August 2010 Grocery Challenge

verynewmoneysaver

Another £27 spent in Co-op. I didn't realise i spent so much.This challenge is really making me think. At least I should be able to see where I can cut down at the end of the month.

notjustlaura

Casiopeia wrote: »

Hi, I need to reduce my spending, but I have no idea where to start. We've just had a big drop in income so money is mega tight, and I have to start saving from today. How do people feed a family of four, plus pets (dog & cat), for less than £500 an month?

I'm just learning myself, Casiopeia but I'd say the answer's probably Menu Planning and shopping around to get the bargains week to week. Have you had a look at http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/?

Laura

Casiopeia_2

notjustlaura wrote: »

I'm just learning myself, Casiopeia but I'd say the answer's probably Menu Planning and shopping around to get the bargains week to week. Have you had a look at http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/?

Laura

Thanks, I've used it ages ago, but forgot about it. I'll have a look, and at the menu-planning threads too.

wssla00

Casiopia- here is what I learnt. Hope it makes sense!

1. It's a change of mindset. If dinner is normally meat and veggies, try and use cheaper cuts, different meals and other ways in which meat is not the main meal of the day. For example, a portion of mince, slow cooked with a bit of carrot, celery, two tins of tomatoes a handful of basil from the garden and two handfuls of red lentils makes a HUGE base mince. Then you can make meals from that. For example I divide it into three and use one as a lasagne filling, one as a cottage pie and one as chilli, adding the extra ingredients as I go. This makes 6 portions from one portion of mince. You could also make say, three meals from a chicken. The first is a roast chicken, the second involves totally stripping the carcass to be used with additional ingredients in a puff pastry pie of chicken fried rice then the carcass and a load of cheap veg can be boiled together to make a soup for a soup night (very good with home made bread and a desert)
2. Plan plan plan. I plan four weekly and do one monthly shop for meat, root veggies and dry goods then top up if I need to with fresh salad etc (the garden is good for this but if you don't have a garden, growing salad leaves on a windowsill is brill and save a fortune!) because I know I get three meals from a chicken and from a pack of mince if I plan monthly I only have to buy say two packs of mince, two chickens and whatever else to get my monthly dinners. I plan monthly then put it all in the freezer and weekly use the freezer as going shopping, pulling out everything I need for the week in the fridge ready. It makes me feel like I am shopping even when I'm not IYSWIM
3. Making your own bread saves a fortune. If you can, getting a good bread maker will save cash. I have a panasonic and have a loaf made daily. It's very good. I worked it out and it works out about 30p a loaf so much cheaper than in the shop.
4. Think about using things differently. Previously, I would buy a gammon, cook it for dinner and leave the little bit left in the fridge for nibbles later. Now when I cook it, I cut it thinly before serving it. Then, I give only a few thin slices and the rest gets cooled for loads of lovely deli style ham for lunches.
5. Stay out of the shops. I know this sounds simple but for me this is my biggest failure. If I go into a shop for one thing, I end up spending on treats etc because i'm there and feel I need them...... If I don't go into the shop I don't spend it- simples!
6. Keep enough things in your house to make treats. I am one for buying expensive cakes etc for snacking however I now keep in loads of flour, sugar, spice, fruit etc and make cakes to go into the tin so I don't have to do that anymore.
7. Don't feel a failure if you feel your budget is higher than others. Some people can manage on lower, and what is right for them may not be right for you. If you cut back too much you will feel like you are depriving yourself and then is where it gets dangerous! It's like a diet if you say to yourself don't think about chocolate cake, all you think about is chocolate cake, so if you take it slow you feel less like you are depriving yourself and less likely to go mad in tesco.

Hope this helps a little. I am by no means the best and I struggle along, dreaming of haagen daaz as much as the next person but hopefully with the help of this thread you can share the highs and lows with us

Anyways... I just made three jars of pickled beetroot for presents so they are just cooling! Thanks to this board telling me how to do it

Going to pop on a loaf, have a good evening all

freakyogre

£1.75 spent today on a bottle of squash and some mint Aero which is on offer. My grandma has been staying with my dad this weekend, so we went out for lunch but were quite early so popped to Tesco.

