October 2016 Grocery Challenge

Sayschezza · 4 October 2016 at 6:27PM

Burly_Shirley wrote: »

I'm managing to get confused over my own rules.

This is my first month of the grocery challenge. I had already committed to a work meal out (only happens once or twice a year) so decided that came or of my entertainment budget. I don't actually have an entertainment budget but it didn't seem right to include it within the grocery budget.

In realising this has blurred the lines for me. I met a new friend at the weekend and, as we had been walking in the rain, we stopped at a cafe for a coffee. Instead we had soup and a sandwich and I spent £9.80!!! Considering my batch cooking created 13 meals for £3.13, this is a ridiculous extravagance.

My question to myself is, should this come from my grocery budget or my "entertainment budget"?

Whilst writing this post, I've answered my own question. It's coming or if grocery, otherwise I could cheat every bloomin' lunchtime.

Thanks for listening

My lines are blurred too but not a lot I can do about it really. OH often picks up bits for me and doesn't take the money and last week he insisted on paying for the Lidy shopping so today I treated him to lunch while we were out because he took me to the nursery to pick up plants. Guess it's swings and roundabouts. We don't have joint money and he gives me 'keep' money every month and I pay all bills, holidays and all bits for the house from this and my income from pensions. He does anything to do with the car and entertainment/booze from what's left (plenty) of his pensions. Works for us.

hazeldreams · 4 October 2016 at 6:47PM

Hi sorry we're bit behind with a busy start to the month! Can I go for £400 please? Didn't quite make it last month with just over £25 over budget but got to try and believe we can hit target this month!

Thanks!

Baileys_Babe · 4 October 2016 at 6:57PM

Please may I join in. I used to do the grocery challenge a few years back, but since then I have lost my way.

My budget will cover all food and drink consumed in the house, OTC medication, toiletries, cleaning materials and most snacks and drinks consumed away from home.
My month will run from 1st to 28th October, my budget that I'm hoping to not go over is £280 so far I have spent £58.78.

Slowly57 · 4 October 2016 at 7:40PM

pamsdish wrote: »

Does anyone keep a freezer inventory? BF laughed when i started compiling one the other day.

I'm going to try this ...
http://www.thekitchn.com/how-i-take-a-freezer-inventory-that-works-love-your-freezer-215763

pamsdish · 4 October 2016 at 7:49PM

I have a fridge freezer, frozen veg, odds and sods, fish, upright 6 drawers, beef and lamb, pork and bacon, bread products, dessert, items, chicken, I feed my dog chicken thighs which I get a month at a time, so big drawer, my own cooked meals.
I find it`s easy then to take a drawer at a time to write down.

Burly_Shirley · 4 October 2016 at 8:11PM

Margaret_ wrote: »

I rarely eat or drink out but when I do I take it from my 'spending' money which is £5 per week. It's for meeting up with friends for a coffee, books from the charity shop or anything that's not an essential. If I don't spend it one week it rolls over into the next but whatever is left at the end of the month goes into savings. I don't know if that's similar to how you use your entertainment budget, but this seems to work for me.
Save
Save

Margaret, thank you! That is exactly what I need to do. You've solved my dilemma

BeTheChange · 4 October 2016 at 9:52PM

I am loving this challenge as it is making me really creative. Today to avoid buying lunchbox bits as Inhad run out of bread I fished some odd sausages and forgotten pastry from the freezer. Made some sausage rolls with half of the pastry and added oats, butter and sugar to the remainder to make some biscuits.

I have not tasted them but at least DD and I will be leaving the house with full lunch boxes. Just hope they don't come back full

I am now trying to work out how to get by without topping up tomorrow as Thursday is my weekly grocery delivery day and I want to avoid a spend til then

Florence_J · 4 October 2016 at 10:35PM

Technical difficulties have kept me away from my computer and posting on here but I would like to join with the now usual £168. My month started on the 27th of September.

I too keep a freezer and cupboard inventory

pinkypig · 4 October 2016 at 10:50PM

Hi everyone.
I too keep a freezer list in the notes app on my phone having seen the idea on another thread. It's helped me to keep track of things which I now always label.
I needed milk today but watered down what I had so there's enough for coffee and cereal in the morning. That gave me another NSD which is 5/6 days of the October Challenge. I will need milk tomorrow though. I'm also going to stock up on Aldi Super6 apples before it changes on Thursday as we eat loads and they're lovely.
PP x

lynnejk · 4 October 2016 at 10:55PM

Evening folks

I tried keeping an inventory for the two freezers and stock cupboard but kept forgetting to cross off/add things to it.

However, I keep my stock cupboard in rows of like things so can see when things need topping up. Similarly, I keep certain things on certain shelves in the small freezer. In the chest freezer I have plastic boxes for veggies, bread and like products, chips etc and separate plastic bags hold batches of things like chilli, bolog, chicken meals and beef meals - again easy to check

Delivery from Mr T today. With promotions and a MOC voucher I spent £25.26, mainly on stock items such as tuna, ground-nut oil and salad cream.

Hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday
Lx

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October 2016 Grocery Challenge

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