August 2010 Grocery Challenge

suzybloo

Hello folks, keeping well withing spending limits so I am very pleased with myself!! Yesterday's spends were only in the local Semi-Chem shop which now stocks some groceries. Ambrosia Rice and Custards were o at 49p a tin - so bought two to have a standby's, choc biscuits were on at a pound so bought 4 packs for hubby's piecebox, fortunately all the biscuits have 9 in them so under my 12p limit per biscuit!!!! They included beakaways, fox's classics, wagon wheels and blue ribands. They should last a wee while, but have stuck some in the freezer so thay cant be eaten willy nilly!!!! Also bought Fray Bentos Chickn Pies, and a some of the Steak and onion ones as they were only a pound, where as Mr T sells these for £2.19. I dont normally buy them but bought 8 to pop away in the cupboard for standbys - hubby loves them but I am not so keen, so total spend including my diet coke yesterday came to £14.78

Glad to hear you are all doing so well, will be having the chocolate pudding this weekend too - I had made this often years ago but lost the recipe. Away to hang out the washing and only Tesco delivery planned for my spends today.

Suz

jayII

I'm also happy with my spends up to now. I picked loads of blackberries yesterday, which are bow in the freezer. If the rain stops I'll walk into town later, and buy some cheap cooking apples to make blackberry and apple jam.

notjustlaura

Yesterday was an NSD as I didn't go out (feeling yucky) and I think today will be likewise although I really have the urge to *spend*. There's nothing I need - I just want to go shopping and have now been paid sooo ... But I know I can't particularly as I've not paid as much to the ccard as I'd have liked this month. What do others do when the urge to shop is upon them?

Can I set my target at £250 for August, please? It's already on my sig.

Time for that second cup of coffee and then I'll hit the chores.

JAMIEDODGER

Hi all:)

Can I please set my budget for £225 for the remainder of August. I know I am joining late in the day but I need to get a handle on this right now:)

This includes all food, pet food, toiletries and cleaning products. I am going to spend most of today figuring how I can keep within this amount, planning meals etc, should keep my fairly busy!!:D

Planning a NSD today. I don't actually need anything! I am keeping away from the shops!!

LannyLee

2 NSD - yesterday & Wednesday!

And a teeny-tiny spend day for today 8 pints of milk for £2 from Poundland :j

cw18

notjustlaura wrote: »

What do others do when the urge to shop is upon them?

I find tidying the fridge, freezers and food cupboard can help if I'm tempted to go food shopping - always something lurking at the bottom/back I'd forgotten about (so a bit like shopping)

If I'm tempted to go out for non-food items, then I find sorting my clothes / books / magazines (have heaps of craft ones I keep for reference) has the same effect

jayII

cw18 wrote: »

I find tidying the fridge, freezers and food cupboard can help if I'm tempted to go food shopping - always something lurking at the bottom/back I'd forgotten about (so a bit like shopping)

If I'm tempted to go out for non-food items, then I find sorting my clothes / books / magazines (have heaps of craft ones I keep for reference) has the same effect

Great tips! I'll be using them in my many weak moments. Thanks cw.

tallullahbelle

Sorry for being a bit late... have been away. Amazingly under budget in JULY at £460.15! Writing off the first two weeks in August as we were on holiday- cupboards are now bare! Aiming for £350 in AUGUST.

tallullahbelle

Not sure if I declared for June. SORRY! June was a nightmare month (too many birthdays!)... Will declare £500 for June. It may have been more as I lost track, but can shift some of it to other budgets! THANK YOU!

Winged_one

I was just posting on the mealplans thread, thinking that I had no inspiration for this coming week, and then realised that I had plenty!!

I know I need to use up chicken goujons from the freezer on Monday and will make potato wedges to go with those.

Tuesday: Pork pieces (I bought 4 chops and baked 2 in the oven, and chopped the other 2 into pieces before I froze them), with a jar of sauce (perhaps sweet'n'sour) and rice

Wednesday:Roast chicken breasts (have some on bone in freezer), roast spuds, roast patty pan squash

Thursday: A mushroom risotto (have chick stock in freezer, dried mushies in cupboard)

Friday: Takeaway?

Sat: Some nice fish from the pier

Sun: Roast of some description, large enough for leftovers on MOnday

Actually, I am surprised!! That's without having to shop (we are away this weekend) and also allows for me to get stuff in the farmer's market if it looks nice to alternate (there is a VERY good one near PIL's, so we usually pick up a few bits).

So I only need milk, bread, pullups, and some fruit and a few carrots for next week!! Yay!!

With any luck, and assuming I don't go overboard in farmer's market (I may get some nice organic meat, local apples, my veg, and some pate, but we don't need curry spices, smoked fish or any other yummies this week), I should actually only spend about €30-40 to cover us for the week.