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March 2009 Grocery Challenge
Comments
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So last shop for the month last night and all a bit depressing, since I only had $58.35 of budget left and I was absolutely determined I was not going to spend more than that.
With nothing better to do at work, I played a little game, just for fun (sad woman) and did a dummy online shop, getting only the necessities and it came to $57. So with my list in hand I headed for Pak n Save (a cheaper shop), hoping that if I could get any of the items for less, it would be a bonus and I could spend the money on some extras.
It wasn't hard as there were only 12 things on the list, so I kept a rough running total in my head, to the nearest 50 cents, the bread was on special so $2 extra to spend woohoo, saved a dollar on the potatoes, so bought a bunch of Bok Choy for 99c on special, etc. It was fun, really!
Nearing the end of the shop I thought I still had about $4 to play with, so went to nose around the freezer section for any bargains. OMG my favourite tempura prawns were only $5.49 , Mmn, shall I? Shalln't I? I walked away and back again, oh what the heck they were a bargain, I love them, it will only put me a dollar or so over the top.
At the till I watched the items adding up and it was getting close to $58, oh the anticipation, four more things to go, expecting it now to be a bit over, I nearly fainted when the girl said that will be $58.36. I could not believe it - exactly 1 cent over my budget for the month. I came out of that shop beaming from ear to ear.
All things considered, with entertaining the extra hungry mouths, lunches, desserts etc that we wouldn't normally have, I am delighted to declare the month at $600.01
The weather is on the turn now, into Autumn with much cooler mornings and nights so I am looking forward to cooking some hearty warming meals, soups etc. I feel I can cook more cheaply during the winter months baking to keep warm, using slow cooker and cheaper cuts, so I am gonna give it a go and boldly shave $25 off the budget for April to $575Mortgage
Start January 2017: $268,012
Latest balance $266,734
Reduction: $1,278.450 -
Well, today with be my last shop of my first challenge. DH spent £2.70 on bread and milk the other day so have yet to add that but overall I have around £60 still to spend of my £450 budget.
I have found this extremely interesting and plan to continue. I've canvassed opinion from coworkers, friends, etc to see how much everyone spends on their month. I marvel at how little a lot of you spend with so many people living together. We're only 3 people and I feel we spend a lot. But I tried awfully hard not to.
Anyway, it's been an eye opener. My plan was to run down the freezer but I rotated content instead. My biggest thing is I've used up that chicken and asparagus pie that was way down the bottom (don't even remember buying it) and it was lovely.
I feel I have enough for the week in the freezer and only need lunch/breakfast essentials really. If DH doesn't come with me I can do it.;)Grocery Challenge M: £450/£425.08 A: £400/£:eek:.May -£400/£361 June £380/£230 (pages 18 & 27 explain)0 -
Hi All
Declaring £132.73 for the month - Well under budget.
Cupboards still full and freezer will need topping up at some point.
Can you put me down for April £150.00 - spare moeny going to buy paint and garden stuff - need loads of compost for raised beds that I will set out when it's warmer - blowing a gale here this morning. All little plants growing nicely in the greenhouse when I watered them this morning.- Drafty round the old ankles!!!!
Washing machine leaking a little on spin cycle so off to sit with head in cupboard whilst it's spinning!!!! Deep Joy!!Mortgage free as at 1/9/13 :j
To start work on the credit cards now!!0 -
OH has had a change of pay day yet again!! so I'm going to change my month end date.
I have always been paid on the last day of the month but he gets a different day with every temp job, the last one was 13th, this one 25th. With so many I've decided to go with the new thread date which is the 28th.
So I am declaring for this month at £135.34 which is a little over but not enough to worry over.
Now have to go off to the garage and spend all my hard earned GC savings on the car exhaust:eek:0 -
I am declaring for this month at £415.70. Slightly over but not too bad. I have stopped work now, but the next few weeks will be busy and expensive, with three days voluntary work next week and then the Easter holidays, trip to London, family visiting etc, so lots happening and all of it expensive!:rotfl:
See you in April.
HollysanMFiT-T4 #63
Mortgage £78,000/£67,690.730 -
Hi all
Declaring at £190.07 for March - slightly over budget of £180.
As food prices keep rising I'm going to raise budget for April to £200
Hopefully will be better able to keep to this! Monthly internet shop booked for delivery on Tuesday (would have been Wednesday but a lot of the offers finished Tuesday!) That will be around £110 - will post once final bill received!
Good luck to all with the gc
Coolmum xxDebt at 2nd LBM (!) Jun 08 £8,435 - hm, let's not go there!!
DFW Nerd - 721 / DFW Long Hauler 4 / DFD - ASAP!!
Sealed pot challenge - member 336 - £200 target
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Well Im still lurking and not spending too much! Been busy all week so have had to skip a lot of pages of posts!
Had my Asda order to that more or less sorted me out this week and Ive got another due on Tuesdayas the evoucher runs out then!
Waitrose are not accepting the vouchers as well as they used to be so that will hit me in the future. Tesco wont take any lately either.All the more reason for free deliveries.
Bought myself a new GF grill this week as the last one(a cheap asdas own) was showing its wear and the nonstick was coming off and I dont want to eat that-let alone the difficulty cleaning it.
Apart from that Ive not spent a great deal. Avoided the "bargains" at work too as I dont "need" any more clothes.
Still got cupboards and freezer chocablock and also have an Approved Foods order on its way-dunno where that will go. DH will go a bit mad methinks.
I think I need 100 lines-I must not buy more food.I must not buy more food.I must not buy more food.
Anyway-sig now updated. I dont even need separate purses for my money any more-I can totally trust myself and everything is getting written down. Sometimes I put it in my phone memory so I cant forget when Im out. Ive included quite a few things in my grocery which could well have gone into my "other" spending the last couple of weeks but as Im also doing a 10k budget for total expenses this year it wont really matter. Its all logged day by day in my spending diary. Ive still got £265 left of grocery money until 31st March so that will cover approved foods and asda order and should still haveapprox £150 over to add to my next "quarter" April to June.Annual Grocery budget 2018 is £1500 pa £125 calendar month £28.84 pw for 3 adults0 -
march total spend £229.21:D
April target again £250
could do better"Reaching out to touch the stars dont forget the flowers at your feet".0 -
Hi
Got a bit lost in March but am delcaring as on budget as I'm sure my weekly spends were OK with no surpirses. OH kept a few receipts for small top ups but I have decided to ignore these and not worry.
I plan to keep an excel sheet of all my spends from now one as was very impressed with the one posted earlier in the month. Will see if it helps me keep track better than my book that's getting pretty dog eared now. My budget for April needs to be increased due to the longer month and entertaining over easter, so I will go for 300.00 (One year on and still no pound sign on my puter, will spk to OH again.)
300.00 for APRIL please Mrs M.WL 11 st 5lb as at 050109. 160209 11st 2lb
11st 5lb as at 20.04.09 11st 7lbs 040509 11st6 010609 I wish 2016 175 lbs.
Family of 3 at home - , DS 22, self and OH0 -
Am a little over this week again, probably by about £5. Darn M&S and their offers - got a 2.5kg oakham chicken reduced to £3 which pushed me over.
Mrs M can i be in for £47.50 per week for April. Many thanks.The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt.Bertrand Russell0
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