October 2008 Grocery Challenge. Please read first two posts.

OrkneyStar

originally posted by cw18

originally posted by angelatgraceland You are a secret mathemetician! Now I could do it that way but its not for me. At the end of the day if we are doing the challenge month in,month out, it seems enough to just calculate the weekly or monthly spends. I would do well this week if I did it your way as goodness knows what the value of my cupboard foods are! Hundreds at a guess! And Ive used very little of what Ive bought this week.

Ah well, but I want to run down my stocks as a lot of what we have in isn't stuff I'd buy any more (too expensive). So if I ran a budget of £130 (plus stock items) now, then in a few months I'd have to increase it considerably. The way I'm doing it now means that the 'from stock' costs should slowly dwindle down to almost negligble, at which point I can change to just what I buy in line with everyone else -- and keep the budget the same, so no major temptation to spend at the start of the month just 'cos I've got an increase

angelatgraceland, I agree with what you have said and that it is a faff to calculate what we buy, what we use, what is stock, what is not etc. I don't have enough time to waste to do this (and I am a Scientist by training and have always worked with numbers- love formulae etc).
Of course, cw18, if it works for you then thats great- that is what GC is about- finding what helps you reduce spending or at least monitor it. (You can please forgive me however if I skim any posts, or parts of posts, where you explain/go into detail about calculations as it is not really of any use to me to read it ).

Spent £4.91 in Tesco yesterday, on some brasing beef (for next weeks meal plan- not this week lol), some woopsied salad to have with last nights HM lasagne, and a cheap TV paper.

Baking muffins later, might take DS out for a bit today, even though its raining. Not spendning much though as got all his Chrismas presents bar one yesterday .
xx

Flylady_Flower

angelatgraceland wrote: »

You are a secret mathemetician! Now I could do it that way but its not for me. At the end of the day if we are doing the challenge month in,month out, it seems enough to just calculate the weekly or monthly spends. I would do well this week if I did it your way as goodness knows what the value of my cupboard foods are! Hundreds at a guess! And Ive used very little of what Ive bought this week.
Oh I like an easy life!

cw18 wrote: »

Ah well, but I want to run down my stocks as a lot of what we have in isn't stuff I'd buy any more (too expensive). So if I ran a budget of £130 (plus stock items) now, then in a few months I'd have to increase it considerably. The way I'm doing it now means that the 'from stock' costs should slowly dwindle down to almost negligble, at which point I can change to just what I buy in line with everyone else -- and keep the budget the same, so no major temptation to spend at the start of the month just 'cos I've got an increase

I'm afraid I like the easy life too, but can see where you're coming from CW, but the way I book it, if I have to spend money in a month, then it comes out of my GC money for that month - anything left over from that goes into savings and if I go over it has to come out of savings - hence trying not to go over.

What about if you budgeted the full £165 each month, but still run down your cupboards. That way, you would be used to having that budget and it wouldn't be such a shock when it goes back up, plus the money you have left could go into a special savings pot (it's great to see it grow) and then you have another reason to spend less.

I can see this works for you, but to me once it's in the cupboard it's spent and I forget it coz it's never there that long - knowing my lot they will soon eat it!

Anyway, back on track - have finally found my receipt for what I spent yesterday, although will have to go out again (might leave it till monday when the queues have gone down) but spent £32.46 so will go and update my siggy...

Herewegoagain

Hiya guys,
Not been on for a while, Hi to all the newbies,
Thanks Mrs Mc, bless you:A
Thanks Mumzyof2,didn't think of using the soup for sauces, Doh, what am I like.
Another small shop @ Mr M on the 1st, only a few things so £6.48, making total £11.39 so far with 4 NSD as well and will update sig.:T

Managed not to waste anything too so feeling very good:j

HWGA xx

applemella

Have bought a gammon shank from Mr M only cost £1.49!
Want to make a ameal with meat and some soup with leftovers.
Can I just put gammon in my slow cooker with water, veggies and soup mix or dried peas and leave it to cook? or do I need to boil gammon or cook peas/soup mix first? Worried about poisoning everyone as I know kidney beans need to be boiled for a certain length of time.
Thanks for readingxx

katie2407

went to asda last night for shopping with a list this time and spend £42.10
I tshould last us for about 2 weeks except for bread and milk so pleased with myself

dink1

HI GUys,

HELP!!!!!! picked up some rabbits today (2) how on earth do I cook them????? Dink1

rockie4

I've been and done my big shop today,£64.97 at Asda then £18.10 at MrT making a total so far this month of £99.54 :eek: but I shouldn't need to go anywhere near a supermarket for 2 weeks at least
OH is in the kitchen making bread, we have a tin full of Twinks hobnobs, the freezer and cupboards are full and I've had to put teabags and UHT milk in my 'overflow store'
The only thing I might run short on is cat food :rolleyes: and that's only because she's so fussy and Asda didn't have her usual brand :mad:

rosieben

dink1 wrote: »

HI GUys,

HELP!!!!!! picked up some rabbits today (2) how on earth do I cook them????? Dink1

My favourite is roast rabbit with stuffing :j

cook it like a chicken really, has a stronger taste though. or you could also make a stew or a casserole?

Triggles

A little late, but please add me to the challenge.

Goal for this month is £200

Thanks so much!

Pink.

dink1 wrote: »

HI GUys,

HELP!!!!!! picked up some rabbits today (2) how on earth do I cook them????? Dink1

Hi dink,

This thread might help you: Rabbit recipes

Pink