July 2009 Grocery Challenge

eckythump

Don't worry about the spelling,you can always spot when people are on their phones.:D
So who is the fussiest you or O.H?
If its O.H let us know what his top ten meals would be and we can work out if you can save money on these.
likewise is there anything you are not buying as you feel its eating up budget?
you mentioned washing powder,do you know you can buy washing soda really cheaply and use a small scoop of this and just half your normal washing powder?
The only wash I don't use it for is darks as it can fade them with prolonged use.
with regards to health and beauty do you visit car boot sales? most boot sales have a least one MSE'er selling cut price toiletries that they bought from Tesco for the points.:D
if you see one,mention MSE/PTS and have a little haggle.
Are you keeping a food and spending diary? it will highlight if you are impulse buying certain things at certain times.
mine was always Friday night after work.....would spend far too much,so now I never shop on a friday night .

eckythump

elantan wrote: »

Oh and I forgot to say no I honestly didn't know I could freeze hubbys rolls for lunch cheers that will deff help

pop them in his lunch box still frozen and buy the time he comes to eat them they will be defrosted.

elantan

eckythump wrote: »

Don't worry about the spelling,you can always spot when people are on their phones.:D
So who is the fussiest you or O.H?
If its O.H let us know what his top ten meals would be and we can work out if you can save money on these.
likewise is there anything you are not buying as you feel its eating up budget?
you mentioned washing powder,do you know you can buy washing soda really cheaply and use a small scoop of this and just half your normal washing powder?
The only wash I don't use it for is darks as it can fade them with prolonged use.
with regards to health and beauty do you visit car boot sales? most boot sales have a least one MSE'er selling cut price toiletries that they bought from Tesco for the points.:D
if you see one,mention MSE/PTS and have a little haggle.
Are you keeping a food and spending diary? it will highlight if you are impulse buying certain things at certain times.
mine was always Friday night after work.....would spend far too much,so now I never shop on a friday night .

thanks will try and answer thisbefore i start my tale of woe...

i would say hubby is the more fussy eater i am.. as long as it is vegetarian i am happy (although i dont eat processed so that is fussy as well i spose) ...hubby wont eat pasta has just started eating tomatoes (no more than one at a time though) the list really goes on and on for him though ...

he works in a very physical demanding job so he is a very hungry bunny as well ...his top 10 favs i would say are

singapore chowmein
cantonese beef fried rice
chicken with cashew nuts fried rice
chicken curry fried rice and onions
massaman curry fried rice (see a pattern lol)
thai curry and yes you guessed it fried rice
spare ribs
chicken fajitas
lamb mince tacos
sausage casserole
spag bog


he likes asian food just a tad

the things i am sacrificing are more or less fresh food (although i am still managing more than i thought i would) and organic stuff but i can manage without organics


i didnt know about the washing soda where would i buy that? never heard of it before i just buy bold out of costco usually (not anymore obviously
lol)

i have to admit i had a look in the bathroom cupboard i think i am actually ok for a wee while yet for there ...loads of half used bottles etc will use them all up before i buy anything else then it will either be boots cheap and cheerful or car boots etc ...

we did start a spending diary so far there isnt anything that i can say is bad but then that has only been since we decided to get our heads sorted so i think we probably need longer to actually see for real



right well last night i sat with pen and paper and made out a meal plan and a shopping list i did this as close as i could ...and i will write it all down shortly to let you see what i have came up with ...

so i lifted the £40 for the week ...and went to aldis to buy some th ings trying to save money they usually have fruit for 49p etc ...i got some cheap stuff cheaper than i had paid before salsa for the store cupboard at 69p instead of 79p for instance then i went to asda and bought most of the rest before nipping into farm foods (thanks lynz we have one in our village but i forget all about it cause i dont shop in it) i bought chicken and sausages and then stopped off at somerfield for half price toilet roll

i have £4.69 left ...i still have to buy milk for through the week hubbys alcohol £6... and my veg etc for sunday i really like to try and have a digestive system day rest so have juices but i dont have any money for this this week and i am concerned ...is this how it is going to be ? how am i going to manage getting hubbys drink? arrrggghhhh ...

ok positives ...
i have plenty sausages to do me a few weeks now and enough chicken to do atleast two weeks (maybe three if i am lucky) and i am starting to realise exactly what food costs ...it's totally different when you have to actually think about things isnt it?

right i need to go put things by and have a good look at what i have and calm down so that i can come up with a plan

MrsE_2

southernscouser wrote: »

Seriously hun, Dolmio is well expensive. £2 odd I think. And once you've made your own you won't go back. I used up an old jar and it's so sweet it's horrible. _pale_

2 tins of chopped tomatoes (25p a tin odd), bit of basil out of the jar, salt, pepper, juice of a lemon, splash of tomatoe puree and (I'll probably get slated for this) I like to put Bisto beef granules in. Tastes pukka for probably a quid tops. :T

I used to buy jars, until JO reignited my interest in cooking.

I use his MoF spag bol recipe now.

