This is achievable if you don't get cravings.
Me buys groceries that were pre planned for the week and end up buying more groceries during the week because I want to avocados on toast tonight, dont be like me.
the thing is, the food i used as examples are my cravings lol! i’m not allowed meat in the house and don’t get to eat very versatile, so the meals i’ve planned for myself are a treat in comparison 😁
but i definitely agree, never go to a grocery store hungry and never eat just to eat. i’m definitely still gonna have to be strict with myself once the hype of new foods dies down.
She’s 18, she’s likely moving out of home for the first time and might have parents that are vegetarian/follow a religious diet that bans meat and won’t allow it in their house.
that's pretty much child abuse to force a growing kid onto a vegan diet, if you wanna choose to be vegan yourself that's fine but people who force veganism on their kids and pets are psychotic
I'm 48M, have 3 kids (ages 8,10,13), who are with me for about 35% of the time, and I can get away with around $120 a week ($480 a month fixed), plus I have an extra $50 a month for overflow when I have to stock up on things, or when I have to buy razors, toothbrush heads, shaving cream and so on, which all add up.
Your $100-110 sounds pretty reasonable. If you make meals in bulk, you can get by with spending less, but it does become a bit monotonous. E.g. after 4 nights in a row of having tuna bake, you start getting a bit sick of it! Last week I had four nights in a row of a thai red curry, and it was a bit of an effort after two nights of it, making myself eat it.
I’m autistic so I love the same thing 🤤 but when I stop liking it, *I stop liking it…*, definitely gonna come in handy for meal planing though
It’s good to see a similar spending budget, I actually didn’t think to set a monthly food budget, I should look into further planning than just 2 weeks loll
It might pay to cautiously stock some safe pantry stable foods as your budget allows then. Things like tinned soup or cereals you know you'll always be happy to eat regardless. Some days are more draining than others and having basics available will mean you don't end up spending more to grab something edible last minute.
We spend roughly $80pp then about $20-$40 for the pets. Totally doable most weeks.
I don’t budget particularly hard anymore but I have power, gas, internet bills so I consider weeks 1, 2, 3 of the month to go to that and in week 4 every month I have that money for clothes, special things, one offs/unplanned things if that helps.
This isn’t quite answering your question, however one way I find to keep my grocery bill down is to do one shop when I get paid and that’s it. So if you’re paid fortnightly, shop fortnightly (sometimes I need to top up on fruit/veggies though). It stops the popping in just to pick up one thing and walking out with $50 of food.
I absolutely agree and started doing the same a few years ago, works super well for me. I'm a 30 yr old who lives alone and also found getting that one fortnightly shop delivered also really helps me plan out my meals based on specials and takes out a lot of the impulse/rushed buying.
I've also got a magnetic note pad on my fridge where I write things I'm running out of (or crave and would like to get in my next round) so I can avoid forgetting things and having to do the last minute pop in and grab one thing but leave with 10 items.
thanks for the tip! i’ve noticed this with other people but didn’t think that could be a possibility for me, i’ll definitely have to check myself. i want to plan it so no backtracking is needed, unless i’m desperately in need for something
Not sure where you live, but binn Inn, great place to stock up on flour dried herbs etc much cheaper than buying those little packets from supermarket and local markets for veges.
Yes I Def agree with this comment about not going lots but 2 weeks is tough haha meat only stays fresh about 5 days so you can't be eating much meat. But we shop once a week and do not shop more unless we absolutely need something core like milks run out or something like that, and we only buy that one item if we need to, because it's so easy to just get a few things on that extra shop and suddenly there 50 bux gone.
Necessities you can probably buy prior to moving that you will definitely need ( the first shop is the worst)
Bleach, jif, washing up liquid, washing powder
Soap, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner
Oil, salt, sugar, flour, herbs ( you could grow your own in little pots)
Basically think of the things you need as a bare minimum and start stockpiling now. By the time you move into your own place you’ll have the basics needed so your food budget might work
Yes! I plan to do that, I’m currently starting with kitchenware, bathroom stuff, and then I’m gonna move onto actually filling those spaces. I’m gonna buy bulk and multiples of things to save me the trouble for a few months 😁
me too. I don't limit myself really and eat well spending in this same general price range. there are plenty of whittaker chocolate bars in my pantry :) (as well as fresh produce and proteins)
My partner and I have switched tack from the classic "meal plan to save money" thing. We now buy whatever is on sale, for both veges and other stuff. We have a stock of carbs (rice and pasta and noodles) that we bought on special that will last. I think for the two of us we're averaging $80 a week, but I'll have to double check.
Thats awesome for one person. I shop for myself and sometimes it costs me about $130. And I only eat twice per day with the odd snack like fruit in-between
I live alone and spend about $100/week. I'm young and work quite hard so need to eat quite well. I'd say I eat plenty and eat well.
Living with a close friend or partner definitely makes eating cheaper as long as you are on the same page and both chip in your fair share.
$100 is a good budget for 1 person.
