October 2008 Grocery Challenge. Please read first two posts.

mama67

Nipped to tesco today for some petrol and bananas, had a quick look at the jams as will be needing some next week for puddings etc. The value range strawberry which is fine for under a sponge has shot up from 39p to 52p.

I know I have made quite a bit of jam this summer but neither of the boys particularly likes anything but strwberry under spoonge and DH is quite happily eating the plum on hm bread toast for his brekkie each morning.

I also noticed when on the website yesterday that alot of the value range and even the dicount range are no longer there, but are still in store.

cw18

I spotted that the value chopped tomatoes had disappeared 7-10 days ago. If they take off too many of the value items I (for one) certainly won't even consider home delivery in future -- the saving between value and the next label up will cover the cost of petrol for me to get to the closest large store, which means I can also check out the Whoopsies and also check out a cheap(ish) freezer centre in the same complex.

susan946

EagerLearner -

This Saturday we are heading to France - any suggestions on cheap stuff apart from Olive Oil, mayonnaise, mustard & wine?

We spend quite a lot of time in France and I used to bring all sorts of things back but I think it is generally more expensive now than the UK. Everything seems to have shot up there! We still bring wine, beer, cheese and and olive oil as they seem to have stayed cheaper than here but then just bring anything we particularly like.

Sadly, for the budget, so many things over there are too tempting, so I always seem to blow the budget - although it evens out over a couple of months.

NSD for me today. Have defrosted hm meatballs for supper and shall make a mushroom sauce to go with them. We have the last of our hg melons for afters. Luckily my freezer is stuffed full as I am running quite short this month so shall be living on that most days and just buying milk, f&v and maybe a couple of meals worth of oily fish as we need to have more of that in our diet.

Sue

MRSMCAWBER

Hi all

Forgot to say earlier -
When I was talking to mum this morning -she had been in "the bad place" (ASDA) ... and whilst picking up some sausages (the ones on 3 packs for £6:eek: )noticed that those that had a couple of days left on them weighed 454g... those with a longer date (obviously the "new" ones) had 400g in a pack -now its only 54gs, but its another one of those "we aren't increasing the price" sales pitches -NO they are charging us the same amount for less food :mad:
there were a couple of other items she mentioned that had shot up by almost 50% too :eek: will have to check what -but it shows how we have to keep an eye on what we buy
ooh I remember one of the things -the chickens they were selling last week for £2 are now on at 2 for £7.50 :eek:
ok rant over

candygirl

cw18 wrote: »

I spotted that the value chopped tomatoes had disappeared 7-10 days ago. If they take off too many of the value items I (for one) certainly won't even consider home delivery in future -- the saving between value and the next label up will cover the cost of petrol for me to get to the closest large store, which means I can also check out the Whoopsies and also check out a cheap(ish) freezer centre in the same complex.

I totally agree with you, they are gonna miss out on a lot of trade if they get rid of the value range;) I've had an NSD today for a change:T

Jacks_xxx

:hello: Just wanted to post quickly to say that's it's all going ok in our house.

I try lots of different ways of doing this challenge to see what works best for us.

Last month it was "Buy what we need, when we need it - and no more!" and this month it's "Have a big shop at the beginning and then avoid the supermarket like the plague!"

We did a huge Lidl shop of £150 which completely horrified and appalled my mother in law who had "never seen anybody buy so much food in one go in all her days" (She's a less than a tenner carry it in one bag almost every day sort of shopper.)
We'll need milk & bread and veggies soon though..... :eek:

I hope it's all going well for you guys!!!

Love Jacks xxx

belfastgirl23

Another £3.50 for me in M&S making a total of £67.33 for the month - went in to get a card for DH's birthday and couldn't resist treating him to the crisps he likes. Also some tangerines for me anyway still feeling I can do it this month...

I don't think it's worth buying abroad at the minute for economy, although sometimes you get things that just taste nicer which does tip the balance a bit. The way the euro is makes it very expensive in any case.

And CW18 you know you can just send stuff back if they bring the wrong brand and they will refund the £? I've done this and it works fine. And BTW Lidl tinned tomatos are the same price as the value ones and are much nicer (though admittedly you have to get there first!)

Good luck everyone, sounds like we're all doing okay for now!

angelatgraceland

princess_leia wrote: »

Well, a little update from me and my no freezer situation....I still don't have one :rotfl:as there was a mix up and the order got cancelled :eek:
Anyway, its doing my budget no end of wonders as I have been forced to use up what we have in and last night I made sausage casserole but without the sausages and added some lentils :rotfl:but it was yummy So I have had a good few NSD this month, which feels good, so I will try not to blow it!
We need to get some supplies in tonight and then we will do a freezer shop once this new one gets here - might try Iceland as never really used them before! (Are they actually cheaper has anybody got any experience?)

Well this is the best way to find out:
http://www.iceland.co.uk/
I used to work for them and my experience is that yes they are excellent value except on tinned goods. Their fruit and veg can also be pricey but their frozen food,sugar,milk,coffe,teabags,cerals etc etc are great value and a lot of top brands there too.
Some of their readymeals are better than branded and some are quite big. Their fish I was told is the same as the stuff Youngs get. Just as good if not better than other branded stuff.
Their meat is reasonable and the cold meat/deli section is good value. Hope that helps.:money:

Jacks_xxx wrote: »

:hello: Just wanted to post quickly to say that's it's all going ok in our house.

We did a huge Lidl shop of £150 which completely horrified and appalled my mother in law who had "never seen anybody buy so much food in one go in all her days" (She's a less than a tenner carry it in one bag almost every day sort of shopper.)
We'll need milk & bread and veggies soon though..... :eek:

I hope it's all going well for you guys!!!

Love Jacks xxx

OMG I cannot imagine that quantity! Where did you put it? Well I couldn't even get that in my car so I'm safe! The most I spend on a big shop is £70 and then I can't find any room to store it.
NSD day today for me as I was at work and came home to lunch thus avoiding the shops!

jet77

Hi,
Can I join in please :beer: I know I'm starting late but I've pro rata's my monthly budget of £150 so I know how much is left that I have £111.29 for the rest of the month. I got some bits and bobs (10kg bag of potato's, some reduced stuff for freezer and some pj pants) which totaled at £15.41 so will add all the details to my sig as GC 9th-31st Oct 08 £15.41/£111.29 :cool:

I do my meal planning and shopping list on a Saturday and stick the meal plan by the tea bags so I can't miss it every day

I look forward to learning from all yeah fab OS GCers :T

Luv Jxxx

cw18

belfastgirl23 wrote: »

And CW18 you know you can just send stuff back if they bring the wrong brand and they will refund the £? I've done this and it works fine. And BTW Lidl tinned tomatos are the same price as the value ones and are much nicer (though admittedly you have to get there first!)

It's not a case of them sending the wrong brand though -- they're taking the value goods off the website which means they can't even be ordered

Have to confess I've only recently been trying to work out whether it's worth me getting stuff delivered rather than going for it, as my experiences of delivery from both Mr T (forgot all my chilled stuff that I needed that night -- and couldn't deliver it until the next day -- so I had to drive up anyway) and Mr A (with the exception of 2 items, every last piece of fresh meat and pre-packed F&V was best by the delivery date) have been enough to scare me off.

Problem was I'd wander round throwing things in my trolley, and end up spending twice what I'd meant to. But over the last 18 months I've just abut weaned myself off that habit -- and have only picked up a couple of non-Whoopsie items that weren't on my list in the last 3 months which I think means I'm probably safe enough to carry on going up myself

Thanks for the tip on the Lidl tomatoes -- will give those a try as Lidl is about half way between us and Tesco (which saves my little legs half of a 3.5 mile walk!)