December Grocery Challenge

SuiDreams

Well not doing too bad so far, still need to buy Milk, bread, a small amount of meat and some tinned tomatoes. Friday will be the half way mark for me, and expect to be less than half way through the budget.

FRUGALPIE_2

So far so good this month...have been to Morrisons and topped up and spent £39.47 (but saved about £16 as well in bogofs etc)...

Am off to ALDI to do my monthly shop tomorrow...should be interesting!!!

Frugalpie

lily_the_pink

I was doing fairly well until a morrisons shop yesterday - but I did stock up on soya milk, bought after 8s and cadbury fingers for Christmas (BOGOF). Also had steak for lunch today with tons of organic veg from my newly delivered veg box. Hopefully wont need to do a shop until a week on Monday - am planning on cooking squash risotto, squash soup and braised jeruselum archichokes from the veggie box, and have chicken in freezer for next weekend. Beans on toast and some frozen bol sauce should make up the other days.

hornetgirl

I went a little bit over last month - my target was £75 and I spent £77.84! I did however buy a 5kg bag of cat food instead of 2kg as I had a voucher for £5 off the big bag, and it will last for ages.
Not so much mystery shopping work this month, but no cat food to buy either, so I think £80 should do it. Large (for us) Tesco delivery tonight should come to around £68, so £12 should be plenty for milk, fruit etc as needed.
We're having Christmas lunch at MILs. I've been buying a few extra bits over the last few weeks to take with us as a contribution towards the meal.

rchddap1

Getting a large delivery from Tesco tomorrow .... total around £75. Which will leave me with about £5 for the rest of the month (yeah right). Always knew I'd go over this month, but the large Tesco shop should fill the freezer to bursting point reducing what I need to spend in January (with any luck)

[Deleted User]

My December food has come to so far £42.90 and petrol only £29.00.My petrol should be low this month as I had a fall last week and cannot drive until after next Monday so I have been relying on lifts
But as I have been confined to the house I haven't been spending any cash on unecessary things either so that is a bonus.
Should have enough by the end of the month to treat myself to a new printer for my computer.

kiwichick

Mine has gone totally to pot. I thought I was keeping on top of it until DH (*!#**) gave me a bundle of receipts he had been keeping in his desk at work. It seems he has been treating the office to cakes a couple of times a week and using money from my house acct!!! SOD

So now I have shot over this months budget and some of the receipts were even from last month which means that is shot too!!!

I have now explained that he when he allows himself £100(!) a month for "spending money", his extravagances need to come from that!!!

The new year is going to be a whole new ball game for me. I am going to try and save each month for forthcoming birthdays, xmas etc. Dont know where to begin

pavlovs_dog

my advice (as i said in the other thread) is not to try and plan all future expenses to the penny. things never cost what you will expect them to.

so long as i have a nice big cushion to soften the blow to the general finances when things go wrong (ie the roof caves in) or the unexpected happens (long lost relative who you havent seen in years turns up a xmas with gifts for you, so you "have" to buy back) im happy.

the car for example - we tax ourselves £2.50 each a week for use of the car, which goes my direct debit to an ing pot. we've been doing this since about august. if the insurance was due tomorrow, the car fund would not cover the bill. its a simple fact. HOWEVER, it would be around £100 less that i would have to take out of my other money pots (ie general day to day, long term savings etc).

you'll never be truly prepared for what life throws at you. its merely a case of trying to make sure that when the poo hits the fan, you have a few dust sheets in place to mop up some of the mess

Trout69

Oh think i might join in the grocery challenge from now one, i've just started keeping all my receipts so will be good to find out how much i am actually spending.

Keep up the good work people.

Donna

rchddap1

Shopping just turned up (after a minor drama). That's £79.41 spent...added to my £20 of shopping 2 weeks ago....leaves me with...erm.....erm..... 59p for the rest of the month.

Now, in theory I shouldn't need to spend any more, as we're going away next Friday, and won't come back until 27th December. The object of my larger than usual spend at Tesco's was to fill the house with food so that we don't have to go shopping with the girls when they come down and stay with us. So if I am very good....I might just come in under budget (which would surprise me as I don't expect to be under this month).

Within my shopping was a 2.2Kg leg of lamb (despite me asking for a max of 2kg)....anyway...this will be eaten by 2 adults and 2 teenagers....are there any suggestions for leftovers?

Edit: Mind you I did get 1079 Tesco points to put towards my Theme Park ticket fund, so its not all bad.