Groceries have gotten more expensive these days. No matter how carefully you shop, the cost of essentials, especially food items, can eat away at your budget.

So, when it comes to the regular grocery shop, it can be overwhelming, especially for those barely managing to keep afloat.

Recently, a Centrelink recipient shared her $100 fortnightly grocery haul on the social networking site Twitter to show the food you can get on a tight budget.

‘I thought I'd share what my shopping looks like,’ she said. ‘This is for a fortnight. People who believe Jobseekers are out here living the high life are wrong.’

The woman’s 39-item shopping list at Coles consisted mostly of store-brand items such as milk, vegetables, bread, coffee, cereal, and canned goods. She also bought some pasta, pasta sauce, a pack of beef sausages, and some instant noodles.

Of course, she also made sure to buy some toiletries and home cleaning products like laundry detergent.

In total, her shop cost her $94.62.

The woman’s fortnightly grocery shop had a fair mix of veggies. Image Credit: Twitter

So where’s the remaining $6, you ask? Well, it’s at Woolies, she said: ‘This also doesn't include dog food. They are out of the dog rolls except for the expensive ones, so I’ll have to ask my brother to pick one up from Woolworths, which will bring the total to $100.’

It didn't take long before many Twitter users sang the same tune, with pangs of understanding and shared experience running through their responses.

‘What I'm finding absolutely insane is, at the moment, it's cheaper for my mum and me to get pizza (lasts three nights of dinner) than to buy ingredients to make a healthy dinner (to last three nights, depending on what we make),’ one user said.

Another found the woman’s shop all too familiar: ‘(This) literally mimics my own two-week shopping list. (It’s) only getting worse as prices go up too.’

‘(I) can remember when $100 used to feed my family of five, it would fill a trolley, now (it) hardly covers the counter,’ a third, who is a mum, added.

And another added, perhaps most relatably: ‘I often think when I go shopping how would anyone shop on the pittance that is welfare payments. Everything absolutely everything is going up. Every week I see some new item I buy increase in price — some even double from a few years back. The bill at the checkout is always a worry.’

As so many others resort to in these tough times, they criticised the woman’s shop in jest too.

‘Coffee? Coffee! Such a luxury item. Why, in my day, we'd have a giant tin of International Roast topped up with sweepings of dust from the factory floor and be happy for it!’ one user said.

‘Two different milks! Outrageous,’ added a second.

Others even jokingly said her buying meat and vegetables in one shop was already in the range of showing off: ‘Basically flaunting wealth, this is.’

And then there’s the response you’d hear uttered now and then whenever someone complains of high grocery prices: ‘You can buy most of those things (probably not all) from ALDI at much better prices.’

The woman’s shop, accounting for dog food unavailable from Coles, cost her around $100. Image Credit: Twitter

Sadly, this latest story is part of a long-running saga of rising grocery prices, and the issue doesn't seem to be going away any time soon.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the Consumer Price Index rose by 7.8 per cent in the 12 months to December 2022. Dairy, bread and cereal, other products, and non-food household products all saw annual increases of at least ten per cent.

What’s more, with the fate of supermarkets’ discount deals uncertain beyond stated deadlines — which would be mid-April for Coles’ ‘Dropped & Locked’ — the picture isn’t entirely rosy for the average Aussie consumer, much more for those on welfare.

Key Takeaways

• An Australian woman shared screenshots of her $100 shopping list to show the little food she’s able to afford with her Centrelink payments.
• Pantry staples like milk, bread, cereal and a few fresh vegetables were among the items she purchased.
• People shared similar struggles in response, with many pointing out the shrinking amount of groceries they can afford.
• Food items like milk and bread saw the most significant annual price increases last year.

Still, there are silver linings on the horizon.

For one, Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci stated that while red meat and dairy prices remain high, chicken prices are beginning to stabilise.

Similar schemes such as ‘Dropped & Locked’ from Coles are also seen to encourage more healthy competition among supermarkets through incentivising continued patronage by offering better discount deals.

Hopefully, in the coming weeks, we will see great offers to save from other supermarkets like Woolworths, ALDI, and IGA.

Experts from CHOICE and Finder recommend various tips to save more on grocery shopping, such as taking advantage of discount deals and shopping at night. Image Credit: Seniors Discount Club

In the meantime, you might want to check out ways to shop smarter amid these trying times from CHOICE, a consumer advocacy group.

What are your thoughts on this? If you’re on the Age Pension, Jobseeker, or other forms of welfare, is what you’re receiving enough to live on, in your opinion?

Tell us in the comments below.


Note: We’re also aware that these times can be very distressing for some of us who are struggling. A directory of mental health services can be found here. Please consider reaching services like Lifeline Australia at 13 11 14 as well.

 

[Mrs Wood]

Horrors! Coles baked beans up to $1.10 from 65 cents in a week. I didn’t buy other tinned goods but noticed at a glance the cheapies have gone up to $1.10 too.

