February 2009 Grocery Challenge

Raspberry_Swirl

I'm on weight watchers too and find that buying boxes of cereal bars that are on offer, and value low fat yogurts is a cheaper way of snacking than on fruit, which as you know isn't WW point-free anyway so is no worse for your diet.

Shops own-brand cereal, if you're not buying it already is much cheaper than branded stuff and tastes the same, mostly.

For dinners such as Spag Bol and Shepherds pie, use less mince and bulk it out with diced carrot, courgette, mushroom.... Helps out your WW and makes the dinners go further. I find by doing that with a 250g pack of mince I can feed us (2 adults) twice rather than just the 1 dinner. This works with lasagne too. This also really helps out your WW points as mince is loaded with points but if you're stretching it out into more dinners your points allocation goes further.

jintyb

Have just updated signature - thats it for Feb! I'm £5.50 over but Im quite pleased with that as ts my first month of trying! I think £150 for the month was a bit optimistic, I think £160 is more like it for 2 adults, one dog and one cat. Ive found this a great exercise tho, it really makes you focus on what you actually need to buy, and I have wasted a lot less and I didnt think I was that bad before! Have done lots of cooking and baking( which I love anyway)!Thanks to all you guys for your posts they really keep the spirits up!
March starts on Friday for me. Hey ho!!!!

Beki

tessie_bear wrote: »

i picked up a lb of shin of beef for 51p it was reduced on the raw meat counter...i thought it would be nice in the sc

i don't think i've ever tried shin of beef before! but i do a lot of stews/casseroles (what is the difference between a stew and a casserole btw? never quite figured it out! lol), so if it's quite a bit cheaper than stewing steak i think i'll get some at the weekend! :beer:

jintyb

Shin beef brill in slow cooker, had it yesterday with loads of chunky veg! Lovely!

tessie_bear

i think a casserole is cooked in the oven and a stew on the hob....very similar in my house iykwim...i normally go for stewing steak and have never tried shin...ill post on how i go on with it

Mellika

Have you tried shopping somewhere else? Sainsbury's can be quite expensive... You can try mysupermarket.com to compare prices...

Mrs_Money_Penny

Hi Everyone. Unfortunately have gone over budget already. What with Half term and extra visitors not accounted for. So far £16.98 over budget but shouldn't need alot more. Good luck everyone hope your doing better than me!

OrkneyStar

Just been out to get this weeks shopping money, [strike]was planning a trip to Tesco tomorrow but think will postpone at least for a few days as we don't need much that we cannot get for a similar price locally. More diesel saving too[/strike] (see ETA!!!). . While out I got 2L local milk, cold meat (turkey and ham), reduced loaf from Coop. Spent the remaining £4 from last week and £1.50 from this weeks money so not too bad!
I am finding less and less reason to want to go to Tesco these days and am liking the Coop.
I do have a Boots voucher to spend so when I go to town to do that I will maybe nip to Tesco then if I feel like it.
Got to say having a dodgy back certainly stops me from doing too many 'big' shops these days. I don't really spend enough in Tesco to make it worth while getting a delivery, unless maybe monthly.
HM Shepherds Pie for dinner with cababge, followed by HM banana loaf and custard.
Hope all are well.
ETA. Ended up going to Tesco afterall on Tuesday, as needed to get the Boots stuff sooner than I thought (well mainly baby shampoo!). Spent £25 approx, but got quite a few things. Got some chicken drumsticks/thighs for a change and will be looking for some nice ways to cook those, perhaps in SC.
Under budget this week so far, in terms of having some cash left over and some money in the bank too . Still waiting for clubcard vouchers too :rolleyes:.

angelatgraceland

Well its NSD for me. Just been out to jobcentre with DS and also collected a nice pine double headboard from a Freecycle member for a friend. Also grabbed dds high boots and got them reheeled for £4.50. Normally she ruins them beyond repair and these were borderline destruction as the heel tips were off and the metal spikes difficult to remove. Well-one came out-other got hammered in. She has to learn to get boots repaired not replaced-she cannot afford it!
Shoe repairer local to me charges twice this amount though-same with keys-you need to look around. So all in all- a moneysaving day.
I still need to take up my trousers for work though!

mummyyof5

Thanks for that angelatgraceland you just reminded me I need to take my daughters shoes to be heeled on Wed,I had totally forgotten about that so thanks.:A

Was supposed to be going out today but mum wasnt up to it,stayed in and cleaned instead so another NSD.

Going to try the Faggoty Pea Stew for tea.

Have also made 5 dozen twinks,the kids are eating so much this week.:mad: