Food budget?
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Category: General Chat
Forum Name: General Chat
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URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5183
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Topic: Food budget?
Posted By: SMoody
Subject: Food budget?
Date Posted: 10 January 2007 at 12:53pm
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Okay this might be a bit too personal but I guess I am a bit nosey and curious and setting up budgets this side.
How much do you spent a week on your food budget? Where go you shop mostly and how big is your family? ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Replies:
Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 10 January 2007 at 1:00pm
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We shop at pack n save, but occasionaly pop to new world if there something we want that u cant get at Pack n Save. We spent around $90-$120 a week - we try and stock up on things we regularly use when they are on sale, so some weeks spend more, sometimes less. Also we buy bread every few days at the dairy.
Its just me, DH and our baby. The only thing we regularly buy for her is Napisan, and I still use disposable breast pads and cos we are using cloth nappies our shopping bill hasnt increased much at all yet. |
Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 10 January 2007 at 1:08pm
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You will probably find a wide range of prices depending on what part of the country, I'm not sure exactly how things are affected but I know that Dunedin's fruit and veg cost far more than ours.
Anyway, I'm in Palmerston North (Central North Isl) and spend an average of $120-$130/week. That's for me, DH, and two DDs 3yo and 1 1/2yo. We use cloth nappies so no expense there, and no pets. I generally buy from Pak n Save but I prefer to get meat from the Mad Butcher (better quality for a little less). Our budget will probably drop a little in a couple of months as my pregnant/breastfeeding appetite settles and I buy less pre-made foods (like pies) - which I've been doing lately. -------------  |
Posted By: 11111
Date Posted: 10 January 2007 at 1:28pm
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We buy Nappies also we shop at Pak'n' save here in New Plymouth and we spend about $130-!40 a week including formula for Mikey(5month's) so that feed me DH and Alan almost 2 year's.. ------------- Deborah Mum to:   
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Posted By: Roksana
Date Posted: 10 January 2007 at 1:55pm
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We shop at pak and save but buy our lamb from the indian butcher and fish from another fish place, I get inghams chicken/nuggets/kebabs/breast/mince from work as I get them at less than half retail price.
We buy nappies and wipes and some baby food at pak and save (should I mention Beer...) and spend $200 - $230 every fortnight...again this does not include the weekly fruit shopping and fresh bread from Bakers delight....and the one weekly takeaway! Edited to say that there is only Hubby, me and Zaara (14m) ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: jax
Date Posted: 10 January 2007 at 1:58pm
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My family is me, DH and my 6 month old DD, and our groceries budget is $300 fortnightly, although I usually do our 'main' shopping weekly - coming in just under budget (including baby food and formula). ------------- Jacquie - Mama to Erin, 13.07.06 - Chief Cat Chaser & Marmite Sammie Eater 
Love many, trust few, harm none. ~Anon~ |
Posted By: jax
Date Posted: 10 January 2007 at 1:59pm
Oh ! And I do our shopping through http://www.woolworths.co.nz - Woolworths Online  ------------- Jacquie - Mama to Erin, 13.07.06 - Chief Cat Chaser & Marmite Sammie Eater
Love many, trust few, harm none. ~Anon~ |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 10 January 2007 at 2:25pm
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We shop at Pak'n'Save in Palmy and spend around $100 a week - its me DH and Andrew. I have been spending a little less over the past month as we had xmas club money to spend in December and we spent most of it on meat so we haven't had to buy that for almost a month other than bbq meat. Even thou Andrew is out of nappies I have still been buying them for number 2 so we know how much the shopping will be when number 2 gets here. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: AnnC
Date Posted: 10 January 2007 at 2:34pm
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we spend about $230 a fortnight not including bread, milk, and fruit veges i get during the fortnight so possibily $300 total a fortnight and thats for me,dh,josh (13 yr old eats alot) brooke (8yr) and Rhyley nappies as in disposibles. hes bf so no formula expense yet. ------------- Ann 
Also Mum to Josh (15) and Brooke (10) |
Posted By: EllenMumof2
Date Posted: 10 January 2007 at 2:57pm
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we spend $130 a week thats normaly $20 of that is on meat that we get from super value who have 5 packs of meat $20 We do our main shop at pak in save in wanganui. these me, dh and kalem 5 and madison 8 months we buy formula and nappies for her which is bought with main shop. http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Kelpa
Date Posted: 10 January 2007 at 3:16pm
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Crap.....I hate to think what we spend. There is Mark and I Paige 7 and Blake 5months.....last week it was $230 for the week!!!!!!!!! :o( God knonws what we bought.
I am going to try whittle it down as just about come to the end of our savings and I am not going back to work so got to try get onto a budget. -------------  
 
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Posted By: Bubbaloo
Date Posted: 10 January 2007 at 3:21pm
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We Spend around $130 at the most on groceries we buy everything from pak c save in Christchurch. It's for my partner, me and James we get his nappies in the main shop no formula has he's fully b/f. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">  Was danni-chick Mum to James My Angel 28/07/08 |
Posted By: Bombshell
Date Posted: 10 January 2007 at 4:10pm
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We live extended family and shop fortnightly...there is mum, me and Dh..altho mum is now only there every 2nd weekend at moment....
We buy meat weekly - about $70, fruit and veges weekly about $40 - $60 and fortnightly groceries are about $250 - $300, we have take out probably twice a fortnight, and buy lunches probably twice a week, wont count weekend cause they can go to crap!!! Dh and I did a shop on mon night just for two of us and it was just simple groceries for the top of for a week and cost us $145.... |
Posted By: SMoody
Date Posted: 10 January 2007 at 4:40pm
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Okay then I must seriously be doing something wrong. Is Pak nSave cheaper than Countdown?
We are spending from $160 to $200 but it is usually closer to $200. We dont buy chips, cooldrinks or juices at all. T his doesnt include nappies we buy that somewhere else. We only spent about $10 on extra baby foods. We buy lots of veggies at the veggie shop ect. So how do you girls do it? I dont buy the most expensive and it is only me, hubby and McKayla. I can see that if you guys come out with less that I must be able to bring it down drastically. I use to be quite good at budgeting. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: jax
Date Posted: 10 January 2007 at 4:47pm
Pak n Save is cheaper, but for us the closest one is out in Albany, so I've just had to resort to other methods to get us in on budget. PM or email me if you like, and I can give you some suggestions... only if you want to though  ------------- Jacquie - Mama to Erin, 13.07.06 - Chief Cat Chaser & Marmite Sammie Eater
Love many, trust few, harm none. ~Anon~ |
Posted By: Roksana
Date Posted: 10 January 2007 at 4:59pm
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We dont buy things like fries, fizzy drink, chocolates, cookies etc....the most expensive stuff we buy at the mo is Nappies (in bulk packs for $38) and then next most expensive is our cereal, as we go thru that fast. I suppose because like others I buy stuff on special and that cuts the cost down a bit. I always keep an eye on foodtown, countdown and new world brochures to see what is on special and since hubby is always on road he stops and grabs it.
I think Pak n Save is cheeper than Countdown but Countdown is not too bad. Foodtown is the worse place to shop....every thing is more expensive there.  ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: jax
Date Posted: 10 January 2007 at 5:07pm
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Yeah, we have a Countdown five minutes drive from where we live so I often go there. You're right about Foodtown too Roksana, but I do find that sometimes New World can be just as bad ! ------------- Jacquie - Mama to Erin, 13.07.06 - Chief Cat Chaser & Marmite Sammie Eater
Love many, trust few, harm none. ~Anon~ |
Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 10 January 2007 at 5:20pm
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Yeah when we moved here we were always shopping at new world, but then when we went to pack n save, a lot of the things we regularly buy where much cheaper, even when not on sale.
We plan out our meals for the week, so we avoid having to pop into the shop for something we dont have to make a meal, and then end up coming out with 10 things! We also shop on Sun, and they seem to clear out the meat on Sun with heaps of specials. We buy whatever meat is on sale,..and if the pack is big we just divide it up before freezing,..then we plan our next week meals around what meat we got on sale the week before. That saves us from planning to buy stuff for like a lamb curry and then having to buy lamb not on sale. |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 10 January 2007 at 7:31pm
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Pak'nSave (well our one) always puts the things that Countdown advertise cheaper in their store (usually only 1c but that 1c does add up. Ours includes diet coke (i'm slightly addicted to it), and the odd packet of chippies (usually only on special). I generally find PnS cheaper over all. One thing i'm glad that happened to Palmy was they got rid of Foodtown and replaced it with Countdown. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: Bombshell
Date Posted: 10 January 2007 at 7:35pm
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we do the bulk meat etc thing too...we have two freezers in garage and if packs are big we divide them up before freezing...often works out a lot cheaper. We also buy stuff like grated cheese in bulk and put into freezer packs - enough to do toasted sanwiches and say a pasta each pack...
We shop at countdown mostly, but also NW and Woolies...I hate P n S i find it waaay too big and annoyingly set up to walk around! oh forgot also we spend about $50 a week on dog food and cat food on top of that too... we also have full pantry so if worst case scenario we could cook for at least two to three weeks with what we have in freezer and pantry and still eat well! |
Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 10 January 2007 at 8:02pm
JBunny you're doing an amazing job! 
The main difference I've found between Pak n Save and Countdown is that Countdown's dairy products are heaps more expensive. I tested it out a few weeks in a row last year (when we were spending about $100/wk) and every time I went to Countdown I spent an extra $15 on the same stuff 
The only other thing I can think of that would affect your shopping that drastically, is what type of meat are you buying and is it reasonably priced? ------------- |
Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 10 January 2007 at 9:38pm
Hehe well at least your kids have inexpensive taste  ------------- |
Posted By: jaz
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 6:55am
| We spend about $150 per week and there are three of us but my daughter is 11 so eating an adult meal. I spend $100-120 at Pak n Save, $20 at the vege shop which includes bread and milk and the balance at the Mad Butcher. I stock up on what's on special at MB. We mostly eat boneless chicken breast, lean mince, steak (beef, pork) and sometimes a roast or chops. I bake which is a big saving, and we don't buy a lot of chips, soft drinks etc. |
Posted By: Jennz
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 7:20am
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We used to spend $140 a week on the 3 of us (including a second trip in the middle of the week to get more bread and milk). We went to countdown. I found if we went to Pak n Save we usually either saved money or bought more for the same ammount of money. At my local ones I found countdown better/cheaper for meat and p&s better/cheaper for fruit and veges.
Now we spend 80 pounds p/w! Not that that is at all relevant  ------------- Jen, Charlotte 7 & Kate 3 
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Posted By: Sarah Beth
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 7:22am
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just for a comparison, I went to pack and save before Christmas and did a big shop and spent around $250. Hubbie must have been bored one night as he pulled the receipt out and went through foodtown on line to compare. Even with picking the cheapest items pack and save was still 11% cheaper.
Our food budget we don't really have one, and tend to be really bad at shopping regurlarly but would say it is around $250 a fortnight at the moment for the 2 of us ------------- "> 
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Posted By: 11111
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 8:02am
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Ok a little inside info Countdown and Woolworth's, foodtown are all owned by the same company. Pak'n'save and New world are locally owned, but also partly owned by foodstuff's. So quite often the pirce's a slightly differnt depending on what part of the country you are in ie: bag's at Pak'n'save in the south island are free in Auckland they are 10c. Anyway a a genral rule what ever countdown has on special if there is a Pak'n'Save in the aera (not too sure how it work's in Auckland) the they will meet the price so best option is go to Pak'n'save first check out their price's and then if there is the odd thing cheaper somewhere and you think it is worth it go there. Again it depend's on the distance you have to travel.
