May 2010 Grocery Challenge

Winchelsea

Just off to Mr S when the Cup final ends!

Probably won't check in to report back though - DH is a bit iffy abt me being on the laptop today!

DD3 is coming tomorrow, and I've just knocked up a bean/veg/cheese pie for our Sunday lunch. Was going to be pasties, but couldn't be fagged to cut out circles etc! With some nive vegs and a bit of gravy, should be OK.

Oh well, Chelsea have won - now off to shop!

Changingme

Shopping this week came to £62.78 so I have £68.78 to last till end of month, not to bad.

cw18

Not checked back in so far this month, but things were ticking along nicely until today

Had to restock on some essentials that I'd finally used up (why do these all hit at the same time?), and also get some bits in for an unexpected weekend away next weekend (self-catering). Dreading updating my spreadsheet, as there's a high possibility I'm already very close to having blown this months budget :eek:

Was pleased I'd made up a shopping list using the websites for Mr T and Mr A though, 'cos if I hadn't I'd have missed out on several offers of interest to me at Mr T..... especially as the signs were either missing or badly placed and very ambiguous :mad:

Is it just our closest Mr T 'Extra' that's getting bad at promoting multi-buy offers, or are other stores as bad?

S_Wales_Saver

Not been posting as I lost internet for ages. Back on now and managed to plough through all the posts eventually. Well worth it though - thanks guys for the heads-up on the Asda butter. OH been today to get a stash for the freezer. If I do go over this month, that will come out of my stockpile so I won't stress over it.

Does anyone else find that it's very difficult to actually run down the freezer? Last week i took out a largish pack of minced beef and split it to make bolognaise sauce and chilli. I used many of the techniques I have picked up on this thread to bulk out - bol with carrots and extra toms and chilli with baked beans and dried soya. OH, DD2 and I ate them on two nights and I put in the freezer two meals (for 2/3) of bolognaise and 3 of chilli :T good result, but it took up a lot more room lol :rotfl::rotfl:Oh well, I'll be pleased next month, I love having HM ready meals.

Off to update my siggy now. Feeling very positive this month

cw18

S_Wales_Saver : I have exactly the same problem as you when it comes to running down the freezer Between batch cooking (to use up contents) and 'slipping in' a "few" Whoopsied pies, I reckon it's fuller now than it was 2 months ago when I decided to run it down - and I haven't even had room for any ice-cream for DS since he finished the last tub 3 weeks ago.....

NJW69

Been trying to make a recipe up today to use up stuff I had in.

Slow cooked some gammon yesterday and it was really salty but didn't want to throw it away so boiled it with some raw potatoes and changed the water a few times.

Not salty afterwards so I added two chopped chicken breasts that were lurking in the fridge, two sliced leeks and half a tin of sweetcorn.

Made a tarragon sauce but its been a bit hit and miss, started to infuse some milk with the tarragon then added butter and flour but it was rank.

Didn't want to throw it away so added salt and pepper and brought to the boil.

Stirred into the mixture and have baked in the oven, keep taking it out and tasting it and I've added allsorts as it didn't really taste of much.

So also gone in loads of extra salt and pepper, white wine, single cream, chilli sauce and worcestershire sauce and some turkey gravy granules.

Tastes oaky now but what a performance.

Roasted the potatoes as they weren't salty and thrown in some yorkshire puddings and some carrots.

Winchelsea

Managed to get back here!

Spent £7.80 at Mr S, but did use a couple of coupons. Also got a little bottle of Optrex as it was half price, so no more than the hypromellose that I usually get. Don't usually get the branded stuff as it's twice the price and no more effective.

W..e..ll - now I'm home I find I have NO Optrex, just a little empty box! I should have checked I suppose, but you don't expect to have to! Good thing I have the receipt - not a huge sum to make the effort of queuing up at Cust. Servs for, but, "every little helps"!

pipersky

Hi everyone

Todays damage = £17.33 (inc. a pack of ice-cream OH sneaked into the trolley... grrr )

Still not too worried as have enough in for about a weeks worth of meals so should just need to get fresh stuff. Glad to hear everyone is doing so well.. it is great to have lots of like minded people to spur you on!!

Updated sig. Have a lovely evening x x x

Long_tall_sally

NSD yesterday for me (if only I could have a lot more of these!) but today spent about £25 in the Co op. Some of it was bargains like 4 blueberry muffins 50p, 4 white chocolate cookies 50p, naan bread 25p, 400g chesse £2 but some of it was veg which really I could have got at the market when I went into town Thursday but never thought. Oh well, not been feeling too great today but managed to make a huge pot of chilli & another of spag bol.

11 days to go.

KITTY_2-2

Finally got around to adding up this weeks spends and updating total.

I may be cutting it fine this month, but we have bought an awful lot of fruit and salad so far. This has been the major expense as meat has come from the freezer to try and empty it a little.

Anyway, we are well stocked now for this week so hopefully nothing to spend until fruit runs out.

Good luck all, K