May 2010 Grocery Challenge

poohbear59

I haven't signed up to this month's challenge yet as I went AWOL last month. I was a tester for weezl's 'feed a family of four for amonth on £100..
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2384579

I actually managed to feed four adults and sometimes five of us for under £100. That of course didn't include toiletries, laundry products etc. http://www.cheap-family-recipes.org.uk/index.html

From this Friday I will be back to 5 adults. DH, me and three students! I have decided to stick as much as possible to weezl's plan as it gave us extra money to spend on the setting up of our own business. If my student sons want something special like noodles that is not on the plan they can buy them or do without.

I am hoping that when they are away at uni next term they will follow the plan and save themselves money.

I would like to sign up here for May please and aim to spend £150 this month on all groceries. Spend so far is £74.32

tessie_bear

hi...nsd for me in fact a nsw....blimey first one in my whole life...made a yummy loaf of banana bread today...i got a reduced bunch of bananas for 23p last week...we had a nanas and custard pudding and i made the loaf today...not bad

im hoping for a cheap week next week as ds is off to france with the school....u never know i might not need much

take care
tessa

Long_tall_sally

Oh dear should I just give up now? I have added up my receipts and I am so far over target, plus I am now really skint! I don't quite know what happened either. I went to Morrisons to buy some tuna & ended up buying a load of other things. I also went to Sainsburys to use my £4 off £40 voucher. Although I have stocked up on things like tuna & margarine, some of it was just things that I needed for the rest of the month or things to take to my sister's on Saturday. So although I could argue that some of the things I bought could be put off being included in this month's spends & instead add them on to next month's, a lot of it wasn't, so I am just going to include it all this month. I think I need to have a serious look at exactly what I am buying & I definitely need to find the time & inclination to do some meal planning. I am certainly not getting any better at this challnge and indeed I am even fairing worse!

pipersky

Long_tall_sally wrote: »

Oh dear should I just give up now? I have added up my receipts and I am so far over target, plus I am now really skint! I don't quite know what happened either. I went to Morrisons to buy some tuna & ended up buying a load of other things. I also went to Sainsburys to use my £4 off £40 voucher. Although I have stocked up on things like tuna & margarine, some of it was just things that I needed for the rest of the month or things to take to my sister's on Saturday. So although I could argue that some of the things I bought could be put off being included in this month's spends & instead add them on to next month's, a lot of it wasn't, so I am just going to include it all this month. I think I need to have a serious look at exactly what I am buying & I definitely need to find the time & inclination to do some meal planning. I am certainly not getting any better at this challnge and indeed I am even fairing worse!

Don't give up!! It doesn't matter if you don't make it - that's why it's called a challenge You can't learn without making mistakes

hex2

Long tall sally -please dont beat yourself up about it, you are trying and thats what counts. On paper I have failed for 8 out of 10 months according to my spreadsheet. Compared to my previous totally uncontrolled spend of 650/700 then I have won. It just isn't quite what I want it to be yet.

If you must analyse then perhaps ask yourself what went wrong? What did you get that you shouldn't or was it all legitimate? Did you enjoy the extras or do you regret them? If it was me I would draw a line under it, don't move anything into next month. I try to start again fresh and think about what has worked and what I might do differently next month.

rosieben

Spiggs' most excellent Malt Loaf recipe is now in the recipes list :T

I had an unplanned spend today, I happened past our butcher where wednesday is home made pies and pasties day so, ermm, ... I bought some! I don't often catch them when they're freshly cooked, that's my excuse I had one for my lunch and put the rest of them in the freezer - yes, in the freezer that I'm supposed to be emptying to defrost!

Good luck for the last part of the month peeps

Billie-jo

LONG TALL SALLY - don’t give up just get to the end of the month and start all over again with a clean spends sheet and have another go at it.

Have sorted the menu plan for this week and also done a shopping list which looks to be around £25 so will be really pleased if it does come close to this amount.
Starting the last week of this months challenge now so everything going good and well under target of £300 Am just wondering if this month will be a one off or I really have altered how I shop time will tell I suppose. Have still got two freezers full and also lots of store cupboard things to use. - although am running low on tinned tomatoes. Found 6 tins of tuna and cant stand the stuff so will probably use it when grand children come as they love it, if not will give it their mum to use.

Five of the next seven meals are using mainly ingredients that already have in :T so hopefully making a little bit of room in freezer for when chickens are on offer as only have legs in at the moment plus a carcass for stock making.

4kids4cats

Hi, had another one of those 'little trips' to Asda tonight and feeling fed up with myself for spending too much again. Some of it will come out of the clothes budget though, but as I still have a shop to do this week and next, I am wondering whether I will stay under budget. All of which makes me very glad to read about the NSD thread - I think it might help to stop me from 'going into a supermarket for milk and coming out £20 lighter' - BigMummaF, that so sums up what I do!:o
I think I might set myself a target of 3 NSD until the end of the month.
I think this thread is great - so glad I joined. Even if I am still finding it hard, at least I now know where my money has been going!:)

savvyshe

Morning everyone,
Just lost this post after finishing It grrrrrr!!!:mad: The computer keeps moving my text for some reason as well so I keep having to retype!!!:mad:

Here goes, two small spends of £1.30!!:eek: for milk (from papershop asI ran out)
£1.40 (now my typing has just gone big help) never mind, for margarine and 75p !!for 3 packs of smelly cheese. Sent DH to Mr M last night for margarine as I knew
he would'nt be tempted with whoopsies like me as we are already overbudget.
He said he could'nt get near the reduced section there were loads of folks gathered around. I'm intreagued hence the purchase of the smelly cheese, no one else apart for DH likes the stuff!! :rotfl: Will update signiture later. I think everyone has said it all LONG TALL SALLY I think the most important thing is to keep on posting whatever, no ones perfect. It is the supermarkets job to make us spend!!, so well done for everyone on here and a pat on the back for trying not to.:A bye for now Savvyshe xx

pammyj74

Thought I was doing well then had to get a few bits and bobs. Total at the moment is £82.40/£120 with 11 days left/
Should be able to make it I hope