Aussies splurge $15,000 a year on food and drink expenses

An alarming study has found that Australians are forking out almost $15,000 a year on food and drinks, and a large portion are flouting their allocated budget. Here’s some simple ways you save on your food bill.

Food bills are causing financial belly aches with many households admitting to blowing their budgets.

A study has calculated Australians fork out an average $288 a week each on food, drink and related expenses — almost $15,000 a year.

Eating out, takeaway meals, coffees and teas, and food delivery services such as Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Menulog chew through a third of our spend.

The Suncorp Cost of Food report reveals groceries swallow an average $135 per week, eating out $52, alcohol $31, takeaway $22, coffee and tea $13, delivery services $12, supplements $12, and health foods $11.

The research found two in five Aussies stuck to a food budget. One in four didn’t follow their allocated budget, while one in three had no budget at all.

People were most likely to overspend on food delivery, groceries and booze.

Mum Jessica Bedford keeps a close eye on the family food budget. Picture: Josie Hayden

Suncorp behavioural economist Phil Slade said our brains tended to switch to “autopilot” when it came to buying food.

“As we get busier, we tend to throw money at painful problems or situations as an easy solve. Hunger or boredom are examples,” Mr Slade said.

“This is why we shouldn’t go shopping when we’re hungry, as our brains are more focused on addressing the hunger than thinking about our finances.”

A rise in delivery services designed to make life simpler added to the temptation.

Jessica Bedford keeps to a $150 weekly family budget for groceries and household products.

With a third child on the way, Ms Bedford, 32, has been doing some extra planning and uses online budgeting tools to track spending.

“For a treat we have takeaway on Friday nights and spend about $30 on top,” she said.

“We don’t really impulse buy and try to do click and collect or have our groceries delivered.”

The report was based on a national online survey of 1581 adults.

RELATED NEWS:

WHAT AUSSIES HATE ABOUT SUPERMARKETS

HOW TO DO THE MELBOURNE SHOW ON BUDGET

23 UNMISSABLE TASTES AT THE SHOW

Women were most likely to overspend on groceries and eating out, while those aged 18 to 34 most commonly broke budgets on takeaway.

Younger people also splurged most on health foods and supplements.

Older Australians were the most frugal about eating out, delivered food, and buying coffees and tea.

Two in five workers sometimes or always bought lunch instead of bringing it from home.

One in six polled people said they found it difficult to pay for food every week.

[e-mail]

@KarenCollierHS