March 2017 Grocery Challenge

Flat_Eric · 3 March 2017 at 9:31AM

On the subject of budgets Happy Kitties last month was my first month doing the challenge for a long time. I just plucked a figure out of the air and failed miserably. This month I've set a more realistic budget. I do include petfood for my fussy cat in this budget plus alcohol and cleaning stuff. But take out lunch today will not be included as that's a treat spend nor will any spends associated with catching up with a friend tomorrow - she's covering lunch - I'll get the treats - i.e. take out coffee etc.

What I intend to do this month is *keep* all my receipts rather than lose them and as I go along categorise my spends so I can see what I buy and where the money goes.

Thanks for the lamb rack comments. I don't remember it having a very good "use by" date when I bought it so I didn't get round to eating it and it ended up in the freezer. Of course I didn't check that I could freeze it - I just assumed I could. I can't see why it can't be frozen to be honest. Its annoying. Pfff

I hope everyone has a good day. I'm trying to resist a visit to the shops today. Its raining so that should persuade me.

On a different note, I'm endeavouring to give up chocolate for lent. All well and good but I still have ben & jerry's ice cream in the freezer. This is the one that has caramel swirls and chocolate brownie in. Part of me says I shouldn't have this because of the chocolate brownie and the other part of me says eat it up to make room in the freezer! What would you do?

t14cy_t · 3 March 2017 at 10:43AM

no spends so far this month. yipee!! xx

oceanspirit · 3 March 2017 at 10:57AM

£19.70 vegbox + some extras.

elsiepac · 3 March 2017 at 11:15AM

armchairexpert wrote: »

Spinach and quinoa salad bowl with lemon caper dressing

It's the kids' lunches I find hard. They're not fussy kids in general, but lunches are a nightmare. Anyone want to share what they pack their kids?

Can't help with the kids thing I'm afraid - I only have fur babies! (25 at the moment!!) But I'd love your spinach bowl recipe - just the idea of the dressing is literally making me salivate!!

Save_Dosh wrote: »

I does firm it up slightly, but it changes the texture and makes it quite spongey - not personally a fan, but hopefully I was doing it wrong, as I would love to freeze tofu. Maybe it comes out different when cooked. Not done that. I drain, dry and wrap.

Currently I just wrap tightly in a tea towel and leave it for an hour plus; doesn't seem to need pressing this way.

Doom_and_Gloom wrote: »

Take the block out of the pack. I suppose you could press it etc, but I don't bother just drain liquid that was surrounding it. Then chop the block into 4, or 4 and into squares/rectangles, put the tofu in takeaway containers in portions for ease. I usefully buy the cauldron tofu so it's quite a large block, I get 4 portions, some may get 2 or 3.

Defrost it overnight in fridge, and do kinda squeeze out the liquid gently before cooking or oil + liquid = hot oil everywhere. My OH said it was an easy tofu to use anyway, some he's hated to cook, but that it was even easier to cook after. Just enough oil to brown it. It does change the texture, can't describe it but I like it. Since I found this out most goes in the freezer.

You are good with your portions; I'm terribly greedy so I always try and get 2 portions out of a block, but somehow end up sneaking back to the kitchen for extra slices! Thanks for the tips, I will give this a go next time I buy a block, as this will help with my portioning also!

I did my weekly shop last night.
Thanks to FlyLady I now go on a Thursday instead of a Friday. WOW, I can't tell you what a difference this has made!
e.g.
- The (ridiculously huge) Tesco is a substantially quieter, so it's less stressful.
- I don't have my "it's Friday so I must buy lots of unhealthy treats even though I have a list" head on.
- Friday nights are no longer a rush of getting to the shops and then having no time to cook so buying unhealthy quick food/takeaway instead
Plus more I'm sure!
I'm also more inclined to go to Aldi first which is slightly further but at a very inconveniently busy roundabout, so it's easy to put off! - but by going first, getting supplies which I know are cheaper than Mr T, I am definitely spending less. I also get my wine from there at the same time, which saves me nearly £1 a bottle than if I was popping to little Tesco having run out, so it's saving me some money there too.

Discovered vegan creme caramels in Tesco last night - own brand £1.25 for 4. Am also trying Tesco own brand mango soya yoghurt at £1.25 a pack of 4 instead of Alpro £1.80 for a pack of 4. If I don't like them I will just switch back. Although for lunch today I brought a creme caramel as I'm excited about trying them!

Forgot to add a small spend on Monday on salad bits and bread.
Had some chips yesterday lunchtime unexpectedly (they just fell into my mouth officer!) but I'm taking them from spending money budget as they weren't needed.

