April Grocery Challenge 2006

squeaky · 25 March 2006 at 5:42PM

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Hello everyone

Another new month is about to start, for most of us, while others of you are already well into things.

As always this challenge is to reduce your own grocery budget to levels that you will be pleased with, not forgetting that we always recommend that you stay inside your own comfort levels and take things gently one step at a time.

If you are new to the challenge I have quoted the advice from Galtizz below which will help you get started.

Good luck to everyone and by all means post into this thread for help and advice and support at any time.

Good luck !!

Originally Posted by Galtizz

I have said this before, but for all the newbies to the challenge;

For the first month I took a guess at the budget but I really had no idea how much I was spending.

I found the best thing is to have a guess the first month but SAVE ALL OF YOUR RECEIPTS (and yes, that does include the ones from the local shop when you run out of milk ), then at the end of the month add them all up and have a look if you were on budget, if not, it doesn't matter because your budget was a guess. For the next month you can use the total of your receipts and take a bit off to get a realistic budget, just shave off as much as you think you can, it could be £1 a week or £20 a week.

If you are currently spending £200 a month don't suddenly drop it to £100 - you'll never do it but if you cut £20 a month off for a few months you'll get there eventually without feeling you're missing out on anything.

You might think you've done everything you can in the first month but someone always comes up with a new idea and, if you try it you often find you save a bit more (unless you are SarahSaver who is an expert at this and could only save more if she turned her back garden into a paddy field and lived on rice ) In the first month I thought, I'm planning meals, I couldn't possibly save any more, but then I started double cooking and freezing, and making soup instead of buying it in tins.

I've been doing this since Feb but only saved ALL of my receipts last month, it has given me a much better idea of where it is all going. Budget for next month is £80 for 2 of us, I'll start on 30/4. I could probably save more, by eating different foods but I can afford to live on £80, I have saved a lot of money since Feb. and I don't waste food or money any more. So I'm happy with my budget.

kit · 27 March 2006 at 12:45PM

Ok.... I am going to try it this month for the first time :eek:

I think I normally spend about £200 per month for 2 adult and a 1 year old. My month runs from 1st.

Am going to aim for £175..... wish me luck!

whitty999 · 27 March 2006 at 12:48PM

I'm getting better,I was spending approx £240 a month it has already decreased but would like to aim for £170.00 a month.

Burlesque_Babe · 27 March 2006 at 1:26PM

I am really chuffed with myself . :j

When I joined MSE I was spending about £350 a month on food (for 2 adults! :eek: ) I set myself challenges in Oct, Nov and Dec for £300 each month and failed each time.

Took a break in Jan and Feb, by which time I've curbed my supermarket addiction hugely and can now shop once a week.

My target last month was £222 and I spent £240 (need to update the sig) a huge difference - and that includes £40 a month in petrol.

So, I'm really really pleased with how it worked out and I don't need to go again this month.

Unfortunately I don't have that amount again in my paypal account, I've got £120, which I can't see me cutting down to!!

So, I'm going to say £200 this month including petrol, £120 from paypal and top up the rest from my current a/c.

Bring it on! :T

Chell · 27 March 2006 at 2:08PM

Can I just ask a question? What do you include in your budget? Just your food or are toileteries/nappies etc included too?

shariatlanta · 27 March 2006 at 4:07PM

Well I managed to cut down from £400 to £304 last month, my goal was £360, this month I'm going for £300, includes all groceries, toiletries and pet food, I don't include petrol, maybe in the future.

Caterina · 27 March 2006 at 4:11PM

I really need to try but I don't really know how much I spend per month as I buy so much stuff in bulk, which lasts for months - for example I still have some 50 packs of pasta, which will prob. go in the next 3 months, but a 5kg pack of risotto rice which will last 6 months. Same with olive oil, grains, laundry liquid etc.

I suspect that if I decided not to buy organic/environmentally sensitive stuff my budget would go down quite a lot, but I would feel really uncomfortable buying commercial stuff that I know to be damaging for the environment (and for my family's health too).

Suggestions gratefully received

Thanks

Caterina

Cantdance_2 · 27 March 2006 at 4:25PM

Okay, I'm in!

We used to spend anything up to £300 a month just on food and toiletries, that's just for two of us! One major lifestyle change later and our budget is now £200 a month for everything that doesn't come out of our account by direct debit.

We spend £40 a month on petrol so we have £160 to spend on groceries (and, knowing us, takeways!)

That might sound like a lot to some but for us it's really cutting back and I think we'll be doing pretty well to get to that stage. I think we'll actually come in under budget - I've planned everything we'll be eating and using for the next month, and shopped around, and the monthly shop I did came in at £103... :T

Leaving £5 a week for fresh fruit and veg (Tesco's Value to the rescue...) It looks like that'll leave us £37 for emergencies and hopefully to be paid off something at the end of the month!

James

ladywood · 27 March 2006 at 4:32PM

chelltune wrote:

Can I just ask a question? What do you include in your budget? Just your food or are toileteries/nappies etc included too?

I include all food, household goods (toilet rolls, cleaners etc), toiletries and pet food in my £200 budget for 2 adults and 3 large dogs.

Was just under £2 over budget last month so aim this month is to come in slightly under rather than over budget!

squeaky · 27 March 2006 at 4:38PM

chelltune wrote:

Can I just ask a question? What do you include in your budget? Just your food or are toileteries/nappies etc included too?

Hiya

People tend to decide what they want to include in their budgets and then set them accordingly.

While this was originally started as a groceries challenge there's nothing to stop you setting a "household budget" which might well include toiletries, nappies, cleaning... and as you'll have seen, some people include petrol.

It's well worth browsing the older monthly challenge threads because they are full of tips and ideas and might help you come to a decision

You can find these via my signature any time you see it or...

..you can use the Monthly Challenges link in the Blue Bar at the top of every page which looks something like this:-

fizzel81 · 27 March 2006 at 4:54PM

thank you for the info, am going to try this and give myself a budget of 40.00 per week 2 adults 1 2yr old 1 baby

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April Grocery Challenge 2006

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