May '06 Grocery Challenge

Pink.

Hello everyone

Another new month is about to start, for most of us, while others of you are already well into things.

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.

If you are new to the challenge I have quoted the advice from Galtizz below which will help you get started.

Good luck to everyone. Please post into this thread for help and advice and support at any time.

Good luck !!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galtizz

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.

fizzel81

i will be trying again, last month i totally over spent on my 40.00 budget but we had gone from spending around 90.00 a week and trying to drop it to 40.00 so i think this was a bit harsh for a 1st month of budgeting so this month i am aiming for no more than 60.00 a week(still 30.00 drop) hopefully with what i have learnt so far about budgeting and thank s to come fantatsic recipies ideas etc on here i should do it

Mumofthreeboys_2

We went shopping last night - 2 a shop that I thought was cheaper than it actually turned out to be (not sure if I'm allowed to mention it). Anyway, we spent £84 odd (for 5 of us), but we didn't buy washing powder or alchohol!! I'm going to make washing 'gloop' tomorrow and will be going to Netto's for their cheap beer. We have cut down loads recently, so not sure how much we can shave off this bill- wish me luck...

yummum_3

Another month!!! I'm all ready to go. I spent £179.34 last month and will budget for £40 a week next month. I think I'm doing well since before this I was spending £70-£80 a week and too be honest I can't tell the difference in the food or the amount. So here goes to another month and thanks to everyone for all their support!!! :j

bulchy

Count me in again.
It all went haywire in april, I know how you feel fizzel, I blame the kids being on holiday :embarasse I need to be better organised, so am gonna spend the next 2 months being really good in preperation for the summer holidays, crikey now I've wrote that down it feels scary, another school year almost over.(well a term left)
I've been shopping today, got quite a bit of shopping, and some woopses in Asda, not sure exactly how much I've spent yet, probably about £70+ need to work it out, but I am not doing any more shopping for at least 2 weeks, except of course for veg,bread and milk. Also need some catfood, cats are being so fussy I cant seem to get anything decent to feed them, hubbies at Lidl as I type trying to remember which of the catfoods we got for them last that they actually like :rolleyes:
Thanks everyone for all the great tips and recipes for the last month. I've certainly learnt loads since joining this forum.
Sue

mags50_2

Hi everyone

Well my month starts again tomorrow. Hasn't been a brilliant saving month but I have managed to keep under the budget... just!!

As I said before I'm cutting it to £350 this month and trying to get my freezer and store cupboard sorted.

I've really enjoyed this month... made me think again about meals and what I buy... I'm so pleased I found this site and all you lovely people to keep me going and interested... and lots of new recipes and ideas!!

Take care xx

Essex-girl_2

Looks like I will be under again this month will update tomm after ive been to Asda or Morrisons cant make up my mind yet. Dont need much buts that when it all seems to go wrong!!

Anyway going to set it at £260 for 1/5/06 - 26/5/06.

Chell

April was my first month, I had no idea what I spent on food before. I tried to keep to £50 per week for food, toiletries, cleaning items and nappies for two toddlers.
For me I find it easier to keep to £50 a week rather than a monthly figure. I now shop on a Wednesday whereas beofre I was shopping whenever something ran out.
My cupboards are looking good, much less packed with odds and sods. I haven't been meal planning as such but doing a list of what I need to replace and making sure there is no waste.

sarah0404

I only started keeping track of what I spend on food last week. Last week was £115, and this week £21 :-) I'd done a bulk shop the first week and have made and frozen lots of meals. I'm wondering if I can get away with £200 for the whole 4 week period. (We are a family of 5 and my "food" budget actually includes shampoo, toilet roll etc.)

My usual weekly shop was between £60-£70 and goodness knows how much else on the "just popping in for some milk, coming out having spent £10" type of shopping. Plus my partner was spending £2-£5 everyday for lunch/tea at work. And who knows how much on take-aways. Truthfully I think our weekly spend on food would probably have been more like £100 +

I'm going to try and stick to the £200 a month budget. So I've got £64 to last me the next 2 weeks. I'll be really pleased if I can do it. :j (then I'll look at ways of cutting it even more!)

troll35

I'm all for another go. This month I think I'll probably go over a little as I've still got to go shopping tomorrow in April's budget and I've offered to cook a birthday meal for my mum on Monday so that'll be extra to buy :eek: . Decided to do a homemade soup (stock from chicken carcass already in the freezer:T ), Boeff Bourgignon (stewing steak from butchers is reasonably priced) and homemade profiteroles for pud (donkeys years since I made them)

For me May has 4 weekends and so I'll set my target at £220.

I'm pleased to bits with how this site has helped me get back to my culinary roots. I used to be really adventurous in my cooking, making everything from scratch. Then DS came along and somehow time seemed to go and convenience appealed. The money I've saved is amazing. For once, this year's holiday won't be paid for with an interest free credit card:rolleyes: The money's already there, in the high interest internet account, waiting for us to decide where to go (on our last minute bargain, price battered jolly jaunt. .following Martin's tips) :cool: :T

poppycracker

I'm in again. My month is starting from next weekend, because its a bank holiday on monday so our wages won't clear until Friday. Off to change my sig now....