August 2010 Grocery Challenge

scruffypet

Thanks Hippeechiq for the useful info. I havn't tried online sopping before but I will definately have a look at it.
I have started using some menus this week and I hope if I can get into a routine, I should be able to lower my budget each month.
I will look out for the new thread in September

sofababe

Just done the last of the months shopping at As*a which came to £13.28 but that includes a bottle of something intoxicating for this evening:D

However, I have a feeling I'm a meal short but should be able to cobble something together from what I have in freezer.

Also have yet to buy cat food which I'll get on Weds via my daughter who drives but should only be about £4.

Come September I'm gonna try to do a months worth in one go online and do some batch cooking but we'll see how that idea goes:o

MummyEm

Well I am definately over the £400 budget for the month. Currently at £440.78 but that does include 2 takeaways, one sunday pub lunch, few extra teas and cakes out due to summer hols etc. Also ended up having my sister stay with us for almost two weeks so that upped things too.

All in all pretty pleased with the month. Before having children 3 years ago DH and I would eat finest and Waitrose ready meals every night and spent a small fortune on food, I dread to think exactly how much we could have saved .
3 years on, we have a fairly well balanced (always room for improvement), healthy menu all cooked from scratch (apart from the odd take out for the grown ups!). We were still spending over £600 a month on food 18 months ago and although I did try the GC a couple of times, always failed to even get it down to £550 :eek:.

Anyways, this month was a long shot, so whilst over, will still be please is I can keep it to £450. We do still need some fruit and veg and more milk to finish the month but will only be making my own bread and eating from the freezer for the rest of the month so should be ok.

p.s. apologies for the essay!

boultdj

Well spent another $20.30 thank's to OH damageing my frying pan used wire wool on a nonstick coating:eek: :mad: so got sandwich filling and goodie's for pack up's.

gdyr1945

have just ordered some shoes and ready meals for my mum via Quidco. Will be interesting to see how much I get back. Seems very odd to get £sd for buying normal things. I have picked up SO MANY tips from this site; thank you everyone.

notjustlaura

seductivesmile wrote: »

Have you reported it to the police? when my car was vandelised i reported it to the police (was 23 at the time) and the crime ref number meant my insurance company didnt charge me the excess?
the excess would have been more than the car was worth. Might be worth checking into
SS

I had the same experience in my twenties and was charged the glass excess even with a crime reference. It must depend on the insurance company?

scotsaver

Hi everyone - not posted for a few days, as it's the School hols we are out and about and I don't seem to have the time always to log on.

Updated my total with recent spends and confident that I will stay within budget which will enable me to buy dried fruit etc for my Xmas baking which I will start once the kids are back at School.;)

Dinner tonight is roast chicken and all the trimmings, a day behind on meal plan as we used up leftovers yesterday.:D

Have a good evening everyone and hugs to those who need them.:)

cw18

EvieSaver wrote: »

p.s. Mr T value nappy bags now only 4p for 100 (although beware 300 pack 57p so buy 3 x 100 bags instead for 12p)

Many thanks for this - I don't need nappy bags, but am running short of 'scoop' bags. Might be worth trying these at least for the garden, meaning I can save/use the 'proper' ones when out walking the mutt

Hardly ever used to buy any such bags at all - but then I started taking re-usable bags to the shops and shopping a lot less..... so in some respects my attempts at Frugal living are to blame for this expense

ASC

cw18 wrote: »

Many thanks for this - I don't need nappy bags, but am running short of 'scoop' bags. Might be worth trying these at least for the garden, meaning I can save/use the 'proper' ones when out walking the mutt

Hardly ever used to buy any such bags at all - but then I started taking re-usable bags to the shops and shopping a lot less..... so in some respects my attempts at Frugal living are to blame for this expense

I'm the same! It seemed counter-intuitive until I realised that Mr T were willing to give me between 1 and 4 pence per re-used bag (depending on how I use the points) so as long as I'm spending less than that on something I throw away, I'm ahead. I know there's a cash vs points arguement but it's not as if the calculation is close in this instance... I find the value nappy sacks perfectly good for dog poo btw and a lot less bulky to carry when out walking than carriers.

A x

Long_tall_sally

I'm depressed! Just added on my spends today & yesterday of £11 Co Op, £11 Frm Foods & £2 Iceland and am now over £100 over target. And the kids are still moaning that there is nothing to eat!

I bought 4 copies of Monday's Sun and was wondering whether I would be able to do one big shop of £160 using all 4 or whether I would need to do it as 4 transactions either split (if acceptable at the till) or by going in and out 4 times! I was thinking today about one of the reasons that I never seem to meet target anymore where as months ago I did or nearly did. I remembered that I used to always be able to use the Farm Foods vouchers against my Tesco shop which would have been about a £30-£40 reduction plus coupons for other products when Tescos used to accept these. I know that this probably sounds like I am trying to make excuses for myself. I'm not - I know that I would still be over even I could still use these vouchers because I seem unable to do certain things which I know would probably help such as meal planning. I think one reason for this is having different numbers for dinner half of the week when we have OH's kids as well as mine plus not really knowing how much is a portion if I batched cooked & froze.