March 2010 Grocery Challenge

carolt2 · 23 March 2010 at 6:04PM

I'm sorry for your loss Rosieben.

Just logged in to catch up on MSE and update spend for the GC.
Have spent £41.74 over the last couple of days in Mr T, I'm sure there have been a couple of spends between this update and the last one but unfortunatly more important things got in the way and any spends have not been added to signature:o.

All updated now and if I can recall anything I will amend as necessary

NJW69 · 23 March 2010 at 6:05PM

Just had my online shopping delivered at £42.68 so I've updated my total and don't think I'll need anything else before the 1st April as I have loads of milk, juice and my fridge and freezer are full.

I'm nearly £100 under and I've been reducing it by £50 each month since January.

Paying attention to what you buy really does make a difference.

I wouldn't have said we wasted much but we obviously did.

[Deleted User] · 23 March 2010 at 7:43PM

£16.84 spent today and nothing now to buy at all this month.Just stocked up on fruit and veggies so will have over £11, to put into the holiday fund for this August.I am really pleased with this month and feel quite chuffed that everything is accounted for to the penny.

Will declare £120.00 for April and I expect I will have even more left next month as I am away for a week from the 17th:j:j:jJust patted myself on the back:D.You all seem to be doing very well:A

ragz_2 · 23 March 2010 at 7:48PM

poppy-glos wrote: »

. i only have 2 bottles left of the persil non bio liquid so will be looking for that on offer soon, or will have to bite the bullet and pay full price.

best wishes to all and ((hugs)) to those who need them,

poppy x

Co-op are doing the 42 wash bottles of small and mighty for £3.50 but not sure when that ends.

Long_tall_sally · 23 March 2010 at 8:06PM

NJW69 - Gosh, you have done incredibly well the last 3 months but particularly this month!! Can you give us any tips on how you have manaaged to reduce your spending so much?

Rosieben - forgot to say earler - sorry to hear your sad news. Hope you are bearing up.

SunnyGirl · 23 March 2010 at 8:22PM

Rosieben So sorry to read about your Mum. My thoughts are with you all xxx

slowandsteady_2 · 23 March 2010 at 9:45PM

losingpatience wrote: »

I'm going to have to bow out of the GC this month. My spending has just gone through the roof due to having to take my guinea pig to the vets 4 times last week so I had to borrow money out of GC money and my parents to pay for all the treatment and she unfortunately had to be put to sleep. I've no idea where I stand now and next months going to be a real struggle as we have had to put stuff on the credit card that we couldn't afford to pay which will have to be paid off next month. My pay is also going to be down next month by 3.5 days as I have used more that my annual sickness allowance which works out about £190 so what with that and owing £130 on the CC that has to come off next months pay we're already £320 down

Don't know how I'm going to get through next month. Still have my OH's mams birthday this month as well, and I didn't get anything for my mam for mothers day because of all the stress and lack of money which I just feel awful about.

Sorry about your guinea pig, losingpatience, our pets are part of the family arent they (certainly in our house anyway) and its awful when anything happens to them.

You wil get through next month, we have all been there, stick with GC and MSE if you can, and im sure all the tips and support will get you through it ok.

Why not offer yourself as a gift to MIL for her birthday, i.e. offer to do a few jobs that she may need completing that you are able to, offer to do her shopping to save her the trip etc. She may appreciate that more than a box of choccies or a bottle of wine.

Hope you are feeling ok

elizabunny · 23 March 2010 at 10:50PM

What is wrong with our car:mad: It's been in the garage 4 times now since the new year and the bills are now over £1700!! It's driving us round the bend literally and there soon won't be much to budget with if we carry on at this rate:(

Sorry about the rant but glad to get that off my chest. On the upside I have had a NSD out of my grocery budget and I'm planning another for tomorrow as I really need to tighten the belt now. We had plain and simple Minced Beef with Veggies and Mash tonight and I managed to stretch it to 4 more extra portions. I also managed to completely defrost the kitchen fridge/freezer this morning, so hopefully with all the ice gone it should be a little more economical to run. There was a bit more in the freezer drawers than I realised so I think it's time for some creative cookery.

Hope everyone is well and doing ok with their budgets:)

vodkawitch1 · 23 March 2010 at 11:22PM

I think I will be over by about £40 this month - but it is a five week month and my first month of doing the grocery challenge so hopefully I will do better in April.

kittynortheast · 23 March 2010 at 11:59PM

Mrs Mc can you please put me down for £369.24
Thank you very much to you, Pink-winged and Rosieben (sorry to hear about your Mum), This is a great thread.

Well I'm slightly over my £350 budget, but not bad considering I'd spent most of my budget in my first week

!! Thanks to Earthmother for her tips I've managed to stretch it out. Roll on Friday when I get paid as the cupboards are bare (just typed bear-lol must be bedtime!). Will have to up my budget next month as it's a 5 week month and quite frankly there is nothing in the cupboards or freezers-oh apart from a couple of chickens, I have sinned! I usually buy free range chickies which cost about £7 -£8 we do stretch them out.... was in the co-op the other day and they had their veggie fed barn chickens on offer and they were £2.60 each-quite big as well, so after a lot of deliberation, soul searching and guilty feelings I bought them saving a fortune in the process

. It's a 5 week month next month so will have to be thrifty.

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March 2010 Grocery Challenge

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