November 2009 Grocery Challenge

*BigBird*

Hi All. I have been absent for a good few months, but think it is time to get back on the wagon now that the wedding is over and life is back to normal. We've also just changed our mortgage to an offset one, so I'm hoping if we can rein in the grocery spends then whatever we save each month can be used to chip away at what we owe

I'm starting a new job on Monday which involves me mainly working from home, so this is going to change my shopping habits a bit. Previously I worked near a big Tesco. If I went out for a walk at lunchtime, guess where I normally ended up?! So lots of little spends in addition to the weekly shop Now I'll have to make a special trip into the next town to find a supermarket, and try to resist popping to our local Co-op for bits in the meantime. This also means I'll have a choice of supermarkets when I drive over to town, although I would also like to make more use of the local independent shops near where I live.

I'm not sure if December is a good month to start the GC, what with Christmas and all?? Although, as DH and I are planning on spending it at home, just the 2 of us on our first Christmas as a married couple dinner is probably going to be pretty standard Sunday roast kind of affair. I'll have a think about it. Either way, I will definitely be following everyone else for inspiration

cw18 - I've frozen cream before now and it was fine when I defrosted it and used it in soup. Not sure how it would work if you wanted to use it cold afterwards though.

BigMummaF

pammyj74 wrote: »

thanks, I thought that was the case, will start mine next month. I take it that it means ANY spend not just groceries. So like a spend on a book or stamps etc basically not spend any money on anything at all. I think i can manage to do 18-20 days but not sure

There is a No Spend Day Challenge that tends to begin with each new month, rather like this one. The November one is HERE for anyone whose interested

Sunnyday wrote: »

Hi everyone,

i`ve not posted much but i`m still here
..............
When we go shopping we take Dad with us every week so now Dads shopping goes on the conveyor first and ours straight afterwards and we get a subtotal in between, we pay for all the shopping on the bank card and Dad gives us the cash later. At Christmas we will split the voucher and have £12.50 each so we now have the best of both worlds
....... i don`t think that my freezer is ever going to get defrosted - i`ve been trying to empty it for months.
...............
SD

I take me muvva shopping, as much to encourage her independence as to save me a job. She gets very confused over the points vouchers & asks every time what they can be spent on saying she won't ever use them, so your method may save my sanity! Having said that if I tried to change things too much, I know we would be having a stand-up fight at the check out every time it came to paying
As for the freezer--we've a little table-top version I inherited from my aunt & even a shoe horn won't fit anymore
I've been hankering for good old-fashioned puddings lately & we've had semolina, pineapple upside down sponge & a baked jam roly poly I'd forgotten how good it is to indulge a 'guilty' pleasure--particularly on a wet winter's evening--& also how much it reduces the food you need to physically serve up in a main course.

SunnyGirl

BigMummaF wrote: »

I've been hankering for good old-fashioned puddings lately & we've had semolina, pineapple upside down sponge & a baked jam roly poly I'd forgotten how good it is to indulge a 'guilty' pleasure--particularly on a wet winter's evening--& also how much it reduces the food you need to physically serve up in a main course.

I love serving a pudding up on ocassion as it's the only way that I'm guaranteed any leftovers for lunch the next day :eek: I also serve a 'fridge clear out' soup once a week or so with homemade flatbreads and a hot pudding afterwards to fill everyone up - especially the growing boys One of my friends serves soup before a main meal sometimes for similar reasons but I find that DD & DS3 are full after soup and wouldn't eat their main meal.

rosieben

BMF I just sent you a pm. Thanks for the link to the no spend thread, I've never seen that thread before! :rolleyes:

Keiss_21

Thankyou everyone for all your good wishes.

Actually had a NSD yesterday!

mrssnowy wrote: »

Keiss,I am looking for a simple pattern for a gilet-can you tell me where was yours from please,and what style?
Thanks mrss

mrs snowy - I got a knitting book "Knitting in no time" by Melody Griffiths from The Book People for £3.99 it is sold out, but I found it here, still for £3.99, but a £3.50 delivery charge for orders under £25. I will pm you with more details.

Didn't get much sleep, up with asthma most of last night, so don't plan on getting much done today, so may knit...and sleep!

Have a great weekend everyone.

Rebekah24

been awol for a while, had the flu, taken me a while to get back into the flow!!

Was lucky enough to get a big delivery ASDA from my mum so that should tide me over to 2010. I am going to try not to spend any additional

Guess I will back for the grocery challenge January

huston_kw

Just updated signature to include 2 quid for school children in need fancy dress money. They having a bring and buy sale which I'm avoiding.

Need some washing up liquid today, but got all stuff until about Monday so will hopefully have 2 NSD this weekend.

JayneC

SunnyGirl wrote: »

I love serving a pudding up on ocassion as it's the only way that I'm guaranteed any leftovers for lunch the next day :eek: I also serve a 'fridge clear out' soup once a week or so with homemade flatbreads and a hot pudding afterwards to fill everyone up - especially the growing boys One of my friends serves soup before a main meal sometimes for similar reasons but I find that DD & DS3 are full after soup and wouldn't eat their main meal.

Sunny Girl I sometimes have soup as a main meal - well kindof a cross between soup and stew - a soupy stew if you will, lol!! I usually make it with my chicken carcass stock, add any leftover scraps of chicken , veggies and potato to thicken, give it a whizz with the blender and usually add dumplings to bulk out and serve with crusty bread rolls. Even the 'grown-ups' find it filling enough!!

Had another mini shop at Sainsbugs yesterday, spent £20.87 and forgot my £2 off a £20 shop voucher:mad:. How annoying. Anyway seem to be doing ok although am not sure I've kept track of everything properly! I know we've had fish n chips at least once and I don't think I've included it:o. Still I'm reasonably pleased. Have got to get to Tuesday before can start next month and think only need milk and loo rolls, maybe F&V, so should come in under target (she says hopefully;))

Jayne

thisismoneysaving

I feel quite guilty... you guys are doing so well.. even if you're over budget at least you've written it all down properly!!! I've totally lost track - no idea where I am. :mad:
Maybe I should call this month a practise?!
I don't think I'm over budget (or anywhere near tbh) but I don't know... you know?
Any hints??
I'm going to try and eat from the freezer this week and next...

rosieben

thisismoneysaving wrote: »

I feel quite guilty... you guys are doing so well.. even if you're over budget at least you've written it all down properly!!! I've totally lost track - no idea where I am. :mad: ...

its been chaos here having just moved house, so I haven't written mine down either, I think some things are best not put in writing but I've done a store cupboard and freezer stock check and will be working on my meal plans so hopefully I will get it all under control again very soon. Your idea of eating from the freezer will be a help and don't despair if you've not kept a track, I'm sure you've spent a lot less than pre-GC days