February 2009 Grocery Challenge

dumpling

Hi, popped on to update siggy....gulp, don't think I'm going to stay within budget this month somehow. Problem is, I feel very down at the moment and when I feel down I buy rubbish. I've spent a lot on biscuits, chocolate and other snacky stuff which I don't normally buy and also I forgot it was half term and valentine's day which I didn't account for in my budget. I'll try and be more restrained for the next couple of weeks and hopefully do some damage limitation. Phew, this budgetting is hard work!

gunsandbanjos

Thought i'd be within budget this week but hubby has invited his friend and their daughter over to play with my daughter and for dinner - little princess will only eat processed crap apparently so i have to go out and get some as i dont do processed crap:rolleyes: Will try and make it as cheap as possible!

JayJay14

Just popping in to update sig. I am sailing a bit close to the wind tis month, I'm off to the farmers market in the morning so that will be another spend.

I also have to find something to buy in Argos tomorrow to use up my £10 voucher I got at Xmas - what I really need is a pirex bowl as OH dropped ours on the kitchen floor tonight getting it out of the DW - trouble is they don't sell things like that any more

Just taken a chicken out of the oven (50p last night at Asda - fresh and sage and onion stuffed:D )
Also got a lovely piece of extra special beef (£1) so I've cooked that and we had hot beef sarnies for tea.

The plan this weekend is to do more batch cooking, did this last weekend and the result is lots of meals ready for busy evenings. I have a hard week at work next week so I need to plan.

Well - onwards and upwards.....

PennyGrabber

Half term at last!
Good job I hadn't budgetted valentine's day into my GC - bf coming round tonight to finish. I've had quite a sh***y few weeks tbh, but i'm determined not to let that ruin my quest to be out of debt.

I'm not looking forward to tomorrow evening, as my babies go to their dad for 4 nights. However, it will give me the chance to sort out my house, including the food situation. I'm a hoarder, and the pantry and cupboard under the stairs are full of c**p, so I'll be using up whatever's gone out of date, don't care if it doesn't go with anything! Then, when the children come back on Weds, I'll be able to do real cooking again. Maybe...
Tip - drink more water, stops you being hungry, controls your portion sizes. I keep forgetting to drink, and I always eat more then. Just a thought!
Take care all,
PG x

angelatgraceland

PennyGrabber wrote: »

Half term at last!

Tip - drink more water, stops you being hungry, controls your portion sizes. I keep forgetting to drink, and I always eat more then. Just a thought!
Take care all,
PG x

So true-I just really don't like water on it's own. However-I do realise addicted to caffeine and hot drinks so here I am sitting at the pc with a cup of hot water!
Well-apart from cutting down on the bad caffeine-it is moneysaving. When I feel hungry I so sometimes swallow half a pint of water to stave it off-not that I ever undereat by any means-which is why I need to drink water more than ever now-as I'm on a diet(I had to be in correct frame of mind first).
Must tot up my spends tonight or they will be hard work-I normally do them daily.
Just decided to grill my chicken breasts with some herbs and spices-I will then get something in to go with them tomorrow. I did look at various sauces in my cupboard but decided against them.
Made up 2 pints of sugarfree jelly to indulge in over the next 2 or 3 days-rather than sugarfilled deserts. Also-they are relatively cheap.
Bought somemore nestle picapac cereals today-complete with vouchers so they have cost me nothing. When the weather gets a bit warmer I will start my sprouting, but meanwhile I will just have to buy rather expensive salad.
I was good today and went for a free swim using a Kellogs voucher-did 30 lengths so I'm very pleased with myself. Popped into healthfood shop for some supplements-that was nearly a tenner but will last a month at least.
DD has been selling her unwanted clothes via facebook I think-a free way of doing it! I need to tot up my spending tonight as it's end of the week. I bought some more vouchers via *bay which I know I can use. My freezer will barely close so no bulk-cooking for a while. No waste this week as anything not eaten at the end of the day has got frozen quickly-partly the reason for it being so full-plus all the chickens I bought yesterday.
It was basically grab whatever takes your fancy for tea tonight as we are using up the party food.

tiddly_widdly

I spend £65-70 per fortnight on food. I am feeding 2 adults and 17, 15, and 10 year olds so pretty much 5 adults.. I work out a 2 week menu as fo rme that works as I can spread out ingredients to cover several meals at once. I then list the ingredients for each meal and then work out how much of each thing I need. Its slightly time consuming but worth the effort.

Julimk

Nmlc – since being on here I have been doing my washing with half the recommended quantity of ‘value’ detergent topped up with half again of soda crystals. The clothes are as clean as before (using 2 washing tabs) and soft. Has saved me loads! Some people on here use vinegar as a softener, apparently the vinegar smell has gone by the time dry, but I haven’t tried that.

Also, cleaned the oven using bicarb & vinegar. Just as effective as some branded oven cleaners & much less smelly or messy. And of course, cheaper! There are cleaning threads on here with loads of ideas (lots of bicarb & vinegar! LOL)

On the GC, bought some chicken livers to make into pate for next week’s pack-ups for me (DD will be at her Dad’s) for 44p. There is only one place here that sells chicken livers at all (Mr S), so not a lot of choice. They are ‘red tractor’ at least, but does anyone know where proper ‘happy’ chicken livers can be bought? BTW I have been reliably told that our butcher shop is not very good.

Money_Fritter

Hi Folks,

Not doing too good this month.

I have spent £119.12 out of £105 for the month of feb. I think I was optimistic as my parents came up at the begining of the month and I had to get quite a bit in. So I have set myself a new target of £135 for feb

Money Fritter

Frugaldom

Just a quick update, hope everyone is doing OK. We're trying to live 'out of the freezer' as it's needing defrosted. It keeps getting filled up with leftovers and hm pies, so the time has come to eat up and then start the refill process. It's only a week until the new Aldi store opens, so I'll try to wait until then before doing any more top-up shops. Signature is up to date and groceries includes the bulk shopping of toiletries, cleaning products, Appr0ved F00d order and condiments, so not too bad so far.

Happy Valentine's meal to all, even if you're single

mummyyof5

To update,I have spent £3.90 on chicken breast and £4.00 on crisps and packup choccie bars in Poundland.
Unfortunately need to get quite a bit tomorrow,Chicken ,sprouts and parsnips wanted by DD1,it is her birthday 19:eek:

She also has several friends staying here for the night, after a night on the town on Saturday so need to get sausage, bacon eggs so I can feed them all on Sunday morning.:mad:

Also DS1 has just told me he has invited his best friend to stay for 3 days over half-term so that will cost a fair bit too.:rolleyes:

So far have already spent £237.19p this month and this is a short month.:eek::eek: