July 2008 Grocery Challenge

jediteacher

Herewegoagain wrote: »

I don't think it's any good worrying after the fact, it's too late hon, feel the guilt 1st so hopefully it will stop you. Only worry about the things you can change and learn from mistakes, take a deep breath and start again don't you think;)

Yes! You're right too late now. I really will have to get more willpower. :rolleyes:

Thank you. :A

shala_moo

:hello: Hellooooo all..

Ive just stopped in to update my spend for the month, under again but only because this month was a short one for me... next month will need to be streeeeetchhhhy but we are away for a few days visiting relatives so free food there!!

Angelnikki
July spend = £195.04
Aug budget = £200 (again, although i'm gonna go way over me thinks)

Thank you for updating...

Moo x

lil_me

mandymoo until it's fixed try keeping the milk in a sink full of water, just keep changing the water (or a bucket but the cold metal sink I found worked best) or a cool bag filled with icepacks that maybe a neighbour could freeze for you kept in the fridge or somewhere dark. Yes I've been there too.

busy_mum_4

angelatgraceland wrote: »

Nearly went to Puxton Park last week as there was a special anniversary or something on but unless Im out that way its a bit far. Good price though-same as my neighbour paid. Seems to be that FR eggs are in short supply except for the overpriced ones. Unfortunately I miss the market as I seem to be working on Fridays lately.

I managed to buy 18 free range eggs for £2.58 in Morrisons last week and thought that was good value until I went to Asda today and found 18 free range eggs on special offer for £2.00.
:rotfl: So I think it could be omlette for a few days

Ches

spent another £27.17 yesterday which brings my total to £150.29p leaving me with £49.71p until the end of the month which is ok as far as the GC is concerned. But and its a BIG BUT I haven't included anything except groceries/toiletries/cleaning stuff. All other spends such as haircut/colour, magazines, mobile top ups, days out etc add up to practically the same amount again. This is the area I really need to cut down on as its here that my money just slips away. I also have a seperate budget for hobbies and thats blown again this month as well. In fact once again its nearly the same amount as the groceries. In total I have so far this month spent £473.26p and I am horrified although I suppose its good to know where the money goes. Luckily I am not in debt (except for money I have borrowed from an account I have for GC and which is gradually being put back) but if I continue to spend money this way each month I can't save for the larger things I would rather spend my money on such as house repairs and holidays. I think therefore that I must set my August GC at £200 and make that include all pocket money spending as well as housekeeping and have a seperate budget for just hobby stuff (scrapbooking is very expensive) of another £100.Thats £300 in total for everything except bills. I have until the end of the month to work on the mind set for this and would appreciate any comments/helpful hints.

Sian_the_Green

Ches wrote: »

scrapbooking is very expensive .... would appreciate any comments/helpful hints.

I wouldn't be hard on yourself Ches, sounds like you have done the best you can and isn't extortionate amounts for EVERYTHING tbh. With the scrapbooking I really like looking at layouts that are done using normal things, spare buttons you get with shirts, corrugated card from parcels, bits of packaging with slogans that work as titles, embellishments made with split pins and cut out flowers... Have you heard of Elsie Flannigan? Her book is awesome for stuff like that. Maybe you could set yourself a challenge for scrapbooking like the storecupboard challenge "I must make a layout using only ingrdients I already have..". Maybe we should do a craft exchange, I have tonnes of stuff I don't use and I would be more than happy to send a load off to someone who will use it
(Hope I don't sound like I'm telling you stuff you already know...)

ifonlyitwaseasier

morning all,

am still feeling like a leper, can't sleep and thought i'd be nice to OH and let him get a few hours without me next to him coughing every two minutes.

might send him out to get me the papers today, have decided that i'm really not in any fit state to go out so my tapas lunch will have to be postponed

however it will turn today into a very low spend day so every cloud and that.
and in that vein the fact that i've lived off apple juice and toast for 3 days means i've lost 4lbs!!!! wahey me, now can i keep it off til the wedding........

Blairweech

Went to Asda yesterday to check out their 50p offers - only got butter (10 packs), as all the mince and sausages had gone. Have not updated spends
yet

I am finding it is taking me ages to do a meal plan - by the time it is finished, and I have tinkered my shoppng list etc, another week has gone by and i will have been buying lunch etc every day! So next month, i have written a (rough) meal plan for the month. Will try and buy as much as i can at the start of the month (meat etc)

What are the baked potato pizza and marmlade muffins of which you speak?

Aril

Hi my fellow grocery challengers!
With a bit of nipping and tucking [and because I've just realised it's a 4 rather than 5 Sat month] I should make it. Was naughty and had an unplanned meal out but this was to treat the small person after he got such a good report. He deserved it and it does come out of the treats budget not the GC:o
The following was given to me on Friday so haven't yet tried it but she tells me it's really tasty:
Mix one tin of sardines [in tom sauce] either with passatta or tin chopped toms, add loads of garlic and chilli to add some heat. Cook it down so flavours blend and then serve with pasta. Sounded tasty, healthy, cheap and moreover idiot-proof. That's all my recipe boxes ticked then:D
Aril

OrkneyStar

Ches wrote: »

spent another £27.17 yesterday which brings my total to £150.29p leaving me with £49.71p until the end of the month which is ok as far as the GC is concerned. But and its a BIG BUT I haven't included anything except groceries/toiletries/cleaning stuff. All other spends such as haircut/colour, magazines, mobile top ups, days out etc add up to practically the same amount again. This is the area I really need to cut down on as its here that my money just slips away. I also have a seperate budget for hobbies and thats blown again this month as well. In fact once again its nearly the same amount as the groceries. In total I have so far this month spent £473.26p and I am horrified although I suppose its good to know where the money goes. Luckily I am not in debt (except for money I have borrowed from an account I have for GC and which is gradually being put back) but if I continue to spend money this way each month I can't save for the larger things I would rather spend my money on such as house repairs and holidays. I think therefore that I must set my August GC at £200 and make that include all pocket money spending as well as housekeeping and have a seperate budget for just hobby stuff (scrapbooking is very expensive) of another £100.Thats £300 in total for everything except bills. I have until the end of the month to work on the mind set for this and would appreciate any comments/helpful hints.

I agree with the other poster- I do handmade cards (have made one scrapbook once!). Are you part of a crafting circle/group where you could swap stuff you've gone off with someone else ? Also do you make sure you re-use any stuff from cards, wrapping papper etc. I haven't bought any carding stuff for a while and am very frugal, cos I think its even better to have something handmade that did not cost a fortune. Why don't you challenge yourself to buy no more stuff until you at least use a whack of what you have ? (am assuming you must have some stock if you are spending £100 odd per month on it). We have a budget for everything and once its gone its gone (and its not a generous one by any means as we are not well off since I became a SAHM!).
On another note its another NSD planned for us, maybe some knitting (done the back and half way through the sleeve of DS cardi), fishcakes for tea, using the 'value' cod.
:wave: