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Pink.
Posts: 17,652 Forumite

Welcome to the June 2009 Grocery Challenge. :hello:
If your new month starts early feel free to join this thread, or if you're still working on your May budget, then keep on posting in the May 2009 Grocery Challenge
As always this challenge is to reduce your own grocery budget to levels that you will be pleased with, not forgetting that we always recommend that you stay inside your own comfort levels and take things gently one step at a time. Remember that this is not a competition....it's designed to take you and your grocery spending to a level you are happy with.
If you are new to the challenge I have quoted the advice from Galtizz below which will help you get started.
Please post into this thread for help and advice and support at any time. Good luck to everyone taking part!
For guidelines on posting in this thread please read the second post in this thread.
For everyone's targets and totals for the month please read posts #3 and #4 on this thread.
Wishing you all a great June and good luck to everyone who's taking part!
Pink
If your new month starts early feel free to join this thread, or if you're still working on your May budget, then keep on posting in the May 2009 Grocery Challenge
As always this challenge is to reduce your own grocery budget to levels that you will be pleased with, not forgetting that we always recommend that you stay inside your own comfort levels and take things gently one step at a time. Remember that this is not a competition....it's designed to take you and your grocery spending to a level you are happy with.
If you are new to the challenge I have quoted the advice from Galtizz below which will help you get started.
Please post into this thread for help and advice and support at any time. Good luck to everyone taking part!

Galtizz wrote:
I have said this before, but for all the newbies to the challenge;
For the first month I took a guess at the budget but I really had no idea how much I was spending.
I found the best thing is to have a guess the first month but SAVE ALL OF YOUR RECEIPTS (and yes, that does include the ones from the local shop when you run out of milk ), then at the end of the month add them all up and have a look if you were on budget, if not, it doesn't matter because your budget was a guess. For the next month you can use the total of your receipts and take a bit off to get a realistic budget, just shave off as much as you think you can, it could be £1 a week or £20 a week.
If you are currently spending £200 a month don't suddenly drop it to £100 - you'll never do it but if you cut £20 a month off for a few months you'll get there eventually without feeling you're missing out on anything.
You might think you've done everything you can in the first month but someone always comes up with a new idea and, if you try it you often find you save a bit more (unless you are SarahSaver who is an expert at this and could only save more if she turned her back garden into a paddy field and lived on rice ) In the first month I thought, I'm planning meals, I couldn't possibly save any more, but then I started double cooking and freezing, and making soup instead of buying it in tins.
I've been doing this since Feb but only saved ALL of my receipts last month, it has given me a much better idea of where it is all going. Budget for next month is £80 for 2 of us, I'll start on 30/4. I could probably save more, by eating different foods but I can afford to live on £80, I have saved a lot of money since Feb. and I don't waste food or money any more. So I'm happy with my budget.
For guidelines on posting in this thread please read the second post in this thread.
For everyone's targets and totals for the month please read posts #3 and #4 on this thread.
Wishing you all a great June and good luck to everyone who's taking part!

Pink
0
Comments
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Guidelines for posting on the Grocery Challenge thread.
What is the Grocery Challenge thread?
This is a thread where people who are taking part in the Grocery Challenge can post for help encouragement and support and talk about anything related to grocery shopping. We ask that you try to keep on topic and post things that are relevant to the challenge.
Posting grocery budgets and spends for the month
Some people like to post their grocery budget and final spend for each month. If you wish to be included in the master list then please post these in red and in a large font as this makes it easier for the volunteers to keep a record of everyone’s totals.
Number of posts
In order to make the thread easier to read it would be helpful if users would try not to post multiple posts in quick succession.
Chat
Chatty posts that are relevant to the Challenge are fine. Irrelevant chat or posts simply saying ‘Good morning/Goodnight’, ‘just popping on to say hello’, ‘I’ve sent you a pm’ etc aren’t, as they clutter up the thread and may be removed to make the thread easier for others to read. Unfortunately the board guides simply don't have the time to pm users individually when posts are removed to keep the thread on topic. If your post has been removed and you are unhappy with the decision, please feel free to send us a pm.
If you want to say thanks to another user please use the thanks button and please post any chat not related to the Grocery Challenge into the Daily Thread or use the pm function.
