PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING
Hello Forumites! However well-intentioned, for the safety of other users we ask that you refrain from seeking or offering medical advice. This includes recommendations for medicines, procedures or over-the-counter remedies. Posts or threads found to be in breach of this rule will be removed.July 2009 Grocery Challenge
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Posts: 17,675 Forumite
Guidelines for posting on the Grocery Challenge thread.
What is the Grocery Challenge thread?
This is a thread where people who are taking part in the Grocery Challenge can post for help encouragement and support and talk about anything related to grocery shopping. We ask that you try to keep on topic and post things that are relevant to the challenge.
Posting grocery budgets and spends for the month
Some people like to post their grocery budget and final spend for each month. If you wish to be included in the master list then please post these in red and in a large font as this makes it easier for the volunteers to keep a record of everyone’s totals.
Number of posts
In order to make the thread easier to read it would be helpful if users would try not to post multiple posts in quick succession.
Chat
Chatty posts that are relevant to the Challenge are fine. Irrelevant chat or posts simply saying ‘Good morning/Goodnight’, ‘just popping on to say hello’, ‘I’ve sent you a pm’ etc aren’t, as they clutter up the thread and may be removed to make the thread easier for others to read. Unfortunately the board guides simply don't have the time to pm users individually when posts are removed to keep the thread on topic. If your post has been removed and you are unhappy with the decision, please feel free to send us a pm.
If you want to say thanks to another user please use the thanks button and please post any chat not related to the Grocery Challenge into the Daily Thread or use the pm function.
No Spend days (NSD’s)
A number of people like to record that they have had a no spend day. Again to reduce the number of posts we would ask that rather than post just that you had a no spend day you record it in your signature and/or add it to a post that is directly relevant to the Grocery Challenge.
Pictures
Please keep these relevant to the challenge. While photographs of produce or cooking are great, pictures of semi-naked men or large clip art aren’t.
Bargains
Please don’t forget to check out the Grabbit and Shop but Don’t drop boards for any bargains and the Discount Codes 'n Vouchers (online & offline) board to see if there are any current vouchers around.
Questions about recipes, freezing, techniques etc
These don’t always fit into the Grocery Challenge. There are a number of threads where it may be more appropriate to ask questions. There is a wealth of information available on the Old Style board so please do a search to see if there is a better thread for your question. For more help with searching see here or feel free to send a private message to a board guide who will be happy to help.
Useful Links to threads on the Old Style board
Quick Questions thread
Recipe thread
Cheap recipe threads
Don't throw food away challenge...
The Complete Cooking Collection
Old Style Daily thread General chat about Old Style (new thread started daily)
Flylady thread Cleaning thread (new thread weekly)
Enough is Enough (decluttering)
Lose weight the Old Style way
Finally if you are new to Old Style and want help to find your way around, this thread may help: Welcome to Old Style and there is some excellent practical help and advice on posting on MSE chat forums in this thread: Unofficial A-Z (Look here first)
What is the Grocery Challenge thread?
This is a thread where people who are taking part in the Grocery Challenge can post for help encouragement and support and talk about anything related to grocery shopping. We ask that you try to keep on topic and post things that are relevant to the challenge.
Posting grocery budgets and spends for the month
Some people like to post their grocery budget and final spend for each month. If you wish to be included in the master list then please post these in red and in a large font as this makes it easier for the volunteers to keep a record of everyone’s totals.
Number of posts
In order to make the thread easier to read it would be helpful if users would try not to post multiple posts in quick succession.
Chat
Chatty posts that are relevant to the Challenge are fine. Irrelevant chat or posts simply saying ‘Good morning/Goodnight’, ‘just popping on to say hello’, ‘I’ve sent you a pm’ etc aren’t, as they clutter up the thread and may be removed to make the thread easier for others to read. Unfortunately the board guides simply don't have the time to pm users individually when posts are removed to keep the thread on topic. If your post has been removed and you are unhappy with the decision, please feel free to send us a pm.
If you want to say thanks to another user please use the thanks button and please post any chat not related to the Grocery Challenge into the Daily Thread or use the pm function.
No Spend days (NSD’s)
A number of people like to record that they have had a no spend day. Again to reduce the number of posts we would ask that rather than post just that you had a no spend day you record it in your signature and/or add it to a post that is directly relevant to the Grocery Challenge.
Pictures
Please keep these relevant to the challenge. While photographs of produce or cooking are great, pictures of semi-naked men or large clip art aren’t.
Bargains
Please don’t forget to check out the Grabbit and Shop but Don’t drop boards for any bargains and the Discount Codes 'n Vouchers (online & offline) board to see if there are any current vouchers around.
