March 2009 Grocery Challenge

Miss-spent_2

Hi just updated for the week. Only spent £33.53 for weekly shop yesterday which is very low. Was delighted to pick up 4 loaves of Hovis white for 20p each and still in date until monday.
Did lovely casserole for today in slow cooker using stewing steak insted of braising steak, it was v nice. Did mediterranean mash with it which means using olive oil and garlic in it insted of milk and butter
Lunch was coffee and cake in a garden centre cost £4.96 (plus a voucher)
Had 6 NSD this week which reflects the fact i did nothing but work.
Been working most of today but did fit free swim in tonight.

Mellika

Went to MrT's yesterday, spent £27.40 which leaves me with 60p for the rest of the week... Don't know if I can do it, at least not if we run out of bread/milk halfway through the week!

Does anybody know if I can freeze creme fraiche? Off to check the freezing thread...

princess_leia_3

Well, more spent so will update sig when I have dug out receipts! It was DDs first bday yesterday and we had a lovely day, I made loads of sandwiches and got my mum to bring the sausage rolls and quiche - very MSE also I made some bread pud and some yummy mincemeat square recipe I nabbed off here to use up some semolina and I must say it was delicious - worth buying the semolina just to make that Need more milk too today so will update sig later and I hope to be able to mow the grass this afternoon as its meant to be the hottest day of year so far

Boodle

Well I have updated my signature. I ended up having to give my mother more than the flippin' stuff would have costed as Asda as turns out Tesco didn't have any value buns left so she got me 2 (!) packs of the next brand up, and got me a huge glass jar of salsa dip rather than the fresh-type deli ones. Aw well, I suppose it serves me right for asking others to collect bits of my shopping for me to save a few pence :rolleyes: And I suppose we do get a free lunch there once a week too

On the upside, MIL shops at Morrisons and had a voucher that gave her 4 bags of free fruit for a £40+ spend, and she gave them to us as they "don't eat fruit" (?!) Of course we had already bought our shopping in for the week, but the apples should keep another week (I will probably just eat them tho as they are quite small ), I will make orange drizzle cake with a couple of the oranges and freeze that, and will probably freeze the pears and plums (which I will peel and core first) to use in crumbles and pies. So :T

I also forgot to mention the great bargains I picked up at the pound shop for mother's day. I thought we would have a peep about just in case they had a nice little gift set to wrap up with some nice choccies, but not only did I find 2 large and really nice bath gift sets that look so much more than £1 (!) I found some really nice cards for them too! I did want 3 pressies as we have always bought for my grandmother too, but they still had some smaller ones which were never-the-less a fab bargain at £1. The manager did say that they might get some more in with their next delivery - so if I were you, peoples, I'd get me skates on down to the local branch in case they have a limited supply of some really nice things

beth.194

Hi Everyone,

Planning a NSD Day today.
We have everything we need, and I'm only making a Sausage Casserole for tea today so there's nothing I haven't already got.

I think I'm going to go through my cupboards today, and see what I've got in the back.

orchid-96

Hi all, planning a nsd today, had a lovely roast at my inlaws yesterday and enough leftovers for dinner tonight...will knock something up for the kiddies

I havn't been on here as much but am trying to stick to my budget as much as possible Hope you are all doing ok this month, will do a proper catch up soon x

laineyc_2

Good morning.

I need to buy some meat at the butchers My scones went down very well. Planning to make brownies later. I was hoping to make chicken fajitas for dinner but we have less chicken leftover than I hade hoped so will make chicken quesidillas and rice instead. I have chicken stocking cooking in my SC. I will use it later when I make chickpea soup.

MRSMCAWBER

morning all

What miserable soggy weather we have here -again :rolleyes:

Anyway -with 9 days to go to the end of my March budget I have decided to do a bit of improvising to use up some of the things I have made and frozen earlier in the month - to a) free up some more freezer space and b) to save even more pennies -so this weeks meals will be something along these lines :-

1. jacket potatoes with cottage cheese and salad
2. potato an onion layer with sausages
3. bolognaise pasta bake
4. Hm tortillas filled with caramalised pork/peppers/onions and HM coleslaw on the side
5. jacket potatoes with cottage cheese and salad -its a fave
6. special fried rice -great for all the bits n bobs that want using up
7. shepherds pie with veggies

I have enough hm soups, hash etc in the freezer for hubbies flasks for work with hm bread

So I can only imagine needing some more milk for the rest of the week -fingers crossed
I don't imagine being able to spend as little next month, although I will still have plenty of meat, pasta etc in -so I can try :rotfl: and once all the veggies get going outside-hopefully the summer months will be nice and cheap to -hubby would happily live on salads -which is a bonus
right I will get off -have a great day everyone

xx_Jo_xx

Hi to all - hope you are doing well.

This was my first month at doing this and I still have over 10 days to go, but other than bread and milk fruit and veg, I dont think Im going to need much else!!

Its really only those things and some little bits for DS lunchboxes for school that I have had to buy since my initial big shop - which was £99.70 the first week.

I have just added on £28.84 from Asda, but that also included a new bedding set and a new sheet. Basically anything I buy from a supermarket is being left in, as its where I spend most of my money and Im very guilty of picking up extra 'household' things that I dont really need! But in my defense this time, the bedding was essential!

But all in all, I think Im doing pretty well!! Am spending much less than I did before already, and I still have a freezer full of food!

Im more conscious now of what I am spending and what I am actually planning to do with the items that Im buying instead of thinking "Ooo I fancy that!" and just chucking it in!

What a huge difference already! Thanks for all the tips, recipes and inspiration along the way!!

xx

panambi

Not been on here for quite a while. Had 6 NSDs - from Tuesday last week till yesterday :j But the fridge was empty by yesterday so had to go and buy fresh fruit and veg, eggs, etc., spent £12.33. Still have £40 left this month and only 9 days till the end for me so should come under really, fingers crossed!!! Thanks to you lot I am learning to meal plan and it really does help!!!