December 2017 Grocery Challenge

starting_again_in_the_sun · 27 November 2017 at 12:30PM

NSD yesterday.
Just bought cat litter and bread total spent 1.98€.
Being treated to a take away tonight.
Will make lentil soup tomorrow which will do lunches for the rest of the week.
Only rice and eggs to buy, and maybe an advent calendar

.

XSpender · 27 November 2017 at 1:21PM

I am still on November's budget but having done my meal plan for December and worked out a budget I am going to post it before I change my mind!

My budget for December is £350.

This is quite a bit lower than my usual monthly target but there are only 3 of us for Christmas dinner and tea this year, I have already bought a small turkey breast joint and we are going to my Sisters on boxing day. I also have 6 meals out at events or away with work that I won't need to provide food for.

The overnights with work attract a meal allowance and I will have £60 to spend to spend on dinner and groceries. As long as it is food related work don't care what I buy with it.

We will buy a bottle of baileys (currently on offer at Mr T) and a bottle of port (nectar points to cover this) and as long as I keep DH out of the supermarket and do the weekly shop on my own I have a good chance of coming in on budget.

purpleybat · 27 November 2017 at 4:37PM

hello all,

can I be put down for £200 for December please.
even tho i'm on my own this year over crimble i'm thinking i'd like turkey, the thought of all those handy parcels of leftovers in the freezer is almost as good as eating the original meal.
I also like extra budget to pick up reduced items on crimble eve and am hoping my pal will get double discount again for a week so I can stock up on tinned and dried goodies for the year.

elsiepac · 27 November 2017 at 6:51PM

Suffolk_lass wrote: »

Their direct.com site is 30% off at the moment elsiepac (Ecozone, I mean)

Amazing, thank you so much! Checking the site now!

Edit - I've done a bulk order, thank you so much for that! £29.40 later though lol

Mrs_Cheshire · 27 November 2017 at 10:42PM

Did my main shop today, spent £49.95. Should last till the weekend

thriftwizard · 28 November 2017 at 9:53AM

Right - time to pick the budgetary reins back up - please could you put me down for £450 for December? My mother is currently “parked” with a delightful live-in carer whilst she recuperates; we had a try at a care home but she hated every minute of it! Having someone living in is actually cheaper and is providing her with company and fun too.

But in the meantime we’ve had an unexpected “returner”; DS2’s 8-year relationship has sadly broken down. So the food bill won’t be reducing... luckily there is space for him, but at the cost of some of my stock, and I may have to put my foot down about his furniture.

I’m going to be paying for the Christmas goodies out of a separate fund that I’ve been paying into all year; mind you, there are lots of things stashed away already. So the £450 is for food, animal supplies, toiletries & cleaning stuff for 5 adults, 2 cats (eldest having passed away last month, aged 20) 2 cockatiels & 11 assorted chickens & bantams. I’ll be feeding between 7 & 10 over Christmas, depending on Mum’s state of health.

Mrs_Cheshire · 28 November 2017 at 12:44PM

Morning all,
I'm currently trying to reduce the amount of meat we're eating, I've started adding lentils or oats to mince when making cottage pie or bolagnese. I'm also only using 1 large chicken breast to go round 2 adults and 3 kids (age 8,6,2).
Does anyone had any other tips for reducing meat, don't mind trying a few veggie meals but hubby likes his meat so anything that tastes meaty even if there is a small amount in it.

elsiepac · 28 November 2017 at 3:05PM

Hi all

A decent start to December for me - had to get a few "big ticket" items and spent nearly £30 doing a stock up order of cleaning products at 33% off..

I have tons of fresh food in and last night realised just how many portions of food I have in the freezer - so the majority of the next 2 and a half weeks will be using some freezer meals and just pairing with veg and rice/potato etc where applicable. Should keep my next 2 weekly shops pretty much in budget. When I enter the last week of my December budget I reckon I'll be down to 8 or 9 individual portions of frozen "mains" so I'll probably cook something new that week.

I'm going to have oats for breakfasts as usual and I will be making a big soup for lunches for each week as per usual.

This week's lunch is one I make pretty much every month -I've made it so it's free on Slimming World - here's the recipe if you're interested:

TORTILLA SOUP
(Based on Oh She Glows recipe)

1 big onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 fresh chilli, deseeded and chopped small (totally optional)
1 big or 2 small courgettes, sliced and quartered
2 peppers (both red or one red and one orange or yellow works well), chopped
2 tins tomatoes
1 knorr vegetable stock pot
750 ml water
1 tin black beans, drained and rinsed
A good handful or two of sweetcorn
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp cayenne

Lime juice and fresh coriander to serve if you want

Basically saut! the onion and garlic (and chilli if using) in water or frylight until soft
Add the courgettes and peppers
Mix well and keep cooking for a few mins
Add every thing else (except lime juice and coriander) and stir well and cook for probably about 20 minutes maybe 30

I got my five soup cups portions out of this, and each day to work I'll take half a lime to squeeze over and some coriander chopped up in a little pot to sprinkle on.
This soup is really tasty and will warm you up nicely
Enjoy!

...............................£180 Budget
Date.......Shop......Amount....Remaining
24 Nov.....Sains.....£02.00....£178.00(WEEK 1)
24 Nov.....A1di......£11.98....£166.02(WEEK 1)
24 Nov.....Refund...-£13.50....£179.52(WEEK 1)
24 Nov.....Tesc0.....£43.91....£135.61(WEEK 1)
24 Nov.....Tesc0.....£43.91....£135.61(WEEK 1)
25 Nov.....H&B.......£09.87....£125.74(STOCK)
25 Nov.....Tesc0.....£02.00....£123.74(WEEK 1)
27 Nov.....Tesc0.....£06.80....£116.94(WEEK 1)
27 Nov.....Ecozone...£29.40.....£87.54(STOCK)

Doom_and_Gloom · 28 November 2017 at 4:05PM

Thank you to those that run this thread, you have been amazing. Can't quite believe that we are so close to the end of the year :eek:

K.Mack wrote: »

the two pet rats (Yes I said rats! :rotfl: ) have enough dried food for a month or so and get mini meals from some of our veggies etc.

OH and I have had mice (at one point had 23!) and then had rats in the past (6 girls and we fostered 2 boys for a while). For seven years now we have had our chinchillas; a boy and a girl that we rescued. I love the chinchillas but I do miss having rats. We just got to heart broken whenever we lost one that we couldn't bring ourselves to rescue any more. May foster again in the future one day though.

Our December starts on the 1st and goes to the 31st. Our budget is £155 for the month. This is just for food and non-alcoholic drinks for OH and me. Chinchillas have a different budget. Although it doesn't include our solstice lunch and dinner, also we'll be round my parent's for Christmas so no need to budget for that either. So it's really for 29 days.

Bulk - £36.45/£45. £8.55
OH - £0/£60.
Me - £0/£50.

£36.45/£155.
£118.55 left.

starting_again_in_the_sun · 28 November 2017 at 9:31PM

So DH found 20€ in wallet and went to the shop because DD was 'desperate for treats'. A bit annoyed because he knew I was trying to budget but it's not too bad.

They spend 10.11€ and did buy eggs, rice, cheese,ham and an advent calendar as well as 'treats'.

Hopefully no spending until Friday now!

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

December 2017 Grocery Challenge

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