February 2009 Grocery Challenge

cw18

TrixieB wrote: »

I'm thinking seriously about getting an extra freezer as my local Co-op reduces things every night to 5p and last night I could have gotten about 10 loaves of bread for 5p each, but nowhere to put them. If anyone sees any great deals on small chest freezers, please let me know?

But then you have to allow for the costs of running the freezer too....

My new one is a tall larder type one, and the 'blurb' says 254kW a year to run it. Based on my electricity tariff, this currently equates to £22.50 a year. (My old chest freezer was using 1000kW per year, so costing me around £88 a year to run :eek: ) And then the cost to buy the freezer (mine was around £190 delivered). So I'm looking at just short of 3 years before the savings in energy cover the cost of the new appliance -- and in the meantime the cost of the electricity has to more than cover the savings on the whoopsies I fill it with and/or the cost of taking the car out for regular shops (or doing shopping on foot but at more expensive shops).

I've never bought a freezer just to be able to take advantage of Whoopsies, but at one point in this house I was running 2 fridge/freezers plus my chest freezer !!! In my defence, there were 7 of us here (albeit the new baby didn't need freezer space, but she and her big sister kept DD busy - so DD couldn't be relied on to wander down to the local shops for us), and DH and I both worked full time -- so I used to do a big shop once every 3 or 4 weeks, and then just top up locally with fresh stuff.

Kiwisaver_2

Just catching up with the thread and hope everyone is keeping warm and well. I've managed to stay out of the shops for five days in a row (could this be a record), really behaving myself, but already building up to a BIG list for Friday.

scotsaver

Morning everyone - both kids Schools reopened today so back to the old routine!! Still thick snow out there but sun shining at the moment and heavy rain forecast for tomorrow so that will soon wash it away.:sad:

Popped into Lidl's on the way back this morning as I'm making MRSMCs Corned Beef Hash and needed a Swede, while I was in there they have some Veg which is Half Price at the moment, Celeriac 49p a KG, picked up a huge one which came to 57p, Rooster potatoes and Cabbage Half price, I've forgotten the price but may be of some use to someone.;)

Packets of Seeds in there also starting from 28p a packet, I managed to resist the urge as I've got too many to cope with as it is.:rotfl: Just waiting for the Snow to go so that I can get into the Greenhouse to make a start.

Hope you all have a good day.:D

elizabunny

Morning all. Another NSD for me today -so 2 in a row now. I'm staying in today so there's a Beef Casserole in the slo-cooker and DH would like me to make some more falafel for his packed lunches. Also I was thinking about making some onion soup, as I have loads of onions at the moment. So off to find a nice recipe for that. Have a good day everyone. Keep up the good work

mumofjusttwo

Morning all.

Well have spent £19 on bits and pieces today and got a few BOGOF items that I was planning on anyway.

Will add to my list.

little_miss_moneysaver_3

Hi everyone,
PLease put me down for another £130 this month. Went a bit over last month so my plan is not to go to Mr T every week for odd bits and pieces so i'm not tempted.
Also by popping into town, i'll save petrol and hopefully just buy fruit and veg from the market.
I've done my big shop for the month so hopefully it'll just be fresh stuff like fruit and milk.
LMMS

IsoChick

We got our extra freezer from Freecycle... all we had to do was go and pick it up.

It works fine, and was being freecycled as the previous owners were having a new kitchen with fitted appliances.

We keep it in the garage (which is pretty cold anyway); and we use it for whoopsies; but also for storing our own produce and meat (e.g. home grown veg; and a whole pig etc)

It's an almost full height one, which goes nicely with the half height one in the kitchen. It makes Christmas a lot easier, as I can make/buy more stuff and just freeze it until we need it.

TrixieB

IsoChick wrote: »

We got our extra freezer from Freecycle... all we had to do was go and pick it up.

.

We have no transport, might put a want up with delivery included, or is that cheeky?/

OrkneyStar

TrixieB wrote: »

We have no transport, might put a want up with delivery included, or is that cheeky?/

As long as you word your post in a nice way using please and thank you where appropriate, pointing out from the outset that you have no transport, and perhaps offer something for fuel costs (even if they don't take it it is nice to offer).
You never know your luck!
x
(PS We have some snow falling now and its very windy, batten down those hatches lol).

elly2

Afternoon all, went to Aldi this morning to have a look (i have never been before) managed to spend £25 on not much really, i dont think i like it very much.Did buy a bottle of their own brand southern belle ( supossed to be very much like southern comfort) for £8.99 which will come out of the extra's budget so i now have £27 left out of this weeks budget ( i got a £2 coin in my change so that has to go into my jar) tea tonight is chicken tagliatelle which will use up the last bit of diced chicken i have, a tin of condensed chic soup and tagliatelle pasta which i bought in home bargains for 39p earlier this week, i would add some mushrooms and sweetcorn but the kids wouldnt eat it. I did manage to grab two packs of the grapes for 69p each so DD(5) will be happy:). Still need to check just what exactly we have in the freezers so that will have to be done some time this week. Tomorrow hopefully will be a nsd x