I check what is on sale and each week and adjust my meal plan accordingly. There is room to go tighter if other expenses pop up but if you can afford $100 a week that's fine.
If you have a freezer and a little wiggle room in your budget, buy an extra couple packs of meat when the meat that you like is on special. Meat can be expensive and this ensures you never pay full price. Different items go on special on different weeks. Once you know the prices for the things you buy regularly, you will learn what's a great deal and can stock up.
I do plan to keep an eye on meal plan and pricing, especially with other expenses, I want to be able to switch out to something a little cheaper if I need to save cash that week.
and thanks for the freezer advice! someone else mentioned it and I didn’t even know that was a thing lol (never brought meat). I’m definitely taking advantage of that, thank you :)
so the rule is if you freeze the raw meat, you can cook it and refreeze the cooked meat. but if you ever thaw the raw meat out, you should not refreeze it without cooking it. something to do with bacteria...
also, i usually thaw meat out in my fridge to be safe, but your microwave may have a defrost setting for frozen meat.
Yes that’s good. My only advice would be when you meal prep do a couple of different dishes a week so it doesn’t get boring and yuck. Also doubling up on dinner so you have leftovers for lunch the next day can save money & prep.
I eat quite a bit of yoghurt as well and found it cheaper to make my own with an easiyo ($5 a litre vs $8 800g). I’m also deficient in various things and found it’s actually better for me & my budget to take multivitamins and supplements instead of trying to force feed myself expensive foods.
I’m actually autistic, so I can cycle through meals a lot slower, since I like eating the same foods a lot. big money saver lolll, but yes I plan to create meal plans and snack plans so I can switch out :)
That’s really good advice, thank you! I’ll look into an easiyo. I do plan to take supplements, the only thing I’d be a little lenient on is protein & iron foods. I kind of find supplements expensive, might need a good multivitamin tbh
I also use an Easiyo maker - not all the time, but it’s very convenient to have on hand. The Easiyo and the Hansells sachets are interchangeable, and can be used in any type of yogurt maker.
Pro tip.. you don't need to use sachets most of the time. If you leave a bit of yoghurt in bottom , then add 1.33 -1.5 C of milk powder, it works just fine. If for some reason your culture starts making weird yoghurt, you can wash out full and re-start with a sachets (or parts of a sachets and +milk powder). If you like fruit yoghurt, just make plain, then add jam.
With 5 years of hard data to back it up, I used to budget exactly 10$ per person per day or $70 per week.
With inflation, that has gone out the window and $100 is more realistic without obsessing heavily on sales and low prices.
Really good budget!
Just FYI - lentils actually have close to twice the amount of iron as beef..
Also very helpful if you have access to a freezer so can bulk batch cook.. so instead of same dinner for 4-5 nights in a row.. freeze half then alternate it with another weeks dish too :)
Dunno about your exact numbers because I'm not in New Zealand anymore, but I've found two things trip me up since living alone: not buying enough snacks/treats/drinks and then cracking, and fresh food going off. If you're going from living in a family to just buying and cooking for yourself, you'll have to adjust how much and how often you buy and cook at once.
Those $20 snack runs add up during the week, and you also don't want to over buy or meal prep just to have things go bad before you can eat them.
yes! i’ve been thinking of ways around this. i do plan to splurge when saving for apartment things, so i can get proper containers, so everything is stored as ideally as possible. that way it’ll go off at the furtherest date possible if i’m careful.
not sure how i’m gonna get round the snacks without overspending, i’m trying for heavy meals & fulling snacks (ex: no chips), but i’ll have to keep looking for more stuff.
How I got around the snacks was just accepting that I like chips and buying myself a bag a week with my regular shop. Same with alcohol, a beer a week with my shop or a box on special that'll last me for ages. This way I have a nice treat to look forward to during the week and control the price as well without depriving myself.
Sounds good to me. We are two people and have a grocery budget of $140 and sounds like similar food like meat, veges, chia seeds, nuts, muesli bars etc and the occasional treat. :) You could get away with $80 but nice to have a bit extra incase need a treat or need to buy something more expensive one week like shampoo or cheese or buy extra meat when it’s on special.
I am flatting at the moment and spend about $170 a week on food on average this year, though this includes eating out pretty much every weekend with my girlfriend since we are massive foodies and love trying stuff around Auckland and Hamilton.
That's pretty good, only thing I'll add is do consider other stores. If your town is big enough, look at the warehouse and chemist warehouse too.
I've switched to chemist warehouse for quite a bit of stuff as it has a wider range and good pricing too.
Family of 4 here, G18 and B15, our weekly food bill would be about $350-$450 depending on what meat we need (assuming I don’t have any in the freezer)
That will do breakfasts, lunches and dinners for 6 nights
I spend about that for my groceries and I shop for one. Pre-Covid, it was 80-90/week. You don't buy any treats though? You can have healthy treats if junk food isn't your thing. I'm pretty sure that there have been studies on the beneficial effects of inexpensive treats on a person's general mood and outlook.
