December 2008 Grocery Challenge

Essex-girl_2

Evening

Just updated signature - forgot to update last week when I went to Morrisons but all up to date now.

Had Tesco delivery today quite a big shop, about 5 things they didnt have though so am off to Makro to get those. Then just need to get fresh stuff for Xmas & I then hope not to do a big supermarket shop till the beg of Jan.

Must remember to get to the farm shop for my sack of spuds - keep forgetting.

I love Christmas but to be truthful cant wait to get back to normal and really make more of an effort in January with this challenge.

Frugaldom

Haven't spent anything else so far, as we are living off the store cupboard for the rest of the year. At least, that's the plan! It's a rubber chicken week here, just had roast chicken dinner, plenty left over for a pie or a curry or some sweet & sour, plus the rest is now in the slow cooker and will be stock-ified (if that's a word) overnight. I put through an order on the Approved Foods website last week, for 2009 stores, but paid it on a cashback card, so it won't come off until next month's (new year's :eek: ) budget. I'm expecting the delivery this week some time (kind of hoping it's tomorrow), so will report back on the results as soon as I can. It's over 200 individual items and it came to about £46 including delivery! :T I just hope that their stuff is as good as I've heard, as this could save me a fortune next year. Will deduct whatever we use if it's used before New Year.

Just checked the above site and it has stopped taking Christmas orders, so made it just in the nick of time!

shelovestobuystuff

Another £72 in tesco.I will have to sit down and go through my reciepts and maybe change my totals as I am just posting end totals from my tesco reciepts but alot of this spend is for stuff thats not grocery at all,gold place mats,coasters,napkin rings,candles,napkins,christmas crackers,gold coins and boxes of chocolates for presents.These should be on my christmas present budget not grocery.
Doing well this month and finding plenty of cheap meals in the reduced cabinets.
Bread is sooo expensive,even the half price loaves in the reduced trolleys are over 80p although I did manage to find some reduced finest bloomers(thats bread not undies) for 17p the other day:D

WelshWoofer

Hello to all!
Just popping in to update my signature - I spent £33 on a Mr S delivery this weekend (had a £10 late delivery voucher so actually spent more but was only charged for £33). They rang early Sunday morning to say they would be late (were due at 11-12) and ended up giving me another £10 voucher! It wasn't a problem as I had no plans and this £10 will help in January's budget.
We should have plenty of stuff in to last until Xmas Eve when the tribes arrive for Christmas and the official Christmas food gets started.

I've already bought most of the goodies and food for Xmas (from a different budget contributed to by my mum)- we go out for lunch but I have a buffet to do on Boxing day (hot and cold stuff) and the men whinge if they don't have stuffing balls, sausages in bacon, cold meats etc for picking on Xmas Eve night and throughout Boxing day so I might as well have cooked a fulll dinner!
I usually cook these bits and pieces on Xmas Eve or Xmas morning and hide them until we're back from lunch.
All of the sweets, nuts, crisps, pop, booze etc are hidden under ths stairs ready for the traditional grand unveiling on Xmas Eve! This stems from when we were kids my mum forbade us to eat anything naughty until about 7pm Xmas Eve when the basket of goodies came out and stayed on display until it was all gone!

Anyway, there's approx £20 left in the orginal grocery budget that should see us through from the Xmas leftovers to New Year - then I get a new budget and can forget all about the excesses of Christmas and get back to reality!

I'm seriously considering giving up my job next year and retraining as a teacher in Sept so all budgets will be tight as I try to pay off as much outstanding debt as I can over the next 6-8 months in anticipation of being a poor student again.

Looking forward to the holidays - have a great time and see you in the New Year!!
Good luck to all those struggling over the festive period - remember its about family and being together not the biggest most expensive things -just try and enjoy what you have. Take care.xx

nickynoo08

Hmmmm, went to mrT's last night to pick up a few bits. Apparently i needed a few more bits than i had first anticipated as managed to spend £44.16:mad:. I'm still within my budget, but considering i've been taking part in this challenge for months and months it hasnt got any easier for me. I know prices have gone up, and mrT's have gotten rid a lot of there value ranges but i still seem to struggle every month. I know everyone says that meal planning is the best way to go, and believe me i've tried it, but my OH isnt interested, he changes his mind about what he wants then changes it again so ive given up.
Any suggestions?

mummysaver

Once again, many thanks to all who post on this thread! Although I am not participating "officially" I do keep a running total and pay far more attention to my receipts than I used to do!

