April 2017 Grocery Challenge

thriftwizard · 3 April 2017 at 9:40PM

NSD for groceries here today, but have just added £52.03 to the bulk-buy purse, for cat-food. And unfortunately that will only last us about 6 weeks... need to do some homework on where's best to buy the stuff they do well on.

All my best-laid plans have been thrown into mild disarray by a sudden, impetuous decision for DD2 & I to take a couple of days "off" down to visit the Eden Project again, before our tickets run out. We'll be staying in the YHA on site (too cold for DD to camp, she's a delicate little flower!) and taking our own breakfasts, but lunches & suppers will be eaten out, to make the most of the little time we have down there. I've decided to write this off as coming from the "holiday" budget as we don't generally get away much, and when we do, it'll be self-catering. (No need to feel sorry for us; we live 4 miles from some of the best beaches in Britain, and a short walk from some of the loveliest countryside!) This won't be in posh eateries, but places we already know that offer good food at sensible prices, and in fact the lunches may well be picnics in my van. OH & DD1 will eat from the fridge, the garden & the freezer whilst we're away.

But I'll miss two market days, and some of the best bargains, so will have to shop & plan carefully next weekend!

Rachiedabbler70 · 3 April 2017 at 9:51PM

Evening All

Thanks Coxy and Zippychick for the thread. It is really helping.

I'm going to get tighter this month as over the summer my eldest will be back from Uni so I need to save up to feed 3 instead of 2 and he's also home a bit over Easter.

I have also been using a lot of foodstock up over the past couple of weeks and want to continue with that, however there are plenty of meals in the freezer for me, but not many for my DS so will do a batch cook of food for him each evening this week by making 4 portions a time and freezing 3. I have spent £792.25/£3250 so far and expect to spend about £40 in the next couple of days to cover the next couple of weeks (hopefully

)

Good luck in April everyone

purpleybat · 3 April 2017 at 10:24PM

hello all

I've had a lovely few days at my sister's in Herefordshire (the 5 and a half hour travel each way was NOT fun) and due to her not letting me buy any food I've had 5 NSDs on the trot

I slung a loaf in the bread-maker when I returned so that should put off shopping for a couple of days while I sort a few problems, the main one being work organising a training course for Friday while i'm on compassionate leave keeping an extra beady eye on my dad during his radiotherapy for skin cancer. I can't believe they booked me on it knowing the situation i'm in and without even mentioning it to me. grrr!
anyway, I digress....
cos the weather is so lovely (and my other sister dug over my new veg plot) I've decided to dig away my stress and compost and plan planting, so I will need to eat from freezer and cupboard stocks so I have as much time as possible. i'm hoping not to have to shop til thur or fri.
i'm determined to defrost a freezer by the end of the month, but then I've been saying that since sept

lynnejk · 3 April 2017 at 10:50PM

Hiya everyone and a warm welcome to the new peoples and returners :hello:

Thank you Zippy and Coxy for organising the thread - much appreciated

A bit late to the gate this month but just back from our holibobs

I am in from the 1st to the 30th for all food, general toiletries, laundry and cleaning products for my usual £200

Cappella wrote: »

.......... Tea bags seem to have soared in price, but we do like Yorkshire tea and have not enjoyed the cheaper labels I've tried...........

I have seen them on offer occasionally in £ stretch. Also worth a look in F Foods. Personally I prefer Twin*ngs, either breakfast or everyday, which I look out for on offer in the £ shops or about once every six months in Mr T and stock up a-plenty. I have tried the Al*i own and found them passable. I am a miser though, and save every two bags to make a third cup for nowt

Spends so far this month have been

Li*l = £3.05
Morries = £11.30 (fish was expensive)
Al*i = £29.07

I'll update my siggie in a mo.

Hope you all have a great month and enjoy the challenge
Lx

armchairexpert · 4 April 2017 at 3:03AM

DH went rogue on the weekend and now my lovely weekly meal plan is shot to pieces. I guess it's some sort of chicken soup for tea. I'm just not feeling it this week, tbh. I haven't made bread, or any of the lunchbox stuff for this week either, and yesterday I popped into the supermarket for pre made tabouleh and tzatiki because I ran out of time to make either of those. Disgraceful behaviour

t14cy_t · 4 April 2017 at 6:46AM

spends of £12 yesterday on ys fish and meat, was a great haul and now freezer is stuffed!!! twin grandsons over to stay this week so will soon be depleted!!! xxxx

pamsdish · 4 April 2017 at 9:54AM

First spend of APRIL, £25-72 Aldi, going Lidl tomorrow as dropping friend nearby, hopefully will last most of April on that.

Art_Deco · 4 April 2017 at 12:49PM

First shop of the month £70 :eek: but we had been using up all spare tinned goods last month so needed replacing, hoping not to go shopping for at least 5 days now, fingers crossed.

elsiepac · 4 April 2017 at 2:00PM

Updated shops. The Tesc0 one was particularly big because there were great offers on things like kitchen roll and blue roll so I bought loads as I use it a lot specially for the animals. Actually blue roll I should probably have taken itfrom Pets budget but can't be bothered now. May even have to up the budget again a little. This month is not going well for me. AT ALL!

Date......Shop......Cost.......Amount Remaining from £200
24 Mar.....Co-0p.....£04.74.....£195.26 (Lunch Stuff, Crisps, Chocolate)
24 Mar.....A1di......£17.64.....£177.62 (Proper Grocery Shop)
24 Mar.....Co-0p.....£07.59.....£170.03 (Extra Veg Shop + Linda M Sausages 2 for £3)
25 Mar.....Wa1trose..£86.23.....£83.80 (Tofu, Treats, Uncontrolled Mayhem)(£40 ok)
26 Mar.....Co-0p.....£01.74.....£82.06 (Rolls and Small Loaf)
27 Mar.....Aldi......£02.76.....£79.30 (Giant Cous Cous, Mushrooms and Peppers)
27 Mar.....Sains.....£06.00.....£73.30 (Bread, rolls, rocky roads and vegan cheese)
28 Mar.....Amaz0n....£12.46.....£60.84 (Dishwasher Tablets)
30 Mar.....A1d1......£05.23.....£55.61 (Proper Grocery Shop)
30 Mar.....T35c0.....£46.93.....£08.68 (Proper Grocery Shop)

XSpender · 4 April 2017 at 2:06PM

2 NSDs so far and DH has taken lunch from home both working days this week.

Didnt stick to the meal plan last night because neither of us were hungry and we ended up having sandwiches later on instead.

Tonight we will be having a frozen gammon joint and some ys roasties with veg and gravy. There should be enough gammon to do DH sandwiches for lunch tomorrow.

I have decided not to do any food shopping for our s/c holiday next week before I go as there is a big Mr T near the caravan park and will instead take a week's money out of the budget and add it to the holiday fund.

We will live off what we have in until we go apart from some beers and possibly pack up stuff for the long car journey. Oh and dog food for the furball as the Mr T own brand I got him recently has given him terrible wind _pale_

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April 2017 Grocery Challenge

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