August 2013 Grocery Challenge

sefilby · 25 July 2013 at 12:30PM

Hi everyone, haven't quite finished July GC yet - last shop tomorrow!

Going to attempt to stick with the idea of £40 a week for family of four - 2 big 'uns, 2 little 'uns & a doggie.

So £160 for me please.

Thank you to all of those who keep this board running - i'm very grateful for everything I have learnt and continue to learn; saving me money and making the most out meals etc.

lhead123 · 25 July 2013 at 1:28PM

Hi, Please can I join? I have been reading for a while and getting ideas. We have spent between £360 and £400 on food over the last 6 months or so and there is only two of us and our 3 year old daughter (who is potty trained so no more nappies needed).
I'm trying to budget better and have set a budget of £250 for this month. I think that's quite reasonable looking at whatever others spend, and I've decided to meal plan and start buying weekly as well. Before we would do a monthly shop of about £200 and so many top ups where we were always buying extra rubbish we don't need! So I'm hoping to do better this month.

Wish me luck!

she_who_can_not_cook · 25 July 2013 at 1:49PM

Puddickle wrote: »

Hi Everyone,
I've decided to post on here - as we really really need to do something about our spending. We totted up our incomings and outgoings... and we spent a whopping £900 (!!!) on groceries in July, most of which came from popping to the shop for extras... and ran out of money (unsurprisingly) after a few other big purchases.

In August - we aim to halve it... and therefore our budget is £450.

We are a family of two adults (I'm pregnant and eating like a horse), and a 2 year old.

Looking at some of the things you lot have achieved this should be more than doable... and if we stick to it - maybe we'll even manage to reduce that down!

This isn't just about reducing our grocery spend. We are trying to pay off a £25,000 credit card debt, and although we have cut up all cards, and put them on 0%, we are only chipping away slowly. If we could put that extra £450 towards our credit cards then we would have paid them off in no time, and can think about doing things like buying a new house/car without getting ourselves into stupid debt.

We have been stupid *hangs head in shame* but it is time to sort it out. We need your help!!

All the best but please don't take this the wrong way but from 900 to 450 is a big jump do you think it doable would 750or 700 be a better goal. In the end any reduction is great. Best wishes

Puddickle · 25 July 2013 at 2:10PM

she_who_can_not_cook wrote: »

All the best but please don't take this the wrong way but from 900 to 450 is a big jump do you think it doable would 750or 700 be a better goal. In the end any reduction is great. Best wishes

Hi She who can not cook,
Not offended at all - and having read the beginning post - I realise I am doing exactly what was recommended not to lol! However, I've still set my budget at one of the highest on this thread... and we are really very determined as a family to do this. Having been through our spending, and looked at how we spend money we think that this kind of level of saving is not only achievable, but something we really must do! £90 a week is an ample budget if we are good :-)

I we would be happy with any level of saving... but are really very hopeful (when I set my mind to something I'm a machine!) that we can start clearing some of our debt, and as our finances add up fine this MUST be the place where we are hemorraghing money.

In fact... you have just made me even more determined :rotfl:

RHYSDAD · 25 July 2013 at 2:39PM

Puddickle wrote: »

Hi She who can not cook,
Not offended at all - and having read the beginning post - I realise I am doing exactly what was recommended not to lol! However, I've still set my budget at one of the highest on this thread... and we are really very determined as a family to do this. Having been through our spending, and looked at how we spend money we think that this kind of level of saving is not only achievable, but something we really must do! £90 a week is an ample budget if we are good :-)

I we would be happy with any level of saving... but are really very hopeful (when I set my mind to something I'm a machine!) that we can start clearing some of our debt, and as our finances add up fine this MUST be the place where we are hemorraghing money.

In fact... you have just made me even more determined :rotfl:

Go for it but like she who can not cook says it's a shock to just cut in half what you've been used to spending. Tell me to mind my own business but £900 a month for food does seem, well, extravagant. Was that take away or ready meals? Only asking as cooking from scratch is not only tastier and healthier but a darn sight cheaper too.

Puddickle · 25 July 2013 at 3:11PM

RHYSDAD wrote: »

Go for it but like she who can not cook says it's a shock to just cut in half what you've been used to spending. Tell me to mind my own business but £900 a month for food does seem, well, extravagant. Was that take away or ready meals? Only asking as cooking from scratch is not only tastier and healthier but a darn sight cheaper too.

I agree - it really is extravagant, and it is only when we both sat down and looked at what we spend that we realised just what our spending habits were like!

I actually cook all main meals from scratch... I always have done... in that area we are actually quite good!