Root veg is a real bargain in Lidl at the mo, and I'm off to check out Aldi for the maris pipers later. Mr T still has jars of Maxwell House for 50p in the little store, so I think I'm stocked up for months without spending more than I would usually pay for coffee.

The other thing I now do on a very regular basis, and I never used to do, is check Somerfield's meat reductions, they are fantastic and there is always something reduced. Yesterday I spent £12 on turkey escalopes, a huge corn fed chicken, chicken drumsticks and thighs, chicken breasts and several turkey drumsticks, I also got several pots of cream that had been reduced to pennies and some milk for the freezer, the real cost of it all should have been just over £30, so I was very happy. It has come off this months budget, but will probably not be used until January, so will help the budget then, leaving me a bit extra for any sale bargains I find!

Planning meals mainly from what I have in the cupboard and freezer seems to work really well, then when I go shopping and pick up any whoopsies we use them in future meal plans, which means I don't feel that I'm missing out on any bargains! Also means that my shopping list is generally quite small, as it's just picking up extra bits, storecupboard essentials and replacements of stocks, and sometimes items for new recipes.

Nickynoo - my mealplans aren't set in stone, quite often I make a list of meals for the week, but we are fairly flexible about which night we eat each dinner, and sometimes I'll just list mince, which gives me the option of meatballs, burgers, chilli, lasagne, bolognese or whatever on the day. Chicken can also mean curry, stir fry or pies, other stuff if I'm feeling more adventurous! I don't know if this sort of planning would work any better for you? Or I guess you could build up a supply of homemade ready meals in the freezer for when your oh didn't fancy what was on the plan, then he could just take out the excess portion of stew/curry/chilli/soup that you froze? Or if you made your mealplan and didn't tell him, but just gave him the choice of sausages or casserole, or told him you had some chicken to use up and how did he fancy it?

[Deleted User]

I am very pleased that I have £12.20 left in my food purse and nothing more to buy until middle of week following Christmas ,and then only milk and bread. I have 'shopped' from my cupboards almost all of this month and also from my freezer. I still have lots of thing left so I shall carry on during January as I'm finding it excellent for running down the stocks of things. I can't believe how much stuff I had accumulated in the cupboards. Left over cash at the end of the month goes into next years holiday fund.
I know I shall also get lots of left over bits at Christmas from my eldest DD as she always over buys at Christmas, but I shall make her in exchange lots of sheperds pies,curries and lasagnes for her freezer.She works full time, and hasn't the time to cook and freeze things as she does work quite long hours.
It works out well for both of us.

cw18

nickynoo08 wrote: »

I know everyone says that meal planning is the best way to go, and believe me i've tried it, but my OH isnt interested, he changes his mind about what he wants then changes it again so ive given up.
Any suggestions?

My family weren't / aren't given any choice in the matter......

They've been told to shut up and eat what's put in front of them - and if they don't like what keeps turning up they can shop with a restrictive budget, prepare the food, and then cook and serve it.

Shuts them up every time they start to grumble

gailey_2

Nymedia that approved foods looks interesting.Must let us know what its like.

Im in dillemea as i set £250 for our challange this month which is prob what we normally spend on average month depsite saying 200.
Wev have shopped aroudn this month and saved lots but did run cupboard and freezer completly bare so still short on basics and a turkey!
We went in iceland yesterday wanted to spend £40 spent 80 so thats all £250 now spent.
So I think sadly will have to withdraw from challange this month and start again in jan as still need bird and other stuff so prob another £50 making spend £300.
My fault was being unrealistic.
Good luck everyone with challange will keep reading see how you get on.

scotsaver

Just logging on to update latest spends in Asda & Lidl, only need to do one more BIG shop before Xmas which will include the Turkey but as my month runs from 27th to 27th I should still come in under Budget, fingers crossed. I have been busy making bits for Xmas Eve as having all the family over here and decided to do a Hot/Cold Buffet - so far I have made sausage rolls(bulked out with some sage & onion stuffing), a cheese flan, a cheese and bacon flan and a yule log.:D Trying to get organised so that I'm not spending too long in the kitchen and missing all the Festive fun.

Dinner tonight is a HM Bacon and egg pie, salad and jacket potatoes, should be quite filling so no pudding tonight - if anyone still hungry they can always help themselves to a Mince Pie.;)

Hope you are all well and doing OK with the GC.:D