February 2009 Grocery Challenge

SAVVYMUMMY_2

Hi everyone,

Well I am finally declaring £348.35 for February. Came under budget, just about, so pretty chuffed with myself. The extra £1.65 left will go towards my xmas box, as any spare change left will go towards my christmas food and presents.

I`m off for a family meal tonight as it`s my 40th on Monday, so this isn`t coming off the grocery budget. Just a treat from everyone else. Anyway will pop over to March challenge in a bit, so hope to see you all there.
I will try harder in March to bring this down as I am sure I can. OH is 100% behind me, as he really didn`t have an idea of the amount we were really spending until I enlightened him last night.

JayJay14

Hi everyone, I'm declaring at £139.09 for Feb, just under by a whisker, but I still have loads in the pantry and freezer so I should have no problems in March.

See you all over on the March thread.

cw18

Declaring February at £77.64, which is well under my £112 budget (even though I provided 3 main meals and loads of milk for elder DS that I hadn't allowed for) :T

However I was over by more than £41 for January, so I actually have a rolling total of a £6.49 overspend for the year-to-date. But I already have my meal-plan sorted up to (and incl) 5th April from freezer/cupboards, so it means the only things 'needed' in March are perishables (plus clearance/whoopsies/specials deals that are too good to miss) meaning I hope to pull this back by the end of March

My signature as I worked out the final Feb declaration looked like the following

Food Budget / Spent / Whoopsie spend / Whoopsie 'real' value
to 31/01/09 £128 / £169.30 / £24.35 / £70.83 Feb : £112 / £77.64 / £21.89 / £66.49

As I have a total annual budget that I then allocate into differing monthly amounts (depending on number of days, whether elder DS is home on leave, and how many days I have my GDs round school), I've now amended my signature to a running total plus set it ready for March spending

orchid-96

Am declaring £239.28 for February, please MrsM... I have managed not to spend since Tuesday (which is a miracle) but am going to have to go today so am starting my March challenge from today, to end on Friday 27th March and will remain at £200 again. Was going to say £250 but if I work it like this I am doing it over 4 weeks so shouldn't be a problem

See you all in March x

*BigBird*

I've managed to not do any shopping since Monday, and I'm not going to do any before the end of today, so my remaining 78p is still intact and I can declare £249.22 for Feb :j

Slightly close call this morning as we are out of bread and milk (apart from longlife, which OH hates), so he was about to head out to the Co-Op for something for breakfast. I told him he could spend no more than 78p as there was no way I was going to fail on the final day! Luckily he likes a challenge too, so breakfast ended up being pitta bread and the remains of a tub of hoummous from the fridge. (Still out of bread and milk though, and I'm not sure I can be bothered to make a loaf. He can go to the Co-Op and christen the March budget tomorrow morning if he really wants to! :rotfl:)

See you over on the March thread

Mrs_Money_Penny

Well went over and have finished at £214.45 for Feb. See you in the March thread.

greent

I have JUST scraped in at £449.57 against my £450 budget:eek:

Have already started March budget by buying dried food for guinea pigs - but am happy it's in March budget, as they won't need to start it until middle of the week. Saves me another trip out in the week to get it, as hubby was driving past there today anyway;)

Cupboards are reasonable, as is freezer - but very little meat in there, in reality. At 6 1/2 months pregnant I'm fancying very little food - most things give me heartburn, and I can't manage a lot either. Means meal times are interesting - I can regularly be doing 3 different things to accomodate all of us:o We shall see how it goes in March. I need to buy yet more tea bags next week too - a box of 400 has lasted just over a week!! (LOTS of builders here, with LOTS of cups of tea!!)

Have some meals out this month, but they are from 'social' budget - I only include takeaways in GC. Meals out this month are because of mine & 2 friends birthdays (a lunch) and DH & I will probably have a lunch out too (set price one) -may also hit TGIs with the children, as we keep promising them we'll go and keep forgetting! I have a voucher for free desserts from there, too...:T

Well done to everyone for doing the GC - regardless of what you spent - the GC makes us all more aware of our spending and even if we've gone over budhet, I expect we're all spending less than we would have done without it!

greent
x

Ess-six

Hi Folks

Despite still not finding more time to read this thread and pick up your help and advice, I've had a much better month this time, coming well under budget at £155.16.

I'll stick with the same amount of £180 again for march though - 1st to 31st for me, so a long month.

Good luck to all of you.

MadamMim2013

Hi there, will I have to look out for a new thread for March GC?? Still fairly new to all this and wasn't sure what happens!

milliejo

I am declaring at £304 for February :j

please put me down for £315 for March

very pleased as came in under budget for the 2nd month running - we seem to finally be getting the hang of meal plans & looking out for special offers