March 2009 Grocery Challenge

Steel_2

Weekly top up in Mr T's today set us back £11.31, mainly because I seemed to time it right and got 2.5Kg potatoes for £1, some market value brocolli and peppers, and some decent grapes for a decent price. I never seem to be able to go shopping when there are bargains to be had and end up spending more, either because the expensive stuff is all that's left or the cheaper stuff that's left is manky.

Don't think I'm going to come in under budget though this month.

However, good news is the hedgehogs have hibernated :j That works out at about 20 cans of cat food a month saved or roughly £10.

Every little helps

Allegra

jintyb wrote: »

That spreadsheet is fantastic - mine looks pitiful by comparison! Well done you -I might pinch it as a template. Thanks so much for taking the time to post it!:T

Seconded. My "grocery challenge database" consists of an envelope filled with receipts and assorted scraps of paper. The best that can be said for it is that it works for me.

Sort of.

mrspoor

Baileys_Babe wrote: »

I plan today or tommorrow to go through the cupboards/freezers/fridge to see how many meals we can plan or make ahead to keep Marches spends down as much as possible. This will be a challange as I find meal planning extremly difficult, I don't even know why

I also find meal-planning nearly impossible, partly because I never know when either of us is likely to finish work! OH frequently works late, and I sometimes get stuck in the office late (especially when we're doing our period ends :mad: ) and so by the time I'm home, I haven't got the energy to cook proper food.

I just try to plan rough ideas of meals, and then nights when I'm home on time I'll cook something from scratch, and nights I'm late we'll try and have something out of the freezer (either pizzas or leftover chilli, curry etc). That's when we can avoid the temptation of food that gets delivered hot to our front door, anyway!:D

princess_leia_3

Just updated sig and I now have just £20 til month end!!! Oh dear that just goes to show that a poorly organised shop at the start can fail the rest of the month! Alot of the family has been ill recently so meal plan gone out the window but hope to get back on track from tonight as its leftover shep pie with beans tonight, freezer dinner tomorrow nite and then party food for DD who is 1 on Sunday! So hopefully all I should need is F&V and milk - fingers crossed!

01001011

fletch3163 wrote: »

Do you know what I would love? Just once? It would be to hear exactly what you all spend your money on.

A HUGE list. Just to feed my own big belly :EEK!: ======== Feb 2009 ======== Friday night Tesco: tomatoes x16 20p

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total: 20p Saturday evening Asda: Eggs x6 20p Yogurt x2 20p Mince pie 20p Sponge cake 16p Soft cheese 250g 50p Kiwi x12 74p Mackerel £1.07 Frozen corn 1kg 88p Frozen marsh potato 59p Brown rice 1kg £1.19

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total: £5.73p Sunday afternoon: Bread roll 21p Mouthwash 59p

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total: 80p Monday night: Carrots 500g 10p Garlic x2 25p

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total: 35p Tuesday afternoon: Naan bread 68p

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total: 68p Wednesday evening: Soya milk 1Lx2 £1.20p Pudding Rice 500g x3 £1.44p

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total:£2.64 Friday evening Asda: Bread roll 10p Celery 50p Onion 750g 26p

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total: 86p Saturday: Carrots 1kg 49p White cabbage 41p Aubergine 54p Brussels sprouts 29p Sunflower seed 400g 79p Soya milk 60p Cereal cluster 1kg £1.30p Richotta cheese 250g 72p

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total: £5.14 Sunday: Laundry £1.20

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total: £1.20 Monday afternoon: Cheese coleslaw 50p Sesame oil £1.31 Bread 400g 44p Sourcer 29p

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total: £2.54 Tuesday evening Tesco: Value Lasagna 32p Cheese 47p

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total: 79p Thursday afternoon Tesco: Cous cous 500g 60p Corned beef 90g 22p Naan bread BOGOF 68p

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total: £1.50 Friday afternoon Tesco: Deli 9p Tomatoes x7 50p

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total: 59p Saturday afternoon Nisa, Lidl, Sainsbury's, Saver, Tesco: Ginger 24p _ Potatoes 1kg 34p Toilet cleaner 1L 79p _ Lamb chop 500g x2 £3.98 Sherry 1L £5.59 Soya milk 1L x2 £1.20 Cereal cluster 1kg £1.30 Pita bread x2 70p _ Washing powder 1kg 97p _ Richotta cheese 72p Banana 37p _ Laundry £1.20

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total: £17.40 Monday Dragon fruit x2 20p Parsnip 500g 10p

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total: 30p Tuesday Turkey Deli 26p

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total: 26p Thursday Naan BOGOF 68p Parsnip 500g 29p Deli 18p

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total: £1.07 Friday Soya milk 1L 30p Deli meat 40p

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total: 70p Saturday Oat cake 39p Shreddie 99p Apple x7 79p Soya milk £1.20 Raisin 500g £1.38 Biscuit 30p Pork chop 500g £1.75 Beetroot 54p

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total: £7.34 Sunday Brown rice 5x1kg £5 Mackerel 48p Pasta salad 30p Deli 27p Veg pack 1.5kg 50p Onions 24p Stardrop 50p Parsnip 50g 44p Kiwi x7 75p Laundry £1.20

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total: £9.68 Monday Dragon fruit x4 40p Bread 10p

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total: 50p Tuesday Rice 3x1kg £3 Brussels sprouts 3x500g 30p Potatoes 2.5kg 10p

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total: £3.50 Thursday Horse reddish sauce 35p

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total: 35p Net frozen food eaten £5.20 ========================= Total money spent: £69.32 =========================

LittleGemSaver

Hi everyone!

Hope you all have had a great week I spent £8.25 yesterday in MR T's so I have updated my signature. I bought loads of bits and bobs for over the weekend and I only need to shop on Sunday now for healthy homemade bar ingredients and fruit.

Doing fab this month all thanks to this thread have a great weekend everyone

laineyc_2

I went to Lidl. I spent more than I anticipated. They had strawberries on offer so I bought some for all the smoothies I have been making since I joined the gym. The large jars of Gold Blend were reduced to £4 so I bought 2.

I am still on target and I should only need bread, milk and fruit this week. My month finishes on Friday, so I am pleased.

reb

Allegra wrote: »

Seconded. My "grocery challenge database" consists of an envelope filled with receipts and assorted scraps of paper. The best that can be said for it is that it works for me.

Sort of.

And mine....LOL!
and it works for me too............mmmmmmmmmm

tessie_bear

hi...hope friday 13th has been good to everyone.....wow what an awesome spread sheet...my gc organisation is a wad of receipts in the back of my purse...it sort of works for me...some of the time

i hit on a few reduced items in the local coop today...enought stewing steak for 2 stews for £1.50...a pie for £1...fruit loaf 50p.....meat feast pizza for 80p...swede and carros 30p and 40p....all good i thought...we ate the pizza for tea along with some hm ones and it was nice....i didnt have any because i dont like pepperoni but dh and sons love it

i have been peeling and chopping for the stews and am wondering if it will all fit in sc tomorrow...might have to cook in 2 batches....

we are going out to families for tea tomorrow:j cant beat a meal u havent had to cook imo....not sure what we are having

i came across rice in tesco for 34p for 500g hope that is useful for someone...its in a red packet...date in 2011...i stopped using rice for a bit as i thought it got quite expensive but will have to start using it up...i got 4 packs

hope everyone has a great weekend
tess

Baileys_Babe

My grocery challange spends organisations consists of my signature all this years receipts at back of my wallet and recording all our spending on an online spending diary. Would like to be more organised but have yet to decide how I wish to use the information so undecided how/where to record it.

Sad but true looking at my signature and seeing we have spent less than a third of this months GC is making me smile