderful resolutions. Have a Happy New Year.

    God bless.

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    1. I will be glad when all the left over Xmas bits are out of the way and I stop looking at the "extras" that are tempting.

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  6. Happy new year! Good luck with your resolutions Trish. If I travel by bus I usually find bargains I simply can't carry home...doh...We are lucky though, our supermarkets are only a short 10 minute drive away. All the best for 2017.

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    1. Happy new year. I should take my rucksack more often - once on you forget its weight!

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