February 2009 Grocery Challenge

reb

PennyGrabber wrote: »

I just realised how bad it looks, saying that my oven is minging! It's because I'm doing more baking etc, and I can't get the hang of not overfilling pies etc - they leak so badly!
Looking forward to tesco delivery tomorrow, but need to be so much more strict with my NSDs next month. I'm going to aim that Mondays to Fridays will be NSDs, as I'm at work all day, and have food in for the evenings. There is a Co-op next door to my school, so will go in there IF I need milk, but thinking about it, I do have a stash of long life, so I shouldn't need to.
This therefore means that I'm aiming to have 20 NSDs out of 28 this coming month. OMG will I manage?!?!

LOL! Are not ovens mostly minging if you are a buzy person? Nobody much has died from a minging oven.....the heat kills the bugs off. LOL!

NSD's... you will be fine...you just have to learn to love 'em!

cw18

I'm not going to say how long it took me to clean my oven last week (another who doesn't use Stardrops for that). The main culprit for making a mess in mine is Pizza -- but it's not helped by the fact I have one of the 'vented' trays for my oven chips, and I'm convinced this means a small amount of 'grease drippage' onto the base of the oven.

The annoying this is that I know I have a liner somewhere -- bought it and put it to one side a while back -- but I can't find it :rolleyes2

The other reason not much else makes a mess in there, is that I use it for very little else. If things fit then I always use my combi microwave as a traditional oven..... it's a smaller capacity (so I'm mentally convinced it uses less power, though I've not seen proof other than a much faster 'warm up'), and it's also a lot easier to clean as it's higher (I have a bad back) and the glass turntable is what normally gets mucked up but can easily be lifted out and cleaned


Have spent this evening working out a 6-week meal plan (starting from tomorrow) based around the contents of my freezer. Based on this I reckon that (if I buy nothing to add to my store cupboards during that time period) I could be looking at a spend of under £60 in the next 6 weeks - including all milk, bread, and fresh fruit/veg.

But I'll be setting my GC budget as normal, which means I will either be well under or end the month as well stocked as I started

So my budget for March (1st thru 31st) is £128.50

OrkneyStar

Girl_least_likely_to wrote: »

Thanks to everyone who stated what their budget includes. Having mulled it over I think I'm going to raise my budget from next month to £250 and include toiletries, cleaning stuff, booze and medicines. I may have to increase this slightly when baby arrives to include nappies and potentially formula but will look at that when it happens.

Someone mentioned about having to stick to a very strict budget because one simply couldn't afford not too. I'm really lucky not to be in this position, but who's to say that one day it might happen? I think by doing the GC it stands us in good ground if the day may arise. Personally it's helped me bring my shopping down from £400 when me and OH were both working FT and with no kids to feed. Following this thread has certainly helped me keep focused. So thanks to everyone who posts :T

Think that was me . We could spend a bit more on food if we really had to (basically put less away into other pots such as savings, holiday or christmas) but I think £40-50 per week for 2 adults and a toddler (incl nappies now) is do-able (also when we spend less some weeks we can let it add up and spend a bit more other weeks when a good offer on etc).
Before bubs was born we too were in the lucky position of not 'having' to stick to a budget as we both worked full time (although hubby is not well paid I was on a decent enough wage). Since I gave up work full time to become a SAHM we now spend about £10-20 less per week on two adults AND a toddler! Regarding the baby, if you can breastfeed then I recommend it to you (money saving and a great thing to do)- you will need slightly more calories but cheaper than formula costs. As for nappies we have only recently gone down the full time disposables route, and used real nappies for 20 months (which I am pretty pleased with considering I had a c-sect and was anaemic for a while ). If you could get hold of any cheaply (freecycle, beg, borrow [strike]and steal[/strike]- maybe thats a bit much lol) then that might save you money, even if you only use them half the time. If you do use sposies then join Boots, Tesco, etc parenting clubs as well as Pampers, Huggies etc clubs and they will send you MOC's for nappies and wipes. Also in your Bounty pack you should get some free goodies. Stock up on nappies/wipes when offers are on (eg Boots often do a spend over £20 on baby stuff and get 3 x points etc and Tesco have a Baby event on just now with nappies being on offer eg 50 size 4+ Pampers for ~£6 and not ~£9 etc, of course size 4 is a bit big for your bubs yet lol)
Ok, more waffle from me, lol, but it is money saving waffle!
x

justpeyton4now

I just haven't been able to keep up with the thread this month. Crossing fingers as I'm still on my budget of £130 for the month. As of yesterday, we've spent £126.65 and I think the only thing we'll need before Friday is milk! :j

May I also join minging ovens anonymous? :rotfl: I used to put foil down and I finally gave up and got a shallow roasting pan at a charity shop that nearly covers the bottom of my oven. When it gets gunky, I add some boiling water and washing up liquid and it cleans up nicely. They say the laziest person will always find the easiest way to do a job. I think that's me.

It also helps if you put pies and things that tend to spill over on a baking sheet.

mothershipton

just totted up this months spending so far, £348 , husband and kids let loose in Asda and Tesco in same day. BAD idea. on the plus side cupboards are absolutely heaving. so March should be a bit cheaper !:rotfl: Ive still got to buy some potatoes for a stew DH is making tonight. £2 left of budget to spend so need to find some cheap pots.

Put me down for £350 again next month.

Kiwisaver_2

Another one here who can't keep up with the thread this month, been away a few days and just totted up my spends to today and declaring $602.20 for the month, as there's no way I'm getting any more shopping in this week, no matter what. It's all been bitty with $10 spends here and there over the past few days, as I have been off work and just been buying what was needed on a daily basis. Back to work tomorrow, so rest of the week is planned and catered for.

Not too shabby with two extra hungry mouths to feed for the past week and I have worked so hard to keep it in line and not go OTT.

March is going to be another challenging one and I so look forward to having a 'normal' month in April and not having to feed the nation. :eek:

I'm going to stick with the same budget $600 for March please MrsM

nickynoo08

Morning everyone, need to pick up some more yogs, milk and fruit today then that should be us done for the month. I've gone about £10/15 over my revised budget which i'm not too pleased with.
I'm liking the idea of having an annual budget. May have a play around with figures and see how it looks.
I'll update sig later on

scotsaver

Hi everyone - hope you all had a good weekend.

Just updated my total and realised I only have £3.54 left to last until Thursday but I'm not panicking as I have all we need in, just need to pick up some Milk which I will get in Iceland as it's cheapest around and then I should be done.;)

We had Roast Lamb yesterday, got a few slices left so OH will have his with Gravy, spuds etc and the remainder going in a Curry with some Veg to bulk it out for DD1, DD2 and myself.:D

Enjoy the rest of the day.;)

sazzledazzle

I am really impressed by how I am doing this month. Things going to be tight for the next four weeks so written food diary and dont think I have much to buy before my next pay day apart from the odd fresh meat etc.

Frugaldom

I'm not keeping up with the thread but am still sticking to my grocery buying budget, but it's leaning towards heavy spending during the first quarter of the year as I try to stock up and keep us going until the garden produces anything. Dairy, fruit & veg are the killer costs, still think I'd be better off with a goat

Managing to get decent sized local turnips for 50p each, so going to batch boil with potatoes and freeze in portions - if they don't all get eaten first! :rolleyes: Appr0ved F00d order should arrive later this week, that should see me through 2009 for sauces as it works out much cheaper than making them.

Hope everyone is doing alright and sticking to their budgets.