I hope that makes scence. ------------- Deborah Mum to:
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Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 8:10am
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Pak n save in Gisborne is quite pricey. My mum works in the office at palmy and when she came down she was quite shocked at the diff. what is most annoying is most of the veges are from here! they go from gis to Plamy distribution then back to Gisborne!!!!
I spend between $150-$180 - we buy LOTS of milk - at least 10 litres, and xmas club stickers and rubbish stickers. I didn't realise how much MORE I spent than everyone else though. we don't buy biscuits generally ( i bake too) we don't buy packet mixes, as I oprefer to make my own. we do go to the farmers marlet so get ruit and vege cheaper and have a vege garden. i was saying to lewis that I thought we could cut down. may have to get the old calculator out when i go shopping. I DO however have an affinity to condiments. I have been known to have no food in the fridge, but about 5 different types of mayonnaise. |
Posted By: 11111
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 8:25am
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Liz we find that NP is shightly more then palmy too it is cause the add in the cost of travel and scence we are not on the main highway I guess. Can I be nosey and ask who your Mum is both Hubby and I worked there for over 4 year's we meet there too. PM me her name if you like. ------------- Deborah Mum to:
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Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 10:40am
| she works in the office, her name is Gail. |
Posted By: Leish
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 10:58am
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We spend between $350 and $400 a fortnight for me, Hubby and a 9 year old who eats more than both of us adults. We can do it on less though cos we have been experimenting over the last few fortnights. When I am not working it will be great cos I can do the groceries on my own and I always manage to get the cost down when my fussy husband isn't around chucking all sorts of expensive things in the trolley!! ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Nikki
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 3:37pm
Oh man, we spend too much compared to all of you. Theres just DH and I and we've never tried to budget on food and just buy what we like (including chippies, iceblocks, fizzie drink, lots of different juices and cereals, snack food for work, the odd bottle of wine etc) ... we spend between 200-400 every time we visit the supermarket, which is usually 2-3wks but can be weekly. In between I will spend $50 at the fruit and vege shop and $50 at the butcher if we don't go to the supermarket that week. We also buy lunches and dinners out heaps too. We are big eaters, but we're not fat!!! haha. We'll be on one income soon though - so then I will be on a budget!!
(PS. my sister and her partner spend 80/wk, I thought that was crazy but maybe thats more normal?!?) |
Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 4:48pm
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Nik my sister and her DH spend about $70/wk but that excludes all or some of her lunches (from working in a cafe) and dinner out (or at her MIL's home) a couple of nights a week. So the $80/wk is probably about right or at a guess, a bit on the low side. ------------- |
Posted By: Roksana
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 5:07pm
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Oh yah forgot to mention that we eat at my MIL on Wed night and at my parents on Sundays so that two less days for us to cook. YAY!! ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: yummymummy
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 7:22pm
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We spend about $170-$190 a week for just me & hubby & 2 cats.
It's a bit on the high side but that includes pretty much everything for us - cat food, washing powder, drinks incl beer & wine, meat, veggies etc etc and we both take lunch to work most days. I also shop at Foodtown and we are in Auckland (both prob add to the cost ). I'm thinking of switching & shopping at pak & save but foodtown is just so darn handy! Oh, and we like eating fish and indulge in nice cheeses (so that adds up too). Darn our good taste!!! ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: 11111
Date Posted: 11 January 2007 at 9:05pm
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Liz Hubby know who she is he had alot more to do with Office staff then I did. ------------- Deborah Mum to:
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Posted By: nuttymama
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 8:30am
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Wow we seem to spend a lot more than most of you guys, I really need to cut down I think. We shop at countdown and spend anywhere between $250 to $350 a week. That's for five of us two adults and three children (one who eats more than me)But boy we need to cut down. We shop at countdown twice a week which is maybe our biggest problem. We are considering trying on line shopping as I'm a sucker for impulse items. You ladies with the small bills rock I am impressed. Maybe some of it will rub off on me!! ------------- Abigail 06/01/2005 Jayden 21/11/2001 Micheal 03/04/1997 |
Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 9:21am
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For us it depends who goes to the shop. DH calls himself a snob and won't shop at pak n save because he thinks he shouldn't have to pack his own groceries *rolls eyes* and will only go to new world. So that increases the cost a bit. If we both go we always seem to spend $200 - doens't matter when we last went shopping.
