July 2009 Grocery Challenge

elizabunny

Morning All,

Hoping for another NSD today to make 2 in a row...wow!

HM Chicken Stir Fry tonight and some Swiss Chard from the garden. Funny combination I know, but needs must. The Swiss Chard grows so fast and I have to use it up. Any ideas anyone on any interesting ways to use this veggie as I think I have overplanted:D

Not sure about a dessert yet, found 12 strawberries and we had them with icecream yesterday, but there won't any today

I'm going to have to be very inventive to stick to my budget for the next 6 months as I have less then half left of the total.. Going to do my best though as we have a huge unexpected bill to pay(long story) and DH is still on a 4 day week.

The milk from Mr T for 75p sounds a good buy, thanks for that one, need to stock up so maybe not a NSD today after all;)

Have a good day everyone ...and stay cool.

rosieben

I'm going to the post office today but wont be shopping as I don't need anything; I don't feel like eating much in this heat, best I managed yesterday was a little salad and a bowl of cereal! Hoping to do a new inventory of my freezer and store cupboard as I've completely lost track, still plenty there though ...

Welcome to the GC Henny Penny, firstyearisthehardest and any other newbies I've missed (sorry!) :hello:
Congratulations greent on arrival of baby Sam :j

MrsMc, pleased to hear your mum is doing well, sending positive thoughts to you both and to anyone else who needs them.

Good luck with the budgets everyone!

little_miss_moneysaver_3

Hello everyone!
Thanks for the new thread Pink
Congrats Mrs M on the weight loss, any tips you want to share???
Greent congrats on the birth of little Sam, hope all is well :T

Please put my down for £165 this month. Is my BIG quarterly shop so I stockpile all the dry/tinned stuff. Just for the 2 of us.
I think it's getting harder as I'm spending lots of fruit and salad stuff. Spend £34/£80 on it last month! :eek: But we're going "healthy" so it has to be done!
Aiming for £130 food, £15 toiletries and £20 on household (raid the £shop for big supply of stardrops, only recently discovered this gem!)

Good luck to everyone!
LMMS x

Lemon_Verbena

Hi everyone

New here and my first post, hope I get it right! I'd like to join the July Grocery Challenge please Mrs M, can you put me down for £300 for this month. I want to try and reduce it to £250 but I'll do that gradually OH will not take so easily to having to many cuts and changes in one go. I've been reading the forum and Martin's tips for a few days and have loads of ideas and some of the recipes you all post sound lovely. We're wanting to reduce how much we spend so we can pay off the mortgage and be able to have holidays, but OH wants to do it without making luxury food cutbacks grrr, I need to make more time to make homemade stuff and maybe he won't notice so much that we don't have Mcvities choccie biccies in!

My month runs 26th June to 27th July, I have loads in the freezers and cupboard and the budget is for all cleaning, toiletries and food items for two of us and two fussy cats. Looking forward to the challenge and reading your wisdom and inspiration

cw18

Lemon_Verbena wrote: »

New here and my first post

Welcome aboard :T

I want to try and reduce it to £250 but I'll do that gradually

definitely a good idea to reduce slowly if you can afford to do it that way

SunnyGirl

Lemon_Verbena Welcome to the thread :dance:

karenccs67

My cousin has had a baby boy so today I went to town to buy him something. The Disney Store have got a sale on and I bought a Thumper Chime ball (you know the sort of thing I mean) and it was half price at £4.49, I also bought one of their gift boxes for £1 and they boxed the gift with tissue paper (and sprinkles if you want them) at no extra cost. I'm chuffed. :j

Welcome to the world little man (no name as yet) :smileyhea

Freegan

Hello everybody,

I'm pretty new to these threads but if you want some tips on seriously cutting down on your grocery bills (and other spends) google my username.

I became a freegan ('though I didn't know what I was doing had a name) four or five years ago after a disastrous overspend on non-essentials and I've been living like a prince since then.
I eat foods I can't afford to buy and my grocery bill is a negligible amount (less than a pound a day).

The first of the month is a good day to check out the bins at the supermarkets for 'best before end of' consumables so take a rucksack and clear a space in the freezer.
A walking stick is useful for hooking out stuff in the deeper bins if you're less agile than you used to be.

Remember, you'll be helping to cut down on greenhouse gasses, landfill and airborne fungal and bacterial spores as well as vermin.

So if you get any harrassment be polite and lecture them about climate change etc.
Once they realise that you have a case against them on their lack of social responsibility their attitude softens.
Sometimes they'll leave you alone but if security insists on moving you on offer no resistance.

curly_cabbage

Hi

Mrs M can you put me down for £150 this month need to keep track and this seems a good place have just been over to the meal planners too so here go's. I must admit i have already done my monthly shop and spent £120.00 so £30 to last until 31.7.09, but i don't think i'll need anything till end of next week (hopfully a little longer if i plan well).

CC

spendaholic

Hello again everyone. Sorry, I've been AWOL again - and as a result of not keeping on top of things, I'm now entering into a debt management plan. Therefore I'd really love it if I could come back.

I have £40 per week to spend in July and there are 4 weeks before pay day. Therefore, MrsM, please could you put me down for £160?

Many thanks.