September 2008 Grocery Challenge. Please read first two posts.

angelatgraceland

samarnesen wrote: »

how do you all manage NSD's i've tried but can never do it i either run out of something or one of the kids needs something or i feel down so have to buy a choccie bar

Well if you just plan well for tomorrow today so that have covered all of the meals and anything else you need. Then you go out with no money if you really have to go out(taking the kids to school or whatever)or you take a packed lunch to work with a book. Stay firm on not spending-just for one day! It truly does get easier as you get your head around it. Spending daily is a habit that's all, and if you want to break it, you can but there are some things you need to make sure you never run out of. Bread,milk,loo rolls and pet food! Good luck!

Savvy_sewing

Gosh this thread moves so fast.
Can you count me in again this month. My rent has doubled now that I am back at work, and I need to "find" an extra £300 a month for that so every penny really is going to have to work hard this month.
I would like to try to reduce my spending target to £275 this month. Although I was under target in August, I didnt include takeaways so I dont think its as true a reckoning as it should be. So this month my total will also include any luxury take aways. (Although I doubt I will be able to have any this month!).
I really miss ordering my Mr T.! Boo to Tesco for not accepting Electron cards!

dark_666_angel

New to this, but can I join for September please. Can you please put me down for a budget of £350.

I have been watching these GC threads and have added my grocery bills up for August and they come to £560!! So action is needed, I had no idea how much I was spending.

natzini

Hi everyone

Can't believe it's September already! Need to do the food shopping very soon, go back to work tomorrow.

Please put me down for £125 this month, I'm going to try really hard this time!

macwah97

Hi

I don't always post but I do read and to be honest I would be a serious newbie.

I am trying to feed 2 Adults + DS and DD, 3 dogs and sometimes an Au Pair (when I have one) - last week I set the target at £80 and so far have spent £65. My children are not really fussy but DD(4 3/4) turned her nose up at Tesco Value Rice Crispies and told me to buy the ones with the little men on front the next time.:undecided

I have tried some of the recipes and they went down a treat. However believe me working 12 hours a day (both DH and myself) and coming home to the house and Mad family - dogs included!!! does not leave a lot of time - however less of the moaning. Lets get on with it -

Count me in - I may not post all the time but I will when I can;)

AAngel_3

Can I just clarify what you are counting as groceries? All food, toiletries, laundry stuff, eating out, cup of tea from Bakers Oven when I'm in town? Just want to get it clear in my head so I'm counting what I should be.
I would have managed with just bread and milk today but had to go and do some shopping for a friend whose house we were going to for lunch so I spent £8.89 today but I am hoping for a NSD tomorrow.

[Deleted User]

samarnesen wrote: »

how do you all manage NSD's i've tried but can never do it i either run out of something or one of the kids needs something or i feel down so have to buy a choccie bar

As another poster said its practice that makes perfect. 40 years ago before the advent of credit cards and debit cards what housekeeping you had really did have to last for a week.I had then £10 per week to feed four of us, and if by Thursday it had gone, then it was a case of waiting till Friday night until my OH came home with his wages.
I used to shop on a Tuesday as Sainsburys didn't open in those days on Mondays, and also Tuesday was family allowance day. I had a small fridge with a tiny freezer compartment, so bulk freezing food was out of the question. There were few frozen foods around in those days anyway.Fish fingers and peas were about all.
So basically what you had in your purse had to streeetch.
This month I shall do the same thing and only have the money I have allotted for food in my purse, and by jiminy its going to last out. So far its o.k. as I have lots of stuff already frozen and today spent 73p on half a dozen whoopsied free-range eggs from Sainsburys. so my total is 73p today and 39p yesterday = £1.12 out of my £50.00.
I know I am using a lot more stuff up from my stocks, but its money that is sitting in my cupboard ,albeit in foodstuffs.Fingers crossed I can keep it up for another 28 days.
I was very tempted in Sainsburys this afternoon as I saw a couple of bits that I would normally have just bought, but thought no, once I do that then I am defeating the object, which is to try and use up what I have as much as possible.
We all seem to be doing o.k. so far .Admittedly as I am on my own its probably easier than if I had several children to feed, or even a husband.
Last night I was at my DD's for dinner, so tonight I had last nights dinner (corned beef salad) even used up the left over new potatoes.
If you have to go out then just only take with you enough cash for emergencies.
Keep up the good work everyone

samarnesen

thanks jackie you have just brought back memories of my childhood im 36 so can remember our local asda closing on a tuesday my mum always went on a monday because thats when she got paid i remember the little fridges with the small box freezer compartments she only bought stuff when we needed it so had many NSD's
im going to try my best but with 7 kids always on the want for something its going to be very hard

my eldest ds went to town today and called into the market as requested he got me
4 large plums
8 peaches
7 bananas
8 tangerines
6 apples
7 carrots
all this came to £8 not bought at a market before so is this good
he forgot the potatoes so had to go to the local shop there they cost 1.99 for a small bag rip off

samarnesen

forgot to say the apples turned out to be cooking apples so the kids are having a crumble tomorrow i cant eat cooked fruit so they will have a nice treat at least

AlwaysHappy

Quote:
Originally Posted by AlwaysHappy
A no spend day yesterday (thank goodness - I needed it), am feeling a little lonely now everyone is moving over to the september thread, will keep plodding on, I get paid on the 20th hence being later in the month, maybe if (when) I can ever get ahead of myself will try and work from month end to month end - can't imagine it'll be for a while!

Hi Always Happy

If your month runs until the 20th then I would count that as being September's challenge instead of August's . Come and join us on the new thread

Nikki x


Thanks, think I'll move over here- yippee another nsd for me, though it won't last - I've run out of milk, fruit etc etc so its going to be a nail biter for the month!