September 2009 Grocery Challenge

Toonie

Hello and welcome rc01.

We're up to just over £60 so far and will have a big shop next week, but that will also include buying some things for October as well as my paydate has changed at work, but I still prefer to work 1st day to last day of the mont, but it all works out in the end for my annual target.

We are running a little low on carbs at present, so will need to buy some spuds during the week. Had a stock take on my freezers (2) and larder and we still have quite a lot left, its just a case of figuring out what to do with it to make it last as long as possible. Talking of which, anyone know what I can do with Trex? I have half a box leftover from when my M-I-L was over and have never used it before.

We're having a lazy dinner of fish fingers, chips and beans tonight as we've been at a wedding this weekend and so couldn't plan anything properly. Next week we'll have four proper meals (cottage pie, steak, meatballs and tomato and bacon pasta) and three quick suppers (egg on toast, noodles with soy sauce, baked spud with beans/cheese).

ChocClare

Haven't posted for a few days - my apologies! Thursday evening I suddenly remembered I had to buy food for my DH's teaching the following day but I don't count that as he claims it as an expense against tax. Just needed milk and bananas apart from that. No spends Friday and yesterday and Mr T delivered today at less than £70 which I know all you oldsters are laughing at, but that's pretty good for me AND it included two big boxes of Celebrations on BOGOF that have gone into the Cupboard of Mystery in my sewing room where the kids can't get at 'em and they'll do for Christmas. Plus I got a fuel token - DH runs his car on 50/50 diesel and WVO (waste vegetable oil) but the 5p off a litre is brillo for me, especially since petrol went up last week. Halfway through the month and I see I'm over halfway through my budget but it's really focussed my mind and made me think about the HUGE stocks of food we have.
DS goes back to college tomorrow so HURRAH I won't need to have piles of instant gratification !!!! around the place for him to stuff his face with. Should make life MUCH cheaper :rotfl:

the_cat

Have totted up my totals so far - oops:o

Spent £179.48. Doing an annual total so that means I now have 15 weeks to go and only £44.70 per week to spend for 2 adults and 2 teens who eat non stop. Err, plus christmas extras:eek:

Looks like the next week or so will have to be spent on a store cupboard challenge to try to claw a bit back. Lidl have our favourite pork loin reduced this week though and although I don't need it, I am really tempted to get some.

Will do a meal plan I think and buy essentials for this week, plus 4 of the pork loins. Aiming to spend just £20 for the week

rosieben

rc01 wrote: »

I'm new to this thread. I had always been careful with my household budget but for lots of reasons things have slipped really badly the last 18 months. Lets just say life hasn't been kind! ...

welcome to the GC rc01 :j and good luck with your first month's challenge

Toonie wrote: »

.... Talking of which, anyone know what I can do with Trex? I have half a box leftover from when my M-I-L was over and have never used it before. ...

I use trex for pastry, not sure if it can be used for anything else?

hex2

Trex is good for lardy cake, pastry and frying. Which is not good for diets.

Basically anything you would use lard for.

*dribbles*

Toonie

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I have an old recipe for Spice buns from the Be-Ro book (many editions ago) which uses lard, so could make some of those.

I'm no good making pastry as I have the most useless kitchen benches in the world (everything sticks, not matter how well floured the thing is-I need to get myself a marble slab) but I'll have a search for some lardy recipes.

helen_jelly

rc01 - welcome to the thread. MrsM will no doubt welcome you in a while but just to let you know that I will be doing the totals for October so once you have your amount for then I would be really grateful if you post it in RED so that i can spot it easily. Check out the recipes on the first page - there are some really really good ones on there. Good luck with your budget and I hope that it works out well for you.

Helen x

helen_jelly

Made MrsM's Blackberry Pie the other day [with added pears from the freezer]and DH bought some cream reduced to 9p from MrM today so had some of that this afternoon - it was the best pudding I have ever made - lush, lush, lush!!!

Have told DH that we have £54 left of the budget [really have £104 but he's not knowing that!!] so he thinks he has to stop buying from now on - he is terrible at going out for a pint of Milk and spending £10 so a little white lie does us both good.

Helen x

Julimk

Complete NSD today – hurrah!

Tomorrow should be the last top-up shop of the month, other than possibly some milk. There is still over £30 in this month’s budget & the list for tomorrow is about £15 on mysupermarket, so some left if I do see any good whoopsies. But I will have to be strict with myself & only get them if will definitely be used, not just because it is a good deal.

DD made some cakes today; she insisted that she needed no help whatsoever & they are lovely. I cooked my beef joint in the SC for the first time & was really pleased with it – so tender & butter soft. DD said she still preferred it oven cooked, but ate it no prob.

rowsew

I'd like to have a go for next month please, we've had a b*gger of a month so far, just about finished off yesterday with an unexpected vet bill to put one of the cats down of £76 =(
Our normal shopping budget which doesn't include chicken food/bedding or petrol is £50 per week for the 4 of us (2 grown-ups and 2 smallies) and I could really do with sticking inside this by at least a fiver. Menu planning this week has all got to come out of food already in the house.