February 2009 Grocery Challenge

Lalaladybird

Thanks for all of your suggestions I will take them all on board, I am writing notes It seemed like 6 months ago I was spending about £60 on groceries per week and that included a tin of SMA (£8) for my dd. I thought that I'd be able to bring the bill down to nearer £50 once she was off formula but it has gone up. We can just about afford it but it means no nights out, dvd rentals etc and I'd rather keep the food bill down and have the occasional treat. I hate spending money on consumables! Especially with having to have the heating on so much at the mo but that's another story:rotfl:

I really appreciate your advice xxx

Hawthorn

Aye, it's getting more of a struggle - basics are shooting up. Six months ago, things were a lot cheaper....here's just a few comparisons (cos I'm a geek like that LOL)

Value beans were around 15p.....now nearer 30p.
Value tinned tomatoes were 18/19p?.....now 33p.
1.5 kilos of bread flour, 48p, now 68p.
Value pasta was 19p, it's now at 43p (I think?)

And so on. All of these things make a heck of a difference - 20p here and there, well, five 20p's equal a pound, so for every thing you used to get for a fiver, it now costs you six pounds. Make that into a hundred items, and it's a bloomin big difference.

superstylin

maybe your bill has something to do with price increases, rather than your inability to old style shop. Before now my budget has been £60wk for two of us, but these past two shops, the bill has come to nearer £80 despite getting all the same things (I shop online from my favourites list)

EDIT: cross posted with Hawthorn! same idea

tessie_bear

hi....i would say food costs have gone up...that might explain why u havent come down further(op)....have u considered buying reduced food when u go into shops ? if u can....i take a list ie a weeks meal plan and a list of what i need but if i see something cheap i buy that instead and change it on my list in the shop so dont forget....i thought hawthorns advice was ace(im going to borrow a few of those tips myself....thankyou)is does take time to get it down.....and its never going to be free if u see what i mean...chip away at it and read these boards...they are wonderful:beer:

kazd

:eek: I went shopping last Saturday straight from work having only had 2 weetabix and spent £208, I then went shopping again on Thursday and spent another £70. Now admittedly in this there was a dvd, and sweets for party bag and a birthday cake. But even so!

The best month I ever had with shopping was when I shopped online on a weekly basis and I got my shopping bill down to about £400 a month. I am just not very good at budgeting on food.

Lalaladybird

Hawthorns advise is fab....always is :T I will try all her suggestions. Thanks Hawthorn!

I suppose it is just down to price hikes then :rolleyes: I do buy reduced food whenever possible. I make a beeline for those shelves

msgnomey

Well I think I must have been a bit ambitious with £250 for a month, as you can see from my sig. I am sailing close to the wind with 13 days to go (I have shopped for this week tho') when I looked at my receipts some of them are for stuff for work which I can claim back (about £18) so I have not really spent too much so I have about £37 til the end of the month (28th)

Silaqui

I have only spend £54 this month on groceries and household stuff :T . There are 2 of us and a hamster and my usual is around £80 per month. It's not yet the end of February but according to my meal plans we have everything we need so no need to go shopping again.
Just really pleased with myself, sorry for the self-congratulatory thread!
X

msgnomey

how? do share your secrets!

juliejim

Well Done!