Grocery shopping going to break my bank acct?

Ok, ok.....sorry.  

Maybe i phrased what i wrote incorrectly.  

Don't fret Aimiloo!   You shouldn't apologize for what you've said. You are clearly making good money over there and are wisely concerned about what will happen over here. As you can see from this thread, depending upon how fussy you are, you can eat well on a pretty strict budget. You're used to making good money and spending good money (even if that's 'spending' it into a savings account!). It may be hard to take a pay cut as you may not be able to save as much as you'd like, but food bills shouldn't be the culprit there!  

Thanks balhmeron.  Didn't want to sound like a snob.....it's just one of those things...you get used to a certain way of life.  

But i can say that you're right, from spending the weekend there, doing the normal things couples do like grocery shopping and cooking dinner, it seems that food shopping, when earning in sterling will not be my downfall.

Now, all the lovely little shops, those on the other hand i think i may have to stay away from.  

Yes, shopping can be a downfall! In many ways, it's good that I live in Exmouth because the shopping is lousy here (for clothes, housewares, etc). But I'm a foodie so love all the farm shops and specialty food shops in the Devon area.

Exeter is my closest shopping so I try to avoid it as much as possible!

You do get used to a certain way of life but you just have to accept that so many things will change when you get here and make the best of it!

On a slightly related note, one of the reasons we are having such a hard time financially is because my DF owes for his UK student loans from his MSc and the UK banks don't let you defer if you go back to school (he's now doing a PhD). So if any of you have partners with UK student loans, be aware of that!  

i think that's been my biggest concern and why i fret about $$.....my fiancee as much as i love him has a considerable amount of debt (i can't say much as my e-ring is a good chunk of it) and that's my biggest concern.  We know we'll get it taken care of in the 2 years i'm there, and be able to squirrel some away......but it's a bit distressing!

And i know and am HAPPY my life will change in so many ways!  I more i am there, and the more every day things we do the more i can't wait to leave bloody boston.

When I was grocery shopping, I always converted the prices into dollars and asked, "Is it worth it?" Stupid maybe but I did it... Mainly we shopped at Tesco's (ugh) but started to shop at Sainsbury's towards the end of my time there. They usually have excellent 'offers' (sales.) Every once in awhile we treated ourselves to Waitrose. They have an excellent beer & wine section!

When I came home for Cmas holiday, I came back with alot of Goya products (not sold in my town) and health foods. The health foods in my town were almost double the price of what I pay in NY.

Oh yeah, my favorite part of shopping at Tesco's was what I nick-named "The Ghetto Rack." Its the area where they deeply discount foods they are about to throw out because its almost close to the expiration date (Oh my! Dont get me started on that.) There were 3 ghetto racks in  my Tesco- one dry foods and 2 freezer/fridge foods area. Good discounts.

We go to one of the local butchers on Saturday afternoons. We can get great deals on chicken, lamb, beef, etc., because they need to get rid of meat since they are not open on Sundays. That way we don't have to buy meat at the grocery stores.

Aimiloo.. I didnt mean to make you feel bad.
It was just the way you said you will be making only £30k!  Like that was some paltry sum and however could anyone survive on that measly pittance?!    

I just wanted to make it clear to you that £30k would be considered *very* good & well above average here...

You will be just fine!

... I just wanted to make it clear to you that £30k would be considered *very* good & well above average here...

I dunno about that. I suppose it'd depend on your definition of "very good" and "well above average".  

For your information, the average gross annual pay of a full-time employee in Great Britain was £25,170 for the 2002-2003 tax year.  

For your information, the average gross annual pay of a full-time employee in Great Britain was £25,170 for the 2002-2003 tax year.  

Really?  I'd like to live in that part of Britain!  The average salary in South Yorkshire (which, BTW, is one of the 10 poorest areas in the EU) is around £18K.

i just want to be sure my hubby and i can live comfortably in a nice area of Chiswick, travel, pay off his debts, dine out on ocassion and have a bloody good time for the first years of our marriage, before the little ones arrive.  

Im sure you'll be fine, Aimiloo... party on!