January 2009 Grocery Challenge

OrkneyStar

Well we are now on wk 5 of our 2009 challenge (I am taking money out each week although some weeks may take more if good offers on!). Finalising my spending chart on excel resulted in me having a 53 week 2009 (as I started with a bit of 2008 and will have a bit of 2010 too just to avoid ending at Christmas!). Popped out and spent £8 ish in local butcher on 1 courgette, 1 massive sweet potato, lettuce, some Cyprus tatties, Onken Peach and grains, 6 beef sausages and 5 cumberland sausages. Not the cheapest but good quality and they are very nice in that shop- I like to support them as part of our community. Popped by Coop and they seem to be setting new offers up so will report back on those once I have seen what they are (there seemed to be Muller corners and Petits Filous among other things in the special offer cabinets!). Tea is haddock mornay, lunch is HM soup, and I have done a mini meal plan to do today, tomorrow and Wed so far.
Hope all are well, I shall move over to Feb challenge once it is up and running.

sazzledazzle

I did a large shop this weekend and spent £47 so still under budget for this month. Also got enough food now to keep me going for most of Feb, so for Feb going to reduce my target a bit from this month.
Extremely proud of myself as cooked my first beef stew last night and it was fantastic. Had it for lunch today and enough for a meal tonight.
Just like to say thanks as with out joing all these threads would never have got into cooking so much and found something I really enjoy.

sazzledazzle

Can I put down for £90 for Feb please, its a small decrease on Jan but if I hit it I have saved a tenner.

highland_fling_2

hi everyone
I am declaring at £105 approx. Did well but that is mainly due to the fact I was eating out of cupboards and freezer a fair part of the month. However I am still proud of what I have achieved. The money left over I will use to stockpile some non perishable items such as toilet paper and kitchen rolls. Anyone aware of any really good offers?
I would like to aim for £150 again for my February GC target. I am determined not to aim too low and then become disheartened when I don't manage. I also like to buy good quality happy meat, poultry and fish and organic veg when possible. So this tends to push my shopping bills up.

elizabunny

:hello: Hello everyone. Been away for a couple of days and it has taken me ages to catch up on all the posts. Everyone's seems to have done so well for January. Can't believe how penny pinching I'm becoming. I had to buy Tea Bags, Milk and Eggs this weekend and spent £2.76, so that leaves me with 12p until 31st January. Still not going to declare yet as 5 more days to go but I am so hoping I'm not going to spend another 1p which means I'll come in just under budget:j :j So I'm keeping my fingers crossed and my purse shut (hopefully) until Saturday. Liver and Onions tonight for dinner. Still feeling a bit under the weather after the bug that's been going around, so I'm finding it a bit hard to get enthusiastic about cooking anything at the moment, but I did make some Twinks Hobnobs -thank you again Twinks they are so delicious.

Will update signature now. Have a good day everyone!

Phoolgrrrl

I would like to declare £96 for Jan. Please put me down for £100 for feb again. Should be able to do it but I think March will be an expensive one since we are goin to butchers for meat not Tesco and freezer will be empty by end of feb. Will cost more but better for us and the animals!We are gonna have 1 veg meal a week to compensate. Can't believe OH is goin for it since he used to pretend not to be with me at reduced bit and resented GC at first. Now he's as involved in it as me....nearly!

mumzyof2

Afternoon all

I have just discovered how cheap it is for me to shop at Aldi,Netto and FFoods every week!

Firstly went to FFoods and got loads of freezer stuff and they had kids milk time icelollys (8 in pack) for 39p! so got 3 lots. Also cadburys orange cones reduced to 50p so got 2 of those. Also got the 39p frozen veg!
Spent £13.34

Then went Netto and got a chicago town lasagne for £1.99 and a party pack which had party cups,plates,napkins,knife,forks and spoons for 75p reduced!

Spent £6.64

Then went aldi and got all the super saver veg. stuff for dinners,handcream, sausages are 88p also.

Spent £11.07

Total today : £31.05

Im really pleased with what i got for my money my freezer is now full!

can anyone help me with the following:

I have 8 x bbq chicken breasts in fridge and dont know what to do with them any advice?
what do i do with a mango? lol
How do i freeze semi skimmed milk?

O forgot to say I had 8 big bags of food shopping on my pram. In the bags were all the frozen stuff plus 8 pints of milk..big bottle of juice. I had to get the bus up the hill and the bus driver had to help me on bus because i couldnt get the back of the pram on lol.My back hurt and pram was tipping up even with a 3 yr old in it lol. But i wouldnt get a taxi just to take me up a hill lol

OrkneyStar

mumzyof2 wrote: »

can anyone help me with the following:
I have 8 x bbq chicken breasts in fridge and dont know what to do with them any advice?
what do i do with a mango? lol
How do i freeze semi skimmed milk?

I'd cook the chicken in the oven, wrapped in foil, enough for however many you feed! Slice and serve with wedges or chips or savoury rice and salad. Freeze the rest.
Mango is nice in a smoothie (eg with banana and yog) or pureed poured over yog (a la fruit corner) or you could make mango chicken, mango salsa etc, google for recipe.
I don't do frozen milk so cannot answer that but someone will be along soon!
hth

Rachel021967

Hello. I spent £8.34 at Tesco Express on dishwasher tablets, yoghurts, bread and cola. That is a total overspend of £135.41. There is just the milkman to pay and my husband is buying some fruit tomorrow. So shouldn't need to buy anything else for the rest of the month. I know it's a dreadful overspend but in a normal month I would spend twice this amount. So I have been trying but I need to go that extra mile. Please can you put me down for £350 for February. That's for 2 adults, 1 15 year old, 1 12 year old, 1 four year old and 2 cats. Total this month is to include toiletries and household sundries.

nickynoo08

Afternoon everyone,
I'm declaring this month a total DISSASTER. Havent worked out total figure and i have lost one recipt but i reckon i've over spent by about £35.
Can you please put me down for £120 for Feb please.