February grocery challenge

MATH

I've held off as long as I can but can't resist a challenge or an opportunity to same money! Count the MATH'S in for £40 per week for all food, drinks, lunches, cosmetics/toiletries, laundry/cleaning stuff for a family of five. We're still using Chrismas 'Gift Baskets' in the bathroom and I predict we will be until about August! and I've just made up a skip of laundry gloop so here goes.

MATH

aliasojo wrote:

Just curious, but anyone got a ballpark opinion on average weekly shopping cost for 5? (Food AND cleaning stuff / toiletries/ etc)

Eldest kid is actually a man now and middle kid is certainly man sized, lol.

In effect, I need to feed 4 adults and one wee one.

This thread has just sparked a rather colourful debate in our house.

It would be useful to know what other peeps would spend in my shoes. (Not only that, it would also be useful to use as ammunition, lol.)

We're a fmaily of five and I can keep it under £40 if I'm tight and £40-45 if I'm feeling a bit flush or it's the week I make all my cleaning potions or a months worth of sarnies for the freezer. My kidz are 9, 8 & 4 but eat like pigs!

Real economy measures I impliment are:

No choccy covered biscuits, buy and economy biscuit selection instead.

No juices or pop. We drink tea, coffee or more often than not water.

Use cheepo washing liquid diluted in a spray bottle to clean everything.

Empty the cupboards & freezer to make meals (no matter how bizzare).

Shamelessly invite ourselves up to parents for as many meals as poss.

Janeryan

Yes I agree with crana99-rocha pears are expensive but I only buy them when on offer(they were 99p for 4 at sainsburys 2 weeks ago) and find that there is no waste-no horrible woody bits that you sometimes get with pears.

Been spending again today-got friends coming to dinner on Sat and am doing Delia's 10 minute Goulash-ten minutes to prepare-not cook- so needed some braising steak which cost 5.98 for 2lb plus some bread & milk so total bill came to £7.17.

This makes my total so far for Feb £110.41 but will need to get some more before the end of the month sadly but it works out so far as just over £6.00 per day so even if I carry on spending that per day I will have only spent £168.00 by the end of the month as compared to £187.74 last Feb for on;y 3 weeks-but I hope to only spend max £140.00.

I see Tiff has posted the March challenge which I will be joining in with and hoping to come in £10.00 under whatever I spend this month but remember it is Easter in March and we are going away for 5 days-self catering and sharing with another couple but will still be more expensive than being at home-still it should be fun-anyone know of any recipes on this site that will be good to do when self catering-eg not having much in way of equipment and store cupboard items??

Janeryan

Aliasojo

I buy my sons shoes and trainers from the Clarks outlet shop-they still measure his feet but you only pay £30.00 for a pair that would cost £45.00 etc-he only has the two pairs plus slippers which he normally gets as a Christmas present.

I think both pairs last time came to just under £60.00 and he is a size 7 now(age 14) so I won't be able to do this much longer as Clark's children shoes won't fit him anymore(Boo hoo)

Lelly

My recipe for quick soup is:-one potato, two knorr chicken stock cubes, 1/4 celeriac or two sticks of celery, two small or one large carrot one medium onion.. Chop all up into small cubes, put in pyrex container with one cup of water and cover, cook for ten minutes on high in the microwave. take out and mash it a bit to save thickening with flour, add about one and a half mugs of hot water and mix well,reheat in microwave for about 3 minutes and it is ready to serve. Should serve three.
To vary it you can add parsnip and swede, coriander or other leftovers.

culpepper

Janeryan wrote:

Aliasojo

I buy my sons shoes and trainers from the Clarks outlet shop-they still measure his feet but you only pay £30.00 for a pair that would cost £45.00 etc-he only has the two pairs plus slippers which he normally gets as a Christmas present.

I think both pairs last time came to just under £60.00 and he is a size 7 now(age 14) so I won't be able to do this much longer as Clark's children shoes won't fit him anymore(Boo hoo)

My boy was size 9 at 14 and is still size 9 now aged 16 .
He has one pair of shoes which we bought about 18 months ago.They are still quite good though.
I buy when the shops have back to school sales and we only buy leather shoes as they last so much longer.

Janeryan

Culpepper I don't think I will be as lucky as you with the shoes lasting as long as that as son is growing in leaps & bounds at the mo but I agree leather is the way to go.

Been shopping again today-spent £31.89 at Rainbow so total spend so far is standing at £142.30- my target keeps creeping up rather than down!!

Still I kepp consoling myself that it's still a lot better than this time last year and it is my first month of trying so I hope to do better next month.

Will post again on last day of month & then it's over to the March challenge thread for me although I see lots of people have already started it!

Janeryan

Final total for Feb was £218.02 so more than I hoped for but still only £54.00 per week or just over 80p per day.

Now i have a better idea of what I'm spending I will join March challenge with £200.00 food budget

tiff

Just an update from me, I came just within my budget at £155 and that included some items of clothing for the kids such as underwear and school skirt etc. I use about £6 of coupons a week if I can which helps with the budget.

lyns_2

im having trouble working out if i saved or not.I decided to do most of my shopping online from iceland using the £10 off code.I have done 2 off them this month £40 each time.A tesco shop at £35 and when to cosco and spent £39 plus extras throughout the week about £15-£20.
Think i have gone over the usual £55 a week spend but the kids did have a week of school and i have a upright freezer and chest freezer full of food now so March might be a good month for me