 

[Mark1]

Coles woolies and Aldi are all price gouging. There profits are going through the roof. In the billions and not paying a cent in tax. Except for ALDI. I refuse to buy there home brand items. They undercut the opposition,send them broke then will double the price of home brand poor quality food.

Where is the proof of all this?

 

[LynneM]

Oh how I would love, love, love to see how I could live on the pension. It was taken off me totally a few years ago when they changed the asset limit. When my father passed away I bought a unit with his money and my single mother daughter moved into the family home with her three children when the house she was renting was sold. Even though she was working it was a struggle so we agreed on $100 a week which only covers expenses such as rates, insurance and repairs so nothing left for me. Because I was “asset rich ??” I lost my entire pension and have to live on my super which is dwindling fast. Even if I sold the house which I would never throw my family out I would still never get 1 cent of pension I have paid tax all my working life and now that I need it I can’t get any help. I firmly believe every person should be assessed on an individual basis and not an overall basis. Yes I am assert rich but that doesn’t pay the bills. Yes I could charge my daughter the going rate for rent but she is trying to save a small amount each week so she can eventually own her own home and I could never evict them just so I could get more money.
Believe me I feel for people who are really struggling with everything (I have been there too) but would love just a little bit of what I think should be a right with the age pension

Hi,
I feel you could ask your daughter for a bit more than $100 per week, and why not sell the unit you bought and move back into family home with daughter and grandkids. You could then pool your money together and I think you both would be better off. Just a thought...

 

[LynneM]

This is a little hint to save money when shopping.
During Covid lockdowns we shopped once a month, or sometimes once every 6 weeks.
Prior to that we had shopped weekly, putting $200 into kitty to cover all food and incidentals like petrol, lotto, etc.
We found that by shopping monthly, we only spent about $400 to $500 , a saving of 300 to 400 dollars.
We invested in a chest freezer from Aldis, which I think was about $300.
We own our own home and car outright, and find that we manage to pay rates, essentials ,insurances by using Direct Debit.
We don't have money for cinema outings, live theatre etc .Now rely on Netflix etc which one of our beautiful granddaughters put on the tv for us.
The documentaries we find on there are outstanding.
In all, we have a great family supporting us.
Christmas 2021, they asked what we would like for Christmas and we said MEAT, which we can't afford.
We ate meat for 12 months! Not every meal, but small amounts with veg every 2nd or 3rd evening.
We live in the country, which I think is a bonus.Grow our own veg.Bottle fruit, make enough tomato sauce to last a year, dehydrate, make our own jam.I wouldn't touch bought jam now.
Another hint...grow chokos on your fence.They are tasteless but can be used in so many ways...full of nutrition.Also, we steam the young leaves which are just like spinach and good to eat..Gradually we are becoming pretty self sufficient.

Hi,
I absolutely love chokos. My father grew them and I ate them with butter as part of my veggies, meat and potatoes. They are tasteless but with butter on them when hot, salt and pepper yummy !!!!!Never thought about the leaves though, dad also grew the best tasting spinach.

 

[LynneM]

Horrors! Coles baked beans up to $1.10 from 65 cents in a week. I didn’t buy other tinned goods but noticed at a glance the cheapies have gone up to $1.10 too.

Hi,
Do you think this is due to inflation or just plain ripping public off? I think the latter !!!

 

[Cassiej]

Groceries have gotten more expensive these days. No matter how carefully you shop, the cost of essentials, especially food items, can eat away at your budget.

So, when it comes to the regular grocery shop, it can be overwhelming, especially for those barely managing to keep afloat.

Recently, a Centrelink recipient shared her $100 fortnightly grocery haul on the social networking site Twitter to show the food you can get on a tight budget.

‘I thought I'd share what my shopping looks like,’ she said. ‘This is for a fortnight. People who believe Jobseekers are out here living the high life are wrong.’

The woman’s 39-item shopping list at Coles consisted mostly of store-brand items such as milk, vegetables, bread, coffee, cereal, and canned goods. She also bought some pasta, pasta sauce, a pack of beef sausages, and some instant noodles.

Of course, she also made sure to buy some toiletries and home cleaning products like laundry detergent.

In total, her shop cost her $94.62.

View attachment 14807

The woman’s fortnightly grocery shop had a fair mix of veggies. Image Credit: Twitter

So where’s the remaining $6, you ask? Well, it’s at Woolies, she said: ‘This also doesn't include dog food. They are out of the dog rolls except for the expensive ones, so I’ll have to ask my brother to pick one up from Woolworths, which will bring the total to $100.’

It didn't take long before many Twitter users sang the same tune, with pangs of understanding and shared experience running through their responses.

‘What I'm finding absolutely insane is, at the moment, it's cheaper for my mum and me to get pizza (lasts three nights of dinner) than to buy ingredients to make a healthy dinner (to last three nights, depending on what we make),’ one user said.

