September 2008 Grocery Challenge. Please read first two posts.

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  • Personally my downfall are crisps and I have to get my OH to hide them somewhere, so I only have access to a couple of packets on night one and after that have to ask him so I can eek them out!
    Ha ha, didn't think of that - thanks! Will give it a go. Can just picture OH's face when I hand him the choccy and ask him to squirrel it away. :rotfl:
  • Not been able to keep up with the forum for a while but we are still keeping up with the challenge. I've updated my signature to show latest totals. Happy to say still enjoying the challenge and it has made a difference to our savings in the last 7 weeks since we started on this. We treated ourselves to shopping from MrM&S the other day - yum! and were careful not to make too much of a dent on the budget. We have been on hols last couple of weeks but even so still on target. Not too many lunches/dinners out or takeaways despite lots of temptation.

    We have also made a conscious effort to save the money DH gets back from work for expenses rather than just frittering it away so all in all things looking pretty good, with just a little thought about where the money is all going.
    MFW Challenge (Tgt Date Nov 07): ACHIEVED FEB 07!
    Mthly Savings (Tgt 60% of Inc): Average 41.67% (but we have just paid for a new kitchen!)
    Savings Goal £500k (Target Date 50th B'Day Nov 17): 30.41%
  • SAV3R
    SAV3R Posts: 222 Forumite
    Been to Mr T's this morning. Not something I normally do - usually do Mr A or Mr M - Mr T only online as its too busy. The staff were ignorant and always seemed to be in the way - didn't realise at first but some of them were doing the shopping for online customers - here I am crititcising them. I was really stupid though - only went there to develop 2 single use cameras that the kids had on hols, got there and the voucher I wanted to use for points had expired and they had problems with processing and would take a week. Need to find somewhere else instead - don't know if Boots do them?:confused:

    Already spent £237.76 - we're only on the 6th. 2 out of 5 shops. :eek: We were quite low on supplies though after the hols, desparately want to come in under budget again. We do have enough meat in the freezer for the whole month.

    Offers today;(didn't find many for us this week)
    John West Wild Red Salmon 213g = £1
    T Butter me up spread 500g 96p BOGOF - hence my buying 4.
    H20 water 4pk = £1 - again bought 3 as DS1 has 5 per week.

    Bought a notebook for the ever changing prices - OH amazed how many I know in my head but still slip up occasionally.

    Sorry for the long post - think I have withdrawal syptoms - only just caught up from 22nd Aug.
  • Moniker
    Moniker Posts: 626
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    Evening everyone - have just popped into up date my sig and catch up. Thanks rosieben for the info re stuffed marrow - I will give it a try tomorrow when I have the oven on for the Sunday roast.

    I managed to put off the weekly big shop till this morning (usually I do it on Thursdays) and I had set myself a target of £50 for everything and was pleased that I spent only a few pence over this - that was because I bought some water filters which were reduced at £8-24 for 3 and a Sainsbury's magazine for £1-40 , which I don't usually bother with but I thought I would probably get that back in vouchers. I have around £150 left of my total and three more big weekly shops to do so I am not feeling too panicked about this!

    Have used two packs of cheap lamb chops I bought back in July to make a lamb stew for tonight - should have two more meals to freeze for two people so a good saving - it's in the slow cooker. I also made an apple pie a la Hairy Bikers' recipe and it has turned ok - I wish I was good at posting pics so I could show you. MIL is coming to Sunday lunch so I hope to impress her! There was quite a lot of the beaten egg I used to brush the top leftover so I made a dozen fairy cakes which tasted fine too.

    BTW, I noticed in Sainsbury's that they were doing Responsibly Farmed salmon fillet at 2 for £5-50 - but then I saw that the packs of basic mixed shape ones were much less so I bought these instead and saved about £2. Sometimes these offers are not what they seem! I also bought the 1% fat milk at £1 for 4 pts - I would have bought more but decided to try it first. Silly really as I am sure it would be fine and in any case could always use it for cooking if the OH didn't like it!

    Oh well, sorry for the long post. Have a good evening everyone.

    Moniker
  • Had a tesco delivery mid week, spent 48.51, and bought a couple cream donuts (both for me!) and a reduced prawn pasta salad on my way home from work @£2.40, but have been really good taking my own lunches and stuff in. I just need fresh stuff for the next week or so.:j so I reacon I am on track with my budget.

    Quick question, I have a vending machine card, for coffee in work, which I load up once every couple of weeks, I intend to include it when I actually put money on it, but am I cheating if I say I have had a no spend day and I used it???:confused:

    Your thoughts please???

    Winky x x x
    Right now I'm having amnesia and deja- vu at the same time. I think I've forgotten this before
  • johanne
    johanne Posts: 1,830
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    well we spent £7.50 on a takeaway the other night which i include in my grocery budget (afterall if we didnt id have to be making tea!) ... so now our total stands at £25.10...:D

    My mum did pick me some things up today but she hasnt worked out how much i owe her yet... and will need to pick some more stuff up later in the week as were almost out of fruit and veggies... and some of the dairy stuff is use by this week....

    BUT were 10 days into our month and by my calcuations were £32.04 under budget already :D
  • megc_2
    megc_2 Posts: 142 Forumite
    Would it be too late to join this challenge please???
    I live on my own, and have no idea what I spend on food etc, as it seems to sort of run away some weeks and I haven't been that organised at noting or keeping records up to now:o But I need to, especially as I also go back to uni in two weeks.

    I would like to spend £40 a week on groceries. I am really grateful for all the tips so far on this thread- I am going to try some of them for definite!
    Halifax Credit Card: [STRIKE]£4915[/STRIKE] NEXT Directory: [STRIKE]£1980[/STRIKE]
    JD Williams: [STRIKE]£1984[/STRIKE] British Gas: [STRIKE]£394[/STRIKE] First Direct [STRIKE]£2985[/STRIKE]
    Debt-free for over 2 years now!!! :j
  • greent
    greent Posts: 10,666
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    Quick question, I have a vending machine card, for coffee in work, which I load up once every couple of weeks, I intend to include it when I actually put money on it, but am I cheating if I say I have had a no spend day and I used it???:confused:

    Your thoughts please???

    Winky x x x



    Nope - not cheating at all :D If you buy a box of 240 teabags the spend is counted the day you buy them, not as you use them - I'd view loading the vending card in the same way:D

    Gt
    x
    I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul
    Repaid mtge early (orig 11/25) 01/09 £124616 01/11 £89873 01/13 £52546 01/15 £12133 07/15 £NIL
    Net sales 2024: £20
  • carolt2
    carolt2 Posts: 854
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    Evening everyone.

    Just popped in to update signature. Went to Mr A last night for some things for my mum and went to Mr T this morning for everything else i needed.
    'Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle'
  • JayJay14
    JayJay14 Posts: 1,918 Forumite
    Had a lovely walk round local shops dodgng the rain today, spent £21.37 altogether on F&V meat from the butchers, cooked meats for pack ups and a few treats - 400gm bag Thorntons chocs for £1.09 - I'm not strong enough to walk away from a temptation that big;)

    It is heaving down outside - so much so that the sky dish has stopped working - but that happens when the rain comes in from the wrong direction sometimes, it'll be ok soon.

    Here in Hull if is a bit scary after what happened last June but we seem to be managing at the moment - I hope everyone else is dry and warm out there.
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