March 2009 Grocery Challenge

Hollysan

I am also amazed by the spreadsheet; how organised. I have a small book which I note the spends in, and then I tot it up at the end of the week and post on here. Not too bad this week; should make it but the last week of the month is going to be very busy and that is always a problem - too many frantic visits to the shops and picking up luxuries. And not enough meal planning! I need to do mine today because we are going down to London for the day tomorrow.

Have a good weekend.

Hollysan

MRSMCAWBER

Morning all

Hubby has nipped to LIDL and JIBI and is back
ooooohh he is good - we got

1. 12 pots cottage cheese @ 47c =€5.64
2. cucumber -69c
3. 24x1.5lt sparkling water @19c = €4.56
4. 10 free range eggs -€1.29
5. 2 bars fruit n nut @35c =70c
6. huge bag paprika crisps - 69c

so a total of €13.57 -but we had €8.25 of bottles to return -so that takes us to €5.32 .....but then we paid €6 deposit on todays water (which I will get back next time) -so that takes us back up to €11.32 -I think that makes sense :rotfl: -so €11.32 to add to my signature -which is less than I expected -and we got more than I initially thought we needed :j
so thats €45.21 spent so far this month and only 10 days to go -should only need milk and salad stuff before the new month starts ...

I have a bowl of bread dough proving and a pan of lamb hash (potatoes, carrots, onions, swede, parsnips and lamb) on the go for later with dumplings -so Im about done for the day :T -so I can see some serious x stitching coming on:p
hope everyone has a good weekend

WelshWoofer

Morning all!
Just updating my Mr T spends last night - £62:eek: :eek: :eek:

I think that just about uses up all of the budget for the month but we'll still have a week or so to go! The stuff I bought shoudl last me (the veggie) until the end of the month but I'll need to get more meat for OH for the last week.

I've bought a lot more fresh stuff and a few products that will help with the diet that should last a while and we have enough toiletries/toilet roll/cleaning stuff to get us to the end of the month.
So, we will be over budget this month and its now a matter of damage limitation but I wasn't planning the diet and hadn't taken that into consideration when I set the total.

Have meal planned for the week and have everything in that we need so fingers crossed that I can stay out of shops for the next week at least!

kalojac

My budget is at £291 so far leaving £59 til the end of the month - Monday 30th til we get paid, don't think we'll make it. Meal planning going well though - will just have to leave the kiddies at home when doing next month's groceries (packet of doughnuts here, kindereggs there - they all add up!:mad: )

kezlou

Just came on to update my siggy, should be a NSD today, fingers crossed it will be.
Paid two lots of milk money yesterday so now i'm over the £100 mark.Its scary to think how much we all actually spend on food without thinking.

Oh is off work all next week so i think i might end up going over my budget as i didn't know this till yesterday.
Oh i got a new breadmaker from argos, i'm not putting into my grocery budget as i had been planning on buying one for a while but just never bought one till now. Fingers crossed i won't have buy any more shop bought bread, so should lessen the dent for the rest of the month.

Hope everyone's doing well x

cw18

fletch3163 wrote: »

CW18 your effort has amazed me. Tell me though, does it actually make it easier to decide what's for tea? A few posters have mentioned they can't meal plan because they find it difficult. I'll be starting my third week of mealplanning and I seriously wish I'd done it ages ago. Very liberating. No thought required (especially on DH part who usually has to get it going before I get home from work if we're to eat the same day )

I'm 100% with you on wishing I'd started meal planning looooong ago. It must also be saving me a small fortune in electricity, as there's no more 3pm raiding of the freezers to see what I can cook for tea - and then defrosting in the microwave :rolleyes2

I find having a freezer inventory a very useful tool for meal planning, and intend to complete the inventory of my cupboards by the end of this month.

Having my inventories and lists of what I've bought as spreadsheets means I can highlight things as I use them, and then easily compile a new 'stock list' as I'm approaching time to make a new meal plan (or that's the idea - I made a start on that system late last summer, but it fell apart when I lost DH in November.... so just need to get going again).

I'm also hoping it will help with my actual shopping.... My mobile phone is a 'fancy' one (bought it to surf the 'net on the commute to and from work, then lost my job!) which has Excel on it - so the intention, once my inventory spreadsheet is complete, is to transfer it to my mobile on at least a weekly basis. That way, if I see a 'bargain' in the shops, I can easily check whether or not I really need whatever it is (I struggle to remember what meats I have in the freezer, and end up with enough pork for 6 months, but no burgers or chicken!!)

laineyc_2

I have a friend coming for dinner so I will need to get some mince. I am making chilli. I will porbably need to get some milk. There are only 2 of the boys here for dinner so I am defrosting some pizza dough to make them a pizza. Dh is away for the weekend. Tomorrow I will roast a chicken and he can have some when he gets home. I will make fajitas with any leftovers on Monday.

Changingme

Just back from shopping and spent £67.08 in Mr T's my month ends on the 28th so will be over this month.I really need to look at my budget as have brought t shirts and trunks,birthday present out of this enjoy your weekend.

Mellika

Start of Week 2 for me, I'm taking £1 off the total, so target is £29. I spent £1 on homebake petit pains. Tesco's tonight or tomorrow.
Have a good weekend everyone :hello:

Coxy11

Hi everyone,

Just on to update my total for this month. Bought a few bits in MrS today which should last until midweek, then it will just be the milk bill. I deal with milk&more online and they haven't prepared an invoice yet (3 weeks in) so assuming they will do this next week.

Just had a quick pasta for lunch (LG sauces in Coop for £1) and it's fishfingers, hm chips, and brocolli for tea tonight. DH away so can get away with kiddie dinners!!! Roast pork, roasties, cabbage and cauli cheese for lunch tomorrow when he's back.

Hoping to do some baking later - twinks hobnobs - nomnomnom.

Have a good weekend.
Coxy xx

March GC - £375/£297.79