Inspired by A girl called Jack

I am lucky enough never to have to budget my food expenditure. I buy what I want, I do look at the price of the ingredients, but rarely do I not buy because of the cost. I select special offers and look for the good buys, but eat incredibly well, as you can see from my blog. I have been following the blog written by Jack Monroe recently. This month she has been raising money for Oxfam through her challenge to Live below the line, a global poverty project. She has raised over £3000 so far. For the challenge she spent £5 on food, from which she made 3 meals a day for 7 days. Although that seems unbelievable, she priced all her meals and it is possible. This got me thinking about how much I spent on my food shopping. I totted up my tesco/sainsburys bills from January to April. My god, what scary stuff. Although these bills include alcoholic drinks and other household goods, I am talking in the region of £120 a week.

This coming week I have economised greatly on my weekly shop, I have tried to keep the cost down to a minimum. I have just finished my tesco food shop on line and the bill has come to £41.99, this includes one bottle of white wine. Hopefully I won't need to add to this as I have meal planned for the four of us this week, including packed lunches for the kids. If necessary I'll use ingredients in the freezer and cupboards to add to my shop, but will try not to. I will use up the bits I find in the fridge. As I normally spend around £120 a week, I am donating the difference of £78 to Oxfam. I'll donate the money through Jack Monroes, Live below the line web page. She has experienced poverty in her own life, and I find her a truly inspirational woman.
If anyone fancies joining me in doing the same in the following weeks I will post my frugal recipes and perhaps you could donate the difference of your usual weekly shop to your chosen charity.