December 2008 Grocery Challenge

Frugaldom

I had my first visit to a 'Mr T Metro', which is our nearest major supermarket to the new house. It's only a 45 mile round trip, so a few miles less than before but there's a good selection of stores in the town - Mr T Metro, Mr M, L!dl, Farmf00ds... I could spend a fortune if I wanted! It's still far enough away that it needs a day set aside for shopping, though, thank goodness.

I was expecting the Mr T 'Metro' store to be tiny. I was imagining local C0-0p size, so I was [STRIKE]shocked[/STRIKE] pleasantly surprised to discover it was far bigger than expected! It had absolutely everything I needed, including gift items! Next visit, I'll maybe try Mr M's, as it looks like a new store.

Horrified to say that I spent £34.70 on more groceries :eek: , but I shouldn't need anything else except fresh milk and, possibly, some more fruit & veg before New Year. It's either that or I'll need to move house again into someplace with a kitchen-sized larder and walk-in freezer. :rotfl: I probably already have enough food crammed in here to last halfway through 2009! I could hibernate and only need to surface as far as the kitchen until Spring!

Rowan9

Spent £14.71 in last couple of days. Should have most of what we need for this week and we are having 3rd day roast beef for tea tonight:D
I find that if I buy a roast (chicken or beef) and have a veggie box delivered, then I spend less. I like the idea that we eat real food and also that less money goes to the big supermarkets. Still, I work fulltime and am not always all that organised, although i do try with the menus:rolleyes:

gillaman

Just updated my sig at £76 odd for the first week, leaving me £24 for the rest of the month! Aaaarrrrgh. Still I did stock up on a lot, possibly enough for 3 weeks, though I'll have to buy milk again next week. Will have to get my MS thinking cap on and come up with lots of meals that don't need a trip to the shops. This site does keep me "honest" - I wouldn't try half so hard to keep my spending down without it.

Edit: Sorry Mrs McM, forgot to ask you to put me down for £100 for December - this doesn't include any Christmas shopping as this is going to be bought between me and other members of the family.

Blairweech

northern_star - I like your idea of a daily budget, I have never thought of that! I have tried making a price book (like your OH's spreadsheet) but the prices change so quickly I found it really difficult to keep it up to date

No spend day for me today!!

Edit: I meant to ask - IKEA cream sauce, the kind that is dried in a packet which you buy at IKEA. Does anyone know if you can freeze the sauce once it is made up (with cream and water)?

JennyBee_2

Hi all, been AWOL for a couple of days so just spent a little while catching up Not sure if I'm allowed to post the Nigella fudge recipe on here (copyright etc) but if you google "nigella pistachio fudge" it comes up on the bbc website.

Well my signature looks pretty horrendous at the moment but that should cover us for the next 6 weeks at least. We have enough bread in the freezer to last us so will only need milk (got a couple of UHT of both my lactofree and OH's normal semi skimmed so shouldn't get caught out with the 'quick trip to the shop for milk'!)

Went to the butchers which cost £41.50 - he asked if I was stocking up for winter!

We got...

10lb minced beef @£1.53 per lb
6 chicken breasts @ £1.50 each (but big enough we only need one between us!)
1.5 kilo of casserole beef for about £7.80
2 huge pork chops @ £1.40 each
3 packs of large homemade sausages @ approx £2.20 for 8

So the freezer is filled up with everything we need! We've got our meal plan sorted along with cooking double of things like lasagne/cottage pie/chilli etc to add portions to the freezer.

This is war against my spreadsheet that's telling me I can't afford to not go back to work full time after the baby is born. I am determined that we will find a way to cope!

SAV3R

Hello everyone, can't believe it's December already.

I would like to increase my budget to £450, due to feeding 11 on Xmas day, as I have just realised when posting on November, I must get that Turkey ordered ASAP. I think we will have a Turkey Roll as its much easier and no bones etc to be messing with. (I did wonder about buying a frozen supermarket one, but the family all shop at the Butchers and I think they would notice the difference.)