I never use cook-in-jars now:eek::eek::eek:

They are horrible. Will try & find link to recipe....

http://anotherfoodyblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/lasagne-from-jamie-olivers-ministry-of.html

Lemon_Verbena

Pink-winged wrote: »

In my opinion he wants to disrupt threads and is probably best ignored. Leave him to play with himself.

Pink

Very off topic I know, but just had to thank Pink Winged for the above, had a really carppy morning and I just read the above and it made me laugh so much it made the blues disappear!

Back on topic, by this time in the month I've usually spent about £400 or more on food, just about to edit my signature and I have £31.72 left to last until the 27th and as we stocked up on Aldi's 49p grapes and nectarines, long life milk and bread yesterday I don't have to go out shopping for the rest of the week I hope, so fingers crossed I may come in on or better still under budget this month :j And DH has said I can have anything that's left from the grocery budget at the end of the month to put into the decorating budget :T

elantan

ok i know i wrote that only a couple of minutes ago but i have found the reciepts so here goes

ALDI
sugar 84p (this should do at least two weeks thankfully)
pesto 99p
salsa 65p x 2
onions 87p 1kg
baking potatoes 69p 4 pack
potaoes 49p
ginger 59p
mushrooms 99p
part baked baguettes 45p (for 4)
cheese £2.06 meat for peices £1.99
marmalade 59p

total £11.85

ASDA
loaf £1.29 for pieces and soup etc
loaf £1.50 (for two) for toast (one going in freezer)
pizza mix 55p
lasagne sheets 32p
brown rice £1.23
tofu £1.58
tumeric 68p
cumin58p
pasta (for two) £1
garlic (2) 60p
coriander 54p (reduced)
eggs £1.29
sausage casserole mix £1.44 9for two)

total £13.32


FARM FOODS

richmond irish sausages £2.49 (for 24)
chicken breast £4.50 (for 6 ) never bought frozen sausages or chicken before (that i can remember)
wahing up liquid 2 for £1 (which means i will have to was the dishes now as hubby can only use persil everything else irritates his dermatitus (shot myself in the foot there then lol)

total £7.99


SOMERFIELD

toilet roll £2.77 (half price) for 9 rolls


ok meal plan next

whatatwit

El, I see you've got a farmfoods.

Have you seen their toilet rolls.....the brand is Nicky pack of 4 for £1 they also do a bigger pack, which is even better value.
Also, they do a veggie meatballs which Miss Twit likes.
The frozen chicken breasts, are lovely...they don't have that frozen texture to them.

Washing soda is available in the supermarkets, usually with the handwash/vanish stuff. they tend to be in plastic packets, bit like a bag of sugar in shape, and usually hidden on the bottom shelf :rolleyes:

Savvy_sewing

highland fling, I have done exactly the same, started to use the cupboard under the stairs for a pantry. It already had some shelves attached to the back of the stairs and along one side, with nails hanging off of it, so the tins/packets are starting to go in their, and the big bag of tea bags, is on a nail (In a carrier bag), and the kids snacks are hanging in another carrier bag.
We do still have lots of rubbish/boxes etc on the floor, but its a start.

elantan

ok meal plan for the week

breakfast for both

either cereal or toast

lunch for hubby

rolls /pieces cold meat
crisps (dont have enough left now)
piece of fruit (have 2 pears and 2 bananas left)


lunch for me

swapping daily between spicy lentil soup (cooking that just now)
baguette with salad stuff (what is left over from sunday)


dinner for hubby

1)sausage and mash with onion gravy
2) sausage casserole (can i freeze this if i make too much)
3)beef ham (cant do this anymore need to replace this) potatoes turnip ( dont have this not enough money) carrots (ditto turnip)
4)pork chop (ditto beef ham)
5)pizza
6) chicken fajita (dont have wraps for this was planning on buying them on thursday
7) chicken curry


dinner me

1)corn on the cob (yes it is still kicking around)
2) baked avacado
3) tofu dish
4) other half of tofu dish
5) pizza
6) baked vegetables
7) juice day


snacks for hubby

well he has some mini eggs and some caramel wafers


snacks for me

fruit nuts and seeds (no fruit left however) chick peas (i love munching on them)


so this week i made my plans and eh well they got shot out of the water today lol ...

i am sure it will get easier the more i do this but it is frustrating and worrying ...sigh i will get there

elantan

whatatwit wrote: »

El, I see you've got a farmfoods.

Have you seen their toilet rolls.....the brand is Nicky pack of 4 for £1 they also do a bigger pack, which is even better value.
Also, they do a veggie meatballs which Miss Twit likes.
The frozen chicken breasts, are lovely...they don't have that frozen texture to them.

Washing soda is available in the supermarkets, usually with the handwash/vanish stuff. they tend to be in plastic packets, bit like a bag of sugar in shape, and usually hidden on the bottom shelf :rolleyes:

i have to admit i didnt see the toilet roll ...i had noticed by this time that money was tight so i said i aint looking at anything i am just going in for the chicken and sausages so i stayed focussed ...so focussed i went next door and paid £2.77 for nine rolls arrrghhh ...will keep that in mind though...

have started a book of things to try will write down the meat balls ...

i wonder why it is that super markets do that eh:rolleyes:


is that like soda crystals?



update the spicy lentil soup aint that great ...but it will be eaten