'Forget budget grocery challenges. I need to talk about the hot mess that is my weekly shop.'

There’s a lot out there right now about mums shopping on a $50 budget.

Some are doing it because they have no choice and others are trying to save money. I have no doubt it takes effort, willpower and dedication, but let’s be real, if you’re anything like me, you walk into the shops and it ends in one of two ways.

The first way is I take in my shopping list, ignore it, and become the proud owner of aisles four, five, and six. I spot something on sale and throw five packs into the trolley, grab what’s on clearance, and change my whole week of meal plans to suit my new bargains.

There are two types of mums when it comes to the school list. Post continues below.

The second way is I forget my shopping list and play “was it on the list” as I walk from aisle to aisle, which still ends with me becoming the proud owner of aisles four, five, and six. I still throw five packs per sale item into my trolley, grab what’s on clearance, and change my whole week of meal plans to suit my new bargains.

The only difference is I get to play hit or miss when I get home and mark off my original list. A pathetically satisfying adrenaline rush leaving me wondering what my life has become.

A day or two later I’m back at the shops because we need another loaf of bread and could probably do with some more fruit too. I could walk in with tunnel vision and leave with only those items, but if I’m honest, I don’t.

If I walk past another special I missed, you can guarantee that’s going in my trolley. Then I’ll see a few more clearance items and grab them too. At this point, my trolley is a hot mess.

Two days later I return yet again. More bread, more fruit, more veggies, some milk, some ingredients to make a dish I’ve spontaneously decided to make, a snack because now I’m hungry, cat food because the dog got into it and ate it all, and some yoghurt pouches because the kids are being noisy.

We’ve now almost made it to the end of the week but wait, WE NEED MORE BREAD AND FRUIT.

Might as well grab some cleaning products, paper towel, a block of chocolate because it’s been a hard week, some chips for movie night, and hey if I’m at Aldi - a bookshelf, a circus tent, and that giraffe I saw in the catalogue. The kids would love him, we’d name him Jeffrey.

Don’t even get me started about never taking in bags because I’m only going in for "one or two things".

I can’t justify a $10 shirt for myself because that would just be selfish, but I’ll happily buy the entire grocery store.

Perhaps I’m making up for all the retail shopping I no longer do by basically taking shares out in Woolworths, I don’t know, but surely I’m not the only one out there who grocery shops like a junkie taking a hit?

If I am, please point me to my nearest recovery centre.

Can you relate? Let us know in the comments.

Feature image: Supplied.