Another found the woman’s shop all too familiar: ‘(This) literally mimics my own two-week shopping list. (It’s) only getting worse as prices go up too.’

‘(I) can remember when $100 used to feed my family of five, it would fill a trolley, now (it) hardly covers the counter,’ a third, who is a mum, added.

And another added, perhaps most relatably: ‘I often think when I go shopping how would anyone shop on the pittance that is welfare payments. Everything absolutely everything is going up. Every week I see some new item I buy increase in price — some even double from a few years back. The bill at the checkout is always a worry.’

As so many others resort to in these tough times, they criticised the woman’s shop in jest too.

‘Coffee? Coffee! Such a luxury item. Why, in my day, we'd have a giant tin of International Roast topped up with sweepings of dust from the factory floor and be happy for it!’ one user said.

‘Two different milks! Outrageous,’ added a second.

Others even jokingly said her buying meat and vegetables in one shop was already in the range of showing off: ‘Basically flaunting wealth, this is.’

And then there’s the response you’d hear uttered now and then whenever someone complains of high grocery prices: ‘You can buy most of those things (probably not all) from ALDI at much better prices.’

View attachment 14808

The woman’s shop, accounting for dog food unavailable from Coles, cost her around $100. Image Credit: Twitter

Sadly, this latest story is part of a long-running saga of rising grocery prices, and the issue doesn't seem to be going away any time soon.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the Consumer Price Index rose by 7.8 per cent in the 12 months to December 2022. Dairy, bread and cereal, other products, and non-food household products all saw annual increases of at least ten per cent.

What’s more, with the fate of supermarkets’ discount deals uncertain beyond stated deadlines — which would be mid-April for Coles’ ‘Dropped & Locked’ — the picture isn’t entirely rosy for the average Aussie consumer, much more for those on welfare.

Key Takeaways

• An Australian woman shared screenshots of her $100 shopping list to show the little food she’s able to afford with her Centrelink payments.
• Pantry staples like milk, bread, cereal and a few fresh vegetables were among the items she purchased.
• People shared similar struggles in response, with many pointing out the shrinking amount of groceries they can afford.
• Food items like milk and bread saw the most significant annual price increases last year.

Still, there are silver linings on the horizon.

For one, Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci stated that while red meat and dairy prices remain high, chicken prices are beginning to stabilise.

Similar schemes such as ‘Dropped & Locked’ from Coles are also seen to encourage more healthy competition among supermarkets through incentivising continued patronage by offering better discount deals.

Hopefully, in the coming weeks, we will see great offers to save from other supermarkets like Woolworths, ALDI, and IGA.

View attachment 14821

Experts from CHOICE and Finder recommend various tips to save more on grocery shopping, such as taking advantage of discount deals and shopping at night. Image Credit: Seniors Discount Club

In the meantime, you might want to check out ways to shop smarter amid these trying times from CHOICE, a consumer advocacy group.

What are your thoughts on this? If you’re on the Age Pension, Jobseeker, or other forms of welfare, is what you’re receiving enough to live on, in your opinion?

Tell us in the comments below.


Note: We’re also aware that these times can be very distressing for some of us who are struggling. A directory of mental health services can be found here. Please consider reaching services like Lifeline Australia at 13 11 14 as well.

I sometimes do what my mother taught me. I buy a roast chicken, it feeds my cat and I. Then I strip the chicken of the meat, freeze some and then put the bones in a pot to make soup. With vegetables it's wonderful and filling. My mum was born just before the depression and lived in London during the war. She had manage with what she had.

 

[Jennie]

Ok, I know I am going to cop some flack here with my reply. I think the pension needs to be increased for our current aged pensioners who didn’t have foresight or opportunity or understanding that through advances in medicine that they would live much beyond retirement years, but the up and coming pensioners ( anyone that is now in the workforce, at any age) need to learn the art of budgeting and obtain solid financial advice and understand that our lifespan will be longer but not necessarily healthier than our predecessors. There is much solid advice on the internet, and from people who have done it all ( maybe your parents etc) to assist in teaching you this art. Go without a cafe meal or takeaway coffee. For entertainment have your friends over for a board games night. Learn new skills. Make yourself employable. Brush up on your maths and English comprehension skills. I read about all of you who are on JobStart or Newstart, why? As the payment name says, this money is meant to provide you with the opportunity of upskilling, it was never meant to provide you with a lifestyle. Grow veggies, while you are between jobs. Grow a better attitude. I had a grade 10 education, never went to uni, and there are plenty of people in my situation. I’ve never had a ‘corporate’ high paying job, I am one of the many ‘ labourers’ who was never afraid to take on ‘menial’ tasks that the majority of employment is. I did however learn the skill of budgeting early, by making mistakes after which I started reading about and listening to people who know how to make money work for you, no matter how much you earn. People I speak with including my own employer are screaming out for quality employees, who turn up for work, do the work, have a great attitude and a smile. Stop blaming government or family or society for your demise. Break the chain, the mould, the poverty thinking, stop watching and listening to negativity (the news), there was and always will be war, atrocities, disasters ( natural or man made). Be the ray of light, be happy YOU have money every fortnight TO buy some groceries, stop whinging and blaze a happy trail. Rant over. Let the flack begin.

