September 2008 Grocery Challenge. Please read first two posts.

findingmyfeet

evening all,
just updated my sig on spends so far, still got fifty odd pounds left so should come in on budget next week. still need to get f and v and other fresh stuff but doing extremely well. I figure i must have become stricter with everything over the last few months, i now find myself thinking.. oh no you dont we dont need it or wont use it etc. when out shopping . Before i just used to shove anything in the trolley. !!

Not had time to catch up on all the posts but keep plugging away at it everyone. YOU CAN DO IT, month nearly over

MRSMCAWBER

Woo Hoo Turbo -congratulations :T

What have you called the ickle darling?

And straight back into the grocery chalenge too ...most impressed

EagerLearner

Hi all,

Just popping along to say how happy we are as finally, finally today we got our 2nd hand tiny freezer that will sit ontop of the counter. I estimate it will cost £2 a month to run, plus the original cost of £20, means that for Oct, Nov and Dec we need to 'save' £26 at least by bulk cooking and stocking up on special offers in frozen veg etc. Then Jan onwards it will pay for itself!

On the weekend we made a big batch of sag aloo curry, as well as a chicken roast. The sag aloo will make 8 portions (4 dinners for both of us) and the chicken was enjoyed again last night as a stir fry. Tonight I am mixing little chicken bits left over into some sweetcorn and mayo to use as a topping on baked sweet potato...

7 more days to go til end of the month!

mummygems

Congrats Turbo. I hope you are managing okay with new baby, older child and a section as I know its hard. Your children are roughly the same ages as mine too (DD1 is 2yrs 2 months and DD2 is 5 months old). Well done you for getting back to the grocery challenge so soon.

I have sat down and made a meal plan for the whole of October using mainly the things in the cupboard and freezer woo hoo.

I have also ordered my on-line shops from Mr T to come Tuesday ready for 1st October and have stocked up on all the more expensive bits like nappies, baby milk all the tinned bits, value pasta and rice, meat and bread flour/yeast to last me the entire month plus a bit more. My mum is getting the few bits from MrS that we use like the basic juice, willow water and baby wipes (their own brand baby wipes are £1.19 each but on BOGOF at the moment) so we should only need fresh bits each week at approx £20-£30 so fingers crossed October is the month we come in under budget! God knows we need to come in under budget as we are really suffering money wise at the moment. If we cant tighten our belts then its pasta, beans or egg on toast every night til christmas.

I am also going to look at getting a christmas job in one of the local supermarkets but have to work it around DH's job so we dont end up having to pay for childcare.

4Moneysaver

Will just scrape in on budget......I hope. Bought bits and pieces and the freezer is bulging but will be looking closely at meal planning as I have lots of odds and ends that need using up before I buy anything else.

Congrats Turbo, I'm sure she'll be brought up to be another top moneysaver! :beer:

Chell

Congratulations Turbo, your baby was bigger than my DD is now at six weeks old, lol. Hope you are recovering well.

I've been lucky to get lots of green beans this week from the students at my Mums work, they are delicious and only 50p for a huge bundle. I'm hoping for lots more so I can freeze them.

turbo5019

I have called little one Cerys Trinity.

mummygems I've managed to get back to it as little one sleeps most of the time and 8 hrs a night and DH is still off work till mon then the really fun begins.

I was luckly that I was very good with food whilest I was pregnant and I have a freezer full of cooked meals, the cupboards are bursting and still getting loads of runner beans, carrots and potatoes from the garden so I don't need to go the the shops only for fruit and youghts.
Thanks to the GC that I would buy the NOW with the MOC fro MrT so I could stock up on nappies etc so I would save money in the long run and I haven't really gone over budget since I started in may. Even DH had got in to it when ever he buys anything he looks around for a bargin.

angelnikki

turbo5019 wrote: »

I had a little girl 8lb 14oz by emegancey C section last wed we are both well.

:j Congratulations Turbo :j :T I was thinking of you, glad you're both well

Spent most of this afternoon baking for my little angel's birthday on Thursday. Made cakes, custard cookies and gingerbread cookies. The piccy didnt come out very well but the gingerbread have igglepiggle and upsy daisy on them DS loves "iggle wiggle".

Tonight's MrT delivery came to £70.80. Only £43 of this was on food the rest was on household items (£10), enough toiletries for a few months (£9) and nappies (£8). I've got 1 delivery left for september which is next Tuesday. I've got £91 of my GC budget left so will definitly be under budget this month:A (I've got £166 left of the budget XOH gave me )

I won't be taking part next month, there's little point / motivation as I don't have to stick to any sort of budget. XOH gives me between £400-£500 a month, I work hard to only spend £300ish and then he moans that I don't buy enough :rolleyes:

I will still keep track but its not really worth it till I've got a proper budget of my own. Hopefully in a few months time I will have everything sorted so I can move out :j and will have to keep track of my spending for real. I will be back.

Take care everyone

Nikki x

LearningToSave.

just a quick note as it may help some of you...popped into asda earlier and they had their own brand 1.5kg bags of wholemeal bread flour for 27p!!

savingfortravel

angelnikki-thanks for everything you do for our thread. You really look after us.
Turbo5019-Pretty name!!! I think its lovely when we hear good news on the thread...
Spent another £1 in Mr T tonight. Picked up some bargains for next month too, will put them on October's total... best of all 2 hawaiian pizzas reduced from 2.49 to 60p each then got a reduction at the till as they were 2 for £4 so got both for 42p!! Result.
Take care everyone.
SFT