January 2009 Grocery Challenge

SAV3R

TheBees wrote: »

I was more interested in the family who tried to do their shopping at the market and local shops as they also saved an awful lot of money.

Yes, this bit amazed me, we tried this a few months back but didn't save much at all, the fruit and veg didn't seem as good for us and wasn't much cheaper, our local butchers is a bit expensive although I do feel the meat is much nicer. I tend to shop once for the whole week (we have to make a special journey to town and work during the week) and struggle to carry a whole weeks fruit/veg/salad as you can't park as conveniently as the supermarket. I would prefer to support the smaller shops and suppose I ought to try and make the effort again. Just before Xmas one of the local greengrocers closed, it had been open for less than a year, they obviously don't get much support.

PennyGrabber

I actually have a list on the inside of my pantry door, with the main meals I cook regularly (always being added to, esp after being on here!), and how much they cost me. Then, if I'm having a skint week, I plan around the cheaper meals ...
It's really helped me to shave money off meals that would normally cost me a lot, substituting ingredients, changing brands, etc.
It's not OCD, it's OS!!

415SanFran

Hi,
Any chance I can join you guys?
I have no idea what I spend on food, but it seems to be creeping up every week!
I have 15 year old twins that never seem to be out of the fridge! The other day I went to work and left two pasties out for tea, before I got home one of them had eaten BOTH of them as a SNACK AAAAH
I do not receive CB (long story,,,,,hoping to find an onbudsman) So money is really tight.
Would like to make a start at about 300 pounds per month.
Thanks

elaina79

Hi peeps

I had put myself down for £400 for this month but I do my shopping online and get it delivered every friday. There ave been 5 fridays in this month so should I have putmyself down for £500 then.
This is the first time Ihave done this and every month I will try to reduce it by a little bit.

Flylady_Flower

[STRIKE]Evening[/STRIKE] Ohhh, Morning everyone...:o

Not been on for a while, so thought I should update my signature seeing as my month ends next week - so far this month we've spent £203.54, which leaves me £36.46 till next Thursday - and I haven't been shopping this week yet!!! We would have had some more, but I spent £13.50 on a takeaway last night coz hubby came home and we were both shattered - if he hadn't been there I would have settled for beans on toast, but hey ho, these things happen... it may be tight, but we might just make it...

You all seem to be doing really well, lets hope we can all make it to February eh!

Flat_Eric

miss_keep_counting wrote: »

Ooo steak and kidney stew sounds lovely! Please can you link me to the recipe (SC??) and I'll try it next time I find them whoopsied they did look a lot cheaper then most meat and there always seems to be a pack or two a week really reduced. I may see how much they are at the butchers too as that TV prog everyones talking about made me really fancy trying my localish butcher for once!

Another NSD for me, surreal concidering how much I used to spend.

Even planned tomorrow morning so I can bulk cook soup the bean recipe given to me a few days ago on here (I forget the user name!!) and leave it to cool whilst I go to the gym so I can pack and freeze it when I return, going to try and do a load of washing the same time so I can hang it after I put away the soup :cool: so proud of myself over silly things sometimes

Morning :wave:

can someone tell me what the sealed pot challenge is???

many thanks

orchid-96

Just popped on to update sig as a bit of a naughty spend in MrT's last night, had to go and look for a pressie for ds and needed a few more bits for our chinese night in as now mil and fil are coming too, so got 2 bottles of wine (one of which is now in the recycling as couldn't resist last night whilst watching 24) and 1 for tonight, plus cider for dh some chineses stuff (I did get the best value I could on some paste/cocunut milk for dh to do thai green curry) and got some cereal on offer and a 6 pinter of ff organic milk whoopsied...anyways another 16.48 spent, but still looking ok if I can keep out of the shops for a few days now!!

Have a nice weekend all x

kunekune

Hi, I haven't checked in for a while, but spent £60 at Sainsburys. Some of that was stocking up on things we can't get from Waitrose, where I do my big shop (that's because they have fantastic wholemeal bread). It will take me over budget for the month, but I'm going to reduce next month's target to make up for that - we still have heaps of meat and fish in the freezer, and I've still got heaps of rice, pasta and pulses, so it'll be fun making a meal plan.

What will I do differently? I found a monthly shop doesn't work for us, because there isn't anywhere locally to buy the top ups. So I'm going back to weekly, but I'll plan several of them at the same time, so I can still have a food plan for the month.

katholicos

Ooh i will be so pleased to start my Feb GC...i am so running out of pennies. LOL!

fallen_angel_shelley

Flat_Eric wrote: »

Morning :wave:

can someone tell me what the sealed pot challenge is???

many thanks

Flat Eric- Here is a link to the sealed pot chellenge, http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1327603 the 1st page will explain what it is all about, they are a friendly bunch on there, just like on here:D


Shelley x