October 2008 Grocery Challenge. Please read first two posts.

Magentasue

Six of us - offspring now teens and twenties.

I spend about £10-20 at the market every week (fruit, veg and eggs) plus £50-£70 at supermarket over the week. Includes all cleaning, toiletries etc but not pet food.

When I was being superfrugal a couple of years ago, I got it down to £50 a week (total spend) but don't think I could do that now.

jexysbird

Hi,

Please add me to the list for October. £300 for month all in household, grocery and toiletries. Got to try a lot harder this month £502!!! last month
Thanks:j

CherryPie

Was really bad today and spent £18.07 in Mr T's. Only went in for milk!! :eek: Don't you hate it when you're away from home then get back when all the shops are shut, and there's no milk!! However I'm still on track but think for next month's target I'll bring it down a bit. This is my first after all. Am also finally turning my friends and family into MSE-ers. We have decided on the £10 limit for Xmas & Birthdays. (I'm one of those selfish people who was born in Dec, as are half of my family!)

Not really sure if I post this here, as I have posted it on another forum but the Argos Christmas Catalogue comes out on Wed 15th, and one of Santa's little helpers tells me the voucher offer thing may be on too!! :T

Herewegoagain

Hiya guys,
Never done an on-line supermarket shop as I like to see what I'm buying. When OH has done one while I'm working away, there is often things wrong with it and he say's they always reconspence him, but I like things done and dusted so I think I probably will continue to go and chose my own.;)

Orkney, like the statement, "Don't sweat the small stuff" is that someone who reads the same books as me:D

aiming for a NSD tomorrow so that I will have 10in a row, not likey to manage that again:D

HWGA xx

eveie189

Morning everyone

Well i am a bit chuffed with myself today. Went to see the farm where i am gonna get my chickens from (for the eggs) and ended up getting 5 dozen eggs for £5. And they were free range. So i sold 2 dozen to my mum and i think I am going to have to get on with some baking to use up the rest (what a shame, lol)
Also got half a sack of potatoes for £3.00.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend
Katie

queen_of_string

Seem to have got a grip after my disastrous start. cw18 I always just pour a tiny bit of juice off the top of my can of tomatoes then insert a long sharp knife and chop them in the tin. Makes zero mess and not even a bowl to wash and 2p saved!

curly_cabbage

Morning all
Well good and bad the good, i saved £17 in M&S yesterday with their "meal for 2" deal, which consisted of 2 whole chickens, 2 roasted veg selections, 2 hot choclate puddings and 2 bottles of wine. All for £20. Then in sainsburys i brought the Ministry of Food Jamie Oliver cook book for £9.96 instead of £20. Now for the bad bit while in sainsburys i spent a further £21 on stuff we could have lived without. i think for the rest of the month i would do well to say out of the shops for rest of the month.

CC

FunkyFairy

Hi,

I have a family of 4. 2 adults and 2 children under 10.

I am also a childminder to 5 children that i have to give all there meals to.

I spend about £70 per week including everything.

I think the key is to cook everything yourself its alot cheaper. I also only give them dessert on a Friday.

Magentasue

I'm not sure cooking everything yourself is a lot cheaper - but I think it's better. Funnily enough, the less I spend, the more puddings we have! I tend to think light dinner (egg and chips) needs filling pudding (crumble or bread and butter pudding) whereas filling dinner only need yogurt or fruit.

For me, meal planning and shopping once a week are the savers. I rarely stick to a meal plan but having enough in the house to do a week's meals is key.

MUMOF4_2

Hi,
We are a family of 6, and I find the only way I can stick to my budget properly is to meal plan the entire week, then shop online, by doing this it stops impulse buying, as I can never walk past a BOGOF offer without putting it in my trolley!
It difficult to tell you how much to allow, as everyone budget is different, I have to do all our shopping for the week, for around £50. It is very possible, as long as i spend a bit of time looking through my vegetarian student cook books!they are full of great cheap healthy recipes, and i would recommend buying a few!We love pasta, rice, spicy food, children are getting used to lots of lentils, which i have successfully bulked out vege cottage pies, and lasagnes with, in fact enough to stretch both dishes to make 2 of each!Only thing i find difficult is being able to buy lots of fresh fruit. i wish we had a good market near us, we end up eating a lot of tinned fruit, purely because its cheaper.
When I make cakes, i always use value/basic range of flour, and the tubs of basic spread, its says it isnt suitable for home cooking, but i make cakes, biscuits, pastry with it and it comes out fine.
When im cooking I always try to double the recipe so i can put one in the freezer for the following week.
Making the children packed lunches, is another must, I could be sending my son into school everyday with £3 lunch money otherwise!£3 could easily make us 1 or 2 main meals.
We are happy to eat value range of most things, more a case of having to,22p spaghetti topped with some home made tomato pasta sauce and fresh vegetables, lasagne sheets for 35p, makes 2 nice big lasgnes, Textured soya protein is great also, so much cheaper than frozen vege mince.
Maybe let us know your budget and we can make suggestions?
hope this helps