January 2010 Grocery Challenge

leed

Managed a NSD today - by sending DH to get paper and take dog for walk!

In response to any who have had a lazy day - don't feel guilty as it is a bank holiday today and why not be lazy. I am sure you are all very busy the rest of the year. I need to check what is in my store cupboards but am waiting for DD to go back to university on Sunday so life can return to normal!!!! The freezer I will just delve into and work my way through - I'm not standing in a freezing garage to investigate the contents. Should really keep a note book with things I put in for easy reference. Oh well - as the old school reports used to say - :rolleyes:'must try harder'!

debtmess

Happy new year to everyone xxx

a nsd here but will have to go to mr a on monday to get bits in for the week, milk and bread covered by delivery from dairy crest so i hope to stick to a fruit veg and juice shop there is nothing major i need for at least 2 weeks

toshvaldo

Haven't spent anything yet so far, but have made my first meal plan ever. (feeling dead proud to be in control) I spoke to my 2 dds and asked them what they liked to have in their packed lunches and for evening meals. I was sick of having uneaten yogurts returned spoiled at the end of the day! Made a list of breakfasts, lunches and teas and from that and made a shopping list. Have estimated prices at approximately £38.00. I'm not going shopping until Sunday so that I can be organised for return to work/school, so am hoping to be able to reduce it even further by then. I NEED to keep the amounts as small as possible. Every penny counts now. I'll update signature when I've been. Good luck to everyone.

peetzil39

Ordered shopping online, budget £100, spent £78.75 inc delivery charge, so am dead chuffed. Will probably have to pop down to the local shops during the week, but will keep all reciepts to make sure I stay within my budget! Might even have something left over, which will be nothin short of a miracle (was spending approx £130 per wk on groceries alone before :-0

mollythewestie

Can I join too please? This is my first grocery challenge and I am going to set myself a shopping budget of £400 for January. Thats for 2 adults, 1 baby and a dog, and will include all food, toiletries, nappies, pet food etc.

I am going to do an online shop of the basics next week and then just do top-up shopping in my local shops until the end of the month. I will also be continuing my ongoing challenge of clearing my freezer and cupboards, which should save us some money.

charley24

I would like to join please Overspent in December and it's a long time til Jan 25th ! So I have around £150 for food remaining for the next 24 days !
I think my usual will be around £200 however and see hw I get on. I am fed up with going in for milk and being seduced by offers when I don't need them !

freakyogre

Popped into Coop today (was surprised it was open) as my dad asked me to get some milk on my way to them for lunch. I picked up a bag of clementines reduced to 29p and they're yummy! Tempted to see if they have more tomorrow, but already have 2 bags...

I'll only include the clementines as milk wasn't for me.

loopy53

Hello everyone. My New Years resolution is to stop lurking so here I am! I'd like to put myself down for £200 for Jan please. This should cover me, DH and DS plus two greedy cats. I'm a big fan of MSE and love the Old Style board. A happy 2010 to everyone.

Right thats me done. I'll scuttle off back to my corner again now...bye:hello:

slscarborough

Having spend nearly £75 on my weekly online shop that I know will not last the week I am after some advice. Surely £300 a month for a family of five is achieveable. I know it is possible if we eat rubbish but I want to feed my family healthy meals. I also know if I went to the store I could grab the reduced items but as I dont drive at present this is near on impossible with 2 little ones. (hopefully will change as have my drivign test next week!!)

I dont want to appear to be making excuses but I am already struggling.

ceebeeby

With all your help, I've managed to survive weeks 1 & 2, total grocery spend for month so far is £14.22!

Here's week 3 so far. If the items got a strike through, it means its been allocated but maybe not yet used. If you've got a better suggestion, I'd love to hear it!

I've also included my planned shopping list, which will help me achieve the planned meals. Basically everything on the shopping list will be used up during the week, so you could read all of that as strike through's too.

Planned Shop for 17th January


Cat Food £2.17
Whoopsie Bread £1.00
Fruit £2.00
Squash £0.25
Eggs £1.00
Steak £3.00
Chicken £3.00
Mushrooms £0.70
2 packets soup £0.56
Cheese spread £0.39
Sandwich paste £0.40
Ham £0.50
Curry Sauce £0.06
Milk £1.50
_____
£16.47

What's in the store!

Freezer
[STRIKE]1 packets of uncooked diced turkey[/STRIKE]
6 'best' lincolnshire sausages
[STRIKE]2 good for you garlic baguettes[/STRIKE]
Irish fruit loaf
pancakes / pkt pitta
[STRIKE]¼ pkt frozen green beans [/STRIKE]
Loads of ice-lollies!
2 Birds Eye Chicken Steaks
Full pkt veggie mince
[STRIKE]Full pkt veggie bacon bits[/STRIKE]
1 pkt fish pie sauce
2 microwave meals (spag bol / prawn curry)
[STRIKE]Pork Bolognaise Pasta – already made up – enough for 2 meals [/STRIKE]
1 portion left over Turkey Curry and Rice
Frozen Lemon Chicken Sauce
Huge lump of cheese
1/2 bag of frozen strawberries

Fridge
[STRIKE]4l milk - 1l watered down to skimmed[/STRIKE]
Jam / Lemon Curd
Beer!
Lots of Marg / Butter / Trex


Cupboards
2 pkts Pasta Shapes
Dried Spagetti - large packet ½ pkt left
2 x pkt savoury rice
[STRIKE]1 tin beans [/STRIKE]
1 tin meatballs
1 tin tomatos
1 tin chick peas
4 tins rice pudding
4 tins sliced peaches
[STRIKE]½ pkt of long grain rice[/STRIKE]
1 pkt value pre-ready pasta
2 pkts pre-ready rice
9 pkts value noodles (kids favourite stuff!)
1 small jar dolmio pasta sauce
Low Amount cereal (weetabix, bran flakes, rice crispies, porridge)
Tea / Coffee / Hot Chocolate
All sorts of home baking stuff incl. 2 jars mincemeat
Herbs /spices / gravy / stock cubes / Ketchups (every flavour) (lots)
chilli sauce
[STRIKE]sweet and sour sauce[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]2 pkts stuffing[/STRIKE]
4 pkts instant custard
Biscuits / chocolate / Xmas Pud / Boxed Chocolates
1 pkt chicken soup
[STRIKE]2 pkts instant cheese sauce[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]20 pkts crisps[/STRIKE]
Drinking squash
[STRIKE]1 bag Potatos[/STRIKE]

Meal Plan So Far

Mon 18th Jan – Birthday
Breakfast Cereal / Pancakes
Lunch Sandwiches
Dinner Steak, mushrooms, potato wedges, egg
Home-made cake

Tuesday 19th Jan
Breakfast Cereal
Lunch Sandwiches
Dinner Pasta and Cheese Sauce with bacon veggy bits and garlic baguettes

Wednesday 20th Jan
Breakfast Toast
Lunch Tortilla Wraps
Dinner Sweet and Sour Turkey and Rice

Thursday 21st Jan
Breakfast Cereal
Lunch Sandwiches
Dinner Soup and chunky bread

Friday 22nd Jan
Breakfast Cereal
Lunch Sandwiches
Dinner Pork Bolognaise Pasta

Saturday 23rd Jan
Breakfast Porridge / Toast
Lunch Noodles
Dinner Roast Chicken, Potato and freezer veg

Sunday 24th Jan
Breakfast Porridge / Toast
Lunch Chicken Curry and Rice with Naan Bread
Dinner Chicken Soup with veg.