January 2009 Grocery Challenge

CRANKY40

gillst wrote: »

I have not got much left this month. First month and I HAVE FAILED!!!! :embarasse Feel really bad about this. Must try harder next month. I WILL NOT GIVE UP

I don't like the word failed. We are all trying to feed our families and ourselves on healthy cheap home made food. Some months we may not do as well as other people have, or even as well as we did on previous or future months, but none of us are failures.

Is there anyone here who passed their driving test after one lesson? It took me a lot of lessons and two goes at the driving test. I wasn't a failure, I was just a learner.

Sorry if I sound like a big dope, it's hard to put into words. Lets just keep reading and learning.....

Take care x

Steel_2

gillst wrote: »

Updating my spend - I think I have totally underestimated what we spend. I have got quite a stock in, but had to get veggies, etc from Mr S and ended up spending £44 :eek: (knew I should not have taken DH with me). With bread of £1.20 this morning and the sack of potatoes I bought yesterday (£8), I have not got much left this month. First month and I HAVE FAILED!!!! :embarasse Feel really bad about this. Must try harder next month. I WILL NOT GIVE UP

Noooooo. That's stinkin' thinkin' as Flylady would say (was it her?). Sit down and make a list of every single meal you could cook using everything you have in the house. Then make a list of everything you may need to buy before the end of the month. Then find ways to get it free or cheap or eek out what you have so you don't need to buy it.

Updating signature: went to Tesco to get hubby's eyes tested and bought a couple of foodie items (sure enough he needed reading glasses and we got them there, but only spent £30 for frames and lenses and he looked very sexy in them:kisses2: ).

Two big packets of rich tea biscuits 50p
Dried milk 1.09

I'm going to mix up half a pint of milk with the dried and add it to half a pint of fresh and see if I can make it last a bit longer. I already add a pint of water to 5 pints of milk anyway to eek it out. The dried I bought should make up another 5 pints.

As everyone else keeps their pet food in their groceries, I'll do the same. Personally, I think hubby was angling for a higher sweetie ration anyway by suggesting taking it out.

Tracey.32

Happy Saturday!

Updated signature. Went to Mr Ts last night and spent £21.53. Needed scourers, washing up liquid and stuff for lunches, but went online the night before to check out the offers. Got:

Cathedral City 400g/£2.00
Lemon fish fingers 10/99p
Pitta breads 2 packs/94p
Honey Nut Shredded Wheat 92p
McCoys 6 pack/£1

Going to have to get cat food in the week (I include that and litter in my grocery challenge) - but am going to have another go with an own brand. Haven't tried Aldi yet - does anyone know if they have pouches, or is it just tinned?

Hope everyone has a good weekend - the cold should keep some of us out of the shops at least! :hello:

Changingme

Think I'm going to try adding some water to my milk we seem to use loads,do you buy semi or full fat as want to know whether this makes a difference.

gailey_2

well considering we went shopping just yesterday we now

out of rice crispies daughters fave
half loaf of bread left
half the 4pink milk gone
nearly out of coffee
1lit squash got yesterday half gone!
nearly out of cheese

its just neverending!
hopefully thinsg will sell on ebay tonight so i can trasfer funds to paypal top up card to buy more foods.

so question if I had another £10

what shoudl i buy apart from
cheeese
rice krispies
milk
bread
squash?
coffee

I was thinking eggs

I think we can mage to thur as it will be tight.

today thourght about

veg curry for me and oh
culi/broccoli cheese for daughter

sun
we all have bangers and mash with frozen veg yorkies and gravy

tea-soup or chese on toast

mon

lunch
supernoodles for me
corned beef hash
spagetti hoops on toast for daughter

dinner
hubby
frey bentos pie and chips
me-pasta

tue

daughter in nursury so fed lunch and dinner there so just cereal for breckfast and toast for supper.
oh-in work -tuna sadwichesa nd possibly cheapy crips/homemade biscuits.
me supernoodles for luch

dinners me and oh-pasta

wed- ahh veggie burgets with chips
or sausages with chips
or egg and chips

for dinner

oh take sandwiches to work
will have light snack lunch time for me and daughter of soup and homemade bread.

Am I mad

anything i can add would help

freezer nearly empty
fridge nearly empty

only got poatoes and onions/garlic
got tiny amount of frozen veg in freezer but freezer run right down

cupboard-still got chopepd tomatoes
herbs and spices
rice
pasta
naan
spag hoops in tins
tins of soup
lentils

could try veg korma for daughter

I thourght after dec overspend we would have plenty left but sadly not.
need to shop wiser on payday.need to keep to 200budget.

dreamingofmoney

Great words Cranky40,
I have just been and done my big shop and spent £39.17, this included £2 on Mr A christmas saving card and for all those who have doggies who eat dry food, a 17kg bag of Wagg for £7 (bargain) so that will feed my 2 darling dogs for 2 months at least, bless em.
Also bought some frozen veg, haven't got a Farmfoods close by but have got a Heron? about 4 miles away, will they be similar for frozen veg?
Cheers
Dreamer

kunekune

Annoyed with OH. He took the children to the hairdressers and then they went to Sainsburys. We needed fruit juice and wine, and I suspected he'd buy them a small treat (son has to be bribed to get hair cut) but had mentioned earlier we had heaps of chocolate and should use that instead. What he came back with was:

4 cartons orange juice (not a cheap sort, but that's ok)
2 bags of apples (why? I got apples this morning)
3 bananas (ditto)
cakes for himself and the children (but not me)
a value pizza (their choice, presumably)
fizzy drinks for both children

Total: 15.90

Myself, on the other hand, had a lovely storecupboard/fridge lunch of spaghetti, broccoli and crumbs (fried in olive oil with added anchovy, walnuts and some chilli powder). Yummmeeeee.

Now I need to get some work done (final final revisions on an article that's been in the peer review process since the summer and has cost me more weekends than I dare to count)

savingholmes

Hi I managed to take back £8 thing that I thought was £2.50 so £8 can come off my spend total so that is good.

sistercas

I have been to a discount shop today. it buys up surplus supermarket stock and sells it at a reduced price

I have spent £78 which seems alot but I think I have all the main meals for almost a month a dozen tins of heinz soups 19p each
lots of muller corners 20p each
lots of nibbly stuff
fruit
fabric conditioner
cat food ( not enough for a month though)
huge jar of nescafe for £2.89!
and I even got a large waitrose xmas pud for this xmas £1.59
I am really pleased. just need to get some veg and bread

Sunny_Donny

been and froze in town for the shopping - bus fares gone up as well, but too cold to walk!!!!
Tesco, market, Lidl, Sainsbugs and Greggs - Total £40.50.
needed honey for OH's drinks and for his cereal, stuff for Indian tonight, meat and chicken from market for meals this week and next. Fruit and veg.

Off to sit in front of the fire...

byee