August 2008 Grocery Challenge

catnap53

Confession time.

Didn't need anything last weekend. But had to go into town. That's where the ethnic shop is. Had to pass it to get to the art shop. Couldn't pass it on the way back. Ditto the fruit shop.

Friday was DD's birthday so went out for the day to Cheshire Oaks thinking we could get some bargains. It is quite a while (about two years) since we were there and I don't feel the bargains are anywhere near as good as they were, or perhaps my standards have changed. Took my own coffee, fruit, crisps and savoury biscuits to keep the lure of the food chains away.

Anyway got carried away. DS has trouble getting jeans to fit, so went to the Levi shop as they can usually oblige. Got 3 pairs (145 pounds:eek: ), then said the rest of the day was for DD.

Got pulled in to Thorntons, Cadbury, Whittards etc, and spent an extortionate amount on 'reduced' items. These have not been included in my grocery spends apart from coffee and dried fruit. (How can cheap chocolate cost over 30 pounds?). No holiday this year, so this counts as a day out. Better than Alton towers anyway for me! Got some silicone bakeware, including large muffin pan, so will try these out today.

Called in at Costco on the way back to get some soft drinks and spent 135.80.

This did include a lot of stuff for our evening meal as DD said she didn't want to go to a restaurant, so we got thing we like but don't often buy, plus new things to try.

This was almost 50 pounds worth, but we had as much as we could eat on Friday, then again last night, and I have just worked out that about 30 pounds worth is still in the fridge or freezer. It would have cost 50 for us to to have a meal out (except that DH would have paid for it), so it wasn't bad really I suppose.

Fridge, freezer and cupboards are fit to burst, 11 days but only one weekend left before pay day, so shouln't spend any more than another 10 pounds, and DD is away next weekend.

So overspend (mea culpa) but some justifiable.

Having trouble keeping up with reading thread, and forget who has said what, so hugs to those in need, and congrats to those with celebrations and good news.

Zzzz

bails

So sorry to hear about Archie KAAT_LADY, it's always so heartbreaking, big hugs.

Sorry to hear about job losses too, I hope something comes up soon.

Still doing okay here (despite no real menu plan, sorry EL!:o), just over £28 left for 14 days with lots in. Got cherries for 50p, 15 satsumas for £1 and 30 red peppers for £3 at my local market yesterday so happy with that! :T Getting lots of wild raspberries and the start of the blackberries - have several sites marked out so should get a good amount.
Good luck for the rest of the month everyone!

procrastinator

Good Morning Everyone
Just spent 17.00 in T yesterday and didn't even go to A to look for whoopsies. Hopefully will only need a little top up in the week, this should help the overall monthly bal. Sept is going to be very expensive for me.
Happy Sunday.

Mariel

I've just updated my signature and got quite panicky because I've spent so much BUT then realised that it is already half way through the month and I'm only half way through my budget so all's well! I've been quite surprised at how difficult it is though, you really don't realise what you spend do you? I'm expecting it to be harder next month as my daughter will be back so an extra mouth to feed but as they'll both be back in school there won't be constant demads for food and one of them gets free school dinners (the other one's going to 6th form and there's no dinners there, but she's going to make her own pack up). Today I'm going to make some kind of spinach and ricotta thing since I got both for total of about 30p! No idea what to do though, I've never used either before. I was going to defrost the spinach, mix it in to the ricotta, bung it with some kind of pasta then cover with a tomato sauce - does that sound about right?

rachel83_2

as we are all confessing today,

i have been following this thread since before i registered and decided i would give it a try and "officialy" do it in september usually i go to sainsburys as the extra 1 or 2pence on top is still a saving because of fuel to get to another supermarket but i needed to go to asda yesturday as i had missed an all improtant pencil case from the school clothing nightmare, oh my does anyone else find asda to be a nightmare i am usually relitivley good my weekly shop is usually between 110 and 130 (2 adults 3 full time kids 2 part time) but i spent 200 i nearly died at the checkout i am really going to have to work on this shopping, more to the point work on my partner who refuses to eat any meat other than beef, won't eat smart price and says food is for living so enjoy it (yea enjoy it but not when it is 70%of our income)and we have had 2 take aways this week
ok confession over i will definatley join in september

sashanut

Hi all

Have been away for a few days on hols so not kept up with the thread - or been posting - for a while. Now I'm back & have a tomato/chilli question for Mrs Mc if she would be so kind!

