October 2011 Grocery Challenge

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  • Islandmaid
    Islandmaid Posts: 6,474
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post I've been Money Tipped!
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    NSD on groceries today - but did start christmas shopping with some bargins in BHS, £10 off and BOGOHP £21 instead of £50 :)

    May do a meat shop tomorrow, as I have the day off work, will give me a chance to portion and freeze for November - where is this year going!!!!!!

    Have a fab evening all xx
    Note to self - STOP SPENDING MONEY !!

    £300/£130
  • Hi everyone, hope you are all well,

    *sigh*

    just as well the kids are going back to school tomorrow as they have eaten everything in sight :rotfl:

    I had to go out to the supermarket tonight as there was no milk/fruit/bread there would have been no breakfast/lunch. Although I have meal planned up to the 30th I ended up buying some bits and pieces to batch cook tomorrow as I actually feel like doing it...

    It was a big shop :o £110.68 but I stocked up on nappies which I won't need until Nov and some Lamb chops for DH (lamb is something that I have never cooked :o he likes it so it was a little treat for him)

    Anyway, I have allocated the nappies and lamb to Novembers budget (I feel like I am cheating but my twisted logic stated I needed to use the coupons I had!) This leaves me with £12.62 until the 31st so I think we can safely say I will go over budget anyway!

    Off to hunt down the MIA PE kit for DD1&2 and figure out how to have a few NSD's :D

    Best wishes to everyone :)
  • rej-c
    rej-c Posts: 115 Forumite
    JIL - thanks for your ideas :beer:

    Unexpected NSD today - the more the merrier ;)
    Haven't done the GC since February, but a glance at the Tower of Receipts tells me I really need to get back into it... and plenty of other Challenges besides. :o
  • lisakay_2
    lisakay_2 Posts: 435 Forumite
    So my month finishes on tuesday. I've updated my sig and I seem to have come in under budget. the last week or so, though, I haven't been saving my receipts, which was a bit silly of me:o.
    OH wants me to pick up a crate of stella tomorrow, which I'll add on and still be under:j. The first few days of the new month will be NSD as I'm planning not to shop until sunday. my next job is to inventory the freezer if I'm to beat next months lower budget of £200. If I can manage this for a while the overdraft will be clear before christmas:D
    freecycler and skip diver extraordinnaire:cool:
  • Fiasco55
    Fiasco55 Posts: 1,347
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    Evening everyone. I was yellow sticker hunting today in M&S to top up my freezer and managed to get 3 lasagne meal for one for 80p each, a large macapone, ham & mushroom pasta meal for 4 £4 and a pack of mini rolls for lunches this week for 80p too.

    Also picked up a few lunch type things from HB too. £4.78.

    I had a friend over for dinner tonight so rather than eating out I made Waitro$e quarter pounders, M & S burger buns from the freezer and bought reduced with some curly fries - Nom nom.
    No buying toiletries Graduated May 2017
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  • Flat_Eric wrote: »
    Thank you to everyone who replied to my meal planning thread. I have had some fab ideas :j Please share your meal planning tips if you haven't already done so :j

    I must warn you I do have Monica (from Friends) ike tendencies! However I will tell you what I've been doing (despite the titters from friends at my organisation)!! I make my monthly mealplan on a spreadsheet. If I have leftovers, I put them on next month's meal plan. For example, last week I made a double sized chicken pie. I served up half & then put the other half, labelled up, in the freezer & then put it on my November meal plan so that it doesn't get left at the back of the freezer. Then, when I come to complete November's month's meal plan, some of the day's are already completed.