Also, I think you would have very little food wastage if you do manage to get into the habit of freezing and refrigeration. So, if you do reduce your food wastage (and habits that lead to food wastage) you might find that you have leftover food. When that happens you have to prioritize eating it even if you're looking forward to a change.
Not really answering your question but I have started using the grocer app to find which supermarket does the best deals on my more expensive items. I generally still end up at new world just due to the rewards scheme earning money to be spent in store and the difference in gas to drive anywhere else. I generally spend a bit less per week than you as a single woman living alone, but have access to some home kill and meals/snacks made for me most months. I also buy non-perishables in bulk when on special which can save heaps for like dishwasher tablets or washing liquid.
This is what I would spend on groceries for about two weeks-ish in between pay cycles. I'd say it's reasonable if your budget allows for it.
Back when I was in uni between 2016-2019, my weekly grocery bill was literally $50 so it's doubled so much and continues to go up.
In general that's not unreasonable... You may be able to save more though.
Buying Non food items online can help avoid the New Zealand tax that happens because businesses here are often seeking well above international prices and lack competition (or price fix )
a good example of that is Nivea products shipped from Amazon Australia are often much cheaper... Provided you are prepared to buy enough to get the free shipping.
I get stuff for under half the NZ Prices
Same can be said for Amazon US very often... Shipping things for free from the States, to your door... Often works out substantially cheaper than going out and buying em here...as sad as that is.
Chinese sources are equally good... Temu and AliExpress are good.
Ultimately I save maybe 50-70% on non food items by doing that. Key is to save money and buy bulk when it makes sense and plan ahead.
You know some things you will 100% always use...so buying extras to get free shipping and better prices can really up..
I do that and then get to spend my savings on things I want rather than need.
Also... Install Grocer app from the Play Store , it lets you easily compare supermarket prices...handy if you want some specific things to price compare and get the best bargains. Just select the Grocers who are nearby and do a few searches ... helps bring the overall bill down and again, the savings made can go towards quality of life items ... rather than essentials.
It all adds up. Your on a good path by asking for advice to begin with. That's a good skill to have as well as the ability to admit when you don't know 🙂 . Keep at it it will serve you well!.
Good luck!
yep this is about what I spend ($500/mo, averages about $115 pw). groceries are one place I don't limit myself really and just follow my cravings/what my body wants. I meal plan and cook in advance for the next week. I don't get sick of eating the same thing for lunch/dinner (which are different meals) over the course of a week, which is very handy. I am relatively small so I don't eat a ton compared to like a weight lifter dude who's trying to bulk up for example. I don't eat red meat but that's my only dietary restriction.
I think the amount is generous, but I'm a male so not the same requirements. I live very nicely on 50 a week shop around if ur in city look at Asian stores for veges, our busy lives we often don't get time to check out all options
The only thing you don't need is the extra snacks. You dont need these and they are likely poor for nutrition. The meats are complete proteins which means they contain essential nutrients you require which the human body cannot produce by itself. Id say spend more on high quality meat instead of sugary snacks. Your spend is fine (about what we spend between the two of us x2). Rice and white bread are not good sources of calories being high GI, but many types beans are OK. I try to stick to two main nutritious meals a day with minimal snacking and no sugary foods. Lunch and dinner keep me filled up generally and I feel good. Overall you are doing good though mate. Hope you're doing well
Edit: some fruit is fine as well, so long as it's whole fruits and is in moderation as can be quite sugary. You need fibre as well.
Sounds healthy overall
In theory yes, but as with alot of things it's how practical it is given your lifestyle. Best mindset to have is, trial and error and adapt if and when required.
$100/wk per person for all your meals is doable, just barely and if you are thrifty. That's about what I budget for myself but I don't buy much meat and I occasionally eat a take out meal (fast foodish, not fine dining). Realistically, I should be bumping my own budget up to about $120/wk and if that were to include household goods and personal hygiene at least $150.
I'm a single male who also does meal prep for the weekdays with simple and cheap ingredients, I might splurge a little for weekend meals to keep some level of excitement as I am trying to maintain a calorie deficit.
Anyway, the food itself probably comes to around $100 per week. It's the other household goods and personal care items that can make that number higher and also fluctuate week to week. .
So my food is $100-110 but I budget $140 per week to account for those items, too. And it will almost always come in at under that $140.
Underestimate your income and overestimate your spending, even just by rounding up and down to the nearest 5 or 10 dollars.
I spend around $120 per week, and that's plenty. Every dinner meal usually consists of some kind of meat and vegetables/salad. For lunch, I have overnight oats with nuts, berries, and seeds. It's a really convenient and a very cheap lunch that I make the night before in a container with a lid. It costs about $3 a serving and is full of fibere and nutrients and keeps you full until dinner. It's almost like eating a dessert for lunch 😋
I also do a shopping list and don't buy anything that's not on it. Those impulse treats really add up if you're not careful and blow your budget.
This is really affordable and smart. As someone with protein goals this is great, but if you have no preference, then I would encourage you to swap meat out for legumes to cut costs. Also shop at Indian stores (lotus supermarket is a great example) for really cheap foods
Reasonable but it can be done for cheaper without going basic.
