August '06 Grocery Challenge

sexymouse

I'd like to join too. Have been lurking, as some other posters have said, but have managed to collect all of my receipts for July, and found that I'd spent the grand total of £99.13 for 2 adults and 1 cat. This was a real achievement for me, as the previous month I had spent way too much! Just out of interest though, I'm going on holiday on 27th August (half board for 1 week)do I include this in August budget, or September? Have already paid for the holiday (I'm guessing the food part was about £50 each). Does the holiday just count as an extra?

nicki_2

Well my budget is £160 for the month again, thats for OH (massive appetite and meat lover), DD5 (another massive appetite) and me (trying to loose weight :rolleyes: ). I've just got the Gillian McKeith book so I'm planning on doing some shopping at Holland and Barret or another "health shop" that there is in Barrow, if they work out cheaper than Asda for seeds etc while we're there.

Had to make an emergency shop last week for a few bits, but I've been doing the storecupboard challenge, and apart from OH having to buy bread, milk, potatoes & more parmesan we've eaten out of the cupboards/freezer for 2 weeks except for fresh fruit So the cupboards here are really bare but I feel so much better as I know that I've made 1 weeks shopping money last 2 weeks. :j No packed lunches for me this month except for OH who has agreed to try pasta salads, jacket potatoes and other alternatives for his lunch :j I will need to make lunches to take with us on trips, but I'm not restricted by school rules so anything goes

July 27th-August 27th = £160 max
Spent so far (31st July) = £32.45 (includes money put in savings pot)
Left = £127.55 or £63.77 a week

nicki_2

Forgot to add, we have 2 long weekends away this month and although this will save on meals we have to get a gift for 1 (wedding party :eek: ) and I will need stuff to eat in the car as I tend to get travel sick and even tablets don't always help :rolleyes:

SusanCarter

Well last month I went £50 over and spent £170 instead of £120. BUT £100 of it was from my big monthly shop which was at the end of the month so next one not due until beginning of September. I'm therefore knocking last month's overspend of this month's target so am aiming for £70 for the month. This is for two of us excluding petrol.

brummiebabe

Did my on-line shop at Tescos - this came to £59.75. Then got my fresh stuff at Morrisons (salad, fruit etc - don't like getting them on-line!) for £15.64. Therefore spent £75.39. Bit dissapointed really as it wasn't a particularly big shop!!

Never mind - try again next week!!

nicki_2

Just done a shop at Asda with DD in tow. £32.16 I spent! Most of it was bits for the 2 trips to IL's over the next couple of weeks and a couple of small treats :

2 x Quiche - on offer and will do DD and I for lunch for a couple of days next week.
Cooked meat for sandwiches
Cheese
Frozen pizza x 3 - on offer & I prefer to have a couple in for those days when time has gotten away from me and I've not got tea sorted
Blue Charge x 6 - on offer and way cheaper than Red Bull (4 can red bull = £5+ whereas 6 can blue charge = £2 on offer :money: ) so OH will be drinking them on the way to IL's 2 per trip and 2 spare
2 x Asda sports bottles of water - for the car trip
SP Liquid for WM
Oxy Powder - Asdas own
Detangler for DD's hair
Dried fruit for car - banana chips, apricots, tropical mix,
SP Sweets x 4
SP individual trifle for DD for being good
Bananas
Apples
Revels - on offer
M&M peanuts - on offer
Bin Bags
Sp mixed fruit from the baking asile - cheaper than the snack pack of raisins
Chocolate Cake covering x 2
Savory Breadsticks
Sock for DD - went through at half price :money:

Not a usual shop at all, but it still leaves me with quite a bit of money. Plus I also got £40 out for shopping at Holland & Barrett at the weekend and any other bits and pieces I need over the next couple of weeks

Not too bad, but I still need to do a big shop. :rolleyes:

MinnieSpender

I've just caught up with this thread - I'll start as of today.

I've got a bit of extra cash stashed away at the moment, but I'm looking for work so I'd better be good.

I'm throwing my hat in the ring for £60 between now and the end of the month. I've checked my "stock" and I'm good for lentils, barley, rice etc and even found a trout, three salmon steaks and two packs of paneer in the fridge/freezer.

As I'm off work at the moment, I think I'll take a walk to the market tomorrow to stock up on fruit and veg and then set my slow cooker to work!

Good luck all x

mrs_mug_2

New to the challenge, but my target is to reduce the bill by £40 over the month to £160. This is to feed 2 adults and 2 toddlers (both still drinking a lot of milk).

Started well last night with a weeks shopping coming in at £38 :j

Redrose

After falling by the wayside last month, got my self on track putting £20.00 away a week for top ups ie milk, bread ect. I have set myself a £200.00 for Aug, feeding 4 Adults and 1 dog.

5 weeks @ 20.00 = £100.00 that leaves me £100.00 for a big shop at the end of the month.

Lydia.42

I'm gonna try and do the challenge this month. Wanted to do it before, but slipped as usual. We are spending less than before, as we have started eating healthily to lose weight, so spending on wine/crisps/other junk has reduced, but i would like to be more focused now.

Spent the weekend sorting through the cupboards/fridge/freezer, so now have a proper list of store cupboard stuff to back me up this month.

Our month will start on the 5th August as although we both got paid around the 25th of July, by the time the money transfers to the joint account, it doesn't normally show in credit until the 5th of the following month (that's banks for you - making interst off your money when it floats about in between transfers for a few days :mad: ).

It's just me and my OH, so i will set my guessed budget for this month at £200.