November 2009 Grocery Challenge

franby64

Oh dear - spent £12.17 today though £4 of that is for a chicken for tomorrow.

I only have £56.26 left. This gives me about £6.25 a day - all is not yet lost!

Now I keep looking in the cupboards and thinking Oh I needn't have bought that..or that..but that's what this is all about isn't it?!

highland_fling_2

Good morning everyone,

well had a really lovely lunch out yesterday, but you know how we girls are when we get together, we just couldn't stop talking and I returned home much later than planned. Therefore I didn't make the apple crumble so that is what I will be doing this morning.

I am also going to try to reorganise the freezer because I am sure I bought fish fillets in the past but I just cannot find them. Will probably be squashed into a corner of the freezer in some contorted shape by now.

Have a frugal Sunday.

MadamMim2013

Hi all,
I'm really struggling with everything at the mo, got a serious case of the blues I do fear!! Weather doesn't help either.
I'm reasonable under budget at the mo and with finances being really tight I can't afford to splurge (
I'm in a Bah Humbug mood......... sorry guys

Keiss_21

Well, I had a wonderful birthday yesterday. Which also turned out to be a GC NSD! :j

We went out for lunch with DS1 and his GF, but this came from a different budget. I can't remember when we last went out for a meal as a family..last year sometime I think, actually summer '08, the night before taking the Eurotunnel home from Calais.

I forget just how much my boys eat (16 and 19). Both are over 6 feet tall with mega-apetites...DS1 is at Uni now so "needed feeding up"...mind you, he seems to be the most experienced cook in his flat! He had to take one of the lads to buy cutlery last week as he had none and had been borrowing everyone elses...and losing them!!! I had armed him with a few cookbooks and his flat-mates come to him for ideas (he very often then texts or phones his GF for further help!). He had a steak at the meal, as he couldn't remember the last time he ate beef!!

The day was topped off when Scotland beat Australia in rugby..:T:T:T.....what a fantastic match!! If we had been living north of the border, I would have insisted that we go to Murrayfield...as you can gather, I am a re-located Scot!

We are going to a garden centre this afternoon when the weather improves, to get some plants and hopefully a birdtable with some birthday (and anniversary) money. So although it won't be a complete NSD, we shouldn't be buying food, and most (if not all!) will be covered by money given to us.

Perhaps I can make today an NSD after all, if I don't buy too much....I may get a 10% discount if the manager is in (I used to work there). Now there's a challenge!!!

Have a good day everyone.

oceanspirit

I didn't need to do a weekly shop as usual on Wednesday because I had plenty left from the previous week and also my mother brought me a few things when she visited, including another bag of bramleys from her tree.

I am hoping to get away with just veg and loo rolls this week to take me through to 2nd Dec when my December budget starts.

All my other budgets are completely to pot this month and I've had to break into my contingency funds to keep on top of the bills :mad:. Not happy as there won't be a chance to start to "catch up" and repay the contingency fund until February (no council tax or water payment for 2 months) which was when I was hoping to start saving up for next year's bills.

Keiss_21

Mrsgibbs1503 wrote: »

Hi all,
I'm really struggling with everything at the mo, got a serious case of the blues I do fear!! Weather doesn't help either.
I'm reasonable under budget at the mo and with finances being really tight I can't afford to splurge ....I'm in a Bah Humbug mood......... sorry guys

Sorry to hear you are feeling a bit down mrsgibbs, have you got something you can do to cheer yourself up? Like reading a good book, being creative - knitting, sewing, baking. Just do something just for yourself...

I have decided I am going to have regular "Birthday Days", just doing something nice/special, and not worrying about what I "should" be doing (housework/gardening etc). It was my actual birthday yesterday and I "did" very little, but felt great by bed-time.

I am someone who feels she "has to be doing something" and I get really frustrated/annoyed with myself when I haven't ticked at least one or two things off my "to-do list" every day. This makes me feel worse about myself and so get even less done...a vicious circle!

I have had a C*** year this year health-wise, I have not worked since last December, (so money is tight) and have recently been diagnosed as suffering from high levels of depression AND anxiety, so I have had more than my fair share of down days this year. I am slowly clawing my way back to better health and happiness, but it is a long, long process.

I feel I need to have a "to do" list, so I actually get some things done about the house. The problem is I try to do too much and if I don't do what I planned, I feel even worse and beat myself up about it. Yesterday was wonderful for me as the only plans I had were going out for lunch with my family...easily achieved!! So now I have to do things in MODERATION...this is what my therapist is trying to get me to do, only planning to do one or two things each day...and if I achieve these, then I can do something else, or preferrably reward myself by doing an activity "just for me" eg read a chapter in a book, go a walk

I have been trying the flylady approach, doing things in 15 minute bursts..and stopping when the timer rings after these 15 mins. Have a 15 min rest, then do something else (or the same thing) for another 15 minutes. At leat then I have mini-achievements during the day...and actually get quite a bit done without exhausting myself physically and mentally.

Sorry to witter on, but I DO know how it feels to be really down and wanted to let you know how I am trying to get improve things..and take time to be kind to myself.

Hope this helps...take care

Spirit_2

This was my last 'big shop' in this month and I spent £104:

Butchers £22
Coop £82

I had a friend coming to supper last night and the groceries above included shopping for entertaining her and DD's boy briend. I will meal plan later fro the rest of the week based on what I bought.

Thank you everyone

becky170

Hopefully now had my last trip to the supermarket out of this months budget. I've spent a total of £111.96 this month (well as long as I don't spend any money at work this week), which is slightly over my budget of £100 but don't feel like it went too badly for my first attempt.

rosieben

Mrsgibbs, sorry you're feeling so low; I get bouts of depression and I know how hard it is sometimes; when I'm feeling low I try to do just one small thing a day - even just a small thing like empty a waste paper bin; and most importantly, be kind to yourself

Keiss, belated :bdaycake: happy birthday for yesterday _party_

I'm trying to decide whether to get one more online shop before christmas (which would include the after eights and few christmas extras) or whether to brave mrT with dsis in a fortnight. I hate shopping when its busy so I think it might be an online.

enjoy the rest of the day everyone

oneeyedandgreen

Was at a party last night so today *had* to pop to the local shop for bacon and eggs. Spent £5.77 there on breakfast things. Ooops.