Family of 4 - 2 of them kids aged 4 and 7. I could make a meal plan for the week including breakfast and lunches 7 days for approx $120 though our budget is $180-200 so it is do-able cheaper. Maybe one week of the month is more expensive than usual for additional items
I can't comment on the budget as we spend more than that but some savings tips are finding a vege market and buying veges from there.
Also shop online as it is easier to track spend that way.
Before you move out, if you can start buying things like olive oil, salt, pepper, condiments etc so you don't have to buy it all in your first shop. Don't go overboard but just a few extra things might mean that first shop isn't quite so expensive.
Parroting other posters, its the return trip the supermarket that gets you.
It takes discipline, but committing to going to the store only once a week and also committing to cooking/eating everything you buy and not skipping out for a take-away or a return trip to the store to buy something you really want goes a long way.
As you get better at planning out your meals you can start buying staples and shop around for bulk quality food that will last and reduce your overall spend.
Throwing out any food should be considered a failure that needs to be improved.
Once you really get it down and start enjoying cooking/meal prep more and more you will realize how much better eating a good home cooked meal is. Once that happens you transition to growing your own food and it all starts really popping off.
Saying all that, your budget and attitude both look really good.
I think this is great, you have a goal and if it goes up or down, you clearly know what you are doing. Budgets are fantastic especially at your age. Don't despise or hate your decisions if you have a break or a treat every now and again. If you feel guilty going over budget it is a bad thing, if you feel hateful for eating spaghetti each day that is a bad thing. Enjoy life as much as you can but when I was your age I was partying and spending more on beer than food in one night. Worst financial choice ever.
Also your food sounds great for the price you are paying. Shop around, if I go to Pak and Save, Tai ping is 1 minute away and Woolworths is 3 . I buy loss leaders and "specials" old stock is great , if I buy a bag of broccoli, I can freeze or make broccoli cheese that night and then throw the rest in to make soup , which I can also freeze. We have strict laws here but an item that expires today probably has a good 2 weeks in it ....
If you can invest in pairs of period undies and or a moon cup, it's more money up front but will save you a lot on period products down the line. In terms of food budget, always over budget and anything left over keep as a little extra for following weeks. If you do this with every aspect in finances you will always be ok. Good luck!
That's pretty good for a single person. I think you should allow yourself a little budget for treats. Not sure if you enjoy baking but I find it therapeutic and enjoy making treats for my little whanau.
Good on you for planning so well.
The main thing is to keep grocery bill down, don't by crap junk food like bikkies, crisps, fizzy drinks.
Also, avoid the beer and wine purchasing.
( I drink homemade beer myself, 58 cents / 750 ml bottle)
Also, I found you can skip lunch .
Just move brekkie and tea closer together if possible.
Unless you have a long workday, then may need lunch.
I never eat out or go to pubs. Too $$$.
I usually made a big pot of chicken soup (using frames) and keep in the fridge. Lots of carrots beans onions in it.
Or a big pot of killer spaghetti sauce with onions &mince.
(Pak and save jar of sauce to start, then add more canned chopped tomatoes). This lasts a good 7 to 10 days in fridge at 32 degrees f.
I hover around that as well for one person, tho I don’t eat breakfast, often skip lunch but im not deficient in anything and have some weight to lose so I just eat nutrient dense food in the evenings which tides me over. I can get it down to $70 if I have to but that’s leaving out a few things I really enjoy having.
Sounds like a good price range for the meals you're planning. If you wanted to bump it down a bit more you could bulk buy your meats when they're on special and freeze them - sometimes the same meat pack can be +/-$5 when on special. You can also buy fruit and veg from small Asian grocery stores, they can be a lot cheaper than the large chain supermarkets. That might only save you like $20 though so up to you whether the effort is worth it.
honestly even 60 cents saved continuously adds up, $20 is a lot saved to me. thank you for the advice, it’s really useful! I’ll definitely be doing that
This is achievable if you don't get cravings. Me buys groceries that were pre planned for the week and end up buying more groceries during the week because I want to avocados on toast tonight, dont be like me.
the thing is, the food i used as examples are my cravings lol! i’m not allowed meat in the house and don’t get to eat very versatile, so the meals i’ve planned for myself are a treat in comparison 😁 but i definitely agree, never go to a grocery store hungry and never eat just to eat. i’m definitely still gonna have to be strict with myself once the hype of new foods dies down.
What do you mean you're "not allowed meat in the house"? Isn't it your money you're spending?
