December 2008 Grocery Challenge

Frugaldom

Hello everyone, I hope you are all well and Happy Birthday tomorrow, MrsM

I'm just checking in with my final score of 2008. I have bought all the groceries that I intend buying and my full year's total comes in at £1209.48 for the 3 of us. That includes some bulk buys, so my cupboards, fridge, freezer and larder are all full and ready for 2009. I also include all toiletries, cleaning & laundry products, so I have a small stockpile of them, too
My budget works out at an average of £100.79 per month, so it's a little bit over what I was hoping. Recession and inflation aside, I have set my 2009 target at £1200 for the year. Sorry I can't be more 'monthly-orientated' than that, but I don't live near any supermarkets, so can only splash out on the occasions I get into town. The following is a breakdown from my spending diary of how my year went:


GROCERIES
Jan 2008 - £86.09
Feb 2008 - £103.68
Mar 2008 - £99.52
Apr 2008 - £97.05
May 2008 - £264.78
Jun 2008 - £75.65
Jul 2008 - £47.93
Aug 2008 - £67.05
Sep 2008 - £87.22
Oct 2008 - £67.95
Nov 2008 - £156.03
Dec 2008 - £56.53
TOTAL FOR GROCERIES - £1209.48

Good luck to everyone for next year. I had intended trying to cut down to £1 per person per day, which should have made it £1098 but I hadn't accounted for the numerous occasions when friends or family were here on holiday etc, so I'll stick with the £1200 for next year and hope that the stockpiling method combined with more home produce can keep it within budget. Great challenge, great fun and I have learned loads from it, so thank you for letting me join you whenever I get the chance. :T

Pitlanepiglet

Well I've blown the budget in some style, probably by £300 or so! But in my defence we've decamped to Dad's so there are now three of us, I've filled his cupboards and freezers and we still have food in the freezer at home. I also think we'll do most of January on what we've got in both houses (OH is now caring for Dad as he's had surgery).

I need to look at the figures as we'll now be feeding three of us in two separate houses for the next couple of months.

Oh well, I have saved money over the last six months or so that I've been following the GC so I think it's all a lot better than it would have been in normal circumstances.

Happy Birthday Mrs M and Happy Christmas everyone!

Baileys_Babe

Just popped in to say I haven't been keeping a track this month, but plan to sit down as soon as I can & tot up all the receipts. We set a huge budget this month so we must still be with in it.

We have planned meals for the rest of the year

So we will only need the fruit & veg that is being delivered tomorrow, today I bought milk etc for the freezer and that will have to see us through (have enough powdered milk for about 60 pints LOL)

I will then have the remainder of the month to work out what we have spent

lingojingo

Happy birthday for tomorrow Mrs. M _party_

Might have done my last grocery shopping for the year - hesitate to declare yet, going to Mum's for Christmas, should have enough in the freezer for the last few days of December (including some milk) but you never know! Probable total for the year £1729.66, about £900 less than last year! :j So thinking of trying for £1500 in 2009
Nyk, I am in awe of your budget.:p

:xmassmile Merry Christmas everyone :xmassmile

and thank you all for the tips and support on this thread all year - I've trimmed my grocery budget quite a bit yet we are eating better and have tried lots of delicious recipes from the thread.

LOUBOB

Julimk wrote: »

Hi Loubob

My budget is for me & DD who is 9 & as you can see from my siggy I have now got it below £120 but it took a couple of months and I couldn’t have done it without all of the help & support of everyone on here.:A So £150 seems a good place to start – and less than I managed in my first month, which was guesswork too.

A lot will depend on your circumstances & what shops etc you have available & when you can get to them. As cw18 said whoopsies (reduced to clear items) especially on meat....


Hi Many thanks for your reply, really helped out, I also work full time and shifts so really trying to get into planning.....I live 5mins from our town centre, Mr Ts, Mr S'burys, havent ever looked @ the whoopsies, and take away (there are loads in the town) is too often the easy option....however over the last month after following advice on here, I have cut down on Take aways(only one this month!!!) always arm myself with a list, and try to avoid the big supermarkets to prevent nipping in and spending a small fortune!!!!, been trying batch cooking but currently clearing out the freezer of all the Cr*p in there!!!......I think I will stick with £150 and go from there, and hopefully have more guidance next month.

thanks again

dink1

Hi guys.

Happy b day Mrs M!!!!!! am declaring £332 for december!!!!! oh well better look next month Dink1

mrssnowy_2

Happy birthday,MRSM.
Have a good Christmas everyone,may it be what you want.

I will update sig. with next payday(last Monday in the month),have gone over and need to get streaky bacon for the little piggie thingys.
mrss

JayJay14

:j Happy Birthday MrsM:j

:bdaycake:

Thanks for all your hard work, heaven only knows where we would all be without you, myself I have managed to bring some semblence of order to my finances and I have a garden ready for filling with veges for next year.

I hope you are feeling OK after your time in Hosp and that Xmas is peaceful.

My grocery budjet for this month has gone adrift - I will try and sort it out tonight so I can post the damage. But on a better note I have finished my shopping for Xmas and may even last to the new year so it might not be as bad as I think.

Have to go, just seen the time and I have to go to work!!!!!!

ifonlyitwaseasier

morning all,

we've spent about another £15 but i'm waiting on hubbies receipt for finalising so i'll adjust my sig later. think we're getting the hang of this finally.

in case i forget..

:xmastree: :xmastree: MERRY CHRISTMAS :xmastree: :xmastree:
:santa2: :snow_laug :xmassmile :rudolf: :xmassign: :snow_grin :santa2: :snow_laug :xmassmile :rudolf: :xmassign: :snow_grin

ioiwe x

Galaxy863

Just a quick update, did a big shop on Friday which has brought my total to £230.92 and I've definitely got enough food to last me until January so I'm declaring at £230.92 for December.

I don't think I'll be on again before Christmas so I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas :beer: