September 2010 Grocery Challenge

Herbyme

nat21luv, thanks for that, like you I only buy free range but it is so much dearer. i think it was on another thread people were talking about chicken so rubbery you could get 6 meals out of it, but that meant giving their DH a wing and some brown meat for a roast dinner - mine would divorce me if I tried that, don't think that would even be enough for my sparrow-appetite kids! But we do get a roast, a pie and stock out of one, so not bad, I think. Some sacrifices are too much for me (and the chickens)

sistercas

nat21luv thats appalling and a very unsatifactory reply :mad:

spent £3.70 in tesco today on bread , a ginsters ploughmans roll for DH they also have chocolate coins on BOGOF (for xmas) works out at 60p each :j and choc xmas wishes 59p but 2 for a £1

rosieben

I found a great post at Creative Organizing that might be useful for anyone starting out with meal planning

nat21luv

i wasnt happy with the reply either but unsure what my response should be...any help appreciated!

Hippeechiq

JulieGeorgiana wrote: »

I have a budget of £40 a week, plus £50 every 5 weeks for meat (£2600 a year)... so can I set a different budget every month depending on how many shopping days and if it's butchers week?????

It's totally fine JulieGeorgiana - it's up to you what you set your budget at each month and also what your budget includes

Jevvers wrote: »

Btw did anyone else see Watchdog talking about supermarket tactics like buy two for £2 when the individual items are only 99p each or sbury bigger pack better value rice which works out more per kilo? Cheeky swines! I had spotted a few of this sort of thing last time I was in tseco - thanks to my mse training I think I managed not to fall for any but I do find shopping takes twice as long when you have to work out price per kg all the time!

Doesn't it just?! I've been noticing for the past 6 months or so that it's no longer necessarily the case that by buying bigger/larger size/bulk items guarantees that the product you're buying actually works out cheaper , in fact, it's most often not the case.

Long_tall_sally wrote: »

It's so annoying cos I only do overtime at school really ocacsionally when they need extra help for school trips etc and I thought that I had a little leeway in what I could earn each month but it appears that this leeway was even smaller than I thought! So, although I appreciate that it's my own fault, I have basically got to pay back a few months carer's allowance cos I earned about £20 too much in a month. Hence why I am considering whether to just give up the Carer's allowance & work fulltime but a) I would only be about £100 a month better off and b) I know I would be really tired because I am often up several times a night with my son due to his diabetes and I just about cope on lack of sleep now.

Sorry, I have realised that I have been rattling on and also it is not very grocery challenge related. sorry!

You have no need to apologise hun - we all need to let off steam now and again. I think, if you read back your post, you've answered you own question really.....you're clearly doing the best you can under what are difficult conditions, and that's all any of us can do. The one thing you can't do IMHO (and it is only my opinion) is survive on less sleep than you're already getting - no amount of money is worth that, and I don't say that lightly. I know what it's like to be hard up and how much difference £100 can make, but not at the risk of your health.

I suffer with sleep problems, which have worsened since my daughters illness in turn has worsened. You/Me/Everyone can't function properly without sleep, and you're already on your minimum by the sound of things, and you'll be no help to your son if you fall ill because of sleep deprivation :grouphug:

Had a NSD yesterday (about time too, only my 2nd of the month so far) and it would have been another today, only I need an apple to go in my Fruity Chicken Curry for tonights tea, so will update signature later.

Have a good day everyone

ASC

gdyr1945 wrote: »

Not very happy today! Had delivery from Dan Ap. Food and although the bread mix was ticked as though in the box IT WAS MISSING! The main reason I had an order this month was to get this product. Don't know what they will do as this is only my 3rd order with them. Having a refund of the £1.98 isn't what I want; I want my 7kgs of bread mix.

I had the same issue albeit with a different product this week. Yes, I got my 99p refund but the item they failed to send was a significant reason for placing the order plus I like to get full value from the P&P so I feel I missed out on that too.

JackieO wrote: »

nat21luv wrote: »

I have just returned from the shops and have spent £17.74 so in total I have spent £20.00 since 1st September on food which I am very pleased with.Got quite a few whoopsied veggies as well from Sainsbobs.I also got 4 limes for 10p reduced from £1.99 has anyone frozen these, and do they freeze as well as lemons do as I don't really want to use them just yet but at 10p I can't resist a bargain For some reason they had quite a lot of oranges as well but they will be used up over the weekend

I have frozen limes often in the past but usually sliced to put into drinks rather than to be used in cooking.They were fine though.

I agree about bargains, I picked up a pack of reduced chillies this week so I'm attempting to dry some of those (got none from the garden this year...)

I'm being cowardly at the moment. I have spent on groceries and I know I need to add that up and reconcile the bank account as it's that tricky week before payday, but I'm taking the ostrich approach instead


A x

Spiggle

Hi All,

A quick update as I have to get to work (just been to hosp for bloods again with OH).

I haven't managed any NSDs the last couple of days but hope for one today. I have updated the sig with our spends. This included some containers for the freezer because OH has to take exercise every day and has found a rather nice patch of blackberries. :T So whilst we don't freeze 'complete' cooked meals we can freeze a load for later in the year.

I may have some bramleys on their way from a very kind colleague :A too so that would be great.

A friend gave us three raspberry plants from their garden this week so I need at some point to clear and prepare a part of the garden for them - yum my taste buds are tingling at the thought and they may not fruit until next summer at the earliest!

On the chicken conversation, nat21luv that's why I can't bring myself to buy meat at the sm. I have a dear friend who puzzles me completely. She has had three off pieces of chicken from our local sm on three separate occasions and she still buys it from there! :shocked:

We can usually get more than three meals from a chicken from the local butchers and IMHO it tastes so much better, has far less water, antibiotics and other additives in. Mind you I don't have to have meat every day so probably that makes a difference.

There are lots of things I wanted to reply to but just don't have the time now so will probably pop back on this evening. Just one thing though, Jevvers, JulieGeorgiana, sistercas and Hippeechiq we have been having this conversation on and off for a while now, just another part of the sm weapons ranged against us in our attempt to keep our costs down. :mad:

However, the support, advice, hugs, and inspiration on this thread help to keep our resolve strong. Keep up the fantastic work everyone - you're truly brilliant! :A

See you later,
Spigs

NickJW

Hi All.

I've been reading everyday, but not posting because I've had 4 NSD's since my shop on Monday! :j
I've stuck to my meal plan and have had either leftovers or bagels for work. Quite a few people are leaving at work which isn't good - there are rumours that they are being pushed out, so whilst I'm not being cocky about the fact I am still here, I feel very lucky to be still around!

The problem is that with people leaving is that there are the ubiquitous emails going around saying 'I'm going for a meal for lunch - come along', or 'Come for drinks this evening - it's my last day' going around. I feel awful because I can't budget for these at the moment, so I had my bagels at work as usual, and sent the email to the person leaving saying I wish the best in the future and it would be good to catch up soon in a non work environment.

I'll need a spend tomorrow, but hopefully I shouldn't need much more than things for lunch since I have my dinner meals in :-)

toddles*

spent £12 in home bargains today. Got 4 boxes of their 49p dishwashing tablets. Really like them. Got a couple of bits to put away for xmas too.

and my birthday breadmaker has turned up!! I bought it for myself for my birthday but yesterday my mum gave me the money for it as she didnt get me a pressie.
I currently have it cooking my first ever HM loaf. hope it turns out nice

cookiemum

Mr A delivery added to my sig. Hoping that will be my only big shop this month.

Going to attempt hm Calzones tonight so wish me luck!

Have a great weekend everyone:)