July 2012 Grocery Challenge

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  • PennyGrabber
    PennyGrabber Posts: 1,288 Forumite
    My budget is £140 per month, for one adult and two children - five and seven. We eat from small plates, buy fruit in ald!, shop in leedl, stock up on offers when they come up, and generally cooking from scratch/using jars when cheaper/we like them. We bulk up with lentils, tinned toms, etc, and buy value/non-branded items. Also, I save leftovers, and use them in other meals.

    I regularly go over the budget, but I set it over the course of a year, so if I overspend one month, I can pull it back over the next few. So far this month, I've spent around £50. I only have one more shop left to do this month, which hopefully will be less than £10 as the children will be at their dad's for most of the week, so my total for the month will go a long way towards paying back what I owe my budget!

    Of course, it does help that I am stocked up to the rafters!

    NSD today, and fed four children as dd had two friends over to play. They wanted hm pizza, with ham, sausage, sweetcorn and pineapple, all of which I have in stock, so a cheap meal. They had melon and grapes for pudding, plus a rocky bar as their treaty pudding. Oh, and cucumber and carrot sticks and crisps to go with their main, again all in!

    Tomorrow we are off to the pub for dinner, as long as my friend has remembered. If she hasn't, I'll open the pantry and see what comes out. For my lunch for the next three days, I have a mozzarella, ham and pineapple pasty, as they were leftover from making the pizza, and I had some pastry in the fridge from Friday's quiche.
    Grocery challenge for family of three - me, dd(12) and ds(11), feeding dp 2 or 3 x a week too. Only food, not toiletries. Jan £87.97/£100 Feb £0/£100
    Frugal 2018 needed! Saving and NOT spending
  • liz-paul
    liz-paul Posts: 899 Forumite
    Today I made banana & honey tea loaf, corn bread, chilli & cheese corn bread muffins, cheese muffins my boys made shortbread. Yummy, the only problem now is stopping ymself from eating it all. I never bake because I've been trying to lose weight for 3 years and I can't resist freshly baked goods :o
    Before we o away on friday I'm going to make more shortbread, more muffins (not sure what type), some cheesy bread & caramel squares! We're taking some of it with us in case anyone thinks we're going to overdose! Just trying to use up some leftovers....

    In case anyone has some ideas I have 2 red onions & some honey yogurt to use up..... Not together! Got most store supboard basics (flour, eggs, butter, milk, sugar, herbs/spices, a little bit of cheese) but don't really want to have to buy anything. TIA :beer:
    1% at a time no. 40. £8000 (For dream family holiday) 94/100
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  • Hello all!

    Just read back from Friday! Took a while!

    I also am only budgeting for two and a cat. I do remember when we got our first house probably four years ago and spent £100 on food, cleaning and toiletries :( we didn't have a cat though then, but she's not too expensive. This month and next month I'll spend extra really trying to stock up on dry goods, toiletries, household stuff etc before I go onto maternity leave which is why it's £200 this month.
    I think a realistic food budget for us two, just for food is £120 for a month well £30 a week. I seem to spend a lot on fresh fruit and veg even if I go to the market. This time of year fruit is just so tempting, and being at home most days I do munch my way through it all! if we had a l!dl or @ldi with its weekly fruit offers I think it'll be a lot cheaper.
    :j Baby boy arrived 22nd August 2012 :j
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  • PennyGrabber
    PennyGrabber Posts: 1,288 Forumite
    Soworried wrote: »
    I went to MRT tonight to get the Greens creme caramels and Greenes lemon pie fillings for 10p (I got 4 of each) and I spotted all the YS. :o

    10p each?!?! Is that a glitch - when did it come? Will it be there tomorrow?!?!?!

    I love the creme caramels!


    I too have a shopping problem, and have been advised on here to just take some cash rather than my whole purse...
    Grocery challenge for family of three - me, dd(12) and ds(11), feeding dp 2 or 3 x a week too. Only food, not toiletries. Jan £87.97/£100 Feb £0/£100
    Frugal 2018 needed! Saving and NOT spending
  • Soworried
    Soworried Posts: 2,369 Forumite
    edited 16 July 2012 at 8:01PM
    10p each?!?! Is that a glitch - when did it come? Will it be there tomorrow?!?!?!

    I love the creme caramels!


    I too have a shopping problem, and have been advised on here to just take some cash rather than my whole purse...
    Hi PG, I got wrong the other day for posting the voucher links but there is a voucher for 40p off, valid until christmas so I have printed hundreds. :o It is on the voucher thread on MSE.
    It is for 40p off and they cost 50p in MRT, MRS. If you have a MRA, they pay you 5p to take them away :T
    I hope that helps x

    I am going to take some to a foodbank.
    £36/£240
    £5522
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  • MrsCD
    MrsCD Posts: 1,787
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    liz-paul wrote: »
    Anyone know how long home baked goods will keep for on average?
    e.g.
    1. caramel squares/millionaires shortbread - I know they won't go stale but will they go off?
    2. shortbread/biscuits
    3. Fairy cakes (in my experience they go stale after a couple of days, is that right?)
    4. Muffins

    Any ideas? Am having a baking day (don't know why!) but don't want to make more than we can eat before it goes bad!

