November 2008 Grocery Challenge

canidothis

angelatgraceland wrote: »

Well first of all-WELL DONE! Now-if it were me I would make it last an extra week and also stock up the stores a little rather than trying to make it last until the 1st. That way, when you are filling up your stores it won't suddenly ruin the budget. Myself, I always top up the stores as I go along week by week I never ever run out of anything! I list the storecupboard items which are low and if they are a good price I replace them If they are on a good offer I bulk buy them.
Tongiht I had to pop out for milk and I fancied treating us to something different for tea. I went to Waitrose(you are "thinking" expensive) and got some fresh pasta £1.39
some pesto-sacla-on offer £1.75
some fresh parmesan-grated it myself- 95p
6 pints milk-£2.25(Ive paid £2.56 elsewhere)
they also had cotswold f/r eggs on offer-these are normally £1.95 for 6 but on offer at £2.50 for 12. Never had them so I will try them for breakfast tomorrow if I have time.
Daily express had an offer for free soup normally 94p and the paper cost 40p I bought 2 papers and 2 tins of soup(bacon and petit pois)
I also got red lentils for 89p which is 20p cheaper than Tesco and some lloys grossman spaghetti for about £1-this is for next week when I can use my Asda pesto which is a lot cheaper.
Also in the D Express are vouchers worth £1.75 off future papers all this week but Waitrose will take them without me buying the papers.
All I actually spent was £13.41 and we had the lovely pasta pesto and parmesan for tea(not woried about meat)and it was easily enough for 4 people-only 4 home tonight. For tomorrows lunch at work I have a lamb casserole I bought a while ago whoopsied so I will take that with me. Just need to make some HM bread now. I did buy 4 loaves of Waitrose value one at 45p per loaf but I fear it won't do their soup justice!

Thanks for that , I think you are right i will take your advice and stock up carefully and as I go along, it will make me feel better,l rather than spend a lot in one go. next I need to improve my skills at finding a bargain I really dont know how you chaps seek out these bargains, they never seem to be there when I shop!!

Mrs_Money_Penny

Hi Everyone Just popped on to update signature. Spent £43.00 exactly on a small shop in Mr S on Wednesday. Just looked at the till receipt and have noticed i have been charges for two lots of Andrex toilet tissues instead of one at £4.73. Suppose its too late to complain now!

izoomzoom

I would complain and you will probably find that they will give you a refund when you next go in/ In the meantime, make that call

rosieben

canidothis wrote: »

.... Now, do I eek my budget out so that my months start on the 1st or do I save what I havent spent? ...

I agree with angelatgraceland, top up your store cupboard as you go along, that way its not so much of a shock. I never let myself run low on flour, rice pasta, sugar, tea bags and other essentials.

angelatgraceland - I think waitrose are very underrated. I was dragged in there earlier this year by my (affluent) sis and I was surprised at the good offers they had, I always take a look when I'm near there now. Ours is in a little market town and also has a morrisons very near so that must affect prices.

candygirl, hope you're feeling better, you need to treat yourself now and again

Its good to see some newbies joining in :T

I haven't spent anything of November budget yet but I'm getting a lift to Asda on tues so I'm busy making a list and will be reporting damage on tuesday evening :rolleyes: I'm hoping to get most of my christmas extras that are keep-able. I'll have to find somewhere to hide the after eights!

Good luck everyone

cw18

I'm going to have to withdraw from this challenge for the time being.

My DH has serious health problems, and I lost track with my accounting when he ended up in hospital for 5 nights from 6th. (Think I still have almost all receipts, but don't have energy to plug them all into my spreadsheet -- and haven't kept track of what's been used from my cupboards/freezer since then either).

He's also now requesting very processed foods, as these are the only ones soft enough for him to swallow, which is making feeding him very expensive compared to what I'd set my budget at. In the last two days I reckon he's gone through about £5 of groceries (has really only given him one meal and a couple of very light snacks a day) -- so at that rate my budget of £145/month becomes £75-£80 for him and £65-70 to feed me and DS :eek: Whilst I think I've been getting good at stretching the grocery budget, I don't think I can stretch £70 enough to stop DS and/or myself feeling hungry all the time

But at least DS has gone completely off processed foods in the last couple of years -- while I've had time to be cooking from scratch almost every day -- which means I can cook normally for the two of us Feeding three of us on processed "junk" would be a financial nightmare !!!

