September 2008 Grocery Challenge. Please read first two posts.

angelatgraceland

leebarton wrote: »

Can I make a suggestion as an addition to the October Grocery Challenge?

One thing we have tried to cut back on is mileage. We live 10 miles away from the supermarket so only go if we are passing rather than a special journey or get free deliveries. I honestly don't know how much I spend on petrol in a month, but I would like to limit it to £200. This isn't necessarily something that needs a new thread or reporting on, but knowing how much this challenge has changed how I shop and what I buy I thought recording fuel costs or public transport costs may make myself and other people stop and think a little bit too!

I agree with you so much! I keep a record of all spending not just grocery spending and that means online spending too! I try to make a tank of petrol in my small car last a month so fit shopping in with going to work or free deliveries. Bargains arent such a great deal if twice the cost is paid out in fuel after all so although its not GC it is definitely comlimentary to it.
We run 2 cars at the mo from necessity and we spend about £75per month on fuel for the 2. Only by keeping strict records in excel could I find out such things though. Keeping track constantly will make it easier to set a total household budget for next year to cover absolutely everything!


Hoping to revive my Waste list where we list our waste and tot up the cost weekly. Hopefully it will keep us all aware of what we could avoid wasting and give us "food for thought" literally.



Food topup at Tesco tomorrow to use my £5 voucher-they run out tomorrow so if you have one-use it up!
Also made a note to use up my other tesco rewards vouchers-not sure what I need yet but I must keep to my list and aim at £30. I will be topping up again on Weds unless I delay it with my Asda delivery-maybe I can last until Fri for that Im thinking-still got loads!

eveie189

Morning all

I don't post mouch but thats probably because so far my budget is becoming a major disaster. This is my first challenge and we usually spend about £500 a month so I thought (that's huge) we can get it down to under £400 easy. Well we are not even half way and I've alreay spent £267.97. I do however have a freezer full of pork and cupboards full of food and baking stuff so that's ok. Do you think I will be able to make it to the end without going over budget.

Oh and I had my first NSD 2 days ago. You should have seen me when I realised, I was so please. DH just laughed at me.

Hope everyone has a nice weeked

Katie

BigMummaF

Don't think I've posted this already, but Lidl is doing an electric food slicer for £29:99 from 18 Sept. It looks very much like the one I borrow from mum, & is an excellent investment IMHO. Have to say I've not tried it yet on HM bread, but they make easy work slicing tins & joints of meat giving lots of lovely carved cold cuts for sarnies, salads etc. HTH

smetf

Hi all
Have updated sig to include £10 M & S Dine deal (fed 5 of us and we had a bottle of wine) supplemented with third of a bag potatoes about 33p so cheap treat really!

Plus £6 odd in Netto on milk, said potatoes, 8 kids toothbrushes (99p for 4 very good for my toothbrush chewing kids!), apples, porridge sachets for DH to take to work on early shifts (cheaper than going to McDonalds!!!).

Blackberrying yesterday- good fun, free food lovely

Off to Blackpool illuminations today (borrowing mum's house- free accomodation) then to see end of Tour of Britain race in liverpool on Sun (free too).

Catch up later, hope everyone has a good weekend!

Smetf

egon

I spent another £12.49 in Waitrose. They have Oats and more cerals on offer at half price (£1.24) I also had 7 x 30p off coupons for them, so I got 7 packages for £0.94! Pleased with that, as DH loves them.

I will be winter proofing our house over the next week, as DH is away. So plenty to do then. After that, I am going to sit down and do my October meal plan. See what else I have to get in....

I am finding Tesco quiet expensive now. I only do 1 delivery per month, even then I think about it, as quiet often Lidl and Morrisons are cheaper.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Egon

ifonlyitwaseasier

afternoon peeps!

wel i've really gone OTT today, i went back to lidl and got ANOTHER charmin (i confess to now having over 100!!!!! loo rolls in a house with only 2 occupants) but for the money saved its worth it, and i got some more lenor and a few other bits, however its the fact that i went to MrT too and then MrS as well!!!!!!!! that means i think this months budget is going to be a closer one. however as i now have plenty of loo roll, fabric softner, frozen milk, bread, bread flour, veg and WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaYYY too much choc (all for OH i swear!).

hope you're all having a good day, i'm off to mooch round the forums and do some knitting!

ioiwe xxx

cookinmummy

Hiya all, I dont post that often and even less lately as I am swamped for time now DD1 is at pre-school and I spend the grand total of 1hour and 40mins walking her there and back EVERY DAY!

So- i have been keeping track of spend on spreadsheet and have updated sig - a little nervous as I am very close to reaching budget. But we have a lot of food - so here is hoping!:rolleyes:

gillaman

Still not spent any more than first shop of September but I really WILL have to get fruit and veg next week.

I've made a double lot of bread dough this morning and plan to make one loaf and some rolls. Also made some hummous for lunch, froze two small pots. Tonight I'm going to put veggie meatballs into a batter (instead of sausages), tomorrow chickpea curry (cooked double quantity of chickpeas in the pressure cooker for the purpose), something from the freezer on Monday, maybe soup for lunches.

Need to work out meals that can be cooked at the same time if I use the oven, but seriously considering getting a Remoska only not sure what size. There's only me to cook for, but I'd like to do batch cooking if I can. Will have a look on the Remoska thread for advice. Just had my updated gas/electricity dd amounts - needed double whisky to get over shock and I'm now busy trying to work out where else I can save on fuel.

Well done to everyone on this site, whether you're under budget or not. As many others have said - you're making the effort and you will get there in the end.

Gill

KAAT_LADY

good afternoon all

I have not been on for a few days and have not read the posts either so please forgive me ..

I have been out spending money again,,as I had to buy a new kettle ,,but it only cost £4.94 approx at MrTs,,,but I did buy some other stuff...so will update later

see oyu soon KAAT XX

MRSMCAWBER

Afternoon all

Still no more spending going on here :T
Just got back from collecting 2lbs of blackberries (someone told hubby about them ) ..before we went out I divided the leftover cornedbeef hash into 2 dishes and topped with some puff pastry..it was cooked to perfection by the time we got back (more by luck than judgement :rotfl: )... so we have just had that for lunch -it was stunning -if a bit big -but we managed;)

Have another 2lbs of tomatoes to roast off later with a couple of courgettes and some chillies... not sure how im going to wedge them in the freezer.. need to get the blackberies and the last of my free apples stewed -again where to freeze them is the question , have a loaf of bread under way, oh and need to turn the chicken stock from yesterday into some soup... that WILL HAVE TO go in the fridge for monday as it won't go in the freezer :rolleyes:
right im off, and after that lot is under way im back to my knitting...
oohh have to read the supermarket leaflets first..I spotted andrex loo rolls 8x 4ply for just over €2 about £1.60 -which i think is fairly good going ..so may need to grab some of those soon
have a great afternoon all