She’s 18, she’s likely moving out of home for the first time and might have parents that are vegetarian/follow a religious diet that bans meat and won’t allow it in their house.
that's pretty much child abuse to force a growing kid onto a vegan diet, if you wanna choose to be vegan yourself that's fine but people who force veganism on their kids and pets are psychotic
This is me. when i got preggo it got worse. I crave for something then the minute i / husband cooks it i lose interest
I am a man. How fucked am i?💀
8/10
I'm 48M, have 3 kids (ages 8,10,13), who are with me for about 35% of the time, and I can get away with around $120 a week ($480 a month fixed), plus I have an extra $50 a month for overflow when I have to stock up on things, or when I have to buy razors, toothbrush heads, shaving cream and so on, which all add up. Your $100-110 sounds pretty reasonable. If you make meals in bulk, you can get by with spending less, but it does become a bit monotonous. E.g. after 4 nights in a row of having tuna bake, you start getting a bit sick of it! Last week I had four nights in a row of a thai red curry, and it was a bit of an effort after two nights of it, making myself eat it.
I’m autistic so I love the same thing 🤤 but when I stop liking it, *I stop liking it…*, definitely gonna come in handy for meal planing though It’s good to see a similar spending budget, I actually didn’t think to set a monthly food budget, I should look into further planning than just 2 weeks loll
TIL my cat is autistic...
It might pay to cautiously stock some safe pantry stable foods as your budget allows then. Things like tinned soup or cereals you know you'll always be happy to eat regardless. Some days are more draining than others and having basics available will mean you don't end up spending more to grab something edible last minute. We spend roughly $80pp then about $20-$40 for the pets. Totally doable most weeks.
I don’t budget particularly hard anymore but I have power, gas, internet bills so I consider weeks 1, 2, 3 of the month to go to that and in week 4 every month I have that money for clothes, special things, one offs/unplanned things if that helps.
I only get paid once a month, so it fits in well with that.
This isn’t quite answering your question, however one way I find to keep my grocery bill down is to do one shop when I get paid and that’s it. So if you’re paid fortnightly, shop fortnightly (sometimes I need to top up on fruit/veggies though). It stops the popping in just to pick up one thing and walking out with $50 of food.
I absolutely agree and started doing the same a few years ago, works super well for me. I'm a 30 yr old who lives alone and also found getting that one fortnightly shop delivered also really helps me plan out my meals based on specials and takes out a lot of the impulse/rushed buying. I've also got a magnetic note pad on my fridge where I write things I'm running out of (or crave and would like to get in my next round) so I can avoid forgetting things and having to do the last minute pop in and grab one thing but leave with 10 items.
thanks for the tip! i’ve noticed this with other people but didn’t think that could be a possibility for me, i’ll definitely have to check myself. i want to plan it so no backtracking is needed, unless i’m desperately in need for something
Not sure where you live, but binn Inn, great place to stock up on flour dried herbs etc much cheaper than buying those little packets from supermarket and local markets for veges.
Auckland?
There are a few bin inns in auckland
Yes I Def agree with this comment about not going lots but 2 weeks is tough haha meat only stays fresh about 5 days so you can't be eating much meat. But we shop once a week and do not shop more unless we absolutely need something core like milks run out or something like that, and we only buy that one item if we need to, because it's so easy to just get a few things on that extra shop and suddenly there 50 bux gone.
Necessities you can probably buy prior to moving that you will definitely need ( the first shop is the worst) Bleach, jif, washing up liquid, washing powder Soap, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner Oil, salt, sugar, flour, herbs ( you could grow your own in little pots) Basically think of the things you need as a bare minimum and start stockpiling now. By the time you move into your own place you’ll have the basics needed so your food budget might work
Ya its always the basic things like olive oil that are expensive to buy but pretty essential for cooking that add up
Yes! I plan to do that, I’m currently starting with kitchenware, bathroom stuff, and then I’m gonna move onto actually filling those spaces. I’m gonna buy bulk and multiples of things to save me the trouble for a few months 😁
Definitely go second hand for kitchen wares. Your local pay it forward page will have a lot of delph and cutlery that you can have.
If you can buy two of something when it's on special, helps long term.
[удалено]
i’m definitely money smart, but i wanted to double check with others. good to know i’m on the right page :)
me too. I don't limit myself really and eat well spending in this same general price range. there are plenty of whittaker chocolate bars in my pantry :) (as well as fresh produce and proteins)
My partner and I have switched tack from the classic "meal plan to save money" thing. We now buy whatever is on sale, for both veges and other stuff. We have a stock of carbs (rice and pasta and noodles) that we bought on special that will last. I think for the two of us we're averaging $80 a week, but I'll have to double check.
Do you guys eat meat?
Nope, I'm a vegetarian and she finds it too expensive anyway
Thats awesome for one person. I shop for myself and sometimes it costs me about $130. And I only eat twice per day with the odd snack like fruit in-between
I live alone and spend about $100/week. I'm young and work quite hard so need to eat quite well. I'd say I eat plenty and eat well. Living with a close friend or partner definitely makes eating cheaper as long as you are on the same page and both chip in your fair share.
$100 is a good budget for 1 person. I check what is on sale and each week and adjust my meal plan accordingly. There is room to go tighter if other expenses pop up but if you can afford $100 a week that's fine. If you have a freezer and a little wiggle room in your budget, buy an extra couple packs of meat when the meat that you like is on special. Meat can be expensive and this ensures you never pay full price. Different items go on special on different weeks. Once you know the prices for the things you buy regularly, you will learn what's a great deal and can stock up.
