January 2010 Grocery Challenge

ragz_2

Spent £2 in budgens on sausage rolls and chocolate as DS2 and I were in town running errands.

Also spent £6 on a new broom and £2 on a calendar but not counting that as grocery. THink I should set myself a non-grocery budget too...

Looking at the calendar I realised why so many of us are struggling this month, there are 5 weekends so seems like 5 weeks not 4!

Loadsabob

I have spent my last for January food (my January spending month ends on Friday, 29th and I will not be in a shop or anywhere to buy food between now and then).

And I have spent £78.95 out of a budget of £80!!!!!!! I am really pleased! At times I had thought I would spend even less than that, but half price sugar puffs have caused me to stock up

In the four weeks I have only bought lunch twice, at £1.99 and £1.95 for pasties in town on a Saturday - that's the only place my planning falls flat. But I've bought NO lunches at work all month!

I'm really happy that I've under-spent on my non-food budget this month, too. I allow myself £40 per week to include food (but my Riverford fortnightly order is in addition to this £40, but included in my £80 food budget), and have underspent by about £15 per week, so I'm really pleased. All this without a proper menu planner yet, but I have audited the freezers now, and will be menu planning for a fortnight tonight.

I'm not sure whether we're signing up for Feb yet, so will watch for the next thread, but if so, £80 for February for me please. I will be away for one of those weeks, so the month's spending will be higher, but my Berlin eating will be going under "other", so perhaps the food spend will be a lot lower, but less of an accurate picture! But I still keeping track of my average-per-week food spend, and will be looking for that to slowly lower.

I haven't been a regular poster this month, but keeping in mind the challenge has really helped me focus when food shopping.

tallullahbelle

I'm finding this really hard, but desperately need to cut back on my Grocery spends so sticking with it...Total spend so far is £333.28... Only 6 days to go!

FEB BUDGET £300

slscarborough

Oh well am already well over budget with the rest of the week to get through yet but I am still learning so will again set my budget for feb at £300.00.

I went in hospital on Thursday for a minor op and so since then OH has been in charge of the food budget. So that means we have nothing but rubbish in the house now!!

losingpatience

If possible I'd like to take part for February please? I put aside £200 a month for food and toiletries for me and the bf. I think we stick to this ( most of the time! ) but if possible would like to reduce this a bit. So for February I'll stick to £200 and see how I go from there.

Rachel021967

Feeling really depressed today so although planning a NSD ending going to the shop and buying bananas, 2 Lindor Eggs, medium size coke, bread, ham, finest yoghurts, Kellogs small boxes pack and malt loaf, as it was on BOGOF. I thought the lady had put my receipt in the bag like she usually does but I can't find it. I know it came to £13 something so I'm going to count it as £13.50.

[Deleted User]

One more week's shopping to go, but I'm well under. Please could you put me down for £200 for February

Thanks

I'll update my January final amount soon:D

poppy-glos

another 2.10 spent in mr m, on the 30 p offers, i have
5 onions (500g)
2 x 1kg red rooster potatoes
2 x 4 apples
2 x 4 kiwi's

miss_cupcake_2

Feb is going to be my first month giving the grocery challenge a go and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm going set my month to run from Fri 29th Jan to Fri 26th Feb as this coincides with my paydays.

So starting this Friday I'd like to declare a February budget of £120 which will cover all groceries, toiletries and household cleaning items for myself and OH as well as food, hay and litter for our 2 indoor rabbits.

I reckon our normal monthly spend is more like £150-£200 so this is going to take some work, but we did stock up on lots of bits and pieces during our weekly shop yesterday so it *should* be possible. Off to update my signature now so I can monitor our progress :j

mama67

HowlinWolf wrote: »

mama67 that's a good suggestion, the only slight flaw being that when I leave notes for him he tends not to get them. But, bearing your advice in mind, I think I will leave a cheque for him with a neighbour if he fails to show up this week. I have politely reminded him that I have (for months) adjusted my working schedule to ensure that I am at home during his collection round as I feel bad about him not having his money!

My milkman didn't seem to get notes either, but when i caught him one day and said I would be leaving the cheque payment in an old mustard jar in the milk crate each Monday morning with the empties he soon got the notes and his cheque.

If I want to make any adjustments to my order I tend to ring the depot and do it that way, they adjust it whilst I'm on the phone.