Struggling with meal plans for the next few days, DS2 has to go into hospital to have 4 teeth removed this week, he will only be able to eat soft foods and wont touch soups, which are to me the obvious choice. Feel so sorry for him, then straight after Xmas is to have a brace fitted.

gailey_2

We have struggled with grocery bills for last 6months suddenly food seems so much more pricey have tried to meal plan but we buy lots of fresh then run out.
We are family of 2 adults1 toddlers who eats as much as adult some days and no pets.
We have set ourselves last 6months 200per month grocery challange but keep spending 250-300!
We have tried switching from tescos to morrsions and aldis sometimes to try and save money but akways end up running out and toping up at corner shop which works out more pricey.
We wre trying to go weekly as thourght monthly was our problem but have only managed to go 2 weekly as toddler nitmeare shopping and we end up spending more when shes with us.
We have switched to own brands and cancelled milkman
We include toilietrees and household in food budget use cloth but do buy wipes.

Useful facts about us
sometimes we drink up to 4pints per day at least 24-28pints a week of milk scary when put it like that as hubby and toddler like to guzzle it cereals and coffee.

Hubby likes his meat Im not fussed but do have to make sure is rspca freedom or free range as would rather go without but hubby loves his meat too much.

Hubby takes his own sandwiches into work I tried making homemade bread but hubby not keen so now bulk buy rediced and freeze and also buy multibuys.Any soloutions for cheap sandwiches as ham is working out so pricey despite multisaves. he occasionally has tuna.
We seem to get through so much cheese about 800-100g a week 2 large packets but hubby moans we run out.
Is milk/chese ok frozen?

Hubby thinks we should buy more frozen but we not keen on ready meals and sometimes i think it works out pricer we buy frozen special offers,icecreamfrozen veg,chips and fish.
Anything frozen people feel is essential?
The other day i made fish pie with youngs fish steaks and mashed potaoe on top as running out of food!

Both hubby and daughter love their snacks which includes chocolate/crisps/cakes and biscuits but seems to go to fast
I have tried cake mixes but they can work out pricey we last only buy biscuits on offer or multibuy am i better off making cakes and biscuits from scratch?

Drinks we seem to get through lost of soft drinks mainly squash as its cheaperhubby loves pop and fresh juice.
We not big drinkers and prob enjoy bottle of wine once a week and odd bottle beer cider we rarly go out and usualy drink with meals.

I try and buy fresh fruit mainly for daughter and shes find of yogurts as healthy snacks but hubby says too much fresh fruit and veg costs lots and we dont use it all.

Things I alwasy buy are
tinned tomatoes
passata for sauces
pizza bases
tomato puree
lots of pasta suaces and curry sauces usually on offer
rice
dried pasta
herbs prefer fresh
chilis/garlic/lemon and ginger
fresh tomatoes
frozen veg/potoes/chips
stock cubes and packet mixes
crackers
eggs
chese
milk

Typical meals I do are
curry
faittas
spag bol
lasagne
rissoto

The major problem is how meat bumps up price have tried quorn and lentils but hubby hates.

Any advice on where we going wrong?
ways we can still eat same for less
I love cooking so dont mind cooking from scratch or shopping around.

Casperthefriendlyghost

Hi Mrs MC

I've only just today got a new computer after mine died on me a week and a half ago. Please could you put me down for £ 40 for the month please.

Thanx, am hoping to catch up again soon. I've not yet added up my spend for last month, will do that soon.

Cheers
Casper
x x

Pink.

Hi gailey,

The best place to get help and support with cutting back your grocery bills is the Grocery Challenge thread. The regulars there have lots of experience and will do their best to find ways to help.

Pink

rosieben

Hi gailey, welcome to the GC thread. I'm sure there'll be lots of advice coming along but my first thoughts are

• bulk out meat (mince) in stews and casseroles with lentils or grated veg (carrots etc)
• check what you have in your cupboards and draw up a meal plan or at least draw up a list of meals that you eat regularly and make sure you keep the ingredients in for them
• buying more frozen and ready prepared food is never going to be cheaper
• milk and cheese both freeze ok. I grate my cheese first but you don't need to, although grated cheese might go further in sandwiches etc?
• those 'running out to the corner shop' trips are what is sucking up your money - try to get everything you need (for the week?) in one main shopping trip
• fresh fruit and vegetables would be much better for you all than biscuits and cakes and no more expensive (though I'm the world's worst offender here ) so include the veg and fruit in your meal plan to ensure it gets used
• try making some cakes, biscuits etc to see how you go on. Twinks hobnobs are famous here

there are loads of ideas on OS for cheap meals -
- Cheap (low cost) recipes (post #3)
- weezl's absolutely brilliant 50p a day thread

Its worth a browse through the OS index too, you'll find loads of useful threads. Meal planning and shopping to a list take a bit of organisation but in the end they will help you get control of your money. If you have any specific questions please ask.