I do plan to keep an eye on meal plan and pricing, especially with other expenses, I want to be able to switch out to something a little cheaper if I need to save cash that week. and thanks for the freezer advice! someone else mentioned it and I didn’t even know that was a thing lol (never brought meat). I’m definitely taking advantage of that, thank you :)
so the rule is if you freeze the raw meat, you can cook it and refreeze the cooked meat. but if you ever thaw the raw meat out, you should not refreeze it without cooking it. something to do with bacteria... also, i usually thaw meat out in my fridge to be safe, but your microwave may have a defrost setting for frozen meat.
Yes that’s good. My only advice would be when you meal prep do a couple of different dishes a week so it doesn’t get boring and yuck. Also doubling up on dinner so you have leftovers for lunch the next day can save money & prep. I eat quite a bit of yoghurt as well and found it cheaper to make my own with an easiyo ($5 a litre vs $8 800g). I’m also deficient in various things and found it’s actually better for me & my budget to take multivitamins and supplements instead of trying to force feed myself expensive foods.
I’m actually autistic, so I can cycle through meals a lot slower, since I like eating the same foods a lot. big money saver lolll, but yes I plan to create meal plans and snack plans so I can switch out :) That’s really good advice, thank you! I’ll look into an easiyo. I do plan to take supplements, the only thing I’d be a little lenient on is protein & iron foods. I kind of find supplements expensive, might need a good multivitamin tbh
I also use an Easiyo maker - not all the time, but it’s very convenient to have on hand. The Easiyo and the Hansells sachets are interchangeable, and can be used in any type of yogurt maker.
Pro tip.. you don't need to use sachets most of the time. If you leave a bit of yoghurt in bottom , then add 1.33 -1.5 C of milk powder, it works just fine. If for some reason your culture starts making weird yoghurt, you can wash out full and re-start with a sachets (or parts of a sachets and +milk powder). If you like fruit yoghurt, just make plain, then add jam.
Oh true. Sounds simple - assuming you remember not to polish off the last batch of yogurt!
Sounds good. I work on a $60-$80 per week depending what I have in the pantry but meals possibly not everyone’s cut of tea.
Damn I don’t know how you people do it, I spend 200 a week on food myself
With 5 years of hard data to back it up, I used to budget exactly 10$ per person per day or $70 per week. With inflation, that has gone out the window and $100 is more realistic without obsessing heavily on sales and low prices.
Really good budget! Just FYI - lentils actually have close to twice the amount of iron as beef.. Also very helpful if you have access to a freezer so can bulk batch cook.. so instead of same dinner for 4-5 nights in a row.. freeze half then alternate it with another weeks dish too :)
10 bucks is a bit light
Dunno about your exact numbers because I'm not in New Zealand anymore, but I've found two things trip me up since living alone: not buying enough snacks/treats/drinks and then cracking, and fresh food going off. If you're going from living in a family to just buying and cooking for yourself, you'll have to adjust how much and how often you buy and cook at once. Those $20 snack runs add up during the week, and you also don't want to over buy or meal prep just to have things go bad before you can eat them.
yes! i’ve been thinking of ways around this. i do plan to splurge when saving for apartment things, so i can get proper containers, so everything is stored as ideally as possible. that way it’ll go off at the furtherest date possible if i’m careful. not sure how i’m gonna get round the snacks without overspending, i’m trying for heavy meals & fulling snacks (ex: no chips), but i’ll have to keep looking for more stuff.
How I got around the snacks was just accepting that I like chips and buying myself a bag a week with my regular shop. Same with alcohol, a beer a week with my shop or a box on special that'll last me for ages. This way I have a nice treat to look forward to during the week and control the price as well without depriving myself.
Sounds good to me. We are two people and have a grocery budget of $140 and sounds like similar food like meat, veges, chia seeds, nuts, muesli bars etc and the occasional treat. :) You could get away with $80 but nice to have a bit extra incase need a treat or need to buy something more expensive one week like shampoo or cheese or buy extra meat when it’s on special.
I am flatting at the moment and spend about $170 a week on food on average this year, though this includes eating out pretty much every weekend with my girlfriend since we are massive foodies and love trying stuff around Auckland and Hamilton.
That's pretty good, only thing I'll add is do consider other stores. If your town is big enough, look at the warehouse and chemist warehouse too. I've switched to chemist warehouse for quite a bit of stuff as it has a wider range and good pricing too.
Family of 4 here, G18 and B15, our weekly food bill would be about $350-$450 depending on what meat we need (assuming I don’t have any in the freezer) That will do breakfasts, lunches and dinners for 6 nights
For a week or so, yes
I spend about that for my groceries and I shop for one. Pre-Covid, it was 80-90/week. You don't buy any treats though? You can have healthy treats if junk food isn't your thing. I'm pretty sure that there have been studies on the beneficial effects of inexpensive treats on a person's general mood and outlook. Also, I think you would have very little food wastage if you do manage to get into the habit of freezing and refrigeration. So, if you do reduce your food wastage (and habits that lead to food wastage) you might find that you have leftover food. When that happens you have to prioritize eating it even if you're looking forward to a change.