No Spend days (NSD’s)
A number of people like to record that they have had a no spend day. Again to reduce the number of posts we would ask that rather than post just that you had a no spend day you record it in your signature and/or add it to a post that is directly relevant to the Grocery Challenge.
Pictures
Please keep these relevant to the challenge. While photographs of produce or cooking are great, pictures of semi-naked men or large clip art aren’t.
Bargains
Please don’t forget to check out the Grabbit and Shop but Don’t drop boards for any bargains and the Discount Codes 'n Vouchers (online & offline) board to see if there are any current vouchers around.
Questions about recipes, freezing, techniques etc
These don’t always fit into the Grocery Challenge. There are a number of threads where it may be more appropriate to ask questions. There is a wealth of information available on the Old Style board so please do a search to see if there is a better thread for your question. For more help with searching see here or feel free to send a private message to a board guide who will be happy to help.
Useful Links to threads on the Old Style board
Quick Questions thread
Recipe thread
Cheap recipe threads
Don't throw food away challenge...
The Complete Cooking Collection
Old Style Daily thread General chat about Old Style (new thread started daily)
Flylady thread Cleaning thread (new thread weekly)
Enough is Enough (decluttering)
Lose weight the Old Style way
Finally if you are new to Old Style and want help to find your way around, this thread may help: Welcome to Old Style and there is some excellent practical help and advice on posting on MSE chat forums in this thread: Unofficial A-Z (Look here first)0 -
annual
Allegra £2800 £1567.30
Angelatgraceland £6000
Cheerfulness4 £1400 £470.85
gillst £2400
JennyBee £1440
Mags50 £3000
mama67 £1820
Mrsmcawber €1680- €487.74
Mrs Money Penny £2700 £799.18
Mummy2mygirls £3000
Mummzyof2 £1200
Nykmedia -£1200 £787.53
Penny2myName £1080
Perrywinkle £3600 - £104.28
Prudence41 £1400-£417.85
SAAVYMUMMY £5300 £1660.61
Savvystudent £1500
Sylvan £3000
Taka £1320
Toonie £2040 -£1001.48
X Spender £2650
Yummymummy05 -£2800
Monthly
Always Happy £183.87 £183.87
Ancientmum £250
Angelnikki £320
Annie123 £300
AuntiH £300 £353.97
BabyMother £300
Baileys Babe £360
BarneysMom £200 £130.28
Beasygirl £350
BeforeHollywood £80
belfastgirl23 £150
BlimusOreilly £250
Boodle £120 £146.26
Booklover £180
Brighter Future £350
Callisto £90
Carolt2 £150 £149.54
Cazzdevil £50
Changing me £260
Cheapskate £400
CheeryDaff £140
Chivers1977 £300
Clayremonkey £200
Cleosmum £200
Clutterydrawer £30
Coolmum66 £220
Cornishpixie £300
Coxy11 £420 £444.88
Credit_Crunch £250
CW18 £121
Dazzle21 £150
DreamingofMoney£360
Earthmother £280 £368.06
Elizabunny £110
Ellemm £100 £47.05
Eveie189 £400
Evertheoptomist £120
Fallen Angel Shelly £160 £165.56
FedupandSkint £80
Fitzio £200
Fletch3163 £380
Flying_Freesian £200
Frogger2008 £240
Frugal Swan £160
Glamazon £100
Got it spend it £160 £145.26
Guns n Banjos £250
Hermoine £250 £306.73
Highland fling £150
Hollysan £400 £342.56
houston_kw£250
HowlinWolf £350
Huxley £200
Hypno06 £400
Ifonlyitwaseasier £80
ilovetea £100
Inamess200 £200 £233
Intergalacticfloozie £220
jackiegibbo £220
Jayne C £200
JayJay14 £175 £178.88
Jedilibrarian £100 £119.46
Jinky67 £250
Jintyb £160
JulieMK £120 £117.92
Karenccs67£200
Katzen £120
KayJay1809 £300
KezLou £175 £174.96
Kim1478 £300