As we walked in they had loads of stuffed Mr Men toys and I found the last Mr Bump hidden at the back of the shelf and got very excited (i'm so childish). Anyway, my dad insisted on buying it for my birthday despite me saying several times to put it back (i'm 26 next week...i'll never grow up) so I paid for the couple of bits of shopping he got in 'return'.
I didn't want or need anything for my birthday anyway so i'm very happy with Mr Bump

Had a lovely lunch and am still full from that so might have something snacky a bit later if i'm hungry.

angelatgraceland

Casiopeia wrote: »

Thanks for the welcome ChocClare.

My children are 15 and 16, and one is vegetarian, both are skinny with huge appetites. We tend to a lot of vegetarian meals, but apart from that we have no dietary restrictions.

I mainly cook from scratch, but tend to buy a lot of extras (crisps, chocolate, deserts, ready meals) on impulse, which is probably my main problem. I need to reduce our food/household spend to under £350 a month to make our finances balance, and I'm really worried that I won't manage.

I'm planning to start by doing an online order based on value meats, flour, etc, to stock up my freezer and cupboards. I've also started making more meals with dried soya mince or mixed beans, instead of expensive Quorn products, but I'm stuck for other ideas.

I have a similar family and same circumstance as yourself in having a dramatic cut in income. However-it was forecast for us so I was well prepared. My target is also £500 per month and it CAN be done!
Ive overspent recently but have started this month with £100 cash in my purse. Im not using any cards at present as it is too easy to overspend. I have as many NSDs as possible.
I have included a few things in my grocery shop the last few month which really should have been in other categories but this won't do any damage if I end up a little over budget as a result.
Once to stop buying the crisps sweets desets and only buy "real" food you will see a dramatic change. Remember that sugar and fat are expensive and that is what those products are full of. No need to not have a treat though-we have ample treats but not of the above variety.
Not sure what you are classing as "value" meat? Some of it can prove expensive as when you cook it down and remove the fat water and bones you are left with litlle and price per kilo if you weigh the "waste" from it increases dramatically. i RARELY BUY VALUE MINCE WHEREAS VALUE CHICKEN BREASTS(FRESH) ARE EXCELLENT.

unhappy_shopper

cw18 wrote: »

Some supermarkets (and I know Mr M is one of them, as I work there and have seen it done) can 'park' your shopping while you go back for something you've forgotten/go home for the bank card/purse you forgot. Basically this means the till spits out what looks like a receipt with a bar code (that they retain), then allows them to carry on with the next customer. When you get back to the till they scan the 'receipt' which puts the till back to the original position and then add on your additional bits (and you normally get to queue jump as well, as they want your loaded trolley moving on ).

So if this ever happens to you anywhere again, it's always worth asking if it's possible to do this

MrT also does this. Once I left my purse at home and they kept my shopping for the 10 minutes it took for me to drive back home and get my purse. HTH.

Have updated my sig. to reflect the spending so far. Only 1 NSD so far, must keep away from shops, big and small !!!

scotsaver

Had a very productive day today - up at the Allotment this morning and picked some more Courgettes, a cucumber, a lettuce and the last of my Gooseberries. Back in the Garden I picked a load of Blackberries and used them in a Crumble for Pud tonight, the Gooseberries were put into a Pie which I shall be giving to a Friend.

I also made some Sultana scones, a Victoria sponge which I sandwiched with HM Jam and a tray of caramel shortcake.

Feel very contented now that the cake tins etc are full again ready for this weeks onslaught! Don't the kids eat a lot when they are on Hols?

Dinner tonight was Roast Beef and all the trimmings.

Off now to water the Garden, got to keep all this Produce growing as it's certainly helping towards the GC this year.;)

seductivesmile

Hi,
Hope everyone has had a lovely week and a good weekend!
I havent done any grocery shopping this week, (since sat) but went to ikea y2dy with OH, and bought the ginger biscuits that i love from there - £2.05 - but they are lovely and will last me an age and come out of the treats pot, so not included in the GC, Dad has given me some veggies out of the garden, and i took the ready made batch meals that i left in my dad's freezer til i had space home with me, so that is about 15meals worth. . .
I'll update my sig in a bit - but i think i can do this month as i still have milk in the freezer (14pints - thanks to Mr M's 50p offer) got lots of crackers and a bread mix so i should be ok for bread atm too!
I am hoping that i can do this month and save as much as i can! so fingers crossed!

Have a lovely week everyone!
SS xx

365days

£2.65 spent on milk and carp I didn't need!!!!! (Crisps/Chocs)

Challenge makes me realise just how much I was spending on the little pop in shops.

First month so not being to hard on myself as will at least have a starting point for next month. Need to do Major shop tomorrow but will make a list.