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September 2010 Grocery Challenge

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  • eveie189
    eveie189 Posts: 301 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Hi,

    Could someone please put me down for $400.00 please?

    Ta

    Eveie
    April GC 9th-7th may £0/£320
  • thriftmonster
    thriftmonster Posts: 1,728 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Morning all,

    Well I lost count in August:o but am determined to get back on track in September especially as the larder extension will be finished on Friday.

    Thriftmonster for £400 please

    This will include the veggie deliveries which I usually pay for the month in advance, a once a month supermarket delivery of basics, a monthly trip to the butchers for meat and then money put aside for top ups and for my fish man. The aim is to stay out of the supermarket as much as possible for 2 reasons - to save money and to shop as locally as I can.
    “the princess jumped from the tower & she learned that she could fly all along. she never needed those wings.”
    Amanda Lovelace, The Princess Saves Herself in this One
  • I have to go to Tesco today. Am hoping the large bags of pasta are still on offer.

    I hope to have some NSD's. Harder with everyone home in the holidays. We're forever running low on bread & milk!

    Lisa
  • potz
    potz Posts: 59 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    Hi all

    Whenever I mention cutting the food bills to my husband he seems keen, but then doesn't want to actually cut back on the type of thing he eats. Every meal has to have a decent portion of meat, frozen stuff is "inferior" etc etc. Don't get me wrong, he's not as grumpy as he sounds! I think if I can significantly cut down the grocery bills without him noticing and then say "look how much we've saved this month" he may be converted. Does anyone have any suggestions for 'stealth grocery challenging'?!
  • I haven't started any buying yet in Sept, but I wanted to post the menuplan here rather than Aug:

    Mon: M&S Chicken and Chorizo, Roasted veggies (doing myself), and probably roasted potatoes
    Tues: Chorizo potato bake
    Wed: Lasagne
    Thurs: Chick or prawn stirfry
    Fri: Tomato linguine with garlic bread
    Sat: Fish (whatever is good from the pier)
    Sun: Proper roast dinner - possibly lamb
    GC 2010 €6,000/ €5,897

    GC 2011:Overall Target: €6,000/
    €5,442 by October

    Back on the wagon again in 2014
    Apr €587.82/€550 May €453.31 /€550
  • toddles*
    toddles* Posts: 362 Forumite
    cw18 wrote: »
    I have a spreadsheet I use to record absolutely everything - from Direct Debits, to window cleaner, right down to groceries at an item level - including the full price of things I buy in clearance so I can monitor my savings from buying that way :)

    Just been given this fantastic spreadsheet to get me started by Cw18. thank you!
    Its really going to help me as my grocery budget does include nearly everything. Cleaning equipment, clothes, pet food, nappies. It will help me seperate these.

    Im just planning my meals for the week now.

    Bring on Wednesday!
    Happy days
  • Potz, does your OH go food shopping with you? Or do the cooking?

    I know it involves spending a bit to get started, but could you get some storage containers (glass jars, plastic tubs - whatever works for you) and transfer the foods into those once bought? Then, over time, you can start to change the brands or level that you are putting in there and your OH won't see the packaging so may not notice any difference (lots of times, the taste is almost identical).

    Or even transfer cheaper goods to higher brand boxes - say, keep the Ke*logg's corn flakes box, but once empty, replace the bag with the bag from a Supermarket own brand but high range and see if the difference is noticed (don't necessarily go straight down to the basics brand, but move one step at a time).

    If "frozen" foods are inferior, why do top chefs say certain frozen foods are better, like garden peas? And does your OH complain if it is a dish you have cooked but frozen? So would it be worth doing double batches of dinners some days and freezing half? This doesn't necessarily mean using exactly double the meat or expensive ingredients - but say in a spag bol, grate a couple of carrots, a courgette, the middle of a brocolli stalk into the sauce, and only use 1.5 times the meat.

    I am sure others will be along with ideas soon too.
    GC 2010 €6,000/ €5,897

    GC 2011:Overall Target: €6,000/
    €5,442 by October

    Back on the wagon again in 2014
    Apr €587.82/€550 May €453.31 /€550
  • gillian62
    gillian62 Posts: 372 Forumite
    I am using this for the first time this month. I have been watching (lurking) for a while. I need to have some NSD as we are always 'popping' for something and spending a fortune on a sometimes daily basis.

    I want to be more organised this month, so we don't blow money buying chips because we are tired after work, and nothing ready to eat. Will probably start using the slow cooker more. So I've already pledged for a budget of £250, as that is all that is really available.

    We have two adult DS in the house, and another 12 year old DS. We have dogs and cats. The chickens are pretty self funding, as any extra eggs are bought by work colleagues, so that pays for their food.

    I am planning to do more home baking, and have foraged etc this year to make puddings and jams etc, even fruit cordial. Got stuff together to make chutney too. So now I need to start using it, rather than storing it!!

    I am looking forward to working to a budget with you all. Many thanks to Mrs M etc for setting this up.
  • katholicos
    katholicos Posts: 2,658 Forumite
    Hello Lovely Ladies (and Gents?),

    Can I please be put down for £100 for September? Many thanks!
    Grocery Challenge for October: £135/£200


    NSD Challenge: October 0/14
  • kezlou
    kezlou Posts: 3,283 Forumite
    Thanks to everyone for starting the thread again!

    I'm on again and this i will stay in budget. No more injuries (fingers crossed) or other events happening.

    Good luck to all x
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