February 2006 Grocery Challenge

rchddap1

So far things are going very well in February. I still have £16 left for this month and am due to go shopping again this weekend. However, most of our cupboards are still bulging from the tesco delivery I had the other week. I will need a few essentials (fruit, milk, bread, ham, yoghurt), but nothing really dramatic. With any luck I'll still end up within budget.

lolabug_2

novice_money_saver wrote:

good for you - :T

sometimes wish I didn't have such a taste for it ... :beer:

would certainly save some cash!

Oh I do have a taste for it but it gives me migraines

Mrs_A.

i had originally budgeted £250 for the month for 5 of us includes cleaning and pet food not any alcohol though thats a seperate budget. im doing really well although i havent done a big stock up shop or a freezer shop been following the it feb so its use up month. I AM REALLY WONDERING ABOUT WHAT ON EARTH I USED TO SPEND ALL THAT MONEY ON THOUGH WHEN I JUST POPPED IN AND SEEMED TO SPEND £100 PLUS PER WEEK ANY ONE ELSE WONDERING ABOUT THAT???

brummiebabe

Well, had my final shop of the Feb challenge delivered tonight. Came to £58.56!!

With extra spent in week (for milk), my Feb challenge total is £225.65!!!

This is a massive £44.35 under budget!! I know Feb is a short month, but this months' challenge (for me) began towards the latter part of January, and I have done 4 weeks' grocery shopping!

As MrsA said - I don't know what I used to spend my money on (previously £90-100 p/week!!!)

Next month is a 5 week month - but am going to stick to target of £270.00!!!!!

moggins

I still have one shop to go on Friday as I miscalculated and payday is not until next Tuesday But so far this month I have spent the grand total of £95!! Considering my normal budget is £200 this is amazing. I should only need to spend another £20 on Friday so that's still £95 less than what I normally spend in a month.

Penny-Pincher!!

Febs challenge finished last friday for me and I came in at just under £200 for all food and petrol. Have moved the excess £100 to the ING account. Have a ton of food in the freezers and cupboards too.

PP
xx

jackiegibbo

hello
i have just joined the forum and am terrible with money, i would like to join one of your challenges which would start on the 1st of march. I am budgeting for £400 for all petrol and groceries, we have one child aged 6, one husband (2 packed lunches),one large dog, one cat. I have already done a menu planner but am not sure whether to shop weekly or try asdas internet shopping for the bulk of my items and lidls or aldis for the rest. I have been browsing through your messages for the last couple of hours and have found them very interesting any advice would be hugely appreciated

moggins

I do one internet shop at the beginning of the month, ordering in any heavy or bulky items and enough perishables for the first week. Then I split the remainder of the money into three and do a small weekly shop for anything we run out off or I need to buy on a weekly basis.

Mrs_Poyser

jackiegibbo wrote:

hello
i have just joined the forum and am terrible with money, i would like to join one of your challenges which would start on the 1st of march. I am budgeting for £400 for all petrol and groceries, we have one child aged 6, one husband (2 packed lunches),one large dog, one cat. I have already done a menu planner but am not sure whether to shop weekly or try asdas internet shopping for the bulk of my items and lidls or aldis for the rest. I have been browsing through your messages for the last couple of hours and have found them very interesting any advice would be hugely appreciated

The one thing that has saved me the most money is keeping a price book - it's too difficult to remember them all. When you keep a track of different shop's prices you see how no single place is cheapest for everything - and where you are being ripped off.
I bulk buy BOGOF non-perishables like tinned toms, tuna, loo roll - several months supply when on offer. I shop weekly for milk, etc, and use this as the chance to check out special offers - try different days to see which is best. For instance, in my local Tesco Wednesday am is when they reduce the bread and I stock up the freezer. Thursday is a good day in Aldi.
Also buy fruit and veg in season - air freighted is expensive. Farm shops are good for veg.
I have a family of 5 (2adults & 3 children) and a year ago our bill was creeping up to £400 or so pm - over the year I have reduced my monthly budget to £350, then £300. This year's challenge is £250 so I can pay for a holiday.
I still buy some treats -eg coffee beans, Green & Black choc. but avoid ready meals and make my own cakes and puddings.
Sorry to go on - this has been my mission for the past year!
Good luck!

mossy

woo hoo yipee yipee la la la I did it :j

This may seem like a little thing but I actually went to Tescos today to pick up a couple of things I needed for tea as my sister was coming round and also picked up a couple of things that I needed before next weeks shop...anyway I went in with a very short list and I brought what was on the list apart from one thing that was in the reduced till and has saved me £1 off next weeks shop. :dance: :T

I can't believe I did it, sometimes before the grocery challenge I would easily go to tescos four times a week to pick up something I'd forgotten and end up buying loads more and going over my shopping budget by the second/third week. BUT TODAY I DIDN'T!!!!!!! _party_ :j I really feel like I stand a chance of not only staying within my budget but actually hitting my target. WOO HOO!!!