July 2010 Grocery Challenge

ASC

Morning all, just popping on to update from the weekend

I was VERY restrained in Mr T spending less than £30 including stocking up on cheese (note to self, must freeze it before it gets pinched for snacking) although I did spend another £10 in Mr L (they had anch0r butter on offer which I adore...) so currently standing at just under £200 for the month. Have costed this weeks shopping list and again it's pretty small once I exclude the party food which is a different budget. I have decided to take someones advice (sorry, can't remember who it was) and cook one meal a night, like it or go hungry. I made a delicious lasagne last week and DH did his "Oh, I'm not hungry now, I'll eat later..." and then didn't, but that's his problem. I know it's not one of his favourites but I was using up storecupboard items. The budget is very tight this month as DH "borrowed" some money given to us to pay for stuff we can get on account :mad:. Not the first time it's happened so needless to say, I'm now taking control of that in future.

Sorry, that turned into a bit of a rant. Have a good day everyone, the end of the month is in sight!


A x

wssla00

Hey all! Going out to do my monthly shop soon- I don't need as much as usual so am going to treat myself to either a sainsbury or waitrose shop! Do need loo roll and cleaning things too but will get them in semichem!

I have some veg growing in the garden so hopefully I can incorporate that into my meal plan this week- perhaps adding courgettes to the curry and some beans to something else....?

Not sure yet.... but will have a think! Anyway- have a good day all!

CupOfChai

Sue14 wrote: »

Another £21.85 spent yesterday, still got £67.60 left so I'm doing really well so far this month, but the month isn't over yet, lol!

Thanks for the advice. I know what you mean, I used to take my son to the museums when he was little, and we had a lot of great days together, he particularly liked the Natural History Museum as he loved dinosaurs, and we could quite easily spend the whole day there! One time we went there on a really hot day, and when we left we went to Trafalgar Square and paddled in the fountains to cool our feet, (as a lot of other people were doing so) but he ended up swimming in the water with some older kids, and we had to wait for him to dry out before we could go home, lucky it was so hot, lol!

We had been planning to go to the Tower of London or the Aquarium today, but I wasn't feeling too well so we've put it off till Friday. They are quite expensive, but we do have some 2 for 1 entry vouchers for them and will be taking some lunch with us, so it makes it a bit easier.

I'm laughing thinking of your son swimming in the fountain. I want to go to the Tower too, especially because at the moment they have that exhibition of royal armour on. But it's Science Museum next and then maybe that the next time. We take lunch and do offers too, and we must keep away from the cafe! It's far too tempting to just get a tea and bit cake after a long day walking around, but you can see where they are making back the money they would otherwise have had in entrance fees!

Nothing to report on GC, I just wanted to irrelevantly reply to that bit . But haven't spent anything since Saturday, though will need to tomorrow and either Sunday or early next week. Also been working on my shopping discipline and only picking up what's needed instead of going "Ooh I fancy some of that as well..." Good for the waistline too!

catznine

Just updating - nearly at £100 out of £150 so really pleased with that, mainly living out of cupboards and freezer, also cancelled this weeks organic box delivery as we have so much veg to use up in the freezer now and courgettes ready every other day. Subsidising that with cheap (af orders) tinned fruit in juice and dried fruits.

Dh could be facing redundancy so belt is tightening up a notch! Now eating our way through the af stockpile, today have a very spicy biryani to eat (and lots of water to drink with it!:rotfl:)

Sorted through my cupboards in order to make my mind off the worries and now thanks to thriftladies inspiring blog, have arranged things much better - now have a dedicated baking corner! :j

[Deleted User]

Hi All. There are some really great GC final totals. I have spent £7.00 on chicken today and have run out of milk so will need to go and buy that too. Looking forward to starting the challenge 'proper' tomorrow.

Catzine, I have been going through my cupboards too and was shocked to inventlory all the stuff I had in there and was not using. I am now enjoying ticking it all off as I get through it. Could some one please send me the link to thriftladies blog or tell me where to find it as I would be really interested in this?

Allie
XX

Lindy_-_Loo

Have Failed - again!
not over till monday but have bought milk, bread, juice and cordial

Well done everyone on target x

wssla00

Hey all just updating spends- £50 spend in Asda and £56 spend in Waitrose. Oh and a £6 spend in the cheese shop for some stilton and some cheddar. That should be everything to last me the month until the tenth! Just off to update my signature!

Winged_one

I got a bag of olives from the Thursday market at lunch - I wanted pitted ones to bring on hols with us. So another €2 spent.

Lidl are 10 years in Ireland today, so I will call in on myway home for some wine, tinned tomatoes, passata, cheese, bacon pieces and a chorizo. All the things I buy anyway, but at 10% off.

And then, I have to get the usual groceries, but holiday versions, during the weekend/next week. I have a bag with a certain amount of food ready to bring with us, and I will be getting a large bag of potatoes, a couple of heads of brocolli, some summer squashes, and hopefully some peas, beans and lettuces, and raspberries, from the plot tomorrow night. But I will have to get bread, milk, fruit, meat, eggs (from the egg lady) and a few other bits over the course of the week. I won't spend the entire €199 I have left in the budget (at least, I really hope not!!), but I will be having a very restricted budget for August with all the stores in.

Mrs McCawber, can you put me down for €300 for August please? Between stores already in, and veggies coming into season, I should be OK within that!! And it only leaves me €200 over for the end of August - based on €500 per month average. In fact, if I could keep it lower, that would be even better, but I have very little meat in the freezer at present, so I must make some space and then have a decent weekend in Cork!!!

meanmarie

Spent €33.55 today on food....lots of spices etc that were on offer in Aldi...€1.49 for 250g so bought some French, Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Indian and Hungarian, so we will be having lots of different flavours in dinners for a long time....will give some to DDs too.

Forgot about the 10% winged one....if I have the energy might go to lidl later and spend what I have left of my budget on things we use anyway....10% not to be sneezed at.

Marie

~moneysavingnovice~

I have final weekly shop of July tomorrow and am determined not to spend more than £65. I can do it!!

August is a 5-week month for me, and it's also the month me and OH move into our very first non-rented home together But moving is expennnnsive so even more important to keep this belt tight!!