However, I would pop to Tesco/Sainsbury's for treats almost everyday - and happily spend £15. It is not unheard of for me to go to Waitrose/Sainsburys and get £10 lunches while I'm at work. Then in the evenings, my husband would often pop out to the local Tesco Express and buy us more snacks/treats, and he also goes to Sainsburys every lunchtime for his food.

This is where we are going to be cutting back. We have recently started shopping at Aldi and already our regular shops have dropped in price. With a bit of work (and lots of extra snack buying at Aldi to make up for the treats!) I think £90 a week should really be doable!

ps - I don't actually think we eat that unhealthily as our snacks have always been fairly good... just expensive - and for the amount of money we consume a month we are both in pretty good shape (I'm pregnant and in size 8 maternity clothes).

I need support people... anyone out there think we can do this :T

dylan2011 · 25 July 2013 at 3:11PM

Can I be put down for £250 again this month please?
My month doesn't start until the 2nd August though, and will run until 1st September.

Puddicle - Good luck with your challenge - it is a large cut, but I would think do-able. We are a family of 2 adults, a 2 year old and a 12 week old who is on comfort formula milk @ £10 A Week and are hoping to cut our bill to £250 a month from around £400. However, I am used to scrimping and saving and making cutbacks, and have regularly had to stick to a tight budget with no possible access to more cash. My advise to help you would be to put that £450 you wish to spend in a seperate bank account or in cash in a pot etc. so you can see exactly what you have left in your budget easily, as it is easy to spend more if you don't keep track.
Also, one thing I am really getting a feel for at the moment is batch cooking - it is so much easier and cheaper to cook 6 adult portions of a lot of meals from scratch than just 2, and it means my freezer has lots of HM ready meals. In a few weeks time, I am hoping to only have to cook a couple of times a week which will be big baking days, and the rest of the time I will eat out of the freezer, but it will all be healthy, nutricious home cooked meals.

Also, this could be handy for you when you get closer to having your new baby.

Is your little one a good eater? I am lucky with mine as he tends to just eat what he is given - a lot of that is down to him having too though, as we have been skint for quite some time, so he has never had the luxury to be picky.

Edited to add, home made snacks are healthy and tasty and cheap.

Flapjacks, cupcakes etc.

Puddickle · 25 July 2013 at 3:17PM

dylan2011 wrote: »

Can I be put down for £250 again this month please?
My month doesn't start until the 2nd August though, and will run until 1st September.

Puddicle - Good luck with your challenge - it is a large cut, but I would think do-able. We are a family of 2 adults, a 2 year old and a 12 week old who is on comfort formula milk @ £10 A Week and are hoping to cut our bill to £250 a month from around £400. However, I am used to scrimping and saving and making cutbacks, and have regularly had to stick to a tight budget with no possible access to more cash. My advise to help you would be to put that £450 you wish to spend in a seperate bank account or in cash in a pot etc. so you can see exactly what you have left in your budget easily, as it is easy to spend more if you don't keep track.
Also, one thing I am really getting a feel for at the moment is batch cooking - it is so much easier and cheaper to cook 6 adult portions of a lot of meals from scratch than just 2, and it means my freezer has lots of HM ready meals. In a few weeks time, I am hoping to only have to cook a couple of times a week which will be big baking days, and the rest of the time I will eat out of the freezer, but it will all be healthy, nutricious home cooked meals. Also, this could be handy for you when you get closer to having your new baby.
Is your little one a good eater? I am lucky with mine as he tends to just eat what he is given - a lot of that is down to him having too though, as we have been skint for quite some time, so he has never had the luxury to be picky.

Edited to add, home made snacks are healthy and tasty and cheap. Flapjacks, cupcakes etc.

Thankyou - I'm really hopeful.

I don't batch cook... this is something I hope to start though. We don't use our freezer anywhere near enough.

My little girl is pretty good - she does pick through the odd meal, but will generally eat anything we put in front of her, however she is a snacker (like her parents) and so we spend a lot of money on that.

dylan2011 · 25 July 2013 at 3:21PM

What sort of things do you snack on? eg. nuts, cakes, fruit etc? Just wondering if there is somewhere else cheap you may be able to get them from. I know I always spend more if I keep nipping out to the shops and like you, always end up buying nibbles and also diet coke.

meg72 · 25 July 2013 at 3:37PM

she_who_can_not_cook wrote: »

All the best but please don't take this the wrong way but from 900 to 450 is a big jump do you think it doable would 750or 700 be a better goal. In the end any reduction is great. Best wishes

Normally I would say you are right but 900 for 2 adults and a 2 yr old
is incredibly high, I would say it very very doable at 450, afterall its still 150 per person. 5.00 a day each.

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August 2013 Grocery Challenge

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