September 2008 Grocery Challenge. Please read first two posts.

Money_saving_Diva_2

Hi all!

Well, we had our final small Tescos order last night so won't be buying anything tomorrow, and so therefore I would like to declare for my very first Grocery Challenge £310.55 and my target for October will be £300! I am sure we can eat and live quite comfortably on that now I have tried one month!

Thank you all for your advice and help and looking forward to another month of successful budgeting!

*Hugs* to all

Diva.x

OrkneyStar

Hi everyone,
I would like to declare at £156.50 spent from a budget of £160 (so yippee we did it :j).
MrsM - I have already posted my budget for Oct - it is more for Oct as its a 5 week month and am making sure DS gets plenty fruit and veg too.
Well done everyone who has already declared, good luck to those still going, and don't worry if you failed number wise this time, you are still learning stuff (newbies AND oldbies!).
Will be back on Oct's thread when it is up
x
PS Forgot to say welcome to all newbies

Flylady_Flower

Well, I have finally totalled up all the little spends I have had to have in the last few days and am declaring my total for September GC as £230.04 :j:j:jand extras budget at £126.53 that means I am £9.96 under this month, which is my first month at being on budget for the GC. I have however blown the extras budget by £26.53, but this was mainly down to extra bedding and stuff I only brought because we had some extra money in, so really I should have upped the budget, so that was OK and I know I will be on target for that next month.

I have until the end of today to finish the month, but I feel so lousy and am still in bed so I know I won't be out spending today...

Mrs M, could you put me down for £300 GC in October and £100 extras please, as it is a 5 week month again...

jackie_w

Hi everyone,

Well ive just updated my sig, had to go shopping again, why do I always end up buying junk that I dont need . Need more willpower.
Dont have much left of my grocery challenge, but, I think I have enough to get by.

Was in Asda today, and the deals they had were, 6 pk of muller light yogurts, 2 pkts for £3, and Heinz spagetti & sausages, bean & sausages, and macaroni cheese, 4 tins for £2. I usually have a couple of tins of these in for emergencies.

Off to read the posts now and see how everyone else is getting on.


Jackie

greent

Hello to all - big welcome to the newbies (ooh, having done this since June I don't consider myself as a newbie - lol! - but still learning stuff )

Have just updated my signature to take account of last night's takeaway (just too bushed to cook ) This makes 3 takeaways this month:o . However, we have just over £70 to get us to month end - so am hopeful we should do it (was somewhat concerned this morning when I thought I had 2 weekends to go!) I have a Waitrose delivery tomorrow (offer shopping & £15 discount) - should come in around £32 and a veg box of about £14.50 next Tues too - leaving about £25 for weekend spends - which should NOT come in at that high - unless I find any offers in Messrs T or A which I can't resist :rotfl:

As I said above, this includes 3 takeaways - and also some Xmas shopping & some clothes - so I'm chuffed with myself - even if I say so myself :T :T

Mrs M - please put me down next month for £400 - we are away for a week, so I could theoretically cut it down more, but will still keep a surplus in for Xmas shopping - and DHs bday is next month, so may cook something extra special for him

Angelnikki - we'll miss your posts - and look forward to when you come back, as it will mean good news for you x

Although I think the GC is a little subdued atm, it is SO much easier keeping up with all posts now there is less chat/ chat posts are removed. Well done to pink & penny (? - hope I've got it right!)

Am chuffed to have discovered this challenge back in May - it really does make a difference - and I thought I didn't waste much before :rotfl: Shopping & cooking smarter are key

Oops - didn't mean to waffle so much. Will declare on Tues after veg box delivery!

greent x

Moniker

Hi everyone - just popped in to update my sig. My month doesn't end till next Thurs and having DD1 home sick has completely messed up my meal plans. However, I have £11-74 to last for the final week and have just done my last big shop of the month - so it might be possible - as long as there are no more disasters! DD1 went home last night so things are back to normal now! Good luck everyone - I will declare my total next Weds.

Moniker

PS Sainsbury's have pointed cabbages at 50p each today.

egon

Total for Sept is £203.04.

£8.04 over... Was my shop in Morrisons. The shelfs in Lidls were quiet empty at 9o'clock this morning. No Cauliflower, meat or bananas stocked up and quiet a few others. That's why I had to buy some stuff in Morrisons. Otherwise I might only been £5 up.....

Challenge doesn't end until the 30th, but I am refusing to buy any more!!!!

Also, I just signed up for another OU course, which already has started, so I have to be even more organized.
October meal plan and shopping list are done. Tesco order is done, just need to amend it, as a few items I can get considerably cheaper in Lidl and Mr M.

See you all on the October thread.

Egon

bertiebots

I just thaught I would pop on and say my unofficial gc came to £205 this month so not too bad. Still not convinced about doing a store cupboard monthly shop though as this hasnt actually saved me anything so I may just go back to weekly! For the first week of my next challange I have only spent £20 yayeeeeeeeee!

scotsaver

Yippee:j Just made it by the skin of my teeth - declaring £249.56 for Sept, 44p to spare, may treat myself to a chocolate bar. Can you please put me down for £200 for Oct, reducing it by £50 as both Freezers are full and have loads of rice, pasta etc and will use the £50 for 3 family birthday's I have coming up before Xmas - as if I don't have enough Xmas pressies to buy.:rotfl:

Dinner tonight is some fresh meatballs that were whoopsied in Somerfield, a portion of tomato sauce that was in the Freezer and I will add some sliced mushrooms and peppers from the freezer and serve it with some Spaghetti - bought 2 packs last week and when I was putting them in the cupboard realised there was already 4 packets in there. So, I have now written out a Freezer & Cupboard Inventory, meal planned for most of October so confident that I should still come in under Budget.

Enjoy the rest of the day.:D

gemma1984

I wanted to ask what you all thought of this budget, as we are finding it very difficult to live by but have no other means of stretching it any.

The £100 is to cover all food bills. We usually do a monthly shop for meat and cupboard items and then just use the left over money for interim stuff like bread, milk, sandwich filler etc etc. But we're finding that we are always ending up digging in to our savings or elsewhere to afford the interim stuff, and this is without the baby even being here yet!!!!!:eek:

Do you think maybe that in today's climate £100 for two adults and a fully formula fed baby is not really very realistic or do you think we are doing it all wrong?

We always buy own brand when we can, always take adantage of BOGOF's etc....