October 2008 Grocery Challenge. Please read first two posts.

HappyIdiotTalk

If you have a Lidl nearby try them. The ranges they stock are more limited so there is less for you to buy on impulse. Plus they are much cheaper than your big supermarkets, and I really do mean they much cheaper. And dont think that just because its cheaper its poor quality, its not. Some things you wont like, but the majority of stuff is very good. And if you find the fruit and veg not to your liking try another branch. I have 2 Lidls near me, the closer one can be a bit iffy on the fruit and veg, but the one a little further away has always been top notch. All in all I swear by Lidls, and also Aldi to some degree.

Penelope_Penguin

JenC wrote: »

I'm toying with the idea of wasting £5 on delivery if it means I will stick to a list and not impulse buy.

It's not a waste - I've been shopping online for over a year now, and with the help of the Tesco discount codes thread, have always found a code which covers (usually much more than covers ) the delivery charge :j

I'll add this thread to the Grocery Challenge to keep tips and suggestions together.

Penny. x

Money_Fritter

Hi Folks,

I went for my last weekly shop of the month on Friday and only spent £7.06. That takes my total for the month to £55.48 out of a budget of £60. I will not declare yet as I may need a few more things, but fingers crossed I won't. I get paid on friday.

Money Fritter

WelshWoofer

Evening!
Just reporting in my Mr T spend today - £27.44 - thought it would be more like £20 but I did succumb to a half price fresh cheesecake and a big bag of crisps - still more expensive than I thought it would be.

I have mealplanned for the rest of the week and have everything that we need and probably enough for most of next week too - I may go a bit over target as my challenge doesn't finish until a week on Friday but we'll see. Everything just seems soooo much more expensive - even the stuff that seems like a bargain isn't really when you think that I wouldn't usually buy it - I really don't know how people on a restricted budget - i.e have no more to spend - manage. I'm doing this to cut down on spending generally so if I go over its not a total disaster but if all you have is in your purse it must be very very difficult - hats off to you all!

Anyway, its half price M&S dabs and jacket potatoes for tea tomorrow - never tried these before and I'm a bit funywith fish so fingers crossed!

Have a good week - keep your purses in your pockets!

angelatgraceland

JenC wrote: »

I don't know if this has been covered previously but.....

Everytime I go to tesco I spend a hideous amount. I live on my own so there is no excuse for this, I need to exercise more restraint! For instance, the other night I popped in to return 2 t-shirts, and managed to spend £20.

I'm toying with the idea of wasting £5 on delivery if it means I will stick to a list and not impulse buy. Am I being silly in doing this or will it save me pennies in the long run?!?! When I budget my finances I should have plenty left over to enjoy myself with, but seem to be spending it all in tesco, and not getting round to saving much each month.

Any advice/opinions welcome!

Wasting £5 on delivery? Oh don't do that! There are forums on here to save you money on delivery too. Just enter an online code(an evoucher) and you get the delivery free or money off of your shop. See this link:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1015057&page=14

Alternately only go out with a fiver in your pocket.
Don't pop in there unless you have a list and the correct amount of money. Don't take any plastic with you.
Is the actual habit of popping in there the thing you need to stop? If it is-then even with a delivery you may still find yourself in there. Do you go in Tesco when you don't actually need anything?
For me-I just like shopping-whether I need anything or not-hence I ask.

scotsaver

cw18 wrote: »

I'm getting brave in my mission to reduce my grocery bill :eek:

So tomorrow's tea will be Stuffed Braised Lamb's Hearts -- using the recipe on the pack.

cw18 - let us know how you get on with the Heart's - keep meaning to go into the Butcher's and ask for things like that ie offal and cheaper cuts of meat but it's all about being brave enough to know what you are asking for - never seen them in my local Asda but did buy some liver last week, stuck it in the freezer for now but will plan a liver & bacon casserole next month.

Making a curry tonight with leftover Pork from last night's roast, pudding will be Apple Charlotte using crusts that I have cut off from Packed Lunch sandwiches and apples from the tree in the garden so a very cheap meal.:j

Have a good day everyone.:D

cw18

Will let you know how it goes. But I have to say that I don't find offal cheap compared to some other meats (mind, we do use the value frozen sausages and the value frozen mince - so I'm hardly comparing it agains hardly the "best cuts" )

DH and I like braised liver and onion -- but that's one of only two things I make where I cook two totally different meals. The kids have never liked it/been willing to eat it, so DS gets something else -- normally something like fish fingers or burgers that I can serve with the same mash and veg. (The other is when I do pizza, as DH goes off that for months when he has chemo. When I do them for DS and myself, I get to use up a ready meal from the freezer and make some more space )

catnap53

Can't see any reference to this anywhere here, but just stumbled across it on the Kenwood site

http://www.nationalbakingweek.com/

Haven't time to look, but will do so later, unless anyone reviews it and says don't bother;)

Was very good shopping this week, but need to collect receipts before posting totals. Apart that is from fresh tuna as DS saw it on Saturday Kitchen and wanted to try it yesterday, I was planning pie from left over mince that had been stretched.

Will go over though probably, but I haven't touched anything from the freezer yet since I sorted it last week. Using up all the fresh stuff before we go away for a few days on Saturday, my last weekend of the challenge.

Good luck to all coming to the end of their month.

Zzzz

princess_leia_3

Dh went to shops yesterday to get some sausage rolls and ended up with all manner of stuff we didn't need and forgot the milk so he had to go back again :mad: I will put his spend at £10 as he has no idea :mad:

Scotsaver, can I have your apple charlotte recipe please, as I end with with loads of bread crusts and we are getting a bit bored of bread pud

MRSMCAWBER

Morning all

Well my new month starts on Friday -but I'm going to declare today as I won't need anything for the rest of the week ....so I have spent €49.04 this month -which i should be happy with -but about €40 of that was stuff for this stupid cold:eek: -still, its on its way out now-has shifted from my throat/chest to my nose....

Im going to set Novembers budget at €100 -but im going to carry on trying to use as much as I can from the freezer -we are eating really well -I'm just being more creative it also means I should be able to stuff €500/£400 into the savings account this month :j -there should be no need for us to touch it unless hubby runs a bit short (depends how many golf competitions are on this month -but I get it back off him)

I pulled up my 1st attempt at growing sweet potatoes over the weekend -they weren't huge (more like carrots) but that was because I was away for 3 weeks when they needed lots of water) -but at least I have proven to myself that I can grow them from a supermarket sweet potato -buying the "proper" slips costs about £15 for 10 :eek: ...so next season I will definitely be doing them again -in black dustbins this time -so they have extra depth
Anyway -they have been chopped and thrown in a pan with some of the tomatoes n chillies I roasted, some broth mix -to thicken and make it warming-and later I will seasonit, add some soft goats cheese and blitz it for hubbies lunch tomorrow

oohhh and I have planted some broad beans to overwinter -will set some different ones next month ...can't wait to make a proper start on the veggies again -i AM sad lol

I have some bread proving and will shove that in the remoska later -still haven't had the oven on since I got it :T and did roast chicken n roasties yesterday nomnomnom

The chicken has been stripped -hubby took chicken n sweetcorn soup today and there is enough meat left for at least 2-3 meals each -I will be doing the cobbler again tomorrow -hubby loves it -but im not allowed to say it is "scone topping" as in his head -scones are sweet -so if its cobbler -its fine :rotfl:
Dinner tonight is going to be chinese pork n noodles in tortilla wraps -will make the dough later....

Right im off to think about what meals to do this month -using as much as I can that we have in and spending as little as possible
have a great day everyone