September 2008 Grocery Challenge. Please read first two posts.

johanne

can i join in this month please?

£160 this is for OH and me. (DD still on just "boobie juice" for few more weeks! :rotfl: ) OH has funny eating habits that seem to cost a lot :rolleyes: Our month runs from today till 25th sept.

kellitots

Right, I am definitely joining this one, if that's OK! :j

As it's our first one ever, going to give ourselves the same as what we spent last month (and believe me, that was drastically reduced from normal as our financial situation is beyond dire at the moment)...so it's £200 for us, for the month! (Bearing in mind it's just me and the OH!!! ).

Looking through here I realise that's what a lot of you spend on a family!! Oh well, at least it gives us plenty of 'reducing room' over the next few months. Would preferably like to get it down to £120 or even £100 a month eventually.

Here goes nothing!

Jules

I would like to join this if that's OK. Grocery shopping has been escalating this last few months and need to get it under control as Sept is going to be a tight month.

I will go for £225 for 2 adults, one very hungry 8 yr old and one very old and very, very hungry cat! (he never stops eating)

I will hopefully spend less than this but don't want to make it too tight or I'll just give up!

My month will be from 1st - 30th Sept.

Thanks
Jules

Money_saving_Diva_2

Oooh a new thread and my first grocery challenge... how exciting!! Thank you to Angelnikki and MrsM for getting us all going.

Another no spend day for us which was fab. We were both tired and we nearly gave in and had fish and chips but instead I cooked the no pastry quiche recipe and added a few tomatoes from my garden and harvested my very first chilli pepper! It hasn't gone red but it was still strong enough make your lips tingle!! :rotfl: My OHs' dad had given us a yellow corgette from his garden too and I have to say I hate the things, but grated up inside the quiche it tasted fine!!

Am wondering how my OH will do tonight.. he usually comes back from his DJing with some crisps or chocolate for us to share. I haven't told him NOT to buy anything but he knows about the budget and approves of us cutting back so I wonder if it will cross his mind...

See you all tomorrow

hugs

Diva.x

jexysbird

Hi,

Please can you add me to the list. Have started today - 28th Aug to 2nd Oct so 5 weeks. I try to buy all the bargains and come home with a lot of stuff for the money - most of the time, but I'm sure I spend £400-£500 a month. This would also include toiletries, cleaning stuff etc.

have cut back on the cleaning stuff and using on a couple of bottles rather than one for kitchen, one for bathrm etc.

I have given myself a budget of £300 a month, so am keeping all receipts and tracking on the old spreadsheet. This will include all food, toiletries and cleaning stuff for me, hubs and 2 kids (4 and 6). Our puppy has his own budget, but I'm going to try and wean him onto our foods as I can make it in bulk and prob be cheaper than always giving him pouches etc, as I don't buy the cheap dog food.

I spent £52 in Sainsburys earlier today, and that should last into the end of next week as I have quite a bit in the cupboards for school next week anyway.

Not a bad start for me tho! :rotfl:

puss14

Gday all,
I am new to this forum and Oz based, but think this is a fab forum and would like to participate. My grocery goal for september for myself and OH is $400 Aus which converts to 188 GBP. I have been spending approx $500-$550 Aus (235-259GBP) per month and I want to hammer my credit card debts and save for a house. I was going to reduce it more but I want to be able to achieve my goal and then reduce it next month.:T

kippers

Hi , pls add me too. I normally follow this thread but as my month starts on 24th of each month i haven't joined...but this month i'd thought i'd ask if it's ok?

If it is then i have a four week month 24/8 to 24/9 for me at a budget of £280


This is for 2 adults and an 8yr old and a 10 year old and includes food , cleaning products and toiletries

MRSMCAWBER

Morning all

well, last night I had a tot up of my grocery spends this year... :j
I get €450 housekeeping a month so from January to August that is €3600 :eek: when i counted up my spends so far... i counted the month I was back in the uk as having used the full €450 (not on groceries as such but i got used on geting bits n bobs for sis etc)...so when all added up it came to €984.89 .... making a saving of €2615 :T ... So far that has covered getting the car sorted out as she was playing up, hubbies "not cheap" golf clubfor his birthday and also some got used when back in the UK ...but we still have not quite €1000 in the bank :j ..... It makes me cringe to think what we used to "waste" before..still, at least we have a grip now

Back on to the subject .. hubby came home from work last night announcing that he breaks up next friday for 2 weeks so that will change the meal plan around a bit :rolleyes: ..we are on about having a trip to the American PX... as they have really good bargains apparently -so that will mean taking some savings out with us "just in case" .... hopefully we will hunt out some bargains -so i must keep an extra tight rein on the spends until then-to free up some for any food bargains they might have

Dinner tonight is pasta bake.. have lots of aubergine, tomatoes n courgettes to use out of the garden
Right I had better go and updat the ever expanding list
have a great day everyone :T

[Deleted User]

Hi Stacie88,
I too was 19 when I was first a young married lass, and I actually exploded boiled eggs on our cooker ,I had forgotten they were on !! (my oh never let me forget it either) I had rarely cooked a thing .In those days cica early 1960 most girls Mums did the cooking. I bought a simple 'Cooking for Two' cookbook for half a crown (12 1/2p) and stilll have it to this day. I managed not to poison my lovely husband over the years thank goodness but it was all trial and error.
Start with something really easy like a shepards pie or spag bol. Mince is so versatile and a lb of mince will easily do two dinners for you both for two nights, or even three at a pinch
re the munchies in the evening if you fill up with a bit of bread and butter or a some yoghurt or pud for afters you should be able to avoid that empty feeling . Swap your w/watchers crisps for some crisp Gala apples, fills you up and more nutricious .If you have a friend who is already settled down and cooking, ask for advice, most folk will happily help a novice out. Don't forget we all had to learn by trial and error. No one starts life knowing how to cook. Ignore all the fancy cooking programmes on T.V. that is not normal everyday cooking . Have one day a week when you try a new receipe.I'm sorry you live in Cornwall or I would happily show you how. Still we are all on here to help if you get stuck and NO question is a daft one .I am the wrong side of 60 now but I have still learned lots of things from the folk on this site .We are all happy to swap hints and tips .
Good luck and keep us informed on how well you are doing .
JackieO, in Kent

P.S. I'm joining in at £50.00 for the montth of September

sammyjig

Hi, can I join in this month? I am trying at £300 this month. Hopefully can bring that down over the next few months.