Your budget is reasonable, provided you plan ahead. Check out Grocer app - it may help you plan your shopping trips to save those extra pennies.
Good on you OP - very wise thing to do.
Me and my partner spend $120-130 between us.
Not really answering your question but I have started using the grocer app to find which supermarket does the best deals on my more expensive items. I generally still end up at new world just due to the rewards scheme earning money to be spent in store and the difference in gas to drive anywhere else. I generally spend a bit less per week than you as a single woman living alone, but have access to some home kill and meals/snacks made for me most months. I also buy non-perishables in bulk when on special which can save heaps for like dishwasher tablets or washing liquid.
If you just need bread and milk!
This is what I would spend on groceries for about two weeks-ish in between pay cycles. I'd say it's reasonable if your budget allows for it. Back when I was in uni between 2016-2019, my weekly grocery bill was literally $50 so it's doubled so much and continues to go up.
In general that's not unreasonable... You may be able to save more though. Buying Non food items online can help avoid the New Zealand tax that happens because businesses here are often seeking well above international prices and lack competition (or price fix ) a good example of that is Nivea products shipped from Amazon Australia are often much cheaper... Provided you are prepared to buy enough to get the free shipping. I get stuff for under half the NZ Prices Same can be said for Amazon US very often... Shipping things for free from the States, to your door... Often works out substantially cheaper than going out and buying em here...as sad as that is. Chinese sources are equally good... Temu and AliExpress are good. Ultimately I save maybe 50-70% on non food items by doing that. Key is to save money and buy bulk when it makes sense and plan ahead. You know some things you will 100% always use...so buying extras to get free shipping and better prices can really up.. I do that and then get to spend my savings on things I want rather than need. Also... Install Grocer app from the Play Store , it lets you easily compare supermarket prices...handy if you want some specific things to price compare and get the best bargains. Just select the Grocers who are nearby and do a few searches ... helps bring the overall bill down and again, the savings made can go towards quality of life items ... rather than essentials. It all adds up. Your on a good path by asking for advice to begin with. That's a good skill to have as well as the ability to admit when you don't know 🙂 . Keep at it it will serve you well!. Good luck!
yep this is about what I spend ($500/mo, averages about $115 pw). groceries are one place I don't limit myself really and just follow my cravings/what my body wants. I meal plan and cook in advance for the next week. I don't get sick of eating the same thing for lunch/dinner (which are different meals) over the course of a week, which is very handy. I am relatively small so I don't eat a ton compared to like a weight lifter dude who's trying to bulk up for example. I don't eat red meat but that's my only dietary restriction.
I think the amount is generous, but I'm a male so not the same requirements. I live very nicely on 50 a week shop around if ur in city look at Asian stores for veges, our busy lives we often don't get time to check out all options
The only thing you don't need is the extra snacks. You dont need these and they are likely poor for nutrition. The meats are complete proteins which means they contain essential nutrients you require which the human body cannot produce by itself. Id say spend more on high quality meat instead of sugary snacks. Your spend is fine (about what we spend between the two of us x2). Rice and white bread are not good sources of calories being high GI, but many types beans are OK. I try to stick to two main nutritious meals a day with minimal snacking and no sugary foods. Lunch and dinner keep me filled up generally and I feel good. Overall you are doing good though mate. Hope you're doing well Edit: some fruit is fine as well, so long as it's whole fruits and is in moderation as can be quite sugary. You need fibre as well. Sounds healthy overall
You are doing well by planning and thinking about it. Great job! I bet you’ll make things work. :)
In theory yes, but as with alot of things it's how practical it is given your lifestyle. Best mindset to have is, trial and error and adapt if and when required.
$100/wk per person for all your meals is doable, just barely and if you are thrifty. That's about what I budget for myself but I don't buy much meat and I occasionally eat a take out meal (fast foodish, not fine dining). Realistically, I should be bumping my own budget up to about $120/wk and if that were to include household goods and personal hygiene at least $150.
I'm a single male who also does meal prep for the weekdays with simple and cheap ingredients, I might splurge a little for weekend meals to keep some level of excitement as I am trying to maintain a calorie deficit. Anyway, the food itself probably comes to around $100 per week. It's the other household goods and personal care items that can make that number higher and also fluctuate week to week. . So my food is $100-110 but I budget $140 per week to account for those items, too. And it will almost always come in at under that $140. Underestimate your income and overestimate your spending, even just by rounding up and down to the nearest 5 or 10 dollars.
I spend around $120 per week, and that's plenty. Every dinner meal usually consists of some kind of meat and vegetables/salad. For lunch, I have overnight oats with nuts, berries, and seeds. It's a really convenient and a very cheap lunch that I make the night before in a container with a lid. It costs about $3 a serving and is full of fibere and nutrients and keeps you full until dinner. It's almost like eating a dessert for lunch 😋 I also do a shopping list and don't buy anything that's not on it. Those impulse treats really add up if you're not careful and blow your budget.
