December 2009 Grocery Challenge

Ansoff

Thanks Sunnygirl I can't wait to try your recipe.:T

I seem to gave gone mad in the last few days spends £144/ 400 oops.

I thought I had finished spending this week then I went to Mr T to get a christmas cake for £5, it look lovely and OH loves Xmas cake.

I hope to manage this challenge as it is my first month, I couldn't have chosen a more difficult one.

Ansoff

Flat_Eric

I gave up with the home delivery order and cancelled it.

If I have it next week, I can get £7 off instead of £5 and I received my clubcard vouchers early so that would mean more money off unless I do that thing where you double them up or something?

The order was creeping up and up so Im going to pop to a local store tomorrow or sat. instead and buy just what is needed for the weekend meals and go from there.

I still can't make up my mind whether its bettter for me to home delivery shop/shop weekly at my local store (limited choice on somethings) or shop almost daily. What do fellow posters find works for them best ??

I know that with the home delivery shops I overspend (despite my best intentions) so think I need to give these a miss for the minute.

In other news, I need some hot chilli powder for my bonfire chilli that Im cooking on Saturday. I have this but its best before April 08!! Are spices still find after their best before ??

triticale

Flat_Eric wrote: »

I gave up with the home delivery order and cancelled it.

If I have it next week, I can get £7 off instead of £5 and I received my clubcard vouchers early so that would mean more money off unless I do that thing where you double them up or something?

The order was creeping up and up so Im going to pop to a local store tomorrow or sat. instead and buy just what is needed for the weekend meals and go from there.

I still can't make up my mind whether its bettter for me to home delivery shop/shop weekly at my local store (limited choice on somethings) or shop almost daily. What do fellow posters find works for them best ??

I know that with the home delivery shops I overspend (despite my best intentions) so think I need to give these a miss for the minute.

In other news, I need some hot chilli powder for my bonfire chilli that Im cooking on Saturday. I have this but its best before April 08!! Are spices still find after their best before ??

I *think* that with spices, they tend to lose their 'oomph' after bbe date. Personally I would use it, just keep tasting and add more if necessary.

I can't get on with home delivery, don't like paying for delivery or having a stranger choose my bananas etc. I prefer to linger in shops, think about price per kilo between brands, check ingredients when trying value brands, get the best shelf life of perishables. And I hate substitutions!! When you're banking on an ingredient for a meal, it can really screw up your planning.

Every day shopping is an a r s e if you have a job, so I would go with weekly. Lack of choice is annoying, but at least you can plan to an extent and you can see/feel everything you are buying.

lisa26_2

I've nevr joined this before but I think I'll give it a try as I'm a nightmare for going to the shops to buy 1 thing and ending up spending loads!!!

I'm aiming to spend no more than £80 this month, thats mainly for me but the BF seems to spend rather alot of time at mine too so he'll get some food too!!

I've been to Mr T today and spent just under £43, the cupboards and freezer are full to bursting so hopefully I should be able to do it as I'll only need to buy fruit, salad, milk and yogurts and probably some nice cheese and biscuits for xmas. I don't buy much xmas food as it usually goes to waste, xmas dinner is at mum's so thats a freebie!!!

elizabunny

ooooooooooooooooooops, my NSD ended up as a big spend day of around £90:eek: Not all of this is coming from the GC budget thank goodness, as any 'drinkies' for Xmas are out of another pot and we did buy most of these today. I only went out for a packet of biccies:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: That'll teach me. Anyway I got some nice selection boxes for DGS out of Xmas present pot and some choccies for my DM, so hopefully the dent won't be too big. MrT is selling 200gm bags of grated cheese for £1 at the moment, so I bought 2 of those. I'm staying in tomorrow:D

AllBuyMyself

I ratcheted up my first 59 pence today, buying a bit of salad.

Hey big spender ;-)

highland_fling_2

Good morning everyone,

well still haven't spent from my December budget, but know I will have to shop at the weekend. Running low on milk and have no cereal left, also need to buy more eggs if I am going to bake. Will make a list tomorrow morning, but I am not going to do a "big" shop just yet. Plan to wait until nearer Christmas to do that.

I know the shops get frantic too near Christmas so it is a matter of timing my visit just right and knowing what I am going for so that I don't get too stressed wondering what I need when I am in the store and remembering what I needed (and have forgotten) when I come home from the store.

EC12345

Hello, can I just ask a question about the grocery challenge please? My budget is £200 for the month. I have got £85 on a nector card which I am planning to use today - am going to fill the freezer and get some frozen buffet bits to last for this month. Even though the shop is "free" and in essence I am not spending any money, do I put this down as money I have spent or will my balance still be 0/£200. Of course, the money I would have spent I will be saving in the bank (see signature - am very nearly at my target - :T). Really feel motivated to do the grocery challenge this month so wanted to know "the rules".

Thank you everyone.

rosieben

EC12345 wrote: »

.. Really feel motivated to do the grocery challenge this month so wanted to know "the rules".

Thank you everyone.

The rules are .... that you make your own rules I wouldn't count the nectar spend particularly as you're saving that amount in the bank but its really up to you. Well done on your saving :T

SunnyGirl

EC12345 It's personal choice. If it were me I'd use the Nectar card and not include it in the budget as you've saved it elsewhere if you see what I mean? Well done on all your saving this year that's great!