November 2008 Grocery Challenge

JennyBee_2

Thanks Jacks! I know it's not going to be easy but I'm determined to make a go of it (if at all possible!!)

For whoever it was that asked whether we added toiletries, cleaning stuff into the budget....I include everything like that, because to be honest, there isn't another pot of money for it to come out of! I've just got round to doing a "basics" shopping list which is an excel spreadsheet of what we would need if we had a completely empty house! It's quite a good place to start because I can then delete things each month if we've already got enough (eg got enough shampoo and conditioner to last until about the middle of next year as there was a deal on 900ml bottles of Tresemme!) but it also means that I shouldn't miss anything out that we might need! Does that make sense? At the moment I've got it to about £90 a month for the two of us plus about £20 at the butchers. But like I said, that literally covers everything including all household stuff like washing powder, toilet rolls etc which all add up quite quickly. If nothing else, it makes the £100 target that I hope to get down too look slightly more accessible!!

sorry for waffling!

sharronej

I've just taken Eric's advise and listed what's in my freezer. I have:
Big h/m frozen veg soup
H/m Chilli (filled out with lentils)
Tub wafer thin turkey (was thinking of using it for a sunday lunch)
Pork steaks
1/2 lamb shoulder
12 large chicken breast fillets
liver
loads of sandwich meat
9 lots of 200g mince
pack of steak (cubed)
Pork belly joint
Qourn sausage and mince
Cheese
sausages
lamb mince
2 packs scottish beef
h/m mushroon soup
4 chicken burgers
piece oxtail
6 loaves
4 naan
stewed apples
ciabatta
frozen veg
The best thing is that having looked through it, I don't think I paid full price for anything.

I'm hoping to be really organised and see if I can make enough meals to see me through to Christmas. Any ideas? Do you think it would be possible to have the same target for December? (£40.00 per week for four adults and a teen)

Sharron

keld

JennyBee wrote: »

Thanks Jacks! I know it's not going to be easy but I'm determined to make a go of it (if at all possible!!)

Hi, good luck with the breast feeding it is an absolute doddle once you get in to the swing - it took 5 weeks for DS (first born) and a couple for twin DD. You might want to give up, because it can really suck (sorry about the bad pun):o to begin with, but it makes life so easy, and is great for you and baby. Good luck. The other thing is get into a routine, no matter how daft you think it sounds, it does make life so much easier.:D

Thanks for the stuff about what you include in your grocery list. I've just done mine on excel - going through my receipts and trying to note everything down, sort of general veg - potatoes, carrots, etc, as I want to try to use it as the basis for my shopping list from now on.:rotfl:

Thought I'd had a NSD today, but DH got the floor polish.:o

ZLS1984

Hi I know that November is nearly gone but can I be added onto this. I have a budget of £40 a week for me, my dad and my daughter. My little girl is very fussy with food so can be very hard to buy for. I am not very good at shopping and struggle a lot, I tend to put things in I dnt need.

As you can see from my siggy I am not coping with money but I am determined to make a few changed to see if they help. I have been shopping at Asda and my word I can never see where my money goes :eek:.

My mum is going shopping on Sunday, so she is taking me so Aldi here we come. Does any one know if there fresh meat is any good, I am fed up of eating processed food.

(This might change to Morrisons it depends what mood my mum is in)

ifonlyitwaseasier

evening all,

got a bargain in Budgens this evening, they have an offer on chickens for £2 each!! so i got two!

needed milk and got cheese too. hubby got some sausage rolls cornish pasties crumpets and ginger beer the other day for a treat as i felt a bit down.

so i need to add £3.51 & £6.85 to our total, not doing too badly, do have a notw voucher to use this week but my mum and i are splitting the bill as i don't need that much stuff.

take care all

ioiwe x

Essex-girl_2

Evening All

Just updated signature as popped into Asda yesterday for some more baking supplies and milkman caught me today - hadnt been for a while and it was £16. Still doing ok with one week to go though.

Still managing to bake all bread and doing more baking each week. Need to do a freezer stock up soon though - had a good look today and stocks are getting low.

lingojingo

TheBees wrote: »

Jenny Bee don't forget you'll be entitled to Child Benefit which everyone gets regardless of their income. Not sure how much it is for one child but we get £125 for two children every 4 weeks.

£75.20 every 4 weeks for the oldest child, £50.20 for each additional child.

MRSMCAWBER

Evening all

Well as hubby is on duty today -until about 11am tomorow -he has the rest of the day off so he is nipping me to the NAFFI on a whoopsy hunt "just in case", I don't need anything much so will keep an eye out for any meat, marscapone etc ..ooohhh and more milk for the freezer
I have extra spends now if I need it as hubby has put €3 change in a machine and won €56 -so as always he gives me half ..so €28 extra for me :j

My nextdoor neighbour shocked me yesterday by saying that they can get a nice take away for 2 (veggie) for €12.. not bad I guess until he then goes on to say they average 5 a week :eek: .... I know his wife can't cook as he keeps jokingly asking me to teach her.... I have given her some books to look through so she could get some stuff in the freezer -but it seems they have gone un-used so far. I did say i don't mind helping her.. or HIM for that matter -at which point he looked terrified :rotfl: ..he says by the time he is back from work (he finishes later than his wife) they are to shattered to bother... still I have offered -I can't do anymore
He was amazed when hubby said that I spend less in 2 weeks for everything than they spend on takeaways a week :T

right i had better get off ..have a good evening all

candygirl

Spent £2 on bin bags and cereal today.Still well on target for this month:D

JennyBee_2

lingojingo wrote: »

£75.20 every 4 weeks for the oldest child, £50.20 for each additional child.

fab - thank you! For fear of sounding like an evil supermarket chain that shall not be named....Every little helps!!!