October 2009 Grocery Challenge

tessasmum

Updating after spending £75.56 in Tesco yesterday. I hadn't shopped for a while so I had to buy a lot of stocking-up things like the 16 toilet roll pack, tomato ketchup, tins for the storecupboard, margerine and butter for baking - as well as the usual fruit and veg and a bit of meat and fish for the weekend. We should be fine for a while now apart from bread, and I can probably pick up a couple of loaves somewhere whilst I'm out and about tomorrow.

mark55man

hi everyone - did this before 18 months but couldn't make my numbers, even though they were higher than most. but times are tight and need to try again

so please can you put me down for £600 (me, OH, DD1, DS1, DD2, DS2, moggies 1 and 2). we spend everything on debit card so will be back soon when I have worked out my spend so far.

last months was £630.

plzhelpmesave!

Went out today which was a mistake!
£2.50 at the bargain bakery on bread and some "its famili friday!" cakes for kids and OH!
£6.60 in Home Bargains for tuna, salmon, spaghetti and couple of other bits & another £15 in HB later on including pressie for a newborn and cards & gift bags for 2 birthdays boys over the weekend - so got a lot for the money. I do wish this new HB hadn't opened around the corner from me though - literally a ten minutes walk!

mark55man

ok so this month with this weekends shop just done I am at £420/£600 (we shop online at Mr T and occasionally Mr A - in person we use Mr S and Lidl), we cook mostly from scratch (but not pizzas), and often but not always use value brands.

try for special offers and whoopsies, but work and kids make this difficult

typical week meals would be

* breakfast own brand cereal or toast (daily)
* lunch - sandwiches/apple/crisps (about £1max per lunchbox often less)
* supper
- baked potatoes beans, cheese / coleslaw
- pasta and tuna / pasta and cheese
- chicken a la king (quorn chicken for the veggies)
- pizza (2 for £2)
- spanish omelette

weekend may be ready made meal - once a month for a takeout - usually dominos when special on.

will usually be fruit and biscuits to snack on but not a huge amount

So this month might be doable, as have reasonable stock in freezer and cupboards

louboutingirl

helen_jelly wrote: »

Louboutingirl

Welcome and hi

Cos its not too late - I'll put your total on the front page where there are also loads of good recipes
Commiserations about your job, hope you get sorted soon

MrsM normally does this thread but is indisposed at the moment, please feel free to ask any questions you may have as there are lots of friendly people on here who will help you

Helen x

Thank you for the warm welcome.

DH and I are off into town tomorrow to run a few errands so am going to actualy go into bank and take out weeks shopping ££ in cash so I'm more conscious of what I'm spending.
Going to keep all my receipts for anything I buy - even the emergency pint of milk nip down to shop. Hopefully when I look at them all at the end of the month I can make an effort to cut out any un-necessary spends.
Going to make some bread tomorrow - already got the ingredients as I made some on Tuesday - I really want to do a batch seeming as i'll have the oven on, but gonna ask a really stupid question.... can HM bread be frozen? I don't eat bread very much but OH can go through half a loaf at weekends so think it will be cheaper to make some smaller loaves rather then big one which will end up going to waste during week.

Fingers crossed it all goes to plan :think:

louboutingirl

xx

JillD_2

JillD wrote: »

No spend today.
Spent £21 today on dairy and fruit and some cleaning stuff (vinegar and soda crystals).

Storecupboard challenge update:
12th Oct kids jacket potatoes, us prawn stir fry
13th Oct pasta bologniase and garlic bread
14th Oct kids/DH HM pizza, me frozen leftover lentil stew and cous cous
15th Oct veg sausages, mash, gravy and veg
16th Oct shepherds pie and baked beans

Still have left:
Sat 17th - 10 quorn fillets - Grandma's birthday roast dinner - stuffing, spuds, carrots, peas, beans, broccoli
Sun 18th 8 fishfingers, 3 waffles, peas; stir fry and noodles (carrot, pepper, onion, courgette)
Mon 19th Jacket potatoes, beans, cheese, burger for DH, sweetcorn
Tues 20th sausage casserole
Weds 21st
Thurs 22nd pizza again
Fri 23rd 8 fishfingers and 3 waffles and peas; stir fry and rice

Still left:
2 of (7 fishfingers and 3 waffles)
tin sausage and beans
3 veg sausages
2 portions chickpea and lentil curry.
curry ready meal
stuff for Thai red curry

rosieben

louboutingirl wrote: »

... can HM bread be frozen? I don't eat bread very much but OH can go through half a loaf at weekends so think it will be cheaper to make some smaller loaves rather then big one which will end up going to waste during week. ...

Yes HM and shop bread freezes really well. If I make big loaves I cut them in half to freeze; I'm going to try freezing the next one in slices so I can take out a few at a time.

and welcome to the GC :j good luck!

BigMummaF

Scuz'me while I parade around like a peacock but I boned a whole chicken yesterday :j
MrS sell larger value chooks so I bought one Thurs which I think helped; it was still 'fresh' from not being frozen or left in the fridge too long IYSWIM. Anyhooz, the offspring had fajita & Pup plain+the [stripped] wings last night using mainly darker & leg meat & two ha-yoooooj breast are in the freezer for a go at hm nuggets or a pie or even stir fry. All that lovely boneless chicken for only £1:99 per kilo AND the carcass is in the slow cooker now with some limp celery & a couple of chopped-up corn cobs to have as soup tonight. If I remember, I'll throw in some 9p chicken noodles too & a pinch of tarragon....is it ready yet :drool:

JayJay14

BigMummaF - I bone out chickens quite often. Xmas dinner is usually that stuffed with sausage meat and sage and onion and sewed back up. Easy cook and easy carve. (I have yet to try it with a turkey - would need to put a chicken in as well probably to fill the middle)

Updated sig, doing OK at the moment. Off on holiday on 29th so really need to get to grips with all the food I have in stock - no need to buy any really. DS will be moving back in for the fortnight we are away to look after the dog so I suppose I should get a few treats in for him - though it will probably easier to give him some cash as then I won't end up with stuff we won't eat when we get back.

Have a good weekend everyone.

highland_fling_2

Good morning everyone,

don't know why but once again I posted a reply and it disappeared into hyperspace

Well here goes again.

Just having bits and bobs for dinner tonight. Anything that is left in fridge etc.

Was a bit disappointed last night. Had just settled down to watch :money:when a friend arrived unexpectedly. She was coming straight from work. So I had to turn the television off and offered to make her supper.
Know I could tape the programme but don't know how to work this new recorder and television yet

Well she was very grateful for supper as she is a nurse and had had a very challenging shift and it would save her making anything when she did eventually go home.
I suppose that I should be counting my blessing that I have good friends and a home that they feel welcome in.