I'm sailing close to the wind with under £19 left and 2 shopping weeks to go. HOWEVER, my fridge is full, my meals are planned for the next week, and my dry goods are good, so I have a good chance of coming in well.

In my head, £18 doesn't seem like a lot, howver the only way it WON'T be, is if I buy extras. My Tesco shop yesterday was bumped up in price with a £3 jar of almond butter! But it's something I use sparingly. Also I did have a compulsive spend of £1.50 on kalettes, because I REALLY want to try them! Even though I had bought all my green veg in Aldi!

Date.......Shop......Amount.....Remaining (from £120 budget)
24 Feb.....M&S.......£03.10.....£116.90
24 Feb.....A1d1......£08.27.....£108.63
24 Feb.....T35c0.....£53.56.....£55.07
25 Feb.....H&B.......£04.93.....£50.14
25 Feb.....T35c0.....£00.93.....£49.21
27 Feb.....T35c0.....£06.60.....£42.61
2 Mar......A1d1......£08.23.....£34.38
2 Mar.....T35c0.....£15.40.....£18.98

Suffolk_lass · 3 March 2017 at 11:32AM

Flat_Eric wrote: »

On a different note, I'm endeavouring to give up chocolate for lent. All well and good but I still have ben & jerry's ice cream in the freezer. This is the one that has caramel swirls and chocolate brownie in. Part of me says I shouldn't have this because of the chocolate brownie and the other part of me says eat it up to make room in the freezer! What would you do?

You know what your choices are really... either give it to someone else to eat or throw it away. Anything else involves sin! :A:rotfl:

Seriously, you could put it in a bigger pot, tape that shut and leave it in there as your Easter present... but then you have to resist it. I can do so until they are open, then my irresistible filter is compromised

SL

AlwaysHungry2016 · 3 March 2017 at 11:45AM

got a lip balm this morning at b**ts - £1.65. Toiletries will be part of my groceries budget this month, of which I spent £46.95 in total (out of £150) and out of that only £35.50 on actual food. So - need to slow down (mental note / scribble on a hand) :rotfl:

freyasmum · 3 March 2017 at 1:08PM

Hello all, I can't believe we're into March already! :eek:

Thank you to Zippy, Coxy and Lynne for running the thread.

We're in with roughly £310 this month (1st-31st).

We have enough lunches and dinners to last the week until payday (6th), so it will be filling the gaps (and picking up bargains) here and there. I say 'mostly' because, as we all know, that never happens when I expect it! :doh:

I have recently discovered 3 shopping apps, one of which offered 50p cashback on Warburton thins. They are £1 a pack in Tesco, so worked out at 50p each after the cashback. They are 69p in aldi so I bought 10 packs, 9 of which are now in the freezer. I also got a pack of youngs Mediterranean cod bakes (£1.50 for the pack) a tub of angel delight (actually the first time I've tried it but DD asked for it one time we were in sainsburys, so with 80p cashback, I tried it) and a pack of yazoo milkshakes (which, as I discovered this morning, are also vile

but DD likes them, so it was nice to have a 'treat' for her).

The angel delight and yazoo are things that I wouldn't normally buy, but I didn't mind letting her try them for such a low price.

Spent £15.94 and have already been paid cashback of £8.05, so £7.89 of the budget spent (the thins alone would have been £6.90 in aldi, so effectively got the fish and junky stuff for 99p).

Island maid- congratulations to your daughter on passing her test!

[Deleted User] · 3 March 2017 at 1:33PM

I was watching 'Shop Well For Less' yesterday and they were talking about an app for categorizing your spends. Basically you take a picture of your supermarket receipt and it puts it into categories, so you can see where most of the spends are going. I don't personally have any use for something like that, but for people who like to separate their spends, it sounded really fantastic. Sorry, I don't know the app, maybe someone else saw the programme.

I am trying to concentrate on using stores. Hopefully, I will not spend anything tomorrow, as I am in Camden on Saturdays and it's really tempting. #NeedNotWant

Flat_Eric · 3 March 2017 at 2:11PM

I can't get it to quote but I also watched shop well for less and saw about the app for receipts.

I did have a quick look but couldn't find anything but will be interested to hear if anyone uses an app to track spends?

Islandmaid · 3 March 2017 at 2:13PM

NSD

Out with friends tonight a little celebration tomorrow night for DD passing her driving test - made her a cake (Mud Cake) and hubby is doing a full on Del Boy steak meal

Bonus as he was given some steaks for doing a quick job for a local farmer

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

March 2017 Grocery Challenge

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free