September 06 Grocery Challenge

benjacksmum

Hi Icemaiden,

Yes, Yorkshire born and bred!:beer:

When you say that you have started putting away for Christmas now, does that mean you have a menu plan for the Christmas week (aside from Turkey and trimmings on the day itself) and you know what to get? I've wondered about menu planning for that week but the boys aren't even back at school yet and it feels too early.

Ang xx

bails

Count me in for this too! We're struggling on incapacity/student loan until I can get back to work (please god, let that be soon!) so I'm well up for the challenge! Just my boyfriend and I (cat elsewhere temporarily) but he (the boyfriend) has a tendency for Waitrose and splashing out! And I though living with a vegetarian would be cheaper! 1st month so we'll see how it goes! Bring it on!:T

Essex-girl_2

Definately in this month.

Everything has gone to pot whilst the children have been off and I am looking forward to getting on the straight and narrow again. Also looking forward to more wintery type meals iykwim.

My month will be Mon 4/9 to Sun 1/10 and aiming for £280. Think will try and hit Tesco's reduced section to stock up with some meat as freezer is running a little low.

Good Luck Everyone.

the_optimist

I'm in, too!
Just had a change on the job front so need to be VERY careful for the time being, so far I didn't have to budget - but will have to now.
Guessing that £200 for 3 adults (me+DD+DS) will have to do.
We'll see...:think:

tinselfairy

wannabe_moneysaver wrote:

Can anyone give me some advise please?

Have just purchased my first house with my partner - really exciting!

Does anyone have any basic tips for keeping the food, toiletries and cleaning bills to a minimum?

I'd like to start how I mean to go on!

Thanks in anticipation!

Don't buy cleaning products would be my tip.
I use vinegar and bicarb for most cleaning in bathroom and kitchen, olive oil and lemon juice for wood, a damp/almost dry cloth to dust and a water and essential oil spray in place of an antibacterial spray.

I'm in on the challenge too please. I menu planned for august and kept to it, but it was the top ups and extras with being off with my son for the school hols that blew it.
I have started to write a list of all meals we like which I cook from scratch and then made a basic shopping list of all the ingredients needed. This way when I do my once a month shop I've got enough tins of chopped tomatoes, tuna, packets of pasta etc etc to cook all the meals allocated for the month and am less tempted to think 'oh lets go to the chippy tonight!'

swizzle_2

Well Mr Tesco has just been, only 1 of my freezer items has been deliverd- driver said they are having problems!

Told me that items would be refunded-told him that this is no good as I need items and can not get to shop-school hol`s-no car etc

Told him that i knew it was not his fault- but refund was no good i need food!

What normaly happens in cases like this?

Used Asda last few times and was unhappy as items missing- although they did redeliver- some items still missing.

Any idea? if they say they can not redeliver do you think i`ll get my delivery charge back?

Sarahsaver

That happened to me and I got the whole £68 quid back:)

swizzle_2

Sarahsaver how did you manage that?

I am waiting for them to ring me- but will ring them in morning if nothing tonight.

Ok it was not loads, but that stuff would have put us through till next week.

angelavdavis

I'm in too. Notice period finishes 4th October (one interview lined up for £10k payrise) so need to reduce my overdraft this month as much as possible - not helped by my car tax renewal! There are only the two of us, we still have some stuff in the freezer and plenty of cleaning materials, so no major grocery purchases hopefully.

monty100

I'm in this month, after months of half-baked attempts! September is car tax for 1 car, 2 x car insurance and 1 x pet insurance so something has to be done!!
Just done a freezer check and I reckon I have the protein for 22 meals, so am going for £50 per week on top of this (quite a lot, I know, but better err on side of caution and succeed). Its only a 4-week month as well (Friday to Friday) so this could be the month I succeed. Here's hoping!

Oops, meant to say 4 of us, DH, DS and DD (both hollow legs), plus Monty.