“This Will Last the Month”: Woman Shows What R2,3k Checkers-Woolies Grocery Haul Looks Like for Two

• TikToker shows less than R2,500 grocery haul meant to last a month, which had many people online asking about whether it’s realistic in 2026
• The haul includes basic essentials like chicken, eggs, bread, milk, snacks, and cleaning products, with the shopper saying they also eat out often
• Mzansi reacts strongly, with many saying groceries now cost far more, while others compare their own weekly spending

A content creator has shared what R2,500 worth of groceries looks like for a month in May, and it has caused tension online about whether it’s enough. TikToker @kalidreyer posted the haul on 04 May 2026 and said R1,717 was spent at Checkers and R553 at Woolworths.

The groceries included basics like eggs, bread, potatoes, milk rolls, butter, cheese, chicken, mince, sausages, frozen chips, cooking oil, and snacks. She also bought cleaning items like toilet rolls, laundry detergent, dishwasher tablets, and coffee machine cleaner. Kali explained that the household has not been eating at home much, which is why the list looks smaller than expected.

Read also

Foodie shared Woolies hot chocolate drinks with shocking prices

"It’s only my husband and me. This will last the month with a few trips for fresh stuff in between. We also tend to eat out quite a lot 😬"

Briefly News reached out to Kali to find out how often she restocks her groceries during the month and what keeps her going back to products from Checkers and Woolworths. She shared:

"I restock about once a week on everything fresh."

"I love the variety I get from Checkers. They have so many options and their quality is excellent. I like to buy my red meat at Woolworths because I have never had a bad experience with their meat products so I feel that the quality is slightly higher."

Income context in South Africa

According to Statistics South Africa, many households earn different monthly incomes, but a large number of families have to stretch limited money across food, transport, and bills. This makes grocery budgeting difficult for many people, especially with rising prices.

View the TikTok video haul below:

People online questioned the price of groceries

Read also

"Respect!": Londoner shows a different side of Khayelitsha and challenges how townships are usually portrayed

Some said the amount was realistic for basics, while others felt it would not last a full month. The post also started wider conversations about how expensive groceries have become and how differently people manage monthly food budgets.

This is what Mzansi said on @kalidreyer's page:

Kel Bel said:

"R2500 a month? I’m clearly doing something wrong. I spend that in a week for one person and two cats 😂"

Eden asked:

"How long does that realistically last you for?"

PappyG exclaimed:

"R2500 worth of groceries were like a full trolley, now it's half of that medium trolley. We out here dying fam 😭"

Nashika wrote:

"For my sake, how many people are in your home and does this last the entire month?"

sweetlou said:

"We are a family of 4, and we did our monthly shopping on Friday, and it was 7k, and we still buy fresh produce and bread weekly. We eat out once a month. It's crazy expensive."

🇿🇦Jax🇿🇦 added:

"R2500 gets nothing these days, imagine a household of 4! N mind toiletries and skin care!"

AuntyB said:

"It's become too depressing to go grocery shopping. 1 bag of essentials = R500 and that's not even for a few days 😩😔"

Read also

"Everyone involved is so wholesome" Kind stranger helps fill older woman's trolley with meat in Checkers

Tassy said:

"This is very sensible, mine is about the same, a little more....Ok, a more snacks because I have kids."

Celeste Minter | Health Coach also r:

"It's my weekly spend for a family of 4😅"

More Briefly News stories on grocery hauls

• A South African woman went viral after showing what she bought in Indonesia and comparing how far her rand stretched on groceries, sparking debate about the cost of living differences between countries.
• A South African TikToker went viral after showing off a huge Takealot House of Beauty goodie bag haul from a Johannesburg event.
• A South African woman went viral after showing what R200 could buy her in Thailand, highlighting how much further the rand stretched overseas.

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News