Kindofgilr £200
KissJenn £350
Kippaxmum £225
KjSam £300 £297.50
KuneKune £500-6 -8 -3 -1.5 -2.5 -3 -1.5-3.50 -
Lainz £87 £128.98
Little_Miss_moneysaver£100
LizzieShep £60
LydiaJ £220
Meanmarie €290
Merzal £75
millieJo £300
Millyscarlett £220
Miss-Spent £250
MoneyFritter £80.83 £80.83
Money Saving Diva £330
Moniker £300 £299.64
MooLoo £125
Mouche £100
MrsGibbs1503 £275
Mrs-Moneypenny £400
MrsPoor £225
MrsSnowy £180
MrsToast £125
Mummygems
Natsing £110
Natty68 £320
Ninno820 £200
njk0327 £210
Nmlc £350 £365.93
NualaBuala €150
Ocemeer £125
patent girl £300
Pauper1 £200
PayBackTime2008 £200
Philsmum £130
Phoolgrrl £110
Pixie1 £150
Poohbear59 £200 £255
Purpleclutterbuck £285
Puss14 $107
Queen of string £80
RainbowChild £200
Rachel021967 £480
rachelmk £175 £165
Raini £120 £170.94
Rockie4 £180 £171.51
Rocks fan Debbie £300
Russet red £340
Sabs10 £175
Sashanut £275
Saving for Oz £35 £34.82
SAV3R £375
SAVVYMUMMY £400
ScotSaver £250 £335.46
ScrummyMummy £350
Searching Me £200
Sexymouse £100
Sharonej £100
Shortie £200 £212.45
Sillyinthepast £250
Sistercas £500 £448.03
Slowandsteady £200
Smlsave £150
Smurggle £150
Step away fron the card £240
Sun Addict £280
Sunnyday £140
SunnyDonny £175 £170
Sunny girl £380 £361.42
SuzyBloo £350
TattyCath £200
Taye £150
TheBees £380 £380
TheSkintFamily £130
Trinny £200
Wmf £130
Yorkielass £200
Zoe260373 £300
Weekly
Cuddlymarm £40
Flylady_Flower
Nickynoo08 £30
Penny Pincher £45 £39-6 -8 -3 -1.5 -2.5 -3 -1.5-3.50 -
Microwave Recipes
Main Meals & Side Dishes (Soups now listed separately, below)
Bacon and Cheese Fritatta with Tomato Salsa
Bacon and potato salad -Warm
Baked potato pizza
Baked Beans (home made)
Baked Bean Tart
Beef - Brisket
Beef Curry Dopiaza (Delia recipe)
Beef Stifado (Jamie Olive recipe)
Beef and Root Veg Curry
Belly Pork
Bolognaise (Remoska)
Broad Bean Burgers
Burgers
Cheese and Onion Flan
Chicken Cannelloni
Chicken - Cheat's Chicken Cassoulet
Chicken - Parmesan Chicken
Chicken - Sticky Chicken
Chicken Fried Rice
Chicken, leek and bacon pie / pasties
Chicken with Cannellini Beans
Chicken with Garlic, Cider & Cream
Chilli
Chilli (Remoska)
Chilli Bean Tortillas
Chilli Cheese Crostini
Chilli chicken with jasmine rice (BBC food)
Chinese style cabbage
Cobbler (topping) see below for Minced Beef with Cobbler Topping
Corned Beef Hash - MrsMCawber's recipe
Courgette Fritters
Cranberry & Soy glazed cocktail sausages
Creamy Chicken and Potato casserole
Creamy Lentil and Rice Dish (Khircheri) (BBC website)
Curry Sauce
Diet Coke Chicken
Duchesse potatoes
Faggoty Pea Stew
Falafel burgers
Fishcakes
Fish Pie and Fish Pie
Fusilli with Broccoli
Ham Hock (slow cooker)
Ham Salad (sandwich filling) external link
Hummus and Garlic Pitta Breads
Individual chicken pies
Lamb curry and paratha
Lamb Hotpot
Lasagne
Lemon Chicken
Lemon chicken with basil and tagliatelle
Lemon potatoes
Liver and onions stir fry
Macaroni Cheese
Meatballs
Meatloaf (1) Meatloaf (2)
Mediterranean Mince and Potato 'Pie'
Mediterranean Vegetable Pasta
Mince & onion pie
Minced Beef Curry
Minced Beef with Cobbler Topping
Mini Goat's Cheese, Pear & Walnut Quiche
Monday Pie
Moussaka
Naan bread - see 'Bread' below
Onion Bhaji
Open top 'pizza' pie
Pasta Cheese and Onion Bake
Pizza / Pizza Base Recipe
Pork Burgers with Salad
Pork and Beef Meatballs
Pork Steaks in Mustard and Cider Sauce
Potato Kebabs
Potato layer bake
Potato Layer Bake
Potato layer bake (Teisen datws)
Potatoes - Lemon Potatoes