Questions about recipes, freezing, techniques etc
These don’t always fit into the Grocery Challenge. There are a number of threads where it may be more appropriate to ask questions. There is a wealth of information available on the Old Style board so please do a search to see if there is a better thread for your question. For more help with searching see here or feel free to send a private message to a board guide who will be happy to help.
Useful Links to threads on the Old Style board
Quick Questions thread
Recipe thread
Cheap recipe threads
Don't throw food away challenge...
The Complete Cooking Collection
Old Style Daily thread General chat about Old Style (new thread started daily)
Flylady thread Cleaning thread (new thread weekly)
Enough is Enough (decluttering)
Lose weight the Old Style way
Finally if you are new to Old Style and want help to find your way around, this thread may help: Welcome to Old Style and there is some excellent practical help and advice on posting on MSE chat forums in this thread: Unofficial A-Z (Look here first)
0
Comments
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Welcome to the July 2009 Grocery Challenge. :hello:
If your new month starts early feel free to join this thread, or if you're still working on your June budget, then keep on posting in the June Grocery Challenge
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. Remember that this is not a competition....it's designed to take you and your grocery spending to a level you are happy with.
If you are new to the challenge I have quoted the advice from Galtizz below which will help you get started.
Please post into this thread for help and advice and support at any time. Good luck to everyone taking part!Galtizz wrote: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.
For guidelines on posting in this thread please read the second post in this thread.
For everyone's targets and totals for the month please read posts #3 and #4 on this thread.
Wishing you all a great July and good luck to everyone who's taking part!
Pink0 -
annual
Allegra £2800
Angelatgraceland £6000
Cheerfulness4 £1400 £470.85
gillst £2400
JennyBee £1440
Mags50 £3000
mama67 £1820
Mrsmcawber €1680- €597.74
Mrs Money Penny £2700 £1082.84
Mummy2mygirls £3000
Mummzyof2 £1200
Nykmedia -£1200 £787.53
Penny2myName £1080
Perrywinkle £3600 - £104.28
Pip-Squeak £1250
Prudence41 £1400-£417.85
SAAVYMUMMY £5300 £1660.61
Savvystudent £1500
Sylvan £3000
Taka £1320 £778.77
Toonie £2040 -£689.80
X Spender £2650 £1411.39
Yummymummy05 -£2800
Monthly
Always Happy £200
Ancientmum
Angelnikki £250
Annie123
AuntiH £300
BabyMother
Baileys Babe £350
BarneysMom £160 £156.64
Beasygirl £320
BeforeHollywood £80
belfastgirl23 £150 £229.52
Big bird £350
BlimusOreilly £230 £192.59
Boodle £150
Booklover £
Brighter Future
Callisto £90
Carolt2 £150 £216.42
Catnap53 £300
Cazzasmazza £225
Cazzdevil
Changing me
Cheapskate £400
CheeryDaff £135
Cherie1122 £250
Chivers1977
Clayremonkey
Cleosmum
Clutterydrawer
Coolmum66
Cornishpixie £300
Coxy11 £400 £408.72
Credit_Crunch
CurlyCabbage £150
CW18 £118.60 £97.07
Dazzle21 £160
Dreamer40 £240
DreamingofMoney
Earthmother £385 £401.40
Elf06 £100
Elizabunny £85 £105
Ellemm £180 £180.52
Essex-girl £450 £380.34