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind paying the extra if it gets DH eating -- it's just making it impossible for me to set a budget in advance as I've no idea whatsoever what he's going to fancy from day to day -- never mind planning a whole week/month at a time.

I'm going to have to keep track of what gets spent/used from next month (issues with capital and benefits agencies), but I don't think I'm going to be able to set a budget in advance -- both because of the above and because elder DS is due home on leave from 12th/13th Dec until at least 30th Dec, meaning another increase in the expenses !!!

I plan to try and catch up with the posts on here from where I left off (around 5th) over the weekend, and hope I'll be allowed to continue to watch how everyone else is doing while looking out for useful hints and tips (and offering support and advice when I can), with a view to joining back in when I can.

frugalswan

CW18, big hugs to you and I'm thinking of you. It's hard when life's priorities change and I totally appreciate that. Thinking of you. *hugs*

I spent another £5 on minced beef yesterday at market. I got roughly 3lb of mince that I'll break down into portions and stick into the freezer. Today there's a continental market on that I'm going to have a look at, but all I really need is some mushrooms for tea, and perhaps a joint of beef for tomorrow's lunch.

x frugalswan x

mummy2mygirls

Mrs_Money_Penny wrote: »

Hi Everyone Just popped on to update signature. Spent £43.00 exactly on a small shop in Mr S on Wednesday. Just looked at the till receipt and have noticed i have been charges for two lots of Andrex toilet tissues instead of one at £4.73. Suppose its too late to complain now!

hi once in mr t i did a shop and noticed when i got home that they had charged me twice for a big bag of nappies, so next time i went in i thought no harm in mentioning it but like you i thought it would be to late. but they refunded me it so i would go up and ask! no harm...
sorry if loads of people have already replied but i am of to carry on reading the rest of the posts now.
mel x

mummy2mygirls

cw18, wishing your husband gets better soon. it is a hard time when things like that creap up on you. look forward to seeing you soon when things have calmed down.

i spent £86 in mrT on a home shop yesterday, should last all week but i really want to get some tips on how to make this get down! i have heard a lot about on the 'oldstyle' about recepies etc...how do i get there to look it all up?? sorry im new to mse.
would love to learn some new easy soups i can make out of left overs etc and chicken bones?? also some lovely flapjacks/fruit bar things for dds lunch, she takes in tesco kids strewberry ones at the moe but im sure it would be better if i made home made ones...also some yummy bananah muffins, i have heard them mentioned on here and they sound yummy. so would love any of your recepies or where to look them up if anyone fancies helping me??:A

hope you all have a good weekend, i stupidly havent sorted anything out of the freezer for tonight so am going to have to see what doesnt need defrosting????sure ill find something as im determind not to get a take away!!!
mel x

cw18

This thread is in the Old Style section of MSE, so if you go to the top of the screen (just under the picture of Martin) you'll see

Home » Forums > Home, Work & Play > MoneySaving Old Style » November 2008 Grocery Challenge


Just click on Money Saving Old Style and you'll be in the main forum area

Weezl's Challenge has loads of ideas for really cheap recipes (links in early posts), and there are loads of ideas in the early posts of this Grocery Challenge thread as well


(as to DH getting better -- not an option in front of us He has cancer which was diagnosed in Jan 2007. We were told on Monday the prognosis is 2-6 months, with no more treatment available to him other than oxygen at home and being given access to a palliative care team)

savingfortravel

cw18..Big hugs to you and your family

Just going to check out Discount thread, I'll let you know if I find anything useful

Daily Express-voucher for free 1.5 litre of apple juice at Lidl lasts until Mon 17th, Free child's panto ticket at certain venues when accomp by paying adult..Plus money off coupons for newspaper which have been used successfully at Waitrose and do have 99 code which many supermarkets take.

Daily Telegraph-free French Dusted Truffles at Whittards worth £4.50..coupon lasts until Mon 17th.
SFT