October 2010 Grocery Challenge

Hippeechiq

greent wrote: »

Afternoon all!

Well we're just over 2/3rds of the way through the month - and I've spent £5 over 1/2 of my budget - very confused. Normally by now I'd be getting close. I have a stupid amount of food in, too - have resorted to hiding it in cuupboards in the garage so DH doesn't see it! I know that I've not missed any receipts - so haven't a clue how I've managed it!!

It's a good place to be - but confusing at the same time!!

Shame you don't know why you've done so well, so that you can repeat it next month, but hey, it's better than being over by half your budget. Well done :T

........I'm glad I'm not the only one that hides food :rotfl:

Glad to see you feeling more "chippper" wssla00

Spiggle

So, I'll try again - first time I've ever lost a post! :mad:

Good Afternoon All,

Fantastic result greent! :T

OH actually only bought milk yesterday and so that's now been added to the £9.30 at the butchers and £32.69 at the local Coop. I can call it that now as it's just had a refit and the So****ield bit of the name has gone. So, the sig is updated.

OH had a shock when he went into town on Thursday to discover that our Stokes, the veg shop we normally use was shut by the administrators. So a shop full of fruit and veg that no one could buy. It just doesn't make sense. :huh: There is another greengrocer in town but they are more expensive than the closed down one and may well take advantage of being the only one left to hike their prices. :undecided We'll have to see how it goes.

A friend has just arrived so I'll pop back later.

Take care,
Spigs

Long_tall_sally

Phew - just caught up! Another £3.50 on Rice Krispies, porridge , carrots & whoopsied bread rolls to be added on. I will certainly be glad when I can start afresh on November's challenge!

Thanks Spiggle for your advice. I think what I need to do is do a inventory of my cupboards and attempt to do at least 2 weeks worth of menu planning so that I can see that I really don't need to keep stocking everything up. It really is a ridiculous amount of money that I have spent on food this month & it really cannot continue otherwise there will be no savings left to do it with! Just thinking about my food supplies, I know without looking that I have lots of weetabix & a fair bit of mince!

Off now to the Store cupboard challenge to see other people's lists & ideas!

nattyt

Oh dear! So with a week left of my challenge of £200 i have spent..............£291.81:mad::eek::eek: Now I am not trying to defend myself (ok a little bit!!) but went to a certain big wholesalers starting with C with a friend and ending up spending nearly £70. However i did buy loads of meat, bulk buys of other items etc. My cupboards are bursting!! So i will aim to spend as little as possible from now on until everything used up. This challenge has really made me think and the way i food shop needs to be re-thought. Once I have got through this lot I am going to shop on-line for a few weeks to see if this helps. In the past it has so fingers crossed. Need to get in control of this now. Its scared me!! And only managed 2 NSD. MUST TRY HARDER!!

sharronej

Opinions please, what do you think of these prices and will this work?

Can I throw myself on you mercy and ask what you think of this product?

http://www.bluepigcompany.com/index.php/lamb/whole-traditional-cut-lamb-in-a-box.html

I've never bought Lamb in this way but know that my mum used to do it when I was a child. I have a five foot upright freezer so storage isn't a problem.

I've been debating a big shop at C*stco for a couple of weeks - we love the meat and cheese from there but I usually find when I do a big shop at the start of the month that I spend more. I'm wondering whether to let the household budget lend the food budget £150 out of the next two months money then the plan would be to pay back into it if I use anything from the C*stco shop - for the first month or two I would have to put in double so for example; I know from experience that when I buy the huge blocks of cheese it works out at about a pound a week so if I used cheese then I would put £2 into a sealed tin. By the end of the two months I should be able to pay the household budget back AND have the money for the next shop. But what do you think? Am I fooling myself?:rotfl:

scotsaver

Not feeling too good today so couldn't face the shops but as we needed milk and a chicken for tomorrow OH kindly offered to go to Lid! for me. Bless him he checked out the 30% reduction section and got us a Free range chicken.:j He has obviously listened to some things I've said.;)

Not sorted anything for Dinner tonight, was supposed to be making a Lasagne but as I'm not well enough and OH "Can't cook and won't cook" we will have to have something from the Freezer - thank goodness for Batch cooking.:cool:

Notice you have all been talking about Home delivery - I tried it in the past a few times with Tesc0 and Asd@ but as I'm addicted to Food shopping:o I quickly reverted back to going myself.

