September 06 Grocery Challenge

Karb

BusyGirl wrote:

This has been my first attempt at the grocery challenge and I have gone over budget. But hey, you learn from your mistakes!

What I have achieved is...

I have tried various cheaper places to shop (especially Aldi).
I now take my own bags to the shops (so much greener).
My meal planning is a success.
I have paid with cash everytime and not used plastic.
I have tried lots of new recipes thanks to this site.
I now own a breadmaker (£14.99 Cookworks, last one in the shop) and we all love home made bread.
The list is endless, but I'm aiming to stay in budget next month, especially as it will only be 4 weeks long!

You haven't failed BusyGirl. Generally most people dont have a clue how much they spend on groceries, until you start the challenge, so your first month is always just a guide to what you should set as your target in future.

Its only since i started doing the challenge that I've realised that I must have been spending loads more in the past than I thought. Because even though I'm being very strict - making packed lunches instead of buying at work, going to Aldi instead of Sainsburys, walking wherever possible instead of driving, and asking myself "do I really need this" before ANYTHING goes into my trolley or basket, I'm still only just scraping in under budget.

You'll now have a better idea what to set as a realistic target next month.

Natty68

I think we are going to be way off target this month, its our 3 monthly trip to Costco on Wednesday for the washing powder etc etc..and the bill is normally £70.00. Plus I have been a naughty girl and have been going out a fair bit to Asda, oops!!

WelshWoofer

Final total for the month is 116.50p - so didn't make my 100 quid target. BUT - the freezer is packed full and there's enough in the cupboards for at least another week after this week. So the first week of October is already paid for. Will try 100 again next month (BTW - I used to spend 250 easily on food in supermarkets a month)

shazanne_2

I am trying the store cupboard challenge along with setting myself a monthly budget of £150.00 for groceries. This is for myself and 2 hungry kids. I have no clue how to budget but I am buying fresh food as I need it and living out of the cuboards and freezer for the rest. My challenge will run until 20th October but I forgot we are going away with friends for the weekend so basicaly I reckon I have no chance BUT the training for future months is starting and who knows I might manage it.

carlih1

Oh my god,

Just tallied up my total September challenge, bearing in mind my budget is £200, i have spent

Month Ending 30/09/2006
01/09/2006 Tesco Cash Food : Groceries -36.19
04/09/2006 Tesco Cash Food : Groceries -33.73
06/09/2006 Asda Cash Food : Groceries -6.70
11/09/2006 Asda Cash Food : Groceries -69.78
12/09/2006 Asda Cash Food : Groceries -4.66
13/09/2006 Tesco Cash Food : Groceries -46.97
19/09/2006 Asda Cash Food : Groceries -29.98
21/09/2006 Asda Cash Food : Groceries -20.73
25/09/2006 Asda Cash Food : Groceries -59.54
25/09/2006 coop Cash Food : Groceries -11.73
26/09/2006 petrol Cash Food : Groceries -3.50
Total Month Ending 30/09/2006 -323.52

Grand Total -323.52

Thats way over i thought i was skint this month, oh i'm never gonna do this.

Carli

Peem

£383.19

Well - September didn't go too well then, did it?

All I can say in my defence is that it's a lot less than I have spent in the past.

The gloves are off - and October here I come.

angelavdavis

I have blown it too! Thought I was going to do it, but got a little tempted by special offers last weekend.

I did manage to avoid spending in café at work which was costing me a fortune and because I am leaving my job next week, a friend treated me to lunch the other day.

On the upside though, I have a freezer jammed full of food, there are still plenty of veg and herbs in the garden and have now mastered baking bread in my breadmaker (after producing a few bricks!)

Roll on October - same target £200 for me!

Snow_Angel

Oops.....went over by almost £8. I'm going to stick with the £40 budget for October and see how I go. Could be really difficult though as I'll be doing full-time clinical placement, studying part-time and working part-time. Exhausting.

Please answer me this question. Those of you that make home-made bread, do home cooking for 4 every day, and still only spend a small amount on food each month - what do you do? Do you work full-time, do you have kids, housewives??? How do you do it? I just feel the time is impossible to find sometimes.

Cazzdevil

Snow Angel - does your £40 include household products & toiletries? I've set myself a budget of £60 including those but still wonder whether it'll be a bit high.

It'd be interesting to see how another "buying for 1" does in the challenges.

EagerLearner

October we WILL save money come hell or high water - all of us!

I will be:

Batch cooking even more
Not going shopping when hungry
Shopping late to get cheap deals
Buying from veg market and butchers rather than supermarket
Getting some bits from Iceland
Checking out the Pound stores for good deals on things we'd normally get at the supermarket
Asking MIL to get cheap things from France when we can like mayo, mustard, wine, sundried tomatoes, pesto etc
Shopping at Lidl for things like Parmesan
Buying even more Value range items from Sainsburys as their 8p noodles and 23p (ish) vegetable rice has amazed us and we'll never go back to paying full price
Buying even more Value range from Sommerfield as their Value tinned tomatoes and foil have saved us lots

Good luck everyone - and please use my spreadsheet below as IT REALLY HELPS keep track of shopping!