    Caramel squares/ millionaires shortbread will keep 2 or 3 weeks in an airtight tin, but may go soft due to the soft fillings. They will still be ok to eat though.
    Biscuits will keep ages in an airtight tin.
    Fairy cakes will keep a week or so in an airtight tin, depending on the topping. You can freeze them before topping.
    Muffins slightly less than fairy cakes because they generally have less fat in them. You can freeze them as well.


    Today has been another NSD :T
    2024 Fashion on the ration 0/66 used
  • Bluegreen143
    Bluegreen143 Posts: 3,041
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    Well no spends today as stayed in all day except a trip to the pool (free as I have a membership). Bank holiday here so off work, but a bit annoyed I didn't do anything AT ALL exciting with it.

    Did make split pea, lemon and smoked paprika soup for lunches, a loaf of HM bread and mince and tatties for dinner(stretched to 3 portions, one for lunch tomorrow).

    liz-paul I like to make cookies when I have eggs and butter to use up because you can make a big batch and freeze half or most of the dough in balls, then just bake a couple at a time from frozen for a snack. Actually I have some in the freezer right now, might go and bake them!! :rotfl: also freeze lemon drizzle cake and scones after cooking. Biscuits last for ages if you have willpower!
    Part time working mum | Married in 2014 | DS born 2015 & DD born 2018 | Allegedly attempting to be mortgage free - diary here
  • katiegirl
    katiegirl Posts: 17 Forumite
    I've updated my signature to reflect the £10 I spent on food over the weekend :eek: and the £1.56 in Mr T's (basic crisps for school hols and yoghurts for dd's lunches), and £9.13 in Aldi.

    I've decided I'm giving my self an extra £10 this month, I think I'd really be cutting it fine otherwise and I know if I go over I might be tempted to just think sod it and go way over! Also I don't really mind because I've stocked up on quite a few treats for dd the school hols, have got loads of washing detergent/fabric conditioner to last a while and I also included £4 that I spent on a half price t-shirt for dd in Mr S's in the GC budget....listen to me making excuses :rotfl:

    I've got my meals planned till payday and only need some eggs (Aldi only had medium today, I wanted large but don't need them till Friday so will pop in again), another pack of wraps (out of stock in Aldi but don't need till Friday earliest), a basic pizza from the Co-op for next week (really good value) and some milk next week. I've got £48.44 in my purse and that has to get those couple of things, me coffee and cake/lunch with a friend on Wednesday and me and dd tea out on Thursday (probably Pizza Hut). So I should be fine.

    The only possible blip is I've said dd could invite 2 friends for tea on friday, I had planned on one and I know she likes what we we're having, but I need dd to check the other one likes fajitas, most people do right?

    Other MSE news from me is I should be way under on my petrol budget, I've spent less than £90/£150 and still have over half a tank left. And I've written 11 reviews for dooyoo earning 4375 miles (equivalent to £4.35), I'm hoping to get to about £50 by October/November for some Harry Potter Lego for dd for Christmas! I've sold a few more things on ebay as well, have £26.67 in my paypal account - have spent £12 on postage though (and will need to pay ebay fees)! Have two items selling - both have bids, and loads more to try and get listed.

    Hope everyone is well and doing well with their budgets! Not had much of a chance to read with getting sorted for our house move as well - get the keys tomorrow!
    September Grocery Challenge [STRIKE]£160[/STRIKE] £78.62
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  • elsiepac
    elsiepac Posts: 2,550
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    Hi all

    I've not kept up this month at all I'm afraid - lots and lots going on... :j been interviewing for new job and got it and have handed in notice, woop!

    However just had to quickly post this lovely, healthy and simple recipe that I had last night:

    Chunky Vegetable Chowder

    1 medium baking potato (320g ish), peeled + diced (I used new potatoes and didn't peel)
    1 medium carrot (120g ish), peeled and chopped (I used a few young carrots and didn't peel)
    1 small onion (110g ish), peeled and chopped
    100ml of milk (I used Kara Dairy Free which worked well)
    200ml veg stock, prepared (I used 2 Oxo cubes)

    1. Put chopped veg in saucepan and add stock
    2. Top up with boiling water so veg are covered
    3. Bring to boil and simmer for 20 mins, or until potatoes soft and most of the liquid has reduced
    4. Lightly crush some veg against side of pan with a wooden spoon (this thickens it)
    5. Add the milk, season VERY well and serve!

    The key to this recipe is the seasoning! This amount serves one - I doubled mine to have some for lunch today too. It's a very nice sized portion. Mine worked out at 289 cals a portion!

    I also want to recommend this FANTASTIC website for anyone out there looking for meal plans - I've never seen anything like it...it's quite simply AMAZING... and FAB recipes too!

    http://resourcefulcook.com


    LC
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  • mummyyof5
    mummyyof5 Posts: 1,839
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    £14 spent yesterday..£5.00 on fruit,veg and salad..need more fruit today and £9.00 in MrTs..ham.marg.cereal,choc spread ( for LOs choc ready brek),wash powder.

    Have to got o town with DD today ..need more fruit and might treat us to raspberries and cream for an eton mess tonight...not sure whats for tea yet but plenty in so will have a look before I leave to keep spends down xx
    Feeding 6 Adults 1 Teen a 8 year old with hollow legs and a very fussy 5 year old. Also 3 cats and 3 fishies
    To include all Food,Toiletries and Petfood.
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