May 2010 Grocery Challenge

mummyslittleboy

My cooker has been fixed:T:T:T:T:T:T

I can finally do some baking :j:j and hopefully make a nice cut on my massive shopping bill have gone through the cupboards and have written a list of essentials that i will need so have ordered them online went on my supermarket just to make sure I am getting the best price to and have bought enough nappies and wipes to last the month as this should cut down on the amount of time I go to the shops I want to have 15 no spend days this month so fingers crossed!! goodluck everyone and congrats to all with your budgets weather you were under or over at least we are all trying!!

tessie_bear

hi...sunny here again which is nice....using up a few food bits this week we have had some strange combos but noone has complained yet

think i might do some baking today but not sure what...maybe flap jacks as we like them perhaps fairy cakes as well

off to do some meal planning for next week
bye tess

cookiemum

Well despite my best efforts to have a nsd DD came home from school and advised she needed a packed lunch for school outing today so a little £4.03 spend in Herons.
Pay Day today - Yippee - so please can I declare at £297.34 for May.

Birthday bonanza month for us in June but please can you put me down for £300.

Well done everyone.:T

mama67

BigMummaF wrote: »

We've got the Classic model of a 'named' brand, but the cartridges are getting expensive AND elusive I found some own label ones in MrT a while back that fitted perfectly but they must have changed the size as they don't now :mad: So folks--any ideas of the best prices on these would be most gratefully appreciated, as I don't really want to have to buy a new system when there's nowt wrong with the one I've got

I see Keiss has given you the link to the NSD Challenge thread & it runs calendar-monthly, just like this one. I've been doing it for a while now for the very reasons you have mentioned--mainly going into a supermarket for milk & coming out £20 lighter I guess the general principles are the same for both Challenges as it is entirely up to you what you do or do not include but come & have a look! It's simple enough to join up at any time of the month & you'll be able to come on our next night out; we're "going" to Brighton this time & verging towards a fancy dress theme of Star Wars; it all gets a bit surreal as we discuss our outfits & modes of transport :rotfl:For instance, there's at least 11 nsd opportunities left till month's end so you could have a practise for,say, three? Goo-onnnnn...ya'no ya wanna

My very first AppF00d order was delivered this morning but there's a bit missing, so when I work out how much has to come off I shall change my siggie. I got a bit excited & opened a packet of the dried pineapple but--let's just say I shall not be rushing to buy more _pale_ Had expected it to be like the sticky stuff along the lines of sultanas & things, but this was the texture of meringue & not to my palette at all. Still--nothing ventured & all that...

BMF, if you have the same one as myself then unless Mr S have changed theirs recently they fit.
I bulk bought when named ones were on a too good to miss offer, so haven't needed any for a while.

hth

spendaholic

I drew out my spends + shopping money + hairdresser money for the month (£40 + £160 + £45 = £245 or £50 per week + £45) and then promptly spent £12.96 on my card at Tesco for some baking stuff (I'm in June now, btw). I forgot I had the cash in my purse so it came out again. :mad:

After a bit of a panic I decided to put petrol in the tank using some of the cash, and I put £13-worth in, leaving me with £37 in my purse for the rest of this week. That's £10 pocket money + £27 for shopping.

My petrol budget for the month is £40 + whatever I spend visiting the humans 100 miles away (once for my regular visit, and again for Father's Day - they'll both come out of June's money). This means I have £27 still to spend of my regular month budget + the 2 x 200-mile round trips. I have £10 in Tesco vouchers that I can use on shopping or petrol, plus a 5p off per litre voucher for petrol ... but petrol from Morrison's is already 5p cheaper than petrol from Tesco ... :undecided Perhaps we could also have a monthly petrol challenge ... :idea:

I eased my conscience on the potential shopping overspend, but I think I'm going to overspend on petrol this month instead.

jintyb

Herbaholic wrote: »

Well done to everyone whether you've come in over or under budget or slap bang on target you've done the best thing for you and your finances by looking at what you spend and trying to spend less, even if you didn't do it this month, there's always next month. Thanks to everyone for the support and suggestions, without you all I wouldn't be here today, I sometimes forget to say thank you so I'm doing it now, cheers :beer:
Herby x


Thanks Herby - what a great post!:A
I totally agree - I shidder to think what I would be spending now if I didnt do this - plus the NSD challenge. These two challenges have saved me a fortune and keep me focussed. Even if Im over budget( as I was in the first 3 mths) its still a lot less than in the "olden" days! Plus - Ive been saving weekly for Xmas and my Car tax so Im rather pleased with my self. :cool: Previously I adopted the ostrich approach and then at the last minute slapped everything on the credit card with the most available credit - NO MORE !:D
Just on to update my sig - decided to do the weeks shop today rather than just b & m to avoid BH crush. Got some good bargains and whoopsies so Im well stocked up and only spent @£30:money:On target for June as my month ends on the 20th:j

Have a great day!

gien

Hello,

I haven't been keepingup on here BUT I have been keeping track on real life and have gone over budget :-( .

NOT all bad though as it's less than I would normally spend I think and I have also included eating out which I wouldn't usually do but I've had quite a social month.

So I am setting again for June for 800 Fr for June Please.

greent

(Another lovely) morning all!!

I went to Mr S today - DS1 finishes school today, so that would have meant going with 3 children tomorrow - I do try and avoid a s/mkt at weekends. I spent my £4 off £40 voucher - because I bought myself and DS3 clothes (25|% off) - meaning that I only spent about £22 on groceries. I will add the milk and bread figure to my May total and c/f the rest to June as it's stuff for then. No other perishables bought, such as f&v, as we have lots in and the garden is providing lots of lovely salad now

Lots of baking anticipated next week (half term) Would be good to use up some of my baking supplies store!! I'm not declaring until Monday, just in case, but don't see the need for anything other than Sun paper (and DH might get a coffee on the train home as he's in Manchester today, so quite a train journey back tonight....)

Almost there..........

greent x


ps: Mr S have their orange 1% milk 4pt bottles on at 2 for £2 at the mo.... (usually £1.53, I think.... ouch!)

FelineFantastic

haven't posted all week! :eek:

Well done to everyone who has finished the month whether you are on/ above/ below target! Everything that helps is good! :T

I am probably going to be above target this month but hey ho! Have been doing okay on the NSD's though.

In an effort to streamline for month start to end, rather than a strange middle to middle thing, I am going to try to work out my June budget now.... it may be some time!:rotfl::o

FelineFantastic

Actually brain is in better working order than I had assumed!

I am going to declare May at the end of May and set £150 for June (a mash up of £100 half a normal month and the remainder of this months plus a little add on- i know I won't make it otherwise!!).

Then July I can go back to normal £200....

Well it was all clear in my head- explaining it seems to have turned the clarity to mud! :rotfl:

Thanks Mrs McC (in advance!) sorry for messing around with this months target

Ooh I feel all better now thats sorted!