“You Didn’t Budget Well”: Man Shares R500 Woollies Haul for One Week’s Groceries, SA Unimpressed

• A local man's recent grocery shopping challenge has ignited a widespread discussion across Mzansi about the true cost of everyday essentials
• With a limited budget of R500, he visited a Woolworths store in Cape Town to get a week's worth of meals, as shown in the TikTok clip shared
• Social media users weighed in on the prices at the popular store and offered diverse advice for budget-conscious food shopping

A recent online video sparked a genuine discussion about the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, as it documented a man's attempt to grocery shop on a tight budget.

The captivating video was shared by TikTok user @nathanreidugc, garnering significant attention. It prompted numerous comments from social media users eager to share their perspectives on the challenge.

The video starts with @nathanreidugc navigating the chilled aisles of Woolworths, embarking on a quest to buy a week's worth of meals for under R500. His initial selections included a liver spread, intended for morning toast, and a kilogram of Halaal mince. A further addition of Halaal burgers, discounted, quickly saw his calculation nearing R250 with only three items in his basket. Realising the rapid depletion of his budget, he shifted to more economical choices.

The man then added sliced chicken polony to his basket. Upon considering chicken pieces, he noted they would push him over his self-imposed R500 limit. Instead, he opted for two bottles of mayonnaise and a bottle of jalapeno sauce. A glance at the cheese prices confirmed his suspicion that they were beyond his budget, leading him to settle for a three-pack of tuna.

SA debates the shopping haul

The video attracted a flood of comments from social media users who shared different thoughts, ideas and advice. Many contributors were quick to point out that Woolworths might not be the most suitable destination for a week's worth of groceries on an R500 budget. Some suggested alternative retailers like Shoprite, Pick n Pay, and Giant Hyper as more affordable options.

Other viewers offered constructive criticism and alternative strategies for Nathan's shopping expedition, suggesting he should have prioritised chicken over mince or the beef patties.

User @mandyZA

"Taking mince and patties is a no for me. I would replace one of them with chicken. The two mayonnaises are unnecessary on a tight budget. Instead of polony and liver spread, replace the polony with cheese. The tuna😏. A tight budget doesn't need that many options for sandwich toppings. Leftover supper can also make its way on bread for lunch💖."

User @FizzPop💋 shared:

"You shopped wrong. It is very possible with the budget. You should have gone at 2 PM, you would have got a 30 % discount on meat and chicken.

User @Anneke Louw said:

"No dude, you did not budget well."

User @Q advised:

"Go to Woolworths after 2 PM to get the same date chicken for much less, like every day.

User @Zetz99 added:

"You should take stuff you can have for a meal & take leftovers to work, you're not thinking 🤔 outside of the box 😔 You need to shop Smart 🤓."

User @Nazzy

"Woollies ain’t that bad anymore. Pick ‘n Pay is a proper wizard.

Watch the TikTok video below:

3 Briefly News articles about Woolworths

• A local woman challenged herself to get lunch for under R30 at Woolworths and came back with chicken strips and a crusty bread roll, which she enjoyed at work with coffee.
• University students invaded their friend's room at the residence and found a fridge full of Woolworths foods, such as cheese, plain yoghurt and even cake.
• A lady showed off her new pots bought at Woolworths for R2067, leaving many social media users promising to go buy them.

Source: Briefly News