Eveie189
Evertheoptomist £120
Fallen Angel Shelly £160
FedupandSkint £200 £130.19
Firstyearisthehardest £150
Fitzio
FlatEric £275
Fletch3163 £380 £411
Flying_Freesian £250 £245
Frogger2008
Frugal Swan
GettingHitched £60f + £10h
Glamazon
Got it spend it£160 £185
Greent £400 £370
Guns n Banjos
Halfasixpence £750
Helen Jelly £285
HennyPenny £250
Here we go again £100 £97.67
Hermoine £250
Highland fling
Hollysan £400 £439.35
houston_kw
HowlinWolf
Huxley £300 £291.49
Hypno06 £350
Ifonlyitwaseasier £80 £86.42
ilovetea £100
Inamess200 £250
Intergalacticfloozie
jackiegibbo £220 £270.47
Jayne C £250 £312.33
JayJay14 £150 £139.99
Jedi librarian £100
Jinky67
Jintyb
Juliek1313 £100
JulieMK £200 £199.49
Karenccs67 £200
Katzen
KayJay1809
KezLou £175 £159.55
Kim1478
Kindofgilr
KissJenn
Kippaxmum
KjSam £300 £379.23
KuneKune-6 -8 -3 -1.5 -2.5 -3 -1.5-3.50 -
Lainz £54 £70
LemonVerbena £300 £281.08
Little_Miss_moneysaver £165 £182
Little muvva £550
LizzieShep
Loshypops £200
LydiaJ
MaisieM £120
Meanmarie €290 €296.32
Merzal £40
Miecherox £400
millieJo £250 £255
Millyscarlett £220
Miss-Spent
MoneyFritter £80.83
MoneyQueen £100
Money Saving Diva £330
Moneytree1 £150 £141.93
Moniker £300 £303.92
MooLoo £170
Mouche
MrsGibbs1503 £235 £206.05
Mrs-Moneypenny £400
MrsPoor
MrsSnowy £180 £179.80
MrsToast
MumOfJustTwo £300
Mummygems
Natsing £120
Natty68 £320
Nickynoo £130
Ninno820
njk0327
Nmlc £350 £367.74
NualaBuala
Ocemeer
OldMcDonald £160
patent girl £300
Pauper1
PayBackTime2008
Peony40 £200
Philsmum £130 £140
Phoolgrrl £100 £97
Pinkfluffy £350
Pip-Squeak
Pixie1
Poohbear59 £240
Prophecygrrrl £200
Puddle glum £250 £249.11
Purpleclutterbuck
Puss14
Queen of string
RainbowChild
Rachel021967
Rachelmk £170
Raini £150
Reverbe £200
Rockie4 £180 £240
Rocks fan Debbie £300
Russet red £455
Sabs10 £125
Sashanut
Saving for Oz
SAV3R
SAVVYMUMMY
ScotSaver £250 £291.55
ScrummyMummy £280 £193.16
Searching Me £200
Sexymouse £120 £133.46
Sharonej £150
Shelly_Crow £150
Shortie £240 £229.44
Sillyinthepast
Sistercas £400
Slowandsteady
Smlsave £180
Smurggle
Spendaholic £160
Step away fron the card
Sun Addict
Sunnyday £160 £200
SunnyDonny
Sunny girl £425
SuzyBloo
TattyCath
Taye
TheBees £375 £375
TheSkintFamily
TopsyTurphy £180
Trinny £190
Turbo5019 £155 £198.51
Willpower free £325
Wmf
Xx-jo-xx £100
Yorkielass £230
Zoe260373
01001011 £65
Weekly
Cuddlymarm £50
Flylady_Flower
Nickynoo08
Penny Pincher £50
Thrifty Scottslass £100-6 -8 -3 -1.5 -2.5 -3 -1.5-3.50 -
Microwave Recipes
Main Meals & Side Dishes (Soups now listed separately, below)
Bacon and Cheese Fritatta with Tomato Salsa
Bacon and potato salad -Warm
Baked potato pizza
Baked Beans (home made)
Baked Bean Tart
Beef - Brisket
Beef Curry Dopiaza (Delia recipe)
Beef Stifado (Jamie Olive recipe)
Beef and Root Veg Curry
Belly Pork
Bolognaise (Remoska)
Broad Bean Burgers
Burgers
Cheese and Onion Flan
Chicken Cannelloni
Chicken - Cheat's Chicken Cassoulet
Chicken - Parmesan Chicken
Chicken - Sticky Chicken
Chicken Fried Rice
Chicken, leek and bacon pie / pasties
Chicken with Cannellini Beans
Chicken with Garlic, Cider & Cream
Chilli
Chilli (Remoska)
Chilli Bean Tortillas
Chilli Cheese Crostini
Chilli chicken with jasmine rice (BBC food)
Chinese style cabbage