Well said. Unfortunately the younger ones, (we raised) think the world owes them, not the other way round. My 2 daughters are in the minority and say most of their friends just carry on regardless and hope the govt will carry them in old age.

 

[Liz]

Super for the general worker was made compulsory for the Employer to contribute 3% in 1983, as far as I know that's when I remember it coming in.

We had no super until unions came in during the 80's and served a log of claims onto my employer. That is how I remember it. Definitely no super during the 1970's.

 

[Aussie all the Way]

We had no super until unions came in during the 80's and served a log of claims onto my employer. That is how I remember it. Definitely no super during the 1970's.

It wasn't a Union thing it was bought in by the Government because they knew they would NOT be able to Fund the Baby boomers when they got to Retirement Age, nothing to do with Unions. It is still the Government who dictate when Employers have to lift their Contributions, started at 3% I think it is up to 9% now, you of cause can put in lots to save on TAX.

 

[Liz]

It wasn't a Union thing it was bought in by the Government because they knew they would NOT be able to Fund the Baby boomers when they got to Retirement Age, nothing to do with Unions. It is still the Government who dictate when Employers have to lift their Contributions, started at 3% I think it is up to 9% now, you of cause can put in lots to save on TAX.

I didn't mean it was the unions who bought in super but when the unions bought in supposedly better working conditions, the government bought in super for us.

 

[Aussie all the Way]

I didn't mean it was the unions who bought in super but when the unions bought in supposedly better working conditions, the government bought in super for us.

No worries

 

[Leeta069]

I get more for my $ at Aldi.

Aldi isn't everywhere!!!!

 

[Macarj]

Ok, I know I am going to cop some flack here with my reply. I think the pension needs to be increased for our current aged pensioners who didn’t have foresight or opportunity or understanding that through advances in medicine that they would live much beyond retirement years, but the up and coming pensioners ( anyone that is now in the workforce, at any age) need to learn the art of budgeting and obtain solid financial advice and understand that our lifespan will be longer but not necessarily healthier than our predecessors. There is much solid advice on the internet, and from people who have done it all ( maybe your parents etc) to assist in teaching you this art. Go without a cafe meal or takeaway coffee. For entertainment have your friends over for a board games night. Learn new skills. Make yourself employable. Brush up on your maths and English comprehension skills. I read about all of you who are on JobStart or Newstart, why? As the payment name says, this money is meant to provide you with the opportunity of upskilling, it was never meant to provide you with a lifestyle. Grow veggies, while you are between jobs. Grow a better attitude. I had a grade 10 education, never went to uni, and there are plenty of people in my situation. I’ve never had a ‘corporate’ high paying job, I am one of the many ‘ labourers’ who was never afraid to take on ‘menial’ tasks that the majority of employment is. I did however learn the skill of budgeting early, by making mistakes after which I started reading about and listening to people who know how to make money work for you, no matter how much you earn. People I speak with including my own employer are screaming out for quality employees, who turn up for work, do the work, have a great attitude and a smile. Stop blaming government or family or society for your demise. Break the chain, the mould, the poverty thinking, stop watching and listening to negativity (the news), there was and always will be war, atrocities, disasters ( natural or man made). Be the ray of light, be happy YOU have money every fortnight TO buy some groceries, stop whinging and blaze a happy trail. Rant over. Let the flack begin.

Well written not a rant at all just an opinion every body is entitled to an opinion

 

[Glo72]

Ok, I know I am going to cop some flack here with my reply. I think the pension needs to be increased for our current aged pensioners who didn’t have foresight or opportunity or understanding that through advances in medicine that they would live much beyond retirement years, but the up and coming pensioners ( anyone that is now in the workforce, at any age) need to learn the art of budgeting and obtain solid financial advice and understand that our lifespan will be longer but not necessarily healthier than our predecessors. There is much solid advice on the internet, and from people who have done it all ( maybe your parents etc) to assist in teaching you this art. Go without a cafe meal or takeaway coffee. For entertainment have your friends over for a board games night. Learn new skills. Make yourself employable. Brush up on your maths and English comprehension skills. I read about all of you who are on JobStart or Newstart, why? As the payment name says, this money is meant to provide you with the opportunity of upskilling, it was never meant to provide you with a lifestyle. Grow veggies, while you are between jobs. Grow a better attitude. I had a grade 10 education, never went to uni, and there are plenty of people in my situation. I’ve never had a ‘corporate’ high paying job, I am one of the many ‘ labourers’ who was never afraid to take on ‘menial’ tasks that the majority of employment is. I did however learn the skill of budgeting early, by making mistakes after which I started reading about and listening to people who know how to make money work for you, no matter how much you earn. People I speak with including my own employer are screaming out for quality employees, who turn up for work, do the work, have a great attitude and a smile. Stop blaming government or family or society for your demise. Break the chain, the mould, the poverty thinking, stop watching and listening to negativity (the news), there was and always will be war, atrocities, disasters ( natural or man made). Be the ray of light, be happy YOU have money every fortnight TO buy some groceries, stop whinging and blaze a happy trail. Rant over. Let the flack begin.

