September 2010 Grocery Challenge

Hippeechiq

Very well done sparkleisshopping :T

Hello Craftyscholar :wave:

The challenge is about you setting yourself a budget (to include whatever) and then trying to stick to it. It's up to you what you include in your grocery challenge - just about everyone on here has a different way of doing it, and people have varying amounts of adults, children, pets, evenings out which either are or aren't included in their budget and so on to cater for, which is why everyone's budget varies so much.

And of course, we all have our own standards of what is and isn't acceptable. It's not a competition, it's about people trying to save money and supporting each other in that process

purplevamp

~moneysavingnovice~ wrote: »

Anyone know what I can do with some left over guacemole and salsa (the pre-made ones made in bottles, not old style unfortunately!)

The salsa I've used in a bolognaise before. As for guacamole...hmm not sure as I don't touch the stuff. Perhaps put it in a sauce or soup. If you're not going to use it straight away bung it in the freezer.

cw18

Another 80p spent today. Just £2.10 of my September budget left now.....

As I was leaving work (around 4:30pm) the chap on the fish section had just done his second round of reductions..... so I picked up 2 packs of shelled and cooked mussels that should have been 95p/pack

Going to go split them into individual portion sizes and pop them in the freezer in a minute or two - that's 10 lunches sorted out as I don't like many at a time :T (My OH has introduced me to them with pasta - he uses stuffed, I use plain for a lunch - and pasta sauce. He also puts grated cheese on top, but I'm trying to cut back on that)

notjustlaura

Sig's updated with this week's main shop. As I'm not very well, I ordered an online shop from Mr A. It was an hour late and we obviously have differing ideas of what constitutes good customer service. I'm unimpressed and won't be using their online service again for a long time Happier news is that I insisted on a refund of the delivery charge and will be checking my bank to make sure I get it.

I know what you mean about paying more for convenience, EvieSaver. My freezer is full of ready-meals and the larder has a large quantity of tinned soup. My excuse is that I feel rotten and would probably order take-away or go without if I didn't use convenience foods. All the same, I'll be very glad when live in the kitchen reverts to normal!

Well done for coming in under budget, cookiemum, sparkleisshopping and Sunnyday.

You can do it, Hippeechiq!

JAMIEDODGER

Declaring September at £216.43. £83.57 Under Budget!:j

Please put me down for £280 for October. Thanks:)

dazzle21

Hello, well our month wasn't meant to end until 10th but i will declare tomorrow!!! I did an online shop yesterday with Mr T, (taking the money out of our GC tin and paying it back into my account - may sound complicated but keeps us in order!) was busy sulking as couldn't get any codes to work for extra points or money off so decided to wait to order.. I think Mr T was watching as i suddenly 2hrs later I had an email with a £10 off a £50 spend!! To say i was delighted was an understatement!! So all being well that order will be around £47 (including the £10 off), and is full of washing up liquid (I love the fairy aloe but refuse to buy it unless it is on offer so i have stocked up!!) and lots of other essentials - I was good and removed all the deserts etc which I would have spontaneously purchased if I was in the shop! I have worked out there is enough food coming in the order to feed us atleast until 10th..maybe longer if i can prevent OH eating extra when he starts his hols on 8th!! Still tons of apples to use up, so more stewing and freezing today i feel!
It is our 4yr anniversary today, so I am trying to decide on something special for tea...but my brain is not yet in gear! Hope everyone is good

Winged_one

I am declaring at €307 for Sept, so €7 over the original budget, which I can live with. I went to Dunnes last night, and spent €36 on food for us (and another €61 on food for Christmas hampers, as there were lots of non-perishables with good offers on - like 50% extra free on tea and coffee and spaghetti, 30% extra on ketchup etc). But that comes from my donations budget (I am well on the way to having 2 GOOD hampers for giving to the Church near my office parking, which will go to good use locally).

Unfortunately, I had some vouchers to use on specific products (that I actually use anyway), but the products were not on the shelves (like chicken kievs - or even breaded chicken from one maker, bacon joint from another maker, and a particular brand of bread). I may try to get those on the way home tonight in another branch which I pass anyway (and ONLY those). I'm not bothered if I don't see the yoghurts, as I would only be trying out that brand:rotfl:

So happy enough for September. Will update sig before leaving here this morning.

~moneysavingnovice~

purplevamp wrote: »

The salsa I've used in a bolognaise before. As for guacamole...hmm not sure as I don't touch the stuff. Perhaps put it in a sauce or soup. If you're not going to use it straight away bung it in the freezer.

Can't see the thanks button below your post for some reason, but thankyou!

Long_tall_sally

Whoo! Only been MIA a few days & such a lot to catch up on! Well done to everyone who has achieved their targets & wishing better luck for October to those who haven't plus of course good luck to those such as Hippechiq who still completing September.

Will try to catch up on the October posts later.

ChocClare

Been away on training and have been SO naughty about catching up on this this month.

However, family is moaning that they've run out of Pepsi Max and chocolate biscuits, so I must be doing SOMETHING right.

Off to buy ONLY those things being moaned about and so SHOULD come in on target this month, so woohoo for that! I'll try not to go too mad on the last day.

Better go and get set up on October I suppose - this is SO good for making me monitor my spending - I know I'm not achieving heights of joy like many of you, but I was not keeping the slightest check on anything before so this is a great step forward for me. Cupboards and freezers groaning with food and still buy buy buy.

Most difficult thing is remembering to take things out of the freezer, today included. Oh well, only just come back from London, can't expect me to be organised yet...