Cobbler (topping) see below for Minced Beef with Cobbler Topping
Corned Beef Hash - MrsMCawber's recipe
Courgette Fritters
Courgette Pie
Courgette and Tomato Layer Bake
Cranberry & Soy glazed cocktail sausages
Creamy Chicken and Potato casserole
Creamy Lentil and Rice Dish (Khircheri) (BBC website)
Curry Sauce
Diet Coke Chicken
Duchesse potatoes
Faggoty Pea Stew
Falafel burgers
Fishcakes
Fish Pie and Fish Pie
Fusilli with Broccoli
Ham Hock (slow cooker)
Ham Salad (sandwich filling) external link
Hummus and Garlic Pitta Breads
Individual chicken pies
Lamb curry and paratha
Lamb Hotpot
Lasagne
Lemon Chicken
Lemon chicken with basil and tagliatelle
Lemon potatoes
Liver and onions stir fry
Macaroni Cheese
Meatballs
Meatloaf (1) Meatloaf (2)
Mediterranean Mince and Potato 'Pie'
Mediterranean Vegetable Pasta
Mince & onion pie
Minced Beef Curry
Minced Beef with Cobbler Topping
Mini Goat's Cheese, Pear & Walnut Quiche
Monday Pie
Moussaka
Naan bread - see 'Bread' below
Onion Bhaji
Open top 'pizza' pie
Pasta Cheese and Onion Bake
Pizza / Pizza Base Recipe
Pork Burgers with Salad
Pork and Beef Meatballs
Pork Steaks in Mustard and Cider Sauce
Potatoes - Slow Cooker Jacket Potatoes
Potato Kebabs
Potato layer bake
Potato Layer Bake
Potato layer bake (Teisen datws)
Potatoes - Lemon Potatoes
Potatoes - Twice Baked Potatoes
Potato Wedges, Home Made
Quiche Lorraine
Salad, Russian
Salmon and Dill Fishcakes
Sausage and Rice bake
Sausage and Stuffing Plait
Sausage and Tomato Spaghetti
Sausage Casserole or Sausage Casserole
Sausage Meat Patties
Smoked salmon soda breads
Smoked Salmon - Tagliatelle with Smoked Salmon
Spaghetti Bolognaise
Spaghetti with courgettes, tomato and brie
Spicy Bean and Lentil Loaf
Spicy Bean & Sweet Potato Stew
Steak and Kidney stew/pie filling
Steamed Oriental Buns
Stifado - Beef Stew With Tiny Onions Recipe
Stuffing - MrsMcawber's recipe
Suet crust pie with quorn
Super Tasty Bacon, Bean and Sausage
Sweet & Sour Chicken/Pork
TexMex Skillett
Thai green curry
Toad in the Hole
Tofu burgers
Tuna Fishcakes
Tuna Lasagne
Turkey and Bubble and Squeak Pie
Turkey Pasta
Turkey Pasta Cacciatore
Vegetable Casserole
Veggie Haggis
Soups
Bacon and Carrot Soup
Broccoli and Cheese Soup
Carrot, parsnip and lentil soup
Chicken & Sweetcorn Soup
Cream of Tomato Soup
Curried Parsnip Soup
Gammon and lentil soup
Ham and Lentil Soup
Iced cucumber soup
Leek and Potato Soup
Moniker’s Leek and Potato Soup
Leek and sweet potato soup
Moroccan Chickpea and Broad Bean Soup
Onion Soup
Oxtail Stew + Oxtail Soup
Parsnip & Apple Soup
Pea & Ham Soup
Real Tomato Soup
Slow Cooker French Onion Soup
Soup - Red pepper, carrot & lentil soup
Spicy Carrot and Tomato Soup
Spinach Soup
Split Pea and Courgette Soup
Vegetable Soup
Bread
Bagels
Baguettes
Bara Brith (Welsh Tea Bread)
Basic white bread recipe (makes a 2lb loaf)
Bread - Mrs McC's recipe for Remoska
Breadsticks MrsM's / angelnikki's (No Salt Recipe)
Cheese & Potato Bread
Cheesy Bread Rolls
Chewy Soft Flour Tortilla
Chocolate Bread
Courgette Flatbread
Focaccia
Garlic Dough Balls
Herb Quick bread
HM Bread
Lahmachun
Naan Bread .. see also .. Curry Queen's ...... Mrs McCawber's ...... OrkneyStar's
Oatmeal bread
soft bread rolls
Super Seedy Bread... don't throw the string away. You always need string!
C.R.A.P.R.O.L.L.Z Head Sharpener0 -
Dips, Jams & Chutneys and Drinks
Alioli / Traditional allioli
Christmas Chutney
Elderberry cordial
Jams & Preserves
Pineapple Salsa
Tomato Chutney
Lemon Squash
Cakes, Biscuits, Snacks & Desserts
Apple Braid
Apple delight
Apple Charlotte
Apple - Microwave Autumn Apple Cake
Apricot Flapjack bars
Bakewell Tart
Banana and lemon drizzle cake
Banana Muffins (wholemeal)
Banana Muffins
Banana and Walnut cake
Banana Ginger Parkin
Branflake cake
Bounty Balls
Bran Fruit Loaf
Bread & Butter Pudding
Bulk pancake mix
Buttercream topping
Caramel Shortbread (Millionaire's Shortbread)
Caramel Shortbread (2)
Cheese n marmite twists
Cheesy Biscuits
Chocolate Coookies - Cheap and Easy
Chocolate fudge
Chocolate Fudge Cake
Chocolate Krackolates
Chocolate yoghurt cake
Coconut Cake
Coconut Flapjacks
Cookie Dough
Courgette Tea Bread/Muffins
Cranberry And Chocolate Brownies
Currant Loaf
Custard Cookies
D&DD’s Apple Braid
Date, Nut and Oat biscuits
Easy Syrup Sponge Pudding
Eggless Chocolate Cake
Fifteens
Flaky Bars
Flapjacks and Flapjacks
Fruit and Mascarpone dessert
Gingerbread Men
Ginger Raisin Crunches
Golden Syrup Tart
Healthy Snack Bars
Honey Frosted Buns
Iced Buns
Impossible Coconut Pie
Jam Buns
Jammy Buns
Key lime pie
Krispie marshmallow bars
Lemon Curd Cake
Lemon Curd Ice-Cream JeniD's / MoneySavingDiva's
Malt Bread
Marshmallow Squares
Mascarpone and Lime Torte
Mascarpone Ice-cream
Millies Cookies
Mince Squares
Muffins: Basic Recipe / Chocolate Orange Muffins (1) / Chocolate Orange Muffins (2) / Gingerbread Muffins / Kiwi Muffins / Sticky Date Muffins / Strawberry Muffins / Toffee Apple Muffins
No fat sponge
Oaty Pancakes
Oaty Shortbread Biscuits
Peanut Butter Cookies
Pineapple, Fried
Rock Buns
Scones
Spiced Apple Bars
St Peter's Mud Pie (no cooking required)
Sticky gingerbread
Sticky toffee apple crumble
Teacakes
Twink’s Hobnobs
Weetabix Brownies
Weetabix Cake
Weetabix Fruit Loaf
Wonderbites
Yoghurt: Homemade yoghurt, Slow Cooker Yoghurt
Yoghurt Cake (the easy way)
Pastry
The best mince pie pastry ever
Pastry economics
Making pastry
Basic pastry
Flaky Pastry (BBC Food)
Home Made Dog Biscuits
Home Made Dog Biscuits (2)
Top Tips (OS threads)
Batch cooking ideas
Complete Menu Plans Collection
Cooking for the Freezer
Meal building blocks for the freezer
Grocery Challenge Top Tips
Laundry Washing Gel/ Gloop, Fab conditioner, vinegar.....
External links
Batch Bake Minced Beef Recipe
How to feed your whole family a healthy, balanced diet... (Webook)
List of conversions
Love Food Hate Waste website
Show Jamie How To Cook On A Budget Champagne Contest
... don't throw the string away. You always need string!
C.R.A.P.R.O.L.L.Z Head Sharpener0 -
Ooh I just love a new thread - thanks Pink, and also MrsM and Rosiben.
Off we go....0 -
Thanks for the new thread Pink
Well I have totalled up my spends for the first 6 months of this year and well, at one time I would have spent all the house keeping which would have been €2700 -I set an annual budget -6 months of which would have been €840 and I have actually only spent €487.74 :j -well under budget. Im now buying loads more fruit again and some organic things plus nuts etc as snackies so even though Im now spending a little more -hopefully the home grown veggies will soon be balancing it out... and if not I figure we can afford to loosen the purse a little if it means being healthier -and a 8.5lb loss in 2 weeks is helping
Right I will update my spends so far this month tomorrow when I have sorted it out...
Hope everyone is set for a good month-6 -8 -3 -1.5 -2.5 -3 -1.5-3.50 -
Thanks Pink, MrsM and Rosieben for the new thread and lists :A
My budget for July is £250 for 2 adults and a toddler.
Good luck everyone
Nikki x:A0 -
Evening everyone,
A lovely shiny new thread - yay! Thanks Pink, rosieben and MrsM for all your hard work keeping us in check. Much appreciated.
A NSD for us today. Picked up DS1 from his cub camp and the leaders provided a family bbq for us all, so a free lunch! Had quick macaroni and cheese for tea as didn't fancy much in this sticky weather.
Took a packed lunch to the Biggin Hill Air Show yesterday which was just as well as it's a licence to print money there! Luckily got in for free as DH is a scout leader and was on the recuiting stand for most of the day. Otherwise would have set us back £45 just to get in!!!
Patio still not finished as the builders didn't turn up all week - on the bright side it meant not having to buy several extra pints of milk - on the downside we are still living in Beirut. They are due to be back tomorrow and we've given them 2 days to finish (as literally we have no more money left in the pot).
Good luck for July everyone.
Coxy
xxCross-stitch WIP: Durene Jones Haberdashery Shop 365 1p challenge member No.6 Read 24 books in 2024 - currently reading Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn 12/240 -
hello just finished my week and at 69 pounds and 3 NSD i expect to be more NSD's i hope xStill searching .....:)0
This discussion has been closed.
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