November 2008 Grocery Challenge

Coolmum66

Hi all

Just a quick pop on and update spends.

Two "shops" into the month and I've only spent £75.61 from the £180 budget. Still don't feel that we're "missing out" on any food - just not buying junk snacky stuff.

Used Tesco stamps and £5 news of world voucher on Sunday to buy all of Xmas food - bar the fresh stuff. All hidden from son's prying eyes! another job out of the way and crossed off the list!!

Take care

Coolmum. xx

frugalswan

Just popped online to update my sig with this week's shop - another £40.31 to add to the total. Getting there, but it's going to be touch and go as to whether I can make this month's total or not We'll see how it goes. That takes my total so far for November to £119.66, another £40.34 to go if I'm to finish on budget. I did stock up on a fair few bits this week, so I probably won't need to get those for a while, and hopefully it'll only be a token shop next week for veg, fruit, milk, etc.

angelatgraceland

JennyBee wrote: »

ok, I have a challenge for the new year....from January I want to get our GC down to £100 a month. Now I know it's possible because you lot already do it! I'm assuming that once the baby is born I'll be able to breastfeed (big assumption I know!) and that it'll be in reusable nappies for most of the time so "hopefully" the fact that there is a baby about shouldn't actually increase our grocery spend too much.
Basically, being able to do this will make maternity leave pay a little easier to handle and also mean that I shouldn't (fingers crossed) need to go back to work full time but can manage on a few evenings and 1 full day at the weekend working.

We already meal plan and we don't have takeaways. We already have money going into separate accounts each month to cover yearly things like MOT, car tax, caravan insurance etc (not necessary but cheap holidays!) I'm desperately trying to work out where we can cut back without being unrealistic but I just end up staring at my budget spreadsheet without getting anywhere!

Is there anything really obvious that I'm missing?

I guess if all else fails I just have to hope the OH gets a massive payrise in the next year!

Meanwhile, join your local Freecycle and stock up on some baby clothes/items. I know its not grocery but it just may help! You might be able to get some reusable nappies on there too-changing mats etc etc etc. I wish it had existed when I had mine little! People really do have lots of luck with their wanted ads for baby stuff(I run my local group)so give it a try. Also study recipes for making your own baby food later on-it will be useful. I cant remember if this is your first babe or not so you may already have done all this! Steam sterilizers and microwave sterilizers are also good for equipment(so is a pan of water I know). Join or visit your national childbirth trust-NCT also for equipment. You dont have to go "natural" though if you dont want to! They have some good sales on of used equipment.
I had a NSD today-spent enough this week and its falling out of the cupboards. Freezer so full I'm scared to look for anything cos it's a case of turning it out! Started putting money in the sealed pot for a holiday somewhere nice next year(I hope)worked out a rota for the kids chores(means I can spend more time cooking and planning). I must meal plan!!! Been vigilant about using up what is in the fridge the last couple of days. Had bacon and cheese grills tonight but nobody liked them-dd23 described it as "the worst tea I've ever served up"!!!!!:eek: :eek: :eek: Thing is-we just are not used to this processed rubbish any more! That's the top and bottom of it.Would have been better off serving up bacon offcuts and scrambled egg with grated cheese. Approx same price as the bogof grills:rolleyes: Never mind-cant get it right every time. Still got chicken over so may turn it into a curry for tomorrow.

mummy2mygirls

well i completly bloked my kitchen sink yesterday cooking my big batch of chiili!!!which just lead to a loan of other problems!!!! my pregnant brain just didnt think about all the fat of the mince!!!!opps:o
but just wanted to say thanks for the nann bread link - looks nice and easy (hopfuly....) so really fancy a home made curry now yummy so will give them a try tonight. going to cook a big lit of curry to freeze. with the nann can i use any yougart?? going to stay away from the shops today to keep to my money.......
have a good day

MRSMCAWBER

Morning all

Mummy -I don't think it would make much difference what yoghurt you use.. I have used greek, natural and the best result came from tzatziki -I use what ever I have in that needs using up .. They freeze well too..and they are sooooo easy :T

Well I picked a few bits up last night..

1. steak €4
2. ox liver €1.20
3. small lamb joint €4.50 = €9.70

But I will get quite a few meals from that

making hubby a steamed steak n mushroom suet pud tomorrow -so im making the filling today and as there is too much im turning the rest into 2 normal pies for the freezer
the lamb will do us one roast and the rest with some veg will make 2 more pies for the freezer, and the liver will do use 2 casseroles

Dinner tonight is pasta bake -so I have taken some of the home grown roast tomatoes out of the freezer and some marscapone mmmmmm

think Im going to have a re-check of the freezer today and sort out how many meals I can make from there... i can feel a tightening of belts coming on.. well we may as well use what we have 1st
Have enough onions, cabbage, potatoes to last through december too :T ...
and quite a bit still in my store in the basement..
right -off to plan I go
have a great day everyone

princess_leia_3

Popped into Mr M's yesterday to get some bargains for Xmas, spent £5 and some of that was for a present but I will include it all I got the 3 tubes pringles for £1.99, BOG2F, and salsa (to go in my bro's xmas 'staying in coz I'm skint' hamper!) and a tub of mini cheddars for the kids to pick on at Xmas
Will need some milk today but will add that on later

Baileys_Babe

Just popped into update. I've been to Mr S this morning and spent £8.38 on citrus fruit , bits for making a cheesecake at the weekend and paracetamol & vitamns for DP who has a lurgee (sp). That should be it for the week, yippee. (except meeting friends for a coffee tomorrow morning )

mummy2mygirls

MRSMCAWBER wrote: »

Morning all

Mummy -I don't think it would make much difference what yoghurt you use.. I have used greek, natural and the best result came from tzatziki -I use what ever I have in that needs using up .. They freeze well too..and they are sooooo easy :T

Thank you i have some natural in the fridge needing to be used up - so very handy.
thanks

leebarton

Hi all. I am quite please with how it is going this month so far.

I have spent £250, leaving another £100 to get through to December. This is not bad considering that we have spent money this month getting bottles sorted out, along with the additional £7 a week for formula. I will be shopping again on Friday to use that NOW voucher and another few MOC's that I have collected.

Flat_Eric

I still have to update my spend which is well over budget but I have had a productive day today in that I have listed everything I have in my cupboards and fridge ( i did the freezers at the weekend).

Im absolutely amazed at just how much I have!! Its amounted to 12 pages of print (Size 10 text) and approximately 409 items!!!!!!

Ive also noted the use by dates of the food so that I can see what I need to eat up soon.

It should be much easier to plan my menus now and begin to use up everything I have stock piled!!! I will still need to buy fresh fruit and veg, milk etc and I dont actually have that much meat but have plenty of everything else!!!