Mum-of-22 Sue Radford’s budget hack to save cash on food – that’s much cheaper than a weekly shop at Aldi
WHILE many of us have been affected by the cost-of-living crisis, with 22 mouths to feed, it’s no surprise that Sue Radford has more reason than most to pay attention to budgets.
The mother of Britain’s Biggest Family, whose kids range in age from 34 to three, has opened up about how she saves cash on food - so if you’re looking to cut costs on your groceries, you’ll need to pay attention.
The star of Channel 5’s 22 Kids and Counting admitted to spending around £450 a week on shopping, often getting through up to 18 pints of milk and 44 lbs of potatoes a week.
The busy mum, 48, who lives with her family in Morecambe and is also a grandmother of ten, has revealed her budgeting hacks that help keep her family’s finances under control.
Sue told OK!: “When it comes to food I try to shop around - different shops and supermarkets.”
Not only this, but Sue explained that the key to keeping the costs down for her family is to shop every day, rather than doing a huge weekly shop.
Read more on the Radfords
She added: “I used to do the big shop all at once online but it got so expensive. I go to Aldi now and then top up a few times through the week.
“We probably shop pretty much every day for essentials like fruit, milk and bread.
“It is more time-consuming compared to the convenience of doing it online but it does work out cheaper.”
Sue, who has been married to Noel for almost 32 years, is also firm in that her busy home is ‘not a hotel’ and cooks one meal for all the children at dinnertime - enabling her to cut back on time and waste.
Not only this, but when it comes to holidays, package deals are out, as she claimed: "We would never be able to afford it - we just find them too expensive.
“Instead I’ll book things separately. I’ll keep an eye on flight prices, shop around, wait until they drop and then book.”
And when it comes to birthdays and Christmas, Sue explained that budgets and planning are key.
With so many birthdays to celebrate through the year, the couple set a budget of between £100 - £150 per child when it comes to gifts, whilst Christmas planning starts in September.
Sue shared: "The kids always have to write their Christmas lists early – so Santa has an idea what he’s going to be up against.”
And once Christmas has been and gone, Sue swears by her ‘no spend’ January, as she concluded: “I don't do any shopping whatsoever other than food and essentials like paying bills.
We work hard but we're not millionaires!
Sue Radford
"There are no birthdays on the horizon so there’s no wrapping or presents to worry about and it’s a great way to save. It’s like Dry January but with money.”
Sue and Noel tied the knot in 1992 and are now parents to Chris, 34, Sophie, 29, Chloe, 28, Jack, 26, Daniel, 24, Luke, 22, Millie, 22, Katie, 20, James, 19, Ellie, 18, Aimee, 17, Josh, 16, Max, 14, Tillie, 13, Oscar, 11, Casper, 10, Hallie, eight, Phoebe, seven, Archie, six, Bonnie, four, and Heidie, three.
They also lost a son, Alfie, who was stillborn in 2014.
The couple own a thriving pie business, are on the fourth series of their successful TV show and post on a variety of social media channels, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
In Sue's new book, The Radfords: Making Life Count, she expressed: "We don't claim benefits, the pie company is very successful and so is our media business.
"We work hard but we're not millionaires!"
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She also added: "The nastiness is upsetting though. We just want to be able to give our children the best possible life."
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