As I've already admitted to being addicted to Food shopping then I may as well confess to my other addiction and that is having to have Freezers full at all times, cupboards and shelves stocked up - just makes me feel secure.:o However, in readiness for Xmas food shopping etc I will be using up Freezer supplies in November GC.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.:D

Hippeechiq

sharronej wrote: »

Opinions please, what do you think of these prices and will this work?

Can I throw myself on you mercy and ask what you think of this product?

http://www.bluepigcompany.com/index.php/lamb/whole-traditional-cut-lamb-in-a-box.html

I've never bought Lamb in this way but know that my mum used to do it when I was a child. I have a five foot upright freezer so storage isn't a problem.

I've been debating a big shop at C*stco for a couple of weeks - we love the meat and cheese from there but I usually find when I do a big shop at the start of the month that I spend more. I'm wondering whether to let the household budget lend the food budget £150 out of the next two months money then the plan would be to pay back into it if I use anything from the C*stco shop - for the first month or two I would have to put in double so for example; I know from experience that when I buy the huge blocks of cheese it works out at about a pound a week so if I used cheese then I would put £2 into a sealed tin. By the end of the two months I should be able to pay the household budget back AND have the money for the next shop. But what do you think? Am I fooling myself?:rotfl:

On the product, I can't really comment on, as I don't eat lamb, so I'll leave that part of your question to those who do, as I've no idea whether that's good value or not.

As for are you fooling yourself - it depends how strict you can be with yourself and whether or not you have the determination to stick to your plan.

In theory, saying that you will put money into your sealed tin would definitely work if you feel you'd stick to it.

If, for example, you used some cheese, owed the sealed tin £2 but you really wanted some milk, bread, veg, whatever, and you needed that £2 to buy it, would you:-

Use it with the intention of putting the money in when you next had it? OR think, "well I can't have that, 'cos I owe the pot £2"?

If you did the former, and then forgot, or couldn't afford to put in the tin what you owe, you could soon find your household budget refund tin seriously short, if you see what I mean.

I'm not trying to rain on your parade, but it's much easier to borrow money than it ever is to pay it back

Billie-jo

October is my worst month so far. :mad:
T$sco relieved me of £39.72 but did get a few things that were on offer. Also brought some lambs hearts !!! Not had them for years so am wondering if it was a wise buy or not, however at £1.82 for three it isn’t too bad if cant eat them. Am planning to do them in the slow cooker and making some stuffing with breadcrumbs, bacon bits, onions and some redcurrant jelly as don’t like ordinary stuffing. However at the moment the hearts are in the freezer as have already planned for next 7 days.
Then today Morri$$ons had another £15.03 off me. Why I brought stuff I have no idea as only went for a paper. :eek: Worked it out that have spent more this month on top up shops than normal main shops.:mad: :mad:
Have £50.39 to last 8 days


Looking more and more like I will be over my target this month and will be annoyed if I do as it will be the first time that I have actually gone over since I started in April this year. Maybe it will teach me a lesson for future months.
On a positive note I have gone through my cupboards and have a good stash plus freezers have plenty in so just need to remember to USE THEM

sistercas wrote: »

have decided to have a wander over to the store cupboard challenge as my cupboards and freezers are bulging and really need to reduce it so i can clean them all out

May join you there in next day or two.

~moneysavingnovice~

Spent £21 in Mr S, but it was on fireworks, so grocery budget is still in tact but entertainment budget is blown! Still, last year I waited til nov to buy them and couldn't find them anywhere so don't regret it.

hex2

sharronej - it is as good a price as I found anywhere online for delivered. My half a lamb from the butchers broke down into 2 shoulder joints, 2 leg joints, 8 chops, one rack of lamb, one boned rolled breast, 4 lamb steaks, neck, bones/bits and a kidney if that helps. Before I found the lcoal abattoir I was looking on the River Cottage forums to see if I could buy one farmer direct which came in a lot cheaper.