Potatoes - Twice Baked Potatoes
Potato Wedges, Home Made
Quiche Lorraine
Salad, Russian
Salmon and Dill Fishcakes
Sausage and Rice bake
Sausage and Tomato Spaghetti
Sausage Casserole or Sausage Casserole
Sausage Meat Patties
Smoked salmon soda breads
Smoked Salmon - Tagliatelle with Smoked Salmon
Spaghetti with courgettes, tomato and brie
Spicy Bean and Lentil Loaf
Spicy Bean & Sweet Potato Stew
Steak and Kidney stew/pie filling
Steamed Oriental Buns
Stifado - Beef Stew With Tiny Onions Recipe
Stuffing - MrsMcawber's recipe
Suet crust pie with quorn
Super Tasty Bacon, Bean and Sausage
Sweet & Sour Chicken/Pork
TexMex Skillett
Thai green curry
Toad in the Hole
Tofu burgers
Tuna Fishcakes
Tuna Lasagne
Turkey and Bubble and Squeak Pie
Turkey Pasta
Turkey Pasta Cacciatore
Vegetable Casserole
Veggie Haggis
Soups
Bacon and Carrot Soup
Broccoli and Cheese Soup
Carrot, parsnip and lentil soup
Chicken & Sweetcorn Soup
Curried Parsnip Soup
Gammon and lentil soup
Ham and Lentil Soup
Iced cucumber soup
Leek and Potato Soup
Moniker’s Leek and Potato Soup
Leek and sweet potato soup
Moroccan Chickpea and Broad Bean Soup
Onion Soup
Oxtail Stew + Oxtail Soup
Parsnip & Apple Soup
Pea & Ham Soup
Real Tomato Soup
Slow Cooker French Onion Soup
Soup - Red pepper, carrot & lentil soup
Spicy Carrot and Tomato Soup
Split Pea and Courgette Soup
Vegetable Soup
Bread
Bagels
Baguettes
Bara Brith (Welsh Tea Bread)
Basic white bread recipe (makes a 2lb loaf)
Bread - Mrs McC's recipe for Remoska
Breadsticks MrsM's / angelnikki's (No Salt Recipe)
Cheese & Potato Bread
Cheesy Bread Rolls
Chewy Soft Flour Tortilla
Chocolate Bread
Courgette Flatbread
Focaccia
Garlic Dough Balls
Herb Quick bread
HM Bread
Lahmachun
Naan Bread .. see also .. Curry Queen's ...... Mrs McCawber's ...... OrkneyStar's
Oatmeal bread
soft bread rolls
Super Seedy Bread... don't throw the string away. You always need string!
C.R.A.P.R.O.L.L.Z Head Sharpener0 -
Dips, Jams & Chutneys and Drinks
Alioli / Traditional allioli
Christmas Chutney
Elderberry cordial
Jams & Preserves
Pineapple Salsa
Tomato Chutney
Lemon Squash
Cakes, Biscuits, Snacks & Desserts
Apple delight
Apple Charlotte
Apple - Microwave Autumn Apple Cake
Apricot Flapjack bars
Bakewell Tart
Banana and lemon drizzle cake
Banana Muffins (wholemeal)
Banana Muffins
Banana and Walnut cake
Banana Ginger Parkin
Branflake cake
Bounty Balls
Bran Fruit Loaf
Bread & Butter Pudding
Bulk pancake mix
Buttercream topping
Caramel Shortbread (Millionaire's Shortbread)
Caramel Shortbread (2)
Cheese n marmite twists
Cheesy Biscuits
Chocolate fudge
Chocolate Fudge Cake
Chocolate Krackolates
Coconut Cake
Coconut Flapjacks
Cookie Dough
Courgette Tea Bread/Muffins
Cranberry And Chocolate Brownies
Currant Loaf
Custard Cookies
D&DD’s Apple Braid
Date, Nut and Oat biscuits
Easy Syrup Sponge Pudding
Eggless Chocolate Cake
Fifteens
Flaky Bars
Flapjacks and Flapjacks
Gingerbread Men
Ginger Raisin Crunches
Golden Syrup Tart
Healthy Snack Bars
Honey Frosted Buns
Iced Buns
Impossible Coconut Pie
Jam Buns
Jammy Buns
Key lime pie
Krispie marshmallow bars
Lemon Curd Cake
Lemon Curd Ice-Cream JeniD's / MoneySavingDiva's
Malt Bread
Marshmallow Squares
Mascarpone and Lime Torte
Mascarpone Ice-cream
Millies Cookies
Mince Squares
Muffins: Basic Recipe / Chocolate Orange Muffins (1) / Chocolate Orange Muffins (2) / Gingerbread Muffins / Kiwi Muffins / Sticky Date Muffins / Strawberry Muffins / Toffee Apple Muffins
No fat sponge
Oaty Pancakes