No flak from me. My husband had to leave the workforce because of ill health. He is on disability support pension and I am on the age pension. I learnt early on to budget. My grocery bill has increased but I shop at Aldi for most of my groceries. I recently got diagnosed with coeliacs disease and I get most products from Woolworths. We are in government housing so get a rebate on rent. We get by.

 

[zazava]

I get more for my $ at Aldi.

I wish I could shop there, unfortunately, being housebound, I need my shopping delivered ... ALDI don't deliver groceries - hopefully this will change soon.

 

[stev3281]

Groceries have gotten more expensive these days. No matter how carefully you shop, the cost of essentials, especially food items, can eat away at your budget.

So, when it comes to the regular grocery shop, it can be overwhelming, especially for those barely managing to keep afloat.

Recently, a Centrelink recipient shared her $100 fortnightly grocery haul on the social networking site Twitter to show the food you can get on a tight budget.

‘I thought I'd share what my shopping looks like,’ she said. ‘This is for a fortnight. People who believe Jobseekers are out here living the high life are wrong.’

The woman’s 39-item shopping list at Coles consisted mostly of store-brand items such as milk, vegetables, bread, coffee, cereal, and canned goods. She also bought some pasta, pasta sauce, a pack of beef sausages, and some instant noodles.

Of course, she also made sure to buy some toiletries and home cleaning products like laundry detergent.

In total, her shop cost her $94.62.

View attachment 14807

The woman’s fortnightly grocery shop had a fair mix of veggies. Image Credit: Twitter

So where’s the remaining $6, you ask? Well, it’s at Woolies, she said: ‘This also doesn't include dog food. They are out of the dog rolls except for the expensive ones, so I’ll have to ask my brother to pick one up from Woolworths, which will bring the total to $100.’

It didn't take long before many Twitter users sang the same tune, with pangs of understanding and shared experience running through their responses.

‘What I'm finding absolutely insane is, at the moment, it's cheaper for my mum and me to get pizza (lasts three nights of dinner) than to buy ingredients to make a healthy dinner (to last three nights, depending on what we make),’ one user said.

Another found the woman’s shop all too familiar: ‘(This) literally mimics my own two-week shopping list. (It’s) only getting worse as prices go up too.’

‘(I) can remember when $100 used to feed my family of five, it would fill a trolley, now (it) hardly covers the counter,’ a third, who is a mum, added.

And another added, perhaps most relatably: ‘I often think when I go shopping how would anyone shop on the pittance that is welfare payments. Everything absolutely everything is going up. Every week I see some new item I buy increase in price — some even double from a few years back. The bill at the checkout is always a worry.’

As so many others resort to in these tough times, they criticised the woman’s shop in jest too.

‘Coffee? Coffee! Such a luxury item. Why, in my day, we'd have a giant tin of International Roast topped up with sweepings of dust from the factory floor and be happy for it!’ one user said.

‘Two different milks! Outrageous,’ added a second.

Others even jokingly said her buying meat and vegetables in one shop was already in the range of showing off: ‘Basically flaunting wealth, this is.’

And then there’s the response you’d hear uttered now and then whenever someone complains of high grocery prices: ‘You can buy most of those things (probably not all) from ALDI at much better prices.’

View attachment 14808

The woman’s shop, accounting for dog food unavailable from Coles, cost her around $100. Image Credit: Twitter

Sadly, this latest story is part of a long-running saga of rising grocery prices, and the issue doesn't seem to be going away any time soon.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the Consumer Price Index rose by 7.8 per cent in the 12 months to December 2022. Dairy, bread and cereal, other products, and non-food household products all saw annual increases of at least ten per cent.

What’s more, with the fate of supermarkets’ discount deals uncertain beyond stated deadlines — which would be mid-April for Coles’ ‘Dropped & Locked’ — the picture isn’t entirely rosy for the average Aussie consumer, much more for those on welfare.

Key Takeaways

• An Australian woman shared screenshots of her $100 shopping list to show the little food she’s able to afford with her Centrelink payments.
• Pantry staples like milk, bread, cereal and a few fresh vegetables were among the items she purchased.
• People shared similar struggles in response, with many pointing out the shrinking amount of groceries they can afford.
• Food items like milk and bread saw the most significant annual price increases last year.

