April 2010 Grocery Challenge

Winchelsea

Went to L*dl this morning and spent £15.53. Got various items, including my favourite filter coffee (£2.49 for 500g). Bought 2, as it's a bit of a hassle to get over there - I could drive, which is a lot easier, but the bus of course is freeeeee...! (Sometimes feel a bit guilty about the no. of bus rides I take on the granny pass, but it does keep cars off the road, which was the original intention.)

It would be cheaper of course if I drank instant, but I just don't enjoy it. Part of my routine is a sit down with a NICE cup of coffee mid-morning, then again after our evening meal. That's my luxury - easily pleased!

While at L*dl I stuck to getting things I can't get as cheap locally, but still turned down a few tempting items, as carrying too much home in 3 shopping bags is a struggle. Should of course have taken my shopping trolley - hardly ever remember!

earthmother

Just had a couple of NSDs, and got Ocado to deliver today after getting a 15% code through yesterday.

Total spend is now £177.03, so I'm left with £172.97 for the next 3-and-a-bit weeks. Stocked up through to Monday for everything, and only need bread and milk for the rest of the week, so I'm aiming for at least 4 NSDs next week, and have high hopes of coming in on budget this month.

Billie-jo

Just been to T*sco and spent £56.57 saved £4.14 in multibuy savings etc as well but couldnt find the cheese which should have been 2-4-1:(
Also brought some dried pasta but when putting it away realised I had brought some last week and didnt need it but it wont go off so will be fine.
Have to admit I brought a few more items than were on original shopping list but not as many as have done in the past.

Will need to get a sack of potatoes at the weekend and perhaps milk from I*eland hopefully that will be it then till Monday.

Someone gave me one of those 10p shower gels from T*sco a while ago as they didnt like it and I came across it two days ago when cleaned a cupboard out - its the same colour as our washing up liquid so guess where it will be going? Have also started to add a little water to our milk but am just wondering how far I can dilute it before its noticed. We normally have UHT Semi-skimmed in the green cartons - any ideas? No young children that I have to consider when doing this.

Have updated my signature to cover todays spends as well and looking good

Bluefire

£6.78 spend in Morrisons today (I seem to have lived there this week!) which means I've spent more than half my budget for the month already, eek! Hopefully we should have enough now though as I only have to buy fruit & milk over the next few weeks, and combined with the fact we're probably going on holiday at the end of the month it should work out ok. Fingers crossed!

rachbc

BigMummaF wrote: »

Any chance of the recipe please? But then again, I'm not sure there is room in the freezer Anyone else find that once they've got a bag of oven chips, some frozen veg & the standby burgulars in there, there's little room for anything else :undecided I'm still working on where a chest freezer could stand..maybe the Offspring could move out into the shed & I can use their bedrooms for my store-cupboards :rotfl:The size of the rooms--you'd think they already WERE cupboards
A spend of £21:23 & that included yet more of the lovely big-church, big-town cheese we've grown very fond of & thankfully appears to always be on promotion somewhere!I swear the kids will eat a full 400g each every week if I could afford to do it.

Just incase you can squeeze it in -

6 egg yolks (£1)
500ml milk (66p)
125g sugar (10p)
1tsp vanilla
150ml double cream (24p)

Make a custard by whisking the eggs and sugar, scald the milk and pour over the eggs and whisk. Rinse the milk pan and return the milk, eggs and sugar and heat very very gentle til thickens. Chill the custard. Whip the cream til it thickens slightly but isn't stiff and fold into to custard. freeze in a icecream machine or in a box removing it from the freezer every couple of hours to beat.

try not to eat it all in one go!

franby64

Afternoon

Spent about another £50 yesterday and today. We rented a car to go away at Easter and now we're home what do we do? yes..go to supermarkets! (and Homebase of course).
Good job it's going back on Saturday though the novelty is wearing off now. I've found a few new things ie I didn't know that Tesco did 500g pks of Quorn mince for £2.99 - I usually only buy it on offer. They were also selling 6 packs of toms yesterday for 40p.
Anyway I'm about 31% through the budget so better try not to spend any more until I have a delivery on Tuesday.

Spiggle

[QUOTE=TheBees Hi everyone

... maybe get the bread maker going again tomorrow. Trouble is I always find the slices are too big... has anyone found and easy way of slicing homemade bread thinner? ... [/QUOTE]

I asked OH about this (he makes the bread and slices it) and he said he has tweaked various recipes but a touch more flour than the recipe calls for helps but the most important two factors for him are:

1. Don't attempt to slice the bread until the day after baking it AND
2. Use a proper bread knife of the serrated blade type

I also remember many many years ago seeing a chef cutting bread with a serrated bread knife and his tip was to let the blade do the work so that you use a sawing action but don't apply downward pressure.

Fluffy30 - don't despair you'll get there eventually. Have you thought about giving OH 'pocket money'? It works really well for us OH can spend (waste!) it as he sees fit but once its gone its gone.

We finally got to the butchers and greengrocers today and needed more milk (being at home = more tea and coffee) so our total spend for the month so far stands at £78.34 which I think is a little above what we should have spent but roughly on target. Sig is updated.

Hope you've all enjoyed the wonderful sunny skies today whether through a window or being outside.

All the best,
Spigs

wssla00

ARGH! Evening all was meant to be a NSD day today again but I ended up in the back of an ambulance (my yellow taxi as I call it) to be nebbed etc and just out so after all the palava and now feeling decidedly rubbish, I am gonna have a takeaway, so £20 off my budget.

It will be fine though as I have ten days left of this budget so all is good!

will update sig now!

freakyogre

£2.04 spent in Aldi today. Got 4 yogurts, some cotton buds and a packet of bagels.

BigMummaF

Billie-jo wrote: »

....Someone gave me one of those 10p shower gels from T*sco....
Have also started to add a little water to our milk but am just wondering how far I can dilute it before its noticed. We normally have UHT Semi-skimmed in the green cartons - any ideas?....

That shower gel makes an excellent hand wash, when it's watered down by about half & put in a pump dispenser We've got sensitive skin here but it is mild enough for using in the downstairs convenience.
Most people who start off watering the milk a little at a time, gradually increasing up to around half & half so it's not too much all in one go & others are less likely to complain!

wssla00 wrote: »

ARGH! Evening all was meant to be a NSD day today again but I ended up in the back of an ambulance (my yellow taxi as I call it) to be nebbed etc and just out so after all the palava and now feeling decidedly rubbish, I am gonna have a takeaway, so £20 off my budget.

It will be fine though as I have ten days left of this budget so all is good!

will update sig now!

Sounds scary--hope you feel back on top form soon enough. I can fully appreciate your not facing a cooker just now, being prone to the asthmaticals myself at times