Oaty Shortbread Biscuits
Peanut Butter Cookies
Pineapple, Fried
Rock Buns
Scones
Spiced Apple Bars
St Peter's Mud Pie (no cooking required)
Sticky gingerbread
Sticky toffee apple crumble
Teacakes
Twink’s Hobnobs
Weetabix Brownies
Weetabix Cake
Weetabix Fruit Loaf
Wonderbites
Yoghurt: Homemade yoghurt, Slow Cooker Yoghurt
Yoghurt Cake (the easy way)
Pastry
The best mince pie pastry ever
Pastry economics
Making pastry
Basic pastry
Flaky Pastry (BBC Food)
Top Tips (OS threads)
Batch cooking ideas
Complete Menu Plans Collection
Cooking for the Freezer
Meal building blocks for the freezer
Grocery Challenge Top Tips
Laundry Washing Gel/ Gloop, Fab conditioner, vinegar.....
External links
Batch Bake Minced Beef Recipe
How to feed your whole family a healthy, balanced diet... (Webook)
List of conversions
Love Food Hate Waste website
Show Jamie How To Cook On A Budget Champagne Contest
... don't throw the string away. You always need string!
C.R.A.P.R.O.L.L.Z Head Sharpener0 -
Hi everyone & thanks to Mrs M, Pink & Rosieben for all the hard work maintaining the thread :T
I came under by quite a lot in May so I'm going to try for £380 for June please Mrs M.
Good luck to everyone0 -
Can I put down £120 as my June target, please? Thank youLove and compassion to all x0
-
Thanks for the new thread Pink
I can now report my first mini spend of June -well we are 3 days into our month :rotfl:
Hubby picked them up on his way home from work..- 1 kilo carrots
- a cucumber
- and over 1kilo or tomatoes on the vine -which hubby chose as they were 89c a kilo :T
I did put potatoes on the list but he decided not to bring them as he knew we had enough for a few more meals and they only had the ones at €1.99 for 2kg -and he knew I could get them elsewhere @ 4kg for €1.99 -by jove I think he has got it... So I have enough potatoes for 3 more meals and with a bit of "tweaking" to our meals I can manage without any more until well into next week
Hubby is dining out tonight in the mess -so no need to feed him, I have some bread dough proving -so I will have salad sandwiches for my dinner -nomnomnom
a rough meal guide for this week will be :-- roast pork dinner with yorkshires
- special fried rice with chorizo and the like in
- Hm tortilla wraps with caramalised veggies and gyros meat -salad
- jacket potatoes, cottage cheese and salad x 2
- pasta bake/salad -depending on the weather
- left over pork made into a pie or wraps-depending on weather again
-6 -8 -3 -1.5 -2.5 -3 -1.5-3.50 -
Hi,
Could you put me down for €150 for June please? This is to cover food and cleaning products. It's just me at home so I find my food spend is not too bad these days but I'm considering going organic so that will push up the cost if I do that.
I aimed for €90 for May and have spent €75.42 but June will need a bit more replenishing of the freezer and store cupboard.
Thanks to all of you who keep this thread going:T - I get lots of great ideas here.
NualaTrying to spend less time on MSE so I can get more done ... it's not going great so far!
Sorry if I don't reply to posts - I'm having MAJOR trouble keeping up these days!
Frugal Living Challenge 2011
Sealed Pot #671 :A DFW Nerd #11850 -
Hi! Can you put me down for £320 please MrsM :A
This is for 2 adults and a toddler and covers all food and household stuff. My month runs 27th May to 30th June which is 5 weeks.
Good luck everyone
Nikki x:A0
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