March 2009 Grocery Challenge

CurlyTop

Hi

Can I go for £250.00 for March please. I'm away for a couple of days and am back at work full time now, so need to get my head around packed lunches. Thanks once again everyone for your help, support and fab tips. Onwards and upwards.:j

JillD_2

I'm in for the first time in AGES (and the bank account is proof of this )
Will post budgets etc in a minute.

Wanted to say to S_Wales_saver - I successfully froze baby portions in glass jars, once they got past ice cube size portions. Glass jars were handier than yoghurt type pots as obv you have the lids too. I didnt ever defrost in the microwave, always set out the night before and allowed to defrost overnight.

Radish72

Can you please put me down for £200 for March please

JillD_2

Please could you add me, my budget for this month is £100.

I want to try and get mt grocery spending back under control, its gone haywire in the last 2 years. Long story but basically due to horrible pregnancy and then general chaos at home as my children are all small - 5, 4 and 18 months. Until Christmas I was working 3 days a week however I have stopped now so have lots more time to plan, budget, shop around, cook etc.(although of course have less money :rolleyes:)

I am going to aim for £200 for a typical month.
But at the moment we have tons and tons in the cupboard and freezer, and have had a crippling gas bill this month so this month's target is £100.

I've read mbaz's thread (its amazing, I thoroughly recommend reading it from start to finish), Following reading that thread I have:
- done an inventory and an appropriate meal plan.for the month
- dug the BM out and started using it again
- bought a couple of different Smart Price things to try
- discovered the reduced section for fruit/veg in my Asda
- am going to take a look at Lidl's fruit / veg (we only got a Lidl a couple of years back, I never went because I always had a child who was potty training and they have no toilet :mad: but now the older two are in school and the baby still in nappies)

I'm hoping to only have to buy nappies, milk, fruit and a few other fresh items eg ham, eggs for the rest of the month.
Tomorrow I am doing a mystery shop in a nice department store that does not just ordinary food :rolleyes:- I have to spend a tenner in the food department, so I will spend that on milk, apple juice, bread, fruit. So effectively that is free.

My month runs from the 23rd which is payday but I only realised how skint we would be on about the 26th. So I have already spent a bit more than I would have done (IYSWIM) but hopefully I can build that in and recover from it.

I need to dig out the receipts and asses the damage so far.

Thanks Pink_winged for starting the thread

S_Wales_Saver

OrkneyStar wrote: »

Oh I hope you didn't think me cheeky , twins sound.......erm,......fun!!

No absolutely not OrkneyStar :A you've reminded me of something I'd forgotten LOL. Yes the twins are fun and gorgeous. And don't be sorry for posting, us OS newbies need your help. OHHH I just realized I've been converted from a newbie, got my first star :j :j :j .


Thanks JillD for the advice re jars.

Miss_Liquorice

I've just declaed under budget for January (by 5p, hurrah!) and I do seem to have plenty in at the moment as far as frozen/canned/jars goes, just seriously lacking in fresh fruit and veg and could do with some more meat I think. I missed out on the farmers market I have just discovered nearby this week due to a driving lesson, but when it's here in a fortnight I plan on stocking up. I'm trying to only do food shopping at the weekend, and hopefully get myself down eventually to about £80 a month. I have taken a big step this month down by £15 to £105, so fingers crossed this works out ok and I can reduce again for april.

seabright

Please put me down for £225

Naomim

S_Wales_Saver wrote: »

OrkneyStar you are quite right of course. When mine were babies I cooked most of their food. The difference is I am working fulltime now, and seven month twins are a handful even for an experienced Grandma :eek: I think I shall try cooking some of our veg without salt and putting some aside for them, would baby food jars (glass) work in the freezer do you think?

I would set veg aside mush up and freeze in ice cube trays then transfer into food bags when frozen. That way you can have a whole batch of veg in baby portion sizes.


Hello everyone,

Well after doing one weekly shop last month then deciding to swap to monthly I came in with a saving of £48 so this month I'd like to set my target for £180 please.

Thanks

Naomi x

empy

Hi all, can I please join, could you please put me down for £250, thank you. I hope to spend alot less than this as I have two freezers and full cuboards etc. I desperatley want to get my spending back under control. I am great during school holidays but when I go back to school it all goes haywire lol.

Good luck all

empy

searching_me

hello everyone just did my first little shop today ... im refusing to buy any freezer food til everything is used up and i have loads of chicken bag of lamb meatballs and mince and other things but as you can see plenty ... its cost me £13.09p which im off to update my sig hope your all well and wishing you all a good march x