Still, there are silver linings on the horizon.

For one, Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci stated that while red meat and dairy prices remain high, chicken prices are beginning to stabilise.

Similar schemes such as ‘Dropped & Locked’ from Coles are also seen to encourage more healthy competition among supermarkets through incentivising continued patronage by offering better discount deals.

Hopefully, in the coming weeks, we will see great offers to save from other supermarkets like Woolworths, ALDI, and IGA.

View attachment 14821

Experts from CHOICE and Finder recommend various tips to save more on grocery shopping, such as taking advantage of discount deals and shopping at night. Image Credit: Seniors Discount Club

In the meantime, you might want to check out ways to shop smarter amid these trying times from CHOICE, a consumer advocacy group.

What are your thoughts on this? If you’re on the Age Pension, Jobseeker, or other forms of welfare, is what you’re receiving enough to live on, in your opinion?

Tell us in the comments below.


Note: We’re also aware that these times can be very distressing for some of us who are struggling. A directory of mental health services can be found here. Please consider reaching services like Lifeline Australia at 13 11 14 as well.

coles are far toooo expensive, aldi prices in comparisan are far more affordable.
as me &my wife are both on pensions we are constantly looking at cheaper alternatives,

 

[Luckyus]

Groceries have gotten more expensive these days. No matter how carefully you shop, the cost of essentials, especially food items, can eat away at your budget.

So, when it comes to the regular grocery shop, it can be overwhelming, especially for those barely managing to keep afloat.

Recently, a Centrelink recipient shared her $100 fortnightly grocery haul on the social networking site Twitter to show the food you can get on a tight budget.

‘I thought I'd share what my shopping looks like,’ she said. ‘This is for a fortnight. People who believe Jobseekers are out here living the high life are wrong.’

The woman’s 39-item shopping list at Coles consisted mostly of store-brand items such as milk, vegetables, bread, coffee, cereal, and canned goods. She also bought some pasta, pasta sauce, a pack of beef sausages, and some instant noodles.

Of course, she also made sure to buy some toiletries and home cleaning products like laundry detergent.

In total, her shop cost her $94.62.

View attachment 14807

The woman’s fortnightly grocery shop had a fair mix of veggies. Image Credit: Twitter

So where’s the remaining $6, you ask? Well, it’s at Woolies, she said: ‘This also doesn't include dog food. They are out of the dog rolls except for the expensive ones, so I’ll have to ask my brother to pick one up from Woolworths, which will bring the total to $100.’

It didn't take long before many Twitter users sang the same tune, with pangs of understanding and shared experience running through their responses.

‘What I'm finding absolutely insane is, at the moment, it's cheaper for my mum and me to get pizza (lasts three nights of dinner) than to buy ingredients to make a healthy dinner (to last three nights, depending on what we make),’ one user said.

Another found the woman’s shop all too familiar: ‘(This) literally mimics my own two-week shopping list. (It’s) only getting worse as prices go up too.’

‘(I) can remember when $100 used to feed my family of five, it would fill a trolley, now (it) hardly covers the counter,’ a third, who is a mum, added.

And another added, perhaps most relatably: ‘I often think when I go shopping how would anyone shop on the pittance that is welfare payments. Everything absolutely everything is going up. Every week I see some new item I buy increase in price — some even double from a few years back. The bill at the checkout is always a worry.’

As so many others resort to in these tough times, they criticised the woman’s shop in jest too.

‘Coffee? Coffee! Such a luxury item. Why, in my day, we'd have a giant tin of International Roast topped up with sweepings of dust from the factory floor and be happy for it!’ one user said.

‘Two different milks! Outrageous,’ added a second.

Others even jokingly said her buying meat and vegetables in one shop was already in the range of showing off: ‘Basically flaunting wealth, this is.’

And then there’s the response you’d hear uttered now and then whenever someone complains of high grocery prices: ‘You can buy most of those things (probably not all) from ALDI at much better prices.’

View attachment 14808

The woman’s shop, accounting for dog food unavailable from Coles, cost her around $100. Image Credit: Twitter

Sadly, this latest story is part of a long-running saga of rising grocery prices, and the issue doesn't seem to be going away any time soon.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the Consumer Price Index rose by 7.8 per cent in the 12 months to December 2022. Dairy, bread and cereal, other products, and non-food household products all saw annual increases of at least ten per cent.

What’s more, with the fate of supermarkets’ discount deals uncertain beyond stated deadlines — which would be mid-April for Coles’ ‘Dropped & Locked’ — the picture isn’t entirely rosy for the average Aussie consumer, much more for those on welfare.

Key Takeaways

• An Australian woman shared screenshots of her $100 shopping list to show the little food she’s able to afford with her Centrelink payments.
• Pantry staples like milk, bread, cereal and a few fresh vegetables were among the items she purchased.
• People shared similar struggles in response, with many pointing out the shrinking amount of groceries they can afford.
• Food items like milk and bread saw the most significant annual price increases last year.