If I go weekly by myself I usually spend about $110, sometimes a little more sometimes less, depends if I throw in a couple of baby things to put away. And thats just for me, DH and our puppy |
Posted By: Jay_R
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 9:41am
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We spend, ahem, about $250 per week That includes formula, nappies etc, plus a few bottles of wine and beers. We don't go out much, so I always buy good quality meat and nice things to have nice dinners instead. I love to cook and tend to use the more expensive ingredients as I feel they taste better. Gosh, what a snob I shop at Pak n Save for fruit/vege and staples, Foodtown for the fancy stuff and our local butcher for nicer cuts of meat (the other meat I get from Foodtown).
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Posted By: miss
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 11:46am
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Well we are quite lucky as we live in Mt Wellington, so the glut of shopes at Sylvia Park have forced prices down all over really. We do most shopping at Countdown, as it is really reasonable and next to a fruit and vege shop, where we buy them (rather than the supermarket).
Our bill really depends on the time of year - holidays can be more expensive than term time as we have quite a few people over. But then term time got pricey last year as we take our lunches and DH likes lots of little treats! Now I am full on craving salad, that is what makes up most our groceries. On average I aim to spend $40 a month on groceries (just the 2 of us), but it is really more realistically around $500. Sometimes we shop at foodtown if we are in sylvia park for any reason, and while cheaper than other foodtowns, it is still more expensive than Countdown. We do prefer to get steaks and meat like that from foodtown than any of the other supermarkets though. -------------  
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 11:57am
You had me worried there Miss, I thought you meant $40/week... now I see you mean $400 per month - phew!  ------------- |
Posted By: Roksana
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 12:16pm
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yah..I was gonna say...wow!! ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: miss
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 12:55pm
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Ha ha - I really must read and check more often before I post! I think that I would be a darn site skinnier on $40 a month! Or a week for that matter! -------------
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Posted By: Nikki
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 1:09pm
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Yummymummy and clare, you guys make me feel better about my spending! I would guess our average would be $200-250/wk, hopefully when bub comes along that won't increase too much (I'm starting to buy everything I'll need for the first 9-10mths now!). We do have two cats too, which I forgot to add ... and expensive taste obviously! haha.
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Posted By: Peace
Date Posted: 12 January 2007 at 1:32pm
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We spend about $180 per fortnight and that includes everything, meat, dogfood, nappies etc. We spend about $40 over the next fortnight picking up anything else we need if we run out, like milk or bread.
I buy all my groceries at PaknSave and my meat at a butcher> Our butcher does really good $30 packs. ------------- DD1 May 2006 DD2 March 2011 DD3 August 2012 |
Posted By: 11111
Date Posted: 13 January 2007 at 2:02pm
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Peace where do you get your meant from? ------------- Deborah Mum to:
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Posted By: mummy4four
Date Posted: 14 January 2007 at 11:21am
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Im in invercargill, and we spend around $200 a week , and we have 4 children , and one is a teenager. And then there is the takeaways about once a week . I have to buy formula but not nappies, and I think its the meat that is the killer, I try to get it under $50... but that rarely happens.Its hard, becasue I can't really afford to spend much more than that.... we dont have biscuits or chips or alcohol... so yeah, just lots of furit and vegs and stuff ------------- Where there is great love, there is always miracles http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Peace
Date Posted: 15 January 2007 at 7:27am
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Either Kiwi Bitchers or Matador meats, depends on who has the better deal ------------- DD1 May 2006 DD2 March 2011 DD3 August 2012 |