February 2010 Grocery Challenge

Sunny_Donny

Hi All
Avoided town and just a trip to Netto - loaf of bread reduced to 20p, and egg mayo tub reduced to 20p also. Guess what is for tea!!! Taken blackberries out of freezer and doing crumble with cream as well.
Total spend for month £157.86, £7.86 over.

Spiggle

After analysing my bank statement last month I was absolutely horrified by the amount we spent in January on nothing really. Problem is that OH does the cooking and shopping and that has just got so out of hand. So he has handed over card and I'm now doing the shopping. I want to start the GC in March as I think it will help to be doing it with other people (peer pressure and all that!). So we've semi started meal planning and I'm trying to work out what we need for the month of March. There are only the two of us and my GD comes once a week.

For the last two weeks I have done the shopping and I know that it is hugely reduced from last month already (managed to make a £7 piece of brisket plus around £2 of veg last for five days). I've kept my receipts and noted my spend so am getting a slightly clearer idea of where we are. OH and I will eventually have a small amount of cash pocket money (for beer and treats) each week and when thats gone - tough!

I'm lucky that now working part time so have more time to do the shopping (I have a choice of Lidl, Morrisons and Tesco close to work and can use Co-op on my way home if necessary so good choice there) but obviously part time means less money each month so I have to reduce our spending. And I'm having a real hard time with not being able to either save or overpay the mortgage at the moment.

So, please would you help me with these questions to help me finalise my budget please?

I have two cats who have to have a special dried food mix as their main diet and the odd wet pouch (can't get away with cheapies its just wasted). The wet food I count as part of grocery shop normally. Would you advise including the dry mix as well please?

We feed the birds daily (no my cats don't chase them, too many years of scolding since they first ventured outside!) and so buy suet/bug balls regularly and a sack of seed every couple months. Would you advise including this cost in the GC budget please?

I refuse to eat supermarket meat and will only have it from the butchers. (was veggie for many years and still don't eat that much of it). Is it a bad thing to only use the local butchers even if I'm planning and buying more economical cuts/types please?

Veg I'm ok with as the majority comes from the local Stokes and fruit is a mixture of Stokes and Tesco.

We've recently bought a breadmaker and that's working out well though we are still experimenting. I've looked up some recipes on here which we'll soon use. I still buy about one loaf a week to keep in freezer in case of emergencies.

So that's me for the moment. Going to look up the no toiletries until existing stash has gone now as my husband, daughter and friend think I have a compulsive purchasing habit on those!

Thank you for any advice and please do move this if I'm in the wrong place asking these questions but I'm determined to get prepared for the start of March and set myself the challenge.

PennyGrabber

Hi Spiggle!

It's up to you what you include, really. I include anything I buy for the house, so animal food, our food, toiletries etc. I also include going out food, whereas other people don't. As you set your own budget, you could always up your budget on the months you know you are going to buy the bird/cat food.

I think the key thing is to look at where you're spending your money, and think about the best value for your money. If you're happy buying stuff from the butcher, then that's what you do! The point of this place is not to tell you where to shop, just to support each other in any way we can.

You'll find that people post on here when various things are on offer, which really helps me. They also give recipe ideas, and ask questions. Chances are, someone here will know the answer to any gc-related questions you may have!

I've found this forum a huge help in halving my grocery outgoings. I'm currently working on reducing it even more, so that any savings from this budget can go towards overpaying my mortgage. However, i refuse to go without certain things, as life is for living too.

Hope all this waffle helps,
PG x

mothershipton

hi, so far this month £221 and i have yet again a freezer and cupboards full, yet still my boys cry there is nothing to eat! Am going to make some jelly now for puddings and possibly some flap jacks. I have stocked up on quorn pieces which were half price in Morrisons recently. We use them regularly so should keep us going. My budget was £250 so if i am careful perhaps it is a goer.
I just got my credit card bill and am in a bit of a panic how it is going to get paid off as i usually pay it off each bill. We need to tighten our belts for a while as jan and feb have been very expensive. will go and look on the debt free wanabee for some tips

NJW69

You can add what you want to your budget, it's your challenge. Everyone has different ideas and different budgets.

I include all grocery shopping but take off any booze or toiletries that I wouldn't normally buy in the supermarket i.e. in todays online shop I've bought a face product (caffeine eye roller!) because its half price at Sainsburys but it's still £5.05 so this is something I would usually buy at Boots or similar so I've taken it off. However I did include two shower gels as these are more normal use so to speak.

I wouldn't include the special dried cat diet but would probably include the wet food.

I don't include eating out as this comes out of a different pot.

You can buy your meat wherever you want. Again it's your challenge.

Good luck.

PennyGrabber

Forgot to add on my last two spends - i've found the receipts now! Better put it on while i remember. £11.97 to add, which keeps me JUST inside my budget for Feb. However, i didn't include the food i bought for valentine's day, as it was our first one together and i wanted to really spoil him. it came to around £15, but i didn't include because it was a sort of present!!!
Three days left of my Feb, including today. Not a massive amount left, so i'd better steer clear of the shops!
PG x

albacookie

Lots of little spends in the past couple of weeks - adds up to £21.72. Only got to last till Thursday so hopefully I'll make it!

Spiggle

Thank you PennyG and NJW, thank you for clarifying things a bit more for me. we just had to go and replenish the bird seed sack and dry cat food so that was much on my mind.

I really do have to find the thread on no more toiletries now as it is my weak point when talking to OH as he just has to direct me to the bathroom to think he's won a point!

Thanks again, I'm starting to relish the challenge now.

slowlyfading

A small spend of £6.24 which means I've only spent just over £21 in Feb on food I'll have to go again on Tues, but I don't need that much really, so am pleased with this month!

SunnyGirl

Spiggle Hi & welcome to the thread I'd second what others have said really it's all about personal choice. I include everything that I buy in the supermarket/butchers/greengrocers etc but not food when out & about.

The No New Toiletries thread is on the Health & Beauty MoneySaving forum. Click Here

Hope this helps