July 2008 Grocery Challenge

funkyfunkymonkey

I bought 3 News of the Worlds yesterday and got 3 x £5 vouchers, so today I took 3 trips around Tescos.

I got 2 'free' tins of golden syrup - they were old stock and had the 80p vouchers on the lid, the vouchers ran out today 30/06/08, so at the till I took the vouchers off and paid for the syrup also = 80p.

Tesco are also discontinuing their baking parchment - they call it 8m unbleached non-stick baking paper, it is currently priced at 38p instead of 76p - I love this stuff, 'cos unlike greaseproof paper you don't have to grease it because it has been treated with silicones. I bought a box load (24) should last me forever - well at least a year of baking.

I have now spent £100.85 of my July Grocery Money - but the only thing I need for the next 4 weeks will be milk, eggs, F&V. I should keep within £200 no trouble.

FFM

mumzyof2

Sav3r i had the spam email too cant remember what it said but web addy had word hacker in it. and said dont pm me back use the web addy i just deleted it

jediteacher

angelnikki wrote: »

Woolworths or Instore/Poundstretcher are both good for cheap baking stuff.

Nikki
x

Thanks. I need to pop into town tomorrow and we actually have a Poundstretcher. Didn't even think to look in there.

NannyOgg

Hurrah! New month, new GC :j
Security settings at work have changed so I haven't been able to post anything :mad: but I carried on lurking, keeping an eye on my spending offline and still managed to come in under budget - just about :T :T . I've found the 'subscribe' button now, so I should be able to keep up to date more easily in future...

Angelnikki, please can you put me down for £180 budget this time around.
Thanks muchly and welcome to all the newbies :hello:

Flylady_Flower

angelnikki wrote: »

fertyskids & BigMummaF I think the easiest way is to just press the Quote button on the bottom right of the post

Nikki
x

See, that's what I was trying to say at the beginning of the message - it got lost in translation somewhere :rotfl::rotfl: (anyone else know how to speak 'Denglish'?) I knew someone would put it simpler for me.....Thanks Nikki

scaredy_cat_2

hi - not posted much but loving this thread al ot. Feeling very motivated. Out of my £300 budget have spent just over £100 - yikes but determind to do it. Have completed day 2 of my 'rubber' chicken. As it was £11 i need to make it last 4 days i reckon. I tend to buy local free range.

My chicken stock did't turn to jelly - think i used too much water as i kept topping it up so not as flavoursome as have done before but that was following a recipe that i can't find. I am still using it though! So roast chicken yesterday and cheats chicken rissotto this evening.

Is there a recipe posted anywhere for a fajita or other mexican recipe?

thanks a lot everyone for inspiration! and scrummy looking recipes!

Frugaldom

Found you all, but it'll take me a week to catch up again

Good luck to all!

Flylady_Flower

jediteacher wrote: »

I hope someone can help me.

I love all your recipes but find it hard to follow them - I'm not a great cook and they seem really complicated.

However, I'm determined to persevere and crack some of them. I'm really keen to make some of the cakes as we've got some events coming up that need me to bring something along. My problem is that I have no baking kitchen equipment and I cannot afford to buy the whole lot in one go. I also need to know where to buy cheaply but not too sabby if that makes sense. I really have nothing - no cake tins, mixing bowls, rolling pin - nothing! :eek:

Any advice would be most welcome. :embarasse

If you have nothing at all, probably the best thing to do is see what you can get from freecycle before you go and buy stuff.

It's a brilliant place where people give away stuff they no longer want and where you can do the same - saves on waste and is a brilliant way of recycling - as they say, someones rubbish is another mans treasure (or something like that, a bit more denglish there I think! )

If you check there first, you may get some of it and then you only have to buy the rest. HLH.

Well, had first day in my new job today :j - bit mad as we had a network meeting all day, but my brain is beginning to switch back on after being 'brain dead' for over a year in my old job - maybe that's why its not working tonight?....:D - I was taking notes and everything.... Loved every minute although got a bit carried away and spent too much money (will update siggy later when I dare get recipts out)

SFT - glad you had a good day too and it's good to know you have people backing you up at work...

Off to Canary Wharf tomorrow - should be good.... Best of luck to everyone this month, have a good 'un....:T

Kaz2904

jediteacher, I learned the hard way with my tins. I have a couple of sponge tins which the mix always leaks out of and gets welded onto (why am I keeping it?). I have baking trays that DH uses for burgers on around 1000000000 degrees C which I can nevr get clean and I have some silicone dishes from the £1 shop which collapse!
For my baking I use my pyrex lasagne dish (big oblong cakes like carrot or brownies) and my le creuset dishes (1 medium lasgne dish and 2 little veggie dishes). I did just buy 2 baking trays from the £1 shop which were non stick and didn't feel too wobbly. They worked OK but something/one has scratched one of them. I also have 3 cheapo bun tins from Asda. They do alright.
My best baking implement was my silicone pastry brush- no bristles to fall out when greasing stuff!

NSD for me. Salad, jackets and a mix tonight (I had cottage cheese from the freezer, DH had tuna mayo, DD had cheese, DS had mini scotch eggs.).
Not sure what we'll have tomorrow yet. I had a very productive day today and managed to get all the beds and the rest of the washing done and dried on the line. No ironing needed from any of it- RESULT!
Have a stressful day coming tomorrow at work and then have to work the night on my own. Doubt they'll get me any help cause no-one wants to work for the trust at the moment.

Denisefowler- glad your day was good and hope it's a happy tired! Not sure how much fun I'd have had in Hemel H'stead though! Is it still a predominantly grey town?
Right, coffee and bed for me, night night.

ETA: Forgot to say (whoever mentioned houmous) I make mine without tahini now- it doesn't affect the taste. I add olive oil, lemon juice and chilli powder or paprika to it (only a smidge) and it's lovely. Just need to get around to making some of Mrs Mc's bread sticks to go with it.
I hope she's getting on OK- I expect she's drained and running around madly looking after the rest of the family. I hope Mr Mc has been able to stay with her. Night night.

Frugaldom

jediteacher wrote: »

I hope someone can help me.

I love all your recipes but find it hard to follow them - I'm not a great cook and they seem really complicated.

However, I'm determined to persevere and crack some of them. I'm really keen to make some of the cakes as we've got some events coming up that need me to bring something along. My problem is that I have no baking kitchen equipment and I cannot afford to buy the whole lot in one go. I also need to know where to buy cheaply but not too sabby if that makes sense. I really have nothing - no cake tins, mixing bowls, rolling pin - nothing! :eek:

Any advice would be most welcome. :embarasse

Hi there - do you have any tin foil? You could line the grill tray and use that as a large baking tray. Pound shops sell little sets of scales, baking trays and mixing bowls but if you have a newish bucket, sterilise it and use that for mixing.
I save all my empty tubs and use milk cartons (cut to appropriate shapes) for scoops, bowls, storage, rooting plant cuttings etc and I use complete milk cartons for making pancake mixture, storing soup stock etc in freezer. Plastic milk cartons are great things for creative recycling A plain glass bottle with smooth sides serves equally well as a rolling pin.