September 2009 Grocery Challenge

helen_jelly

chewy62 wrote: »

Hi everyone! have been reading all your posts and am inspired to save money on our food. Not sure how much to budget for though, family of 5, 2 adults, 6 YO, 4 YO and a 7 month old, dog and cat! Usually spend about £550 and need to bring this down as have given up work, any advice? Cheers in advance!

Hi - my advice would be to set yourself a realistic target - if you normally spend £550 then if it was me I would try for £500 for October and keep all receipts so that I could see where I was spending the money and work on that to reduce again for November. Don't reduce your target by too much to start of with as this could be unrealistic and unachievable. Flying-Fresians post is spot on. For help with the cooking there are fantastic recipes on Page 1. It also helps to log on here daily and post your spends so you can keep track easier.
Hope this is of some help - Helen x

Curlytop40

My declaration for September is 387.65 which is a vast overspend. However the freezers are full to bursting and that should help october as its a five week month for me which started yesterday.
For October could I please be put down for 340. Thankyou.
For me this includes, all groceries, going out, petrol, catfood and catlitter. There's me, dd who's 4 and 2 siamese cats.
I am determined to come on this thread more often so I can try and keep on the straight and narrow this month.
So far I have spent just over £69 in Mr S but have all my catfood for the month as well as lots of other monthly things, and £19 something in netto. All I need for the rest of this week is bread and bananas in waitrose today-they keep better, and some apples in netto midweek. I'm going out on tuesday but it shouldn't be more than £25 and is accounted for in my estimated spending.

Fivenations

Declaring £311.68 - a little over budget but I'm happy as it is still a lot less than I've been spending. October is going to be a tight month so I am going to try for £240. Son's EMA will be coming through so he can now buy all his own extra protien for his training. He eats for two - seriously!

chewy62

thanks for the advice, I usually so lots of spag bol etc and am starting to try cheaper brands, quite impressed with some. I think it's about what you can cut back on that you don't actually need, think I def spend too much on biccies, crisps etc when I could be making my own!(maybe not the crisps!)
Will post on Oct GC, think I'll go for £500? Cheers!

highland_fling_2

Good morning everyone,

HelenJelly: could I declare at £176 for Sept and aim for £180 for October please.

Welcome to all newbies and good luck.

Going out for lunch today and only having piazza for M&S for tea so very relaxing day.:j

Ninno820

Technically this post should be in an October thread but ........

Week 1 I stuck to cash for the groceries (I include everything that cold be spent at a supermarket) and came in £2.94 under my allocated £40 - and even that included a cookery book from my slimming class. So - 1 week in and I am amzed by my sticking power - good luck everyone for next week.

helen_jelly

chewy62 wrote: »

thanks for the advice, I usually so lots of spag bol etc and am starting to try cheaper brands, quite impressed with some. I think it's about what you can cut back on that you don't actually need, think I def spend too much on biccies, crisps etc when I could be making my own!(maybe not the crisps!)
Will post on Oct GC, think I'll go for £500? Cheers!

Hi - can I just check your October amount - is it £500 or £450 - bit confused [easily done says my DH!!] as your post says £500 but your signature says £450
Thanks - Helen x

mama67

Blairweech wrote: »

Hello all,

No Spend Day today, :j

Breakfast: Toast with Hm fig jam (it has actually set well and tastes pretty scrummy)
Lunch: Cheese rolls, crisps, fruit, chocolate
Dinner: Pasta Bake - I was going to have meatballs, chips and gravy ala IKEA but would need to get some cream for the sauce. As I wanted a NSD, I decided to just have pasta instead

Is the gravy ala IKEA danish or swedish gravy?

If so then it is usually a basic runny white sauce with gravy browning added to it.

DH was a cook on some fishing trawlers with Danish skippers and had to make this alot along with frikadellars and red cabbage cooked with apple.

jayward

hi,oh ,passed lidl yesterday so he got a few bits of things on offer and getting a couple of treats £6.02

chewy62

:jSorry to confuse, I'm gonna try for £450 for the month of October for all groceries, booze etc, (oh and nappies!) Thanks!;)