    I know this is probably 'too much ' for some but it works for me:)
    2017 GC O-£93.46/£160; S-£136.26/£160; A-£130.55/£160; J-£47.12/£160;
    J-£106.63/£190; M-£70.29/£160; A-£197.88/£180; M-£219.35/£180; F-£294.14/£160; J-£168.67/£160
    2016 GC £2322.39/£2285; GC-2012-2015 - £9789.91/£7773!
    for 2 adults & 2 kids (13 & 11) for all food,toiletries,cleaners etc

  • Gotta love a spreadsheet. I was too late for October but I will join in in November!
    Dec GC - budget £150 spend £7.62
    0 NSD's!!! :T

    Nov GC - budget £150 spend £113.93
    With 12 NSD's!!! :T
  • rosieben
    rosieben Posts: 5,010
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    SallyHat wrote: »
    I must warn you I do have Monica (from Friends) ike tendencies! However I will tell you what I've been doing (despite the titters from friends at my organisation)!! I make my monthly mealplan on a spreadsheet. ...

    I think that's a brilliant idea, thanks :beer:
    I've been using word documents, and for my inventories too, but they're not as useful as I'd like

    <runs off to set up a few spreadsheets> :D
    ... don't throw the string away. You always need string! :D

    C.R.A.P.R.O.L.L.Z Head Sharpener
  • quintwins
    quintwins Posts: 5,179
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    edited 24 October 2011 at 10:37AM
    morning all i'm hopeless and spread sheets, finally got round to updating my sig for fri i'm suprised to see i'm still under it won't last tho as i need some milk, paid £8 to the school for snack money (never paid last week cause the kids were off the day it's due) dinners gonna be cheese and brocolli cheese with roasties for me and oh and some kind of meat which i'll go dig in my freezer for maybe mince as it will defrost quickly

    bought hubby some razor blades off ebay they won't come til next week tho so including them in next month i'm already £25 in and it's all cleaning/toiletrie stuff
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  • ZoeGirl_3
    ZoeGirl_3 Posts: 383 Forumite
    Have enough food to last me a good long while stockpiled in my house so am going to aim for a $40 month next month :eek: which hopefully will just be fruit/ veges as will use up some milk powder/ frozen milk/ bread!

    Just wanted to say tho, since I have to go back to work tomorrow after holiday!, that the best work lunch idea is:

    Whatever You Have Couscous Salad! To make...

    Take a cup of couscous and put in a bowl with a cup of boiling water (add a bit of oil/ salt it you want before adding boiling water). Cover with a lid or even just a plate. Leave 5 mins and then fluff with a fork. Put aside.

    Now, the fun part. Some suggestions

    1) Take 2/3 carrots and cut into long thin strips, called julienne carrots, or just grate if thats easier! Add some chopped diced capsicum (any colours), some diced tomatos, some diced/ sliced red onion, maybe spring onion too, add what ever chopped herbs you like - parsley/ chives/ corriander etc, and even mix through some fancy lettuce leaves. Mix in couscous.

    2) Roast couscous vege salad. This works well to use up softening veges! ;) Take mushrooms/ red onions/ diced zuchinni/ sweet potato/ pumpkin/ parsnip/ carrot etc and chop into chunks. Roast till soft. Just remember to add mushrooms/ red onions/ diced zuchinni etc last as they will need less cooking. You can dress with balsamic vinegar + olive oil before cooking if you want...when cooked and slightly cool mix through couscous.

    Some other ideas:

    Seasoning: Mix through any clear type salad dressing, or make your own with a splash of balsamic/ olive oil or lemon juice/ olive oil. Or just mix in some tuscan/ morrocan seasoning blends etc to taste.

    Additions: Add some diced cheese = feta is good, some cold shredded chicken, diced ham, salami or bacon even, shrimps or prawns etc.

    The thing that makes this the BEST work lunch ever is that if you are careful and store it covered in sealed container in the fridge (dish it into small sealed containers for easy lunches if you want!) it lasts for days at a time.

    I just made a big batch for the rest of the week ;o) I prefer to add the meat if I am having any a day or two max before eating tho, as that wouldn't last well for a week!

    Any questions please ask! :D
    "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without!!"
    Nov NSD: ?/30 Nov Make 10 Day ?/300
    Get Rid Of Debt: ?/2000 !! :mad:
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