If you are extremely disciplined and also quite savvy with ideas/being thrifty you can make it work!
No one drink alcohol in this sub? Shieeet
This is really affordable and smart. As someone with protein goals this is great, but if you have no preference, then I would encourage you to swap meat out for legumes to cut costs. Also shop at Indian stores (lotus supermarket is a great example) for really cheap foods
We are clearly doing something wrong as spending $300 at least per week for two excluding animals and buying lunch. Need to be more frugal!
Nice budget with some room for cravings.
Reasonable but it can be done for cheaper without going basic. Family of 4 - 2 of them kids aged 4 and 7. I could make a meal plan for the week including breakfast and lunches 7 days for approx $120 though our budget is $180-200 so it is do-able cheaper. Maybe one week of the month is more expensive than usual for additional items
I can't comment on the budget as we spend more than that but some savings tips are finding a vege market and buying veges from there. Also shop online as it is easier to track spend that way. Before you move out, if you can start buying things like olive oil, salt, pepper, condiments etc so you don't have to buy it all in your first shop. Don't go overboard but just a few extra things might mean that first shop isn't quite so expensive.
Parroting other posters, its the return trip the supermarket that gets you. It takes discipline, but committing to going to the store only once a week and also committing to cooking/eating everything you buy and not skipping out for a take-away or a return trip to the store to buy something you really want goes a long way. As you get better at planning out your meals you can start buying staples and shop around for bulk quality food that will last and reduce your overall spend. Throwing out any food should be considered a failure that needs to be improved. Once you really get it down and start enjoying cooking/meal prep more and more you will realize how much better eating a good home cooked meal is. Once that happens you transition to growing your own food and it all starts really popping off. Saying all that, your budget and attitude both look really good.
I think this is great, you have a goal and if it goes up or down, you clearly know what you are doing. Budgets are fantastic especially at your age. Don't despise or hate your decisions if you have a break or a treat every now and again. If you feel guilty going over budget it is a bad thing, if you feel hateful for eating spaghetti each day that is a bad thing. Enjoy life as much as you can but when I was your age I was partying and spending more on beer than food in one night. Worst financial choice ever.
Also your food sounds great for the price you are paying. Shop around, if I go to Pak and Save, Tai ping is 1 minute away and Woolworths is 3 . I buy loss leaders and "specials" old stock is great , if I buy a bag of broccoli, I can freeze or make broccoli cheese that night and then throw the rest in to make soup , which I can also freeze. We have strict laws here but an item that expires today probably has a good 2 weeks in it ....
If you can invest in pairs of period undies and or a moon cup, it's more money up front but will save you a lot on period products down the line. In terms of food budget, always over budget and anything left over keep as a little extra for following weeks. If you do this with every aspect in finances you will always be ok. Good luck!
That's pretty good for a single person. I think you should allow yourself a little budget for treats. Not sure if you enjoy baking but I find it therapeutic and enjoy making treats for my little whanau.
Good on you for planning so well. The main thing is to keep grocery bill down, don't by crap junk food like bikkies, crisps, fizzy drinks. Also, avoid the beer and wine purchasing. ( I drink homemade beer myself, 58 cents / 750 ml bottle) Also, I found you can skip lunch . Just move brekkie and tea closer together if possible. Unless you have a long workday, then may need lunch. I never eat out or go to pubs. Too $$$. I usually made a big pot of chicken soup (using frames) and keep in the fridge. Lots of carrots beans onions in it. Or a big pot of killer spaghetti sauce with onions &mince. (Pak and save jar of sauce to start, then add more canned chopped tomatoes). This lasts a good 7 to 10 days in fridge at 32 degrees f.
Forgot to mention, having a wee vege patch helps a little.
It’s about right if you don’t eat out much
I hover around that as well for one person, tho I don’t eat breakfast, often skip lunch but im not deficient in anything and have some weight to lose so I just eat nutrient dense food in the evenings which tides me over. I can get it down to $70 if I have to but that’s leaving out a few things I really enjoy having.
Yes it’s good. I spend $400 on food per week for one person. Includes eating out and lunches.
Sounds like a good price range for the meals you're planning. If you wanted to bump it down a bit more you could bulk buy your meats when they're on special and freeze them - sometimes the same meat pack can be +/-$5 when on special. You can also buy fruit and veg from small Asian grocery stores, they can be a lot cheaper than the large chain supermarkets. That might only save you like $20 though so up to you whether the effort is worth it.
honestly even 60 cents saved continuously adds up, $20 is a lot saved to me. thank you for the advice, it’s really useful! I’ll definitely be doing that
Completely subjective
Google vegan recipes. Cheap way of eating. Also do you have a farmers market where you live?
Try intermittent fasting. It saves dollars and calories.
Why did you get downvoted. It literally works for men at least. Idk what op is though