September 2008 Grocery Challenge. Please read first two posts.

puss14

Went to supermarket today and spent $75.25. This leaves me with $158.25 for the month. I am going to try and live off wahat I have in garden/pantry/fridge/freezer until the 20th when the next farmers market is. I may buy takeaway curry(but steam my own rice) on the 14th as that is my bday and I doubt I will want to cook. Still i haven't had takeaway for at least 6 weeks, so I dont feel too guilty.
I made lemon barley water today as our lemon tree has produced HUGELY, we are inundated with lemons:D I am planing on making lemon biscuits and lemon pudding and have squeezed some specifically to be used for cleaning and every salad is being dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. My OH says Ive jumped on board the lemon express:rotfl:

You are all doing very well!

MRSMCAWBER

Morning all

Well, still on the NSD for me
Some of the corned beef hash did survive last night :j so im going to turn that into a pie later and freeze...

Oh by the way has anyone else noticed cornedbeef jumping up in price? Mum mentioned yesterday that the last time she got some from LIDL it was 79p yesterday it was £1.39 i think she said and ASDAs own brand is up to £1.19 :eek: ... It makes me feel slightly less grumpy about having to pay €1.19 out here -about 96p... i though THAT was a lot as i was use to lidls ,,,, so i will be getting quite a few tins in next month ready for winter -good old cornedbeef hash n dumplings
Roast chicken dinner tonight :T (lots of leftovers there;) ) and im doing the huge broccoli/cauli cheese and freezing up the extras for quick meals -if i can find room in the freezer

Right must stop jabbering and get the bowl of dough knocked together
have a great day everyone

WelshWoofer

Hello!
Just a quick one to ask for any easy to make (for a useless cook like me!) biscuit/cookie recipes? I've had a go at the Millie's Cookies - a resounding success! - and am thinking about trying the peanut butter cookies later but wondered if there's any other easy peasy ones knocking about?

I have my mum and sister staying with me for the weekend and want to impress them with my fabulous cookery skills! (My mum's a fab cook and despairs at my lack of effort/attempts!)

I'm off to Mr T's later and can pick up the necessary bits if I don't have them in.

I have written a list for the shopping and meal planned for next week so I'm hoping to spend less than £40 but we'll see!

Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions......

angelnikki

For anyone who wasnt aware MrA's Baby & Toddler Event is on now until 21st Sept

MSD I've added your icecream recipe to the Recipe Index.

rachelmk have you tried Custard Cookies or my Gingerbread Men ? Both are yummy and easy. Or, of course, there's Twink’s Hobnobs

Nikki x

Frugaldom

Good morning grocery challengers, I haven't forgotten you and I'm still on the challenge, but I have had a rethink and had to juggle my figures to compensate for increases both here and in other areas (like electricity! :mad: )

At the start of the year, my annual target was £1200 for groceries/cleaning & laundry products/toiletries but having joined this challenge, I decided to try and cut that further to £1000. My spends have been as follows:

Jan 2008 £86.09
Feb 2008 £103.68
Mar 2008 £99.52
Apr 2008 £97.05
May 2008 £264.78 (the major stock pile shop)
Jun 2008 £75.65
Jul 2008 £47.93
Aug 2008 £67.05
Sep 2008 £70.80
TOTAL FOR GROCERIES £912.55

Each month, I have tried to keep within my grocery budget but have also stockpiled on any BOGOF or half prices bargains to keep the storeroom / cupboards / freezer full and these figures include everything - toiletries, food, baking ingredients, cleaning & laundry products - for 3 adults. I have decided to aim for a final tally of £1098 for the year (£1 per person per day) or £91.50 per month average. As you'll see, I am still within my budget (just) but it makes a monthly target a lot more difficult as I have to take advantage of bargains if I happen to be away anywhere that has a major supermarket. Where I live, we only have a small Co-op, so choice isn't exactly great. :rolleyes:

So, good luck to all who are still doing this challenge, welcome to all who have recently joined, well done to those who are succeeding in beating the price increases and keep practicing for all those who may be finding it tough juggling family & work life around balancing a tight grocery budget. It's all very worthwhile in the long run, I have learned that much.

Thanks you for the grocery challenge

jackk_2

catnap53 wrote: »

Wouldn't buy tuna there because it was too expensive, then looked at mysupermarket to find it appears to have really gone up in price, 1.38 for 185g and DH uses a whole tin on one lunch, usually once a week. I am sure I only paid 55p last time. This is one item that I won't really get smart price, not sure why, but think I read about some ethical isssues with it, so will just have to monitor its use.

Somerfields are doing Princes tuna chunks in oil/brine 4 x 185g @ £3.00 at the moment, i'm sure another of the supermarkets are doing this as well, because ive seen it, but can't remember where .

Jackie x

mummygems

Angelnikki - Thanks for the info regarding Tesco's "Market Place" will have to have a look later as they didnt have anything like that last week (perhaps they are rolling it out across the Country bit by bit?).

Chocolate Teddy - I dont have an Aldi close to me (about 25mins drive away) but might have a special drive over there to have a look (can visit a friend who lives nearby to justify going that way just to look lol).

sarahc44

Hi

How can I get started I spend £100 a week roughly for 2 adults and 2 small children - a LOT I know and need a system to help me lower it

Sarah x x x

superstottie

Well thought I hadn't done too badly this week as my main shop only cost £60 but then with having a house full all weekend and millions of kids determined to eat me out of house and home I have run out of everything! So now I have spent another £8 on bits and pieces to keep me going but have also run out of dishwasher powder so am going to have to go and get some from the local co-op later - will cost a fortune!!! Didn't factor in for all the extra washing up there would be!

I have been making my own bread though this week - I don't like the stuff I can get local and supermarket is 20 miles away! I have also been making milk - well using powdered milk and making it up - kids haven't noticed and I actually prefer it. I find that T's own value stuff is nicest - the one that comes in the plastic milk bottle is horrid! Works out cheaper as a box makes about 10 pints and cost about the same as four pints of fresh!

bertiebots

sarahc44 wrote: »

Hi

How can I get started I spend £100 a week roughly for 2 adults and 2 small children - a LOT I know and need a system to help me lower it

Sarah x x x

First I would write down everything (down to the last bean!) you have in your house food wise.
Then work out what meals you can make with that!. Use up what food you have in and only buy essentials like milk etc.
Then have a look on here for cheap healthy meal recipes and put a meal plan together. From this you then can write a shopping list for what you actually need rather than sticking anything in your trolley. We have all been there :rolleyes: ..... but with a bit of work you will soon be cutting your budget in half.
Down branding is one way to save lots of money and on here you will find out loads of info on what value lines are worth buying and what bargains there are to be had. OS is the place to be and you will get loads of help and support .Good luck:j