Whlst i've been away the toms in the greenhouse have gone mad & there are lots of leaves on them, plus they have grown very tall. I don't know what variety they are as they are mostly MT's (mystery tomatoes, as when i repotted them I forgot to label them), but some are the little ones (Gardener's delight?) Do I pinch out the tops - & also take off some of the foliage - it's like a JUNGLE in there - can you advise me please??? Looks like there are going to be LOTS of chillis, again mystery ones but there are some normal pointy ones, some spiky pointy ones & even (exciting, this) scotch bonnet round ones....will I be able to freeze them please, & do I pick them green or leave them till they go red?? Thanks if you can help,

have a happy MSE day to everyone, an NSD for me but did get DH to get the MOC coupon in NOTW today (x2).

pink_princess

Thanx carolt about the voucher do you know the details of when its valid please i could really do with this saving.
Thanx to every-one about dh s redundancy .Its not as bad as it sounds we were the lucky one s and had 3 months notice so we prepared well, paid off a years car and house insurance etc .most people don t have that opp.
sorry about your loss kaat lady and hugs to all who need them.

MRSMCAWBER

Hi sashanut

Things like gardeners delight i just leave ..mine have cascaded down onto the floor in places and have loads of fruits on -they are really sweet:T ... think next year they are going in hanging baskets

I assume you have flowers/fruit on them ?

I went round all my other plants as soon as they had lots of baby tomatoes on and took away lots of the foliage so that the plants can put their energy into the fruits and so the sun/warmth can get to ripen them.. plus it gives the wind less to grab hold of as all mine are outdoors

You can pinch out the tops of the tall ones to stop them getting to leggy ..
I know that they recommend that you pinch the top/growing point out once you have six trusses/bunches of fruit..but i left mine to it until -like yours they went a bit crazy

Your chillies can be taken off at which colour you prefer but they get hotter as they ripen you can dry, or bottle in oil.. im not sure about freezeing but i don't see why not.. Im roasting batches of tomatoes as im getting more than i need...so i chop em up and roast with peppers, chillies, oil, sea salt and cracked black pepper and garlic..in various combinations and freezing for pasta dishes, casseroles, or blitzed into passata for winter
hope thats of some help ...if my rambles confuse you... i know they do me :rotfl: just give me a yell
Hope you had a good few days away

gillaman

Hi All

It may or may not be an NSD for me today - still in pj's at 1.00 p.m.!! But it's Sunday - I'm allowed. Yesterday was not such a chill out day after all. I made, bread - used the dough recipe for my BM and cut off enough for 3 large rolls, so a 1lb loaf instead of the usual large one. I also made for the first time ever some Tofu burgers. Tried tofu years ago and hated it, but I decided to try burgers. Absolutely yummy, had them in one of the rolls with salad. Will post the recipe here if anyone's interested. Also made yoghurt which has turned out well again - just chilling in the fridge.

Sashanut - if your toms are very tall they're probably "indeterminate" (if they're Gardener's Delight they will be) so when you've got 4 trusses of fruit pinch out the tops. I'd probably remove the lower leaves as well. You should have been removing the shoots in between the main stem and major offshoots. Feed them twice a week if they aren't ripening. Once a week if they are. The chillis can be frozen. I think the redder they are, the hotter they are. I've got some ordinary peppers and one has turned red on the plant, the other two I've picked, I left in the greenhouse on the staging to go red - but then gave them to my dd so no idea yet what they taste like!

Kaat_lady - so sorry to hear about Archie. You will get over it, but it takes time and you'll never forget him. He was a lucky cat though because he was very much loved.

pink_princess

savingfortravel wrote: »

We've booked a venue for the service which is surrounded by a beautiful park so a Wedding Picnic would be perfect and so us!! Thank you for that brilliant idea. Will discuss with OB when he gets home from work.

sft what a lovely idea that is i can just imagine you s in years to come taking your little one s for a play in that park and anniversary picnics as a family .money can t buy memories they come from the heart and are priceless.

sorry i ve doubled back so far im only up to page 20ish i will catch up honest.
ttfn