January 2009 Grocery Challenge

elizabunny

Hi Everyone and a very late Happy New Year! Well I'm into my first monthly grocery challenge budget - not too bad so far but can't see this lasting, as freezer is beginning to look a bit battered after Xmas and the New Year and I need to start cooking again. Unfortunately,I've just managed to get the cold 'bug' going around, so don't actually feel like cooking or eating that much anyway, but I might have a go tomorrow.

Managed to pick up some 'whoopsie' croissants from Mr C. 10p each instead of 60p+., so I've popped these in the freezer for a nice treat sometime later.

Sorry I have not had time to catch up on all the posts -there are so many of them, so thanks to all of those I have missed thanking -sorry does that make sense:o

TheBees

TheBees are back!
So far we've spent £95 from the budget. I was hoping to last until the weekend before shopping but although we have plenty of main meal ingredients there was nothing in the house for all four of us to have in our packed lunches every day of the school week.:eek: So I took myself off to Lidl today and spent £71 on a trolley load of stuff. Their 1.5 litre pure orange juice was on offer at 59p so I bought loads of them. Also bought W5 dishwasher tablets which are just as good as better known brands but half the price, bin liners, loo rolls, polish and other things we've had from there before. This month I'm trying their washing liquid in the compact bottles. In the past I had to be really careful with my DD's sensitive skin but she seems to have grown out of eczema now.:D

I'm going to take my Lidl receipt to Mr T next time to compare some prices as I'm not convinced everything is always cheaper.

Got 2.5 dozen free range eggs from the farm shop for £4 which should last a while.:j

Good luck everyone. And welcome to all the newbies. Even if you fail your monthly challenge you have to think how much you may have spent if you hadn't been trying to save at all.

TheBees

Tracy.32 - Just wanted to suggest that with making packed lunches we always make ours either while our meal is cooking or immediately after. If you leave the kitchen and sit down it's really hard to motivate yourself to go back to preparing sandwiches! I also buy reduced sausage rolls, pasties and pork pies if I see them on offer to break the monotony of boring sandwiches every now and then. I know they're not particularly healthy but some evenings if you're in a hurry it's also much quicker and cheaper to throw something like that into the lunchbox. You could also get some rolls, tortilla wraps and pittas and keep them in the freezer until needed. I also buy most of my drink cartons from Lidls as they're very good value. I've never found a drink bottle that doesn't leak!
We hate making the packed lunches every evening but can't afford to buy school dinners every day.
Hope this helps.

CurlyTop

Mr T order finally came today. Talk about it pays to check..... kippers were priced on tinternet as 62p(price they have been for yonks) and they were priced up at 78p. Chicken on offer for £2.99 - yet when it came, was priced up at £5.40 and fresh pork joint - I selected the £4.91 option but the piece they sent me was priced at £7.23. These were not highlighted on the delivery, I presume because they were things I ordered and had not been substituted, although the prices were different. These are not flagged on the delivery sheet and I only noticed when the driver had left. Rang Mr T and got the difference refunded, which came to £5,50. Friendly chappie says it would make life easier for them if these changes were highlighted to save customers ringing up. I wonder how many people though, just check their order off to see that the items are actually there, not necessarily the price they ordered the goods at? Makes you wonder, but can't complain as I got to keep the meat (the pork incidentally being big enough for me to cut in half for me and DH to have two meals from, lol). Happy days.

Sylvan

sexki11en wrote: »

£21.10 at Mr S -
Vodka (what? I'm cutting back not becoming a nun! )
Loo Rolls
Veg Oil (I think i've been re using the last one for 2 years :eek: )

ROFL. I'm dyslexic. I read that as "Loo Rolls (I think I've been re-using the last one for 2 years:eek:)"

:eek: indeed!

clareybabble

Hello everyone. I have always been a moneysaver but had NO idea I could do more until reading this website!! I am a very lucky wife/mum of 2 who has had a wonderful 5 months maternity leave on full pay but am now going to be on stat mat pay and have half the wage at the end of this month. I am completely panic stricken and can't sleep for worrying about it.

I want to reduce my grocery budget to about £200 a month which will include food, drink, nappies for 2 and toiletries. Our current budget is about £280 - £350 per month.

I have a fussy, will not try anything new unless it is bad for him, 3 year old who only really eats chilli, spag bol, curry, tomato pasta chicken (I made it up!), raw veg(!) and fruit. He will also eat anything 'junky' like chips, nuggets (we make our own), sweet stuff, etc. My 5 month old girly is still on the good stuff (homemade mummy milk!).

I guess I just need a bit of help and some tips to start saving. Supermarkets I have available to me are Tesco and Somerfield although I prefer Tesco to save up my clubcard points! I also have a small freezer so can't freeze lots of stuff...thanks in advance of any help!

mrssnowy_2

Feel rotten,nose running like a leaky tap,and ears crackling like crisp packets.
So far spent £10.34,lots of bits to eat up out of fridge and using freezer parcels.(not to mention sack of spuds and net of onions!)
SC on overdrive,good comforting food-just right as it is SOO cold.
Dumpling weather,

mrss

mouseymousey99

My best efforts being sabotaged here - Mr M on the hunt for beer beer....so have emergency Mr T order tomorrow. :mad:

Curly T - I had a few bad shops before Christmas, one time they told me no lemons available (huh) and no fish fingers, really didn't beleive that - so wrote and complained; and received a £13 refund. I seem to be forever writting to complain about this & that thesedays (must be my age)!!!

glitterball

Went to Mr A and spent £12.79 but what I actually needed cost £3.08, and even at that they could have waited til next week.

I need to stop shopping at the supermarket there are just too many other things that that throw themselves off the shelves and into my basket

If I stick to the local greengrocers at least the kamikaze items will be healthy foodstuff and not nail varnish and crisps.

orchid-96

glitterball wrote: »

Went to Mr A and spent £12.79 but what I actually needed cost £3.08, and even at that they could have waited til next week.

I need to stop shopping at the supermarket there are just too many other things that that throw themselves off the shelves and into my basket

If I stick to the local greengrocers at least the kamikaze items will be healthy foodstuff and not nail varnish and crisps.

Lol I know what you mean about kamakazi items :rotfl:

Did well today, went to aldi purely for the 49p potatoes as thats all I needed and actually only came out with them, although I then went into Farm Foods looking for mini indian bits (for dh to do a buffet at his work tomorrow) they didn't have them but I came out with a pack of frozen leeks!! they were only 39p though and then went to morrisons for the indian bits and ended up with some activia yogs (which I love and only buy when on offer like now the 8 pack for 1.44 and some of their chips which I think are great as they are 2 packs for 1.19 anyways havn't done too bad today will update sig..

to do tomorrow though must be a mealplan...