January 2009 Grocery Challenge

CRANKY40

I seem to have survived Christmas without any emergencies and without having to take a 4 year old to Asda, which was the grand plan. I'm looking forward to my usual leisurely stroll round Asda looking for bargains on Wednesday before I pick ds up from nursery.

It'll be good to be able to plan my shopping weekly again.

mardatha

ok, as part of my new year/new way, I really need to get the shopping bill down. Only 2 of us and I struggle to get us under £50 a week.
Main problem is I can't often get to the shops, I need to order online, at present from Asda. I can sometimes go to Iceland and I like them, but can't get a whole weeks food there, so I end up getting Asda delivery as well, and spending even more. :eek:
Can anybody help me get a plan and cut the spending ?

fatcattaff

I don't know if I'm doing this right, so apologies if not. I'm new to this thread. Hubbies bonus has been pulled for this year, so we're down a few hundred a month, so thought I'd join this thread in particular. Last year we spent £450 avg per month on groceries. Even I'm shocked at that, til I figured it also includes most of my wardrobe for last year and a good chunk of Christmas/Birthday presents too. Still...this year I want to get down to £80 a week, so I'm just off to Aldi's and Sainsbury's with my £40 in hand for the first half of the weeks shopping.

Thanks for all the links to food wastage sites and the recipe board...2009 Grocery Challenge, here we come!

Liberty9515

Hi all
Normally shop in Mr A's, but went to Mr T's looking for bargains only. Spent£32.38 did very well only bought reduced and special offer stuff. Did treat myself to some oil of olay serum which was less than half price at just over £9 and some other olay stuff that was reduced. Will be doing a 'proper' shopping list and going to Mr A tomorrow as down to our last loo roll!:eek:

mummysaver

What do you like to eat?

What sort of time to do you want to give up to cooking?

What have you got in your freezer and cupboards already?

Charis

mardatha wrote: »

ok, as part of my new year/new way, I really need to get the shopping bill down. Only 2 of us and I struggle to get us under £50 a week.
Main problem is I can't often get to the shops, I need to order online, at present from Asda.

You might be in luck. Apparently Asda are planning to cut the price of 1,000 items, including staples. Some things will be reduced to £1 to compete with the Poundland stores.

Kicking off a new year price war, supermarket chain Asda has dropped its prices on 1,000 products, including a range of staple goods for just £1. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/jan/02/asda-high-street-price-cuts-christmas

There doesn't seem to be any indication what the price cuts will be but rumour has it that they will be published next week. Other than that, there's the good old recipe thread here on OS. Or a handful of porridge in everything to pad it out.

My problem with cooking from scratch and home baking is that it tastes much nicer when it's fresh out of the oven, so tends to get eaten in larger quantities.

sandiep

Ignore those "favourites" and "shopping lists" that they compile for you, you add things to these when they're on special offer, and then you just end up re-ordering each week because it's already on the list for you, despite the fact that the price has gone up a lot.

Switch to own brand cereals etc. Much cheaper.

Don't get distracted by the bogofs etc, they're only a bargain if you need them. If you only need 1 of something, it's not saving you money to buy 2 of them to save 8p on the combined price.

Write a shopping list for online shopping, clear out and tidy up your food cupboards so you don't buy any more beans when you've already got 3 cans. Make sure you buy only what you need, if you're tempted by something on special and it's not on your list then make sure you take the substitute off your list.

And finally, learn the prices, notice what the price of the individual items are, and then you know whether it's cheaper in one shop or another.

Good luck.

sandiep

Oh, and my failsafe tip for cooking from scratch for busy people. Slow cookers. Bung everything in before you leave for the day, and come home to a wonderful cooked meal and a warm and cosy smelling house.

Brilliant way for using up all those odd veggies in the fridge, cheap cuts of meat, and bung in a handfull of red lentils to help thicken it all up. Cheap, cheerful, hot and healthy.

angelatgraceland

Just popped into Waitrose for milk. £2.25 for 6 pints so bought 2 of those. Nestle pic a pac still have vouchers so got one of those for £1.21-cheapest Ive found! Also got 4 loaves of Hovis down to 49p per loaf. Used £3 worth of Nestle vouchers so spent less tha a fiver.

ravylesley

Well its the fourth of Jan and still not spent any of my budget woo hooo.But then again I have spent loads on clothes for the kids in the sales.Thank goodness that it doesnt count:D

Lesleyxx