May '06 Grocery Challenge

moggins

I'm in again this month, Trying to get down to £150.00 this month. May started for us on 28th April and first shop was done on Friday which came to £44. £10 spent at the market on Saturday. so that leaves me with £96 for the rest of the month.

badmad

I'm joining in properly this month.
Last month I was too lazy to do a budget, so I just colloected all my receipts and aimed for £80 for the month (1 adult only).
Was pleasently surpised to finish spending £80.83 for the month.
I'm working from the 1st and in May i'm aiming for £70.
I'm including bus fares (to try to encourage me to cycle to work more often - managed 3 times last week!), also including bathroom and cleaning products.

I've read a few tips from previous months and found that the most helpful so far have been, to use up what's in the cupboard already & "it'll wait until tomorrow" style shopping. I never thought putting something off for another day or to would ever make me sucessful, but it's the right attitude!
We should all be more mediteranian - Manana manana (tomorrow tomorrow, in my terrible spanish):D

My first tomorrow is today, because the shop was closed yesterday, and I can't go today, so it'll have to be tomorrow at the earliest!

wanna-be-mortgage-free_2

Well I am so proud of myself managed to go in to town for work purposes and walk past M&S :j If I can manage to get home tonight without stopping this will be my first no spend day :j

DopeyDora_2

I'm in again this month. I came in just under my £150 target budget last month (for 2 adults) though this included 2 takeaways & a mid-price restaurant meal out when we went to stay with friends (split the bill which included beer & wine). So all in all, not too bad I suppose

I am going to keep it at £150 this month as a lot of basics have now run out & need replacing (we went shopping yesterday & needed washing powder, replacement toiletries including razor blades, meat etc), and also leaves a bit in there in case of meals out or a take-away

Dora x

Baileys_Babe

I would like to join this month.

My months budget is £248 (31x£8)

My month runs from 1st - 31st inclusive.

Menagerie_2

A couple of people have asked about making their own bread so I thought I'd just quickly answer that. I don't have a bread maker, but I do buy the packets of bread mix. It's about 50p for a packet and it makes a lot of nice quality bread. I have found it very easy, I didn't have all the trays and containers it told me to use - I only have a small electric taple top oven and usually have no need for them, but I've found you can put the bread mix in anything really, little ramakins even, and it cooks very well. I even add veg like sweet potatoes or whatever needs using into the mix - it's a great way to get veggies into fussy eaters!

Another tip (well it works for me) is to do a months shopping in one go. I order my food from Asda online, with a bit of planning you can get all you need, and say I order £50 worth of food I don't buy ANYTHING for the next five weeks. I think someone people might find this really hard, but I enjoy doing it this way! (I get a kick out of saving money )

wanna-be-mortgage-free_2

Hi Menagerie
Thanks for the info on the bread mix - I didn't know they had such things:o
Will certainly be looking for this when I next do my shopping. We use about 2 loaves each week and it's costing me 89p per loaf so hopefully the bread mix will do me the full week saving £1.28 :T

How do you manage to get through the weeks without having to buy milk or other date dependant items such as yogurt etc?

Thanks in advance.

Menagerie_2

Well being a vegan I buy soya milk in 1 litre cartons, and depending which brand you buy they last between 1 month and 1 year! (the ones I get from Asda last a year unopened). So I just stock up on them, cheaper then normal milk too, and so much kinder to animals and tastier too! I did order some yogurts (vegan soya yogs) too, but once they've ran out I won't buy any more til the 5 weeks is up. And bread I either buy and freeze or make my own bit by bit from a packet.
Fruit doesn't last forever so that gets eaten up quickly, though apples and oranges and kiwis last for ages in the fridge.
When fresh stuff runs out I just eat the meals I've cooked and stored in the freezer, along with any tinned food I may have, or occasionally when I can find one and afford one, a vegan ready meal

wanna-be-mortgage-free_2

Haven't tried soya milk. Might give that a go although don't know if my two young boys would like it but anything's worth a go if it's going to save me money :rolleyes:

Thanks for all the tips, I really appreciate them.:D

Chell

I'm the opposite, I couldn't do a monthly shop. I'm allowing myself £50 per week. There is no way that food would last a month, I don't have enough hiding places. I have to hide biscuits to get them to last a week (from DP not the kids!).