November 2009 Grocery Challenge

huston_kw

just checking in to update spend, nothing but milk & bread got just over 13 quid if I want to stay within budget.

AlwaysHappy

My month has ended and its been a bit of a disaster £279/£200,however, my freezer is full, and Mum is coming to stay for a fortnight at christmas and I have bought quite a bit for that so not too desolate, can i try again at £200 for December please - I am writing a total in my diary now to stay focused!! Good luck everyone

mark55man

F&V and Milk and Bread today. £6 + some loose change

using up a few things in the freezer - including some of the frozen leftovers that have been accumulating since I started padding the meals out with extr veg and oats

may be able to get through to Friday (when next month starts) without a big spend -- delaying the pain I know, but psychologically so good as that would be well under the budget for the first time

Botany

Not a happy bunny today

After many many NSDs I decided it was time to brave The Great Outdoors and buy some fresh stuff. My mistake was going to MrT instead of my usual Waitrose. As I posted some time ago, there is something about MrT that makes me forget all about my budget and the GC, and I always end up buying more than I need when I go there. But Why???

To cut a long story short, I spent £85.09, which means I'm now over budget by £23.53... and the week isn't over yet.

To make things worse, I haven't even bought that many 'fresh things', but I stocked up on discounted shampoos, laundry detergents and the like. Fair enough, these are things that I will actually use, but let's face it I had no reason to buy them today.

No, not a happy bunny at all.... :mad:

mark55man

but botany - it is all about the long run - and the bargains might not have been there tomorrow :rotfl:

pammyj74

went in to get some black sacks and ended up spending £6.07, bought half price crisps, BTHP flora and my firs ever whoopsie much bunch tubes to freeze reduced from £1.47 to 35p! Not as good as some whoopsies people get but it was only 6pm, rarely get the chance to go in later than that.

So spend so far £101 with a week to go and £19 left? will obviously need more fruit by the end of the week but hopefully not much more.
Want to have NSDs til the weekend now

JayneC

I think it must be overspends day today...

I started new month today. Had £2 off £20 shop for Sainsbugs so decided to go there instead of my usual online tesco shop (which is usualy around £50 for monthly store cupboard stuff) and spent nearly £60!!! didn't get any meat and only F&V was some bananas!!! Did get quite a few whoopsies tho and some freezer stuff that will last but not even got all my store cupboard stuff as i wanted to spread it out over the month cos have several of the £2 off vouchers for next 4 weeks or so. But now not sure if I acually dare go back!

Anyway it's £59.82 spent!

Jayne x

scotsaver

Just logging on quickly to let you all know that today's Daily Express has a £5 off a £30 shop at Lidl voucher in it. I think it's valid until the weekend so I shall be picking that up later and saving it for when my new GC starts on Friday.:j

dazzle21 - the Chinese pork and sweet and sour last night was a huge hit so I shall log back on later with the recipe - got to jump in the shower in a minute so not got time right now.:o

XSpender - thanks for the Delia info - I think I shall be putting it on my Xmas list.;)

Sorry to dash off but time against me this morning - promise to post recipe later.:D

XSpender

I am going to be brave, in the hope I don't spend anymore, and declare my spends for November at £326.30. I am £38.30 over. The overspend is on Christmas stuff as I allowed £10 and spent £36.15 and meals out where I allowed £10 and spent £20.85. Food was £30 over too but this was made up from been under budget on alchol, household and toiletries.

In December I am allowing £100.00 for Christmas food and drink and £220 for everything else. Meals out our coming out of the entertainment budget this month as there are so many at this time of year.

Please put me down for £320 for December.

Thanks

XS

Frugaldom

mark88man wrote: »

but botany - it is all about the long run - and the bargains might not have been there tomorrow :rotfl:

I like this quote! :T It sums up my grocery challenge in that, despite having already gone over by £1 for this entire year, it still means my overall average spend per week to date is approximately £25 for household of 3, which I don't think is too bad considering prices have changed so much over the past year or two. It's the long run that counts - overall savings, a reduction in waste, good home cooking, eating a more healthy diet and maintaining a lifestyle you enjoy. Thank you for the reminder, Mark88man. :T

I've nothing left to buy this month and have just managed to 'LETS' trade some pet sitting duties for 5kg of cheese, so I am extremely happy about that as it'll save me from buying any for the rest of the year pr, indeed, the first couple of months of next year. :j

Helen Jelly - thanks for removing the duplication in challenger list, can I now declare my final total for the month/year to date as £1201.70 and I'll stick to 'damage control' for December.