January 2010 Grocery Challenge

beemuzed

Pleased that I've come in under expectations at £301 This despite 3 weekends of entertaining!

self_sufficent_wannabe

Hi

I would really love to join the challenge, am i too late?

Keiss_21

Well, overspent this month, cross as it looked like we might have come under. Had to get supplies for DH and DS2 going north to Scotland...cheaper than them buying stuff in service stations though!!! . Also have about 6-weeks-worth of bird seed/fat balls included too....so not too bad I suppose!

Had DS1 for the first week and a half before he went back to Uni...with supplies ofcourse! Also, with everyone being home because of the snow...much more food was consumed!!!

So declaring a total of £413.56 in January, £63.56 over ...humphf!

Oh well, I will just have to be much better in February!!!

Off there now to mooch about and catch up.

Money_saving_Diva_2

We made it!

Congrats to everyone who kept to their budget and commisserations to anyone who didn't make it.

Though I haven't managed to meal plan for an entire week, I can do three days in a row which is an achievement for me. Plus we have managed 7 NSDs which is a miracle for us.

Total for the month £150.11

Personal weekly challenge wk 3 - £34.54:D

We made it!! Storecupboard challenge completed for Jan and we kept inside our Grocery challenge budget.

I hope everyone is doing well.

Diva.x

cw18

Whoops! Meant to report in last night, but totally forgot !!!

Original budget for the month was £117, but I increased this to £131 on my personal spreadsheet when it became clear elder DS was going to be home for an extra week......

Of that £131 I actually spent £79.04 in the shops, but on my spreadsheet I'm also keeping track of staff discounts and the loose change (these are going into a savings account, so aren't in my 'grocery purse' anymore) - so

declaring spends for January at £83.23
which is what has actually gone from my 'grocery pot'


I'm also trying to reduce my grocery stock-piles without doing a full blown Storecupboard Challenge (still seem to be stocking up like I did when a family of 4, but it's only been 3 of us for a number of years and 2 for the last 12 months+), so I'm tracking everything (apart from previously part used packs/jars/bottles) I use from there in order to give me a full picture of what I need in my budget for next year. This comes to a further £37 for January, so (by paying myself back for these items) I effectively spent £120.23 - still under budget by £10.77 and only marginally over my orginal budget having fed an extra adult for 7 days more than anticipated, so I'm very happy with this

BigMummaF

self_sufficent_wannabe wrote: »

Hi

I would really love to join the challenge, am i too late?

Hiya! The Grocery Challenge has a new thread every month so you haven't missed it Some folk do monthly as by the calendar & others do pay-day>pay-day & then there's others that just plod along picking up--&/or posting--hints & recipes.
The February Challenge is here --I'll keep a look-out for you

taffy1969

Hi all. I'm a bit late with my January total but, £284.45!!!!! I am soo pleased with my self. This total includes all foods, cleaning stuff, pet food, breakfast club/tuckshop and school lunches. I was hoping for a bit less but when you look at the school money £55 then I think I've done really well. Breakfast club is for DD1 but is a god send as I then get to work on time!!!!!
Now going to add myself to the Feb challenge.
Well done to everyone who stayed in budget, and those who didn't it makes you realise how much you spend on food and maybe you need to up your budgets for your families. This is the first time I have ever stuck to this challenge 100% and I am soo happy!!!!!!!!!!!

MAXOL

Im declaring £90...£10 over my estimate. Not bad for my first month and I know that £80 is indeed possible. Visited M&S too many times lol... blowing money on tasty but expensive stuff.

remmie

Declaring £164.26 for January. Somewhat over ny £125 budget, but as this was my first attempt at the challenge I think it can only get better.

OH has noticed that theres more variey in our meals, so I am putting more thought into meal planning, just need to do so within budget.

Onward and upward, its all a learning curve.

WendysWorld

Declaring £255 for January!


I'm so pleased. I've never come under budget by so much before!