Still, there are silver linings on the horizon.

For one, Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci stated that while red meat and dairy prices remain high, chicken prices are beginning to stabilise.

Similar schemes such as ‘Dropped & Locked’ from Coles are also seen to encourage more healthy competition among supermarkets through incentivising continued patronage by offering better discount deals.

Hopefully, in the coming weeks, we will see great offers to save from other supermarkets like Woolworths, ALDI, and IGA.

View attachment 14821

Experts from CHOICE and Finder recommend various tips to save more on grocery shopping, such as taking advantage of discount deals and shopping at night. Image Credit: Seniors Discount Club

In the meantime, you might want to check out ways to shop smarter amid these trying times from CHOICE, a consumer advocacy group.

What are your thoughts on this? If you’re on the Age Pension, Jobseeker, or other forms of welfare, is what you’re receiving enough to live on, in your opinion?

Tell us in the comments below.


Note: We’re also aware that these times can be very distressing for some of us who are struggling. A directory of mental health services can be found here. Please consider reaching services like Lifeline Australia at 13 11 14 as well.

Yes, I do believe the aged pension is to low, I'd like to see some of these politicians living in near penury, instead of hanging off the teat of the worker??

 

[Bilby]

Breakfast cereals other than porridge are a rip off. I have my doubts if milk is all that nutritious. Margarine is not food. Eating the wrong stuff leaves you unsatisfied. For salt I buy a 25kg of raw salt crystals from a farm supply shop. I also eat purslane a weed that grows wild at this time of year.

 

[Judith1946]

I read with great interest all of the posts. It strikes me that due to the fact that I grew up in the UK having been born in 1946 that I’m a very blessed woman. The national health act didn’t come into effect until 1947 when for the first time people in Britain could get free medical treatment. This meant that my parents generation grew up using tried and tested remedies based on herbal medicines. My mother would make her own hand cream and salves from such things as buttercup petals and elderflowers, rose hips and marigolds. These things are still in use today and rapidly making a come back as people want natural remedies. I’m certainly not suggesting that prescription medicines shouldn’t play their part. I grew up making chutney, jams, jellies, preserved fruits and vegetables, pickles, relishes and mustards. It was a wonderful seasonal affair. We made our own bread, cakes and pastries usually on a Saturday or Sunday for the rest of the week when cake tins were filled and biscuit tins bulged with mouthwatering favourites. My parents made homemade wines and beer. They were great gardeners and I grew up learning how to do all these things as did my friends. After the war there was rationing which was stricter than during the war and yet we always had more than enough to eat. My mother made my clothes, and we recycled everything even undoing old woollens to make new cardigans or even latch hooked rugs. In the 1970’s there were strikes galore and electicity was rationed and we may only have had a few hours a day with luck, so candles and Tilly lamps were essential. I cooked casseroles in a haybox another thing I learned from my parents who used this cooking method during the war. They lived in London during the blitz. They also grew up during the 1st World War and lived through the depression when food was scarce. I suggest getting on line or going to your local library and researching depression era recipe books and war time cook books. Believe me there are really healthy and nourishing recipes worthy of any table. Stop being so addicted to pre- prepared ingredients, make things from scratch, eat foods in season. My parents worked long hours every day as did I and yet we still managed to fit all this in. Maybe stop sitting in front of the Television so much and become more self sufficient, get the children involved in cooking, that’s how I learned. You need to learn how to shop for cheaper cuts of meat, how to cook from scratch and not relyi on bottled sauces and packet flavourings. Look to other countries cuisines like Italy, china, Greece, etc where their regional foods are low cost yet full flavoured. Look at old cook books for inspiration and rediscover wonderful childhood favourites. I can make a smallish chicken into 8-10 portions. I make wonderful pies, casseroles, soups, roasts, pastas and salads. My food is well seasoned and the use of herbs allied to a good knowledge of cooking techniques allows me to eat on a ver low income as if I were a rich woman. I’ve taught at various community houses, The CAE, and woman’s institutes in three countries all these things I intend to continue to pasS on my skills in crafts cookery, gardening etc as long as I have breath. It’s so enjoyable and rewarding to see what a difference it makes when people learn to be self reliant. I am 76, I have stage four breast cancer, post polio syndrome, a dicky heart, and type 1 diabetes and still I can teach even if I can only do so these days by talking. Life can still be exciting and worthwhile.

 

[Kanga53]

Groceries have gotten more expensive these days. No matter how carefully you shop, the cost of essentials, especially food items, can eat away at your budget.

So, when it comes to the regular grocery shop, it can be overwhelming, especially for those barely managing to keep afloat.

Recently, a Centrelink recipient shared her $100 fortnightly grocery haul on the social networking site Twitter to show the food you can get on a tight budget.

‘I thought I'd share what my shopping looks like,’ she said. ‘This is for a fortnight. People who believe Jobseekers are out here living the high life are wrong.’

The woman’s 39-item shopping list at Coles consisted mostly of store-brand items such as milk, vegetables, bread, coffee, cereal, and canned goods. She also bought some pasta, pasta sauce, a pack of beef sausages, and some instant noodles.

Of course, she also made sure to buy some toiletries and home cleaning products like laundry detergent.

In total, her shop cost her $94.62.

View attachment 14807

The woman’s fortnightly grocery shop had a fair mix of veggies. Image Credit: Twitter

So where’s the remaining $6, you ask? Well, it’s at Woolies, she said: ‘This also doesn't include dog food. They are out of the dog rolls except for the expensive ones, so I’ll have to ask my brother to pick one up from Woolworths, which will bring the total to $100.’

It didn't take long before many Twitter users sang the same tune, with pangs of understanding and shared experience running through their responses.

‘What I'm finding absolutely insane is, at the moment, it's cheaper for my mum and me to get pizza (lasts three nights of dinner) than to buy ingredients to make a healthy dinner (to last three nights, depending on what we make),’ one user said.

Another found the woman’s shop all too familiar: ‘(This) literally mimics my own two-week shopping list. (It’s) only getting worse as prices go up too.’

‘(I) can remember when $100 used to feed my family of five, it would fill a trolley, now (it) hardly covers the counter,’ a third, who is a mum, added.

And another added, perhaps most relatably: ‘I often think when I go shopping how would anyone shop on the pittance that is welfare payments. Everything absolutely everything is going up. Every week I see some new item I buy increase in price — some even double from a few years back. The bill at the checkout is always a worry.’

As so many others resort to in these tough times, they criticised the woman’s shop in jest too.

‘Coffee? Coffee! Such a luxury item. Why, in my day, we'd have a giant tin of International Roast topped up with sweepings of dust from the factory floor and be happy for it!’ one user said.

‘Two different milks! Outrageous,’ added a second.

Others even jokingly said her buying meat and vegetables in one shop was already in the range of showing off: ‘Basically flaunting wealth, this is.’

And then there’s the response you’d hear uttered now and then whenever someone complains of high grocery prices: ‘You can buy most of those things (probably not all) from ALDI at much better prices.’

View attachment 14808

The woman’s shop, accounting for dog food unavailable from Coles, cost her around $100. Image Credit: Twitter

Sadly, this latest story is part of a long-running saga of rising grocery prices, and the issue doesn't seem to be going away any time soon.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the Consumer Price Index rose by 7.8 per cent in the 12 months to December 2022. Dairy, bread and cereal, other products, and non-food household products all saw annual increases of at least ten per cent.

What’s more, with the fate of supermarkets’ discount deals uncertain beyond stated deadlines — which would be mid-April for Coles’ ‘Dropped & Locked’ — the picture isn’t entirely rosy for the average Aussie consumer, much more for those on welfare.

Key Takeaways

• An Australian woman shared screenshots of her $100 shopping list to show the little food she’s able to afford with her Centrelink payments.
• Pantry staples like milk, bread, cereal and a few fresh vegetables were among the items she purchased.
• People shared similar struggles in response, with many pointing out the shrinking amount of groceries they can afford.
• Food items like milk and bread saw the most significant annual price increases last year.

Still, there are silver linings on the horizon.

For one, Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci stated that while red meat and dairy prices remain high, chicken prices are beginning to stabilise.

Similar schemes such as ‘Dropped & Locked’ from Coles are also seen to encourage more healthy competition among supermarkets through incentivising continued patronage by offering better discount deals.

Hopefully, in the coming weeks, we will see great offers to save from other supermarkets like Woolworths, ALDI, and IGA.

View attachment 14821

Experts from CHOICE and Finder recommend various tips to save more on grocery shopping, such as taking advantage of discount deals and shopping at night. Image Credit: Seniors Discount Club

In the meantime, you might want to check out ways to shop smarter amid these trying times from CHOICE, a consumer advocacy group.

What are your thoughts on this? If you’re on the Age Pension, Jobseeker, or other forms of welfare, is what you’re receiving enough to live on, in your opinion?

Tell us in the comments below.


Note: We’re also aware that these times can be very distressing for some of us who are struggling. A directory of mental health services can be found here. Please consider reaching services like Lifeline Australia at 13 11 14 as well.

I do not like Aldi. The profits go to Germany whereas Australians can buy shares or hold shares in Coles or Woolworths. One other matter that annoys me is that Aldi charges for its shopping trolleys. Aldi customers don’t use these trolleys so instead go to Coles and Woolworths and take those trolleys. As a result there are no trolleys for Coles and Woolworths customers. I do understand Aldi customers for doing so BUT Aldi is exploiting the situation. If Coles and Woolworths increase the trolleys it is an expense that these companies snd their customers bare while Aldi sends its profits overseas.