October 2010 Grocery Challenge

Long_tall_sally

I am rather embarassed to say that I have spent £278.40 already & I am only in my first week. I have been to Lidl three times, Sainsburys twice & the Co Op goodness knows how many times! The freezer is chocabloc & so are the cupboards. Not quite sure that half of it was at all necessary but I will have to live with it now and try to have lots of no spend days from now onwards. Plus i think I definitely need to try doing another meal plan.

JayJay14 - congratulations to you & your OH & hopefully it will lead to something permanent.

Snowdonliily - I agree. Wine & chocolates are often "essentials" not treats, particularly when you are feeling a bit down!

Disdisbiff

Can i please join in this month?
I have set a budget for £250 this is for 2 adults 2 teenagers(13) and 1 6yr old
Have already spent £34.60 but got a fantastic bargain,the lad with the gun was doing reductions so i had a look to see if there was anything we would use managed to get £40.89 worth of shopping for £5.99 so a saving of £34.90 whooppee :j

guccigoo

well i spent £1.15 today in mr s on a loaf of bread. As it was payday i treated me and the kids to mcdonalds but not going to include that into the grocery budget. Im off to do my online shop

meanmarie

First spend of October today ( yes I know October starts to-morrow, but busy otherwise!) spent €67 odd, can't locate my purse and the receipt at the minute, story of my life....does include bits for Christmas and 2 madeira cakes that OH wanted....why??

Will need bread flour so that will involve a trip to MR T as Lidl/Aldi don't do bread flour here.

Good luck all, it can be done.

Marie

Hippeechiq

NickJW wrote: »

I'm the same Hippiechiq! The only thing I freeze is uncooked meat, which is defrosted for a meal I choose to do on the day. It's not that I don't like the taste, it's just that I tend to like experimenting with different recipes and it's just as easy for me to defrost what I need when I need it...

Also, when I make too much, I find excuses for seconds (or thirds!) so I try not to cook too much. Occasionally leftovers will be for lunch the next day but that's as far I can go...

Thanks for that Nick - nice to know I'm not a freak!

JayJay14 wrote: »

I will be losing my gofer as of Monday though as after 8 months out of work we learned yesterday that he has at last been offered a job:j

It's opened ended temporary/might become permenant, but it means that we don't have to put our house on the market and lose our home -

:T That's fantastic news JayJay - I'm SO pleased for you

Came in just under budget for September. Only by £10.36 but all the same WOHOOOO lol

Keeping my budget at the same again this month, as really, I can't see me doing it for less. £250 would be great, but with the second part of the budget looming and the VAT increase in Jan - it ain't gonna happen.

Took me aaagggees, but have a 5 week menu sorted at last, but I now need to concentrate this month on finding a few more cheap(er) recipes to help me keep within my budget.

Going to try for just the one more NSD, as I found 10 quite a struggle, even though I managed 11 in the end last month.

I noticed this week in particular, when I was trying so hard to come in on budget, that I've asked myself several times "do you really need this at the moment", and the answer has been no, so I've put things back - which can only be a good thing.

Good Luck for October everyone

triticale

Picked up some BOGOF plums at Sains on the way home so £2 spent so far, then when I picked DDs up I realised I had forgot to bring home the milk I had at work - needed it for mac & cheese for tea!

Very annoyed and had to get a 52p pint from the local shop, (and if I'd remembered sooner I could've got a 4 pinter from the poundshop on the way home) I let DD's share the change from the pound too seeing as I sent them to get it while I brought all the bags in.

So £3/£100. I need fewer bodge-ups like this if I'm to stay on target!

Sue14

Can I be put down for £135.00 again this month please?

Stargirl29

I'd love to try this again as our incomings have taken a hit this last few months and I've got out of the habit of menus/shopping lists.
Have a horrible feeling we're really going to struggle this month so I'd like to try and 'get back on'!

Please put me down for £100 for this month (2 adults, 1 toddler (15 months) and 2 cats). I know I'll probably go over but it'll give me a good kick up the a$$!

Looking forward to getting organised again

hannah:-)_2

Ok, I'm in! :j I've been tracking my spending for a long while now, but it tends to be quite passive and I need to get back in control. I did a month's shop last month, which did really help to keep my spending down as I ended up in the shops far less.

But my cupboards and freezer are still rather full. That's good for October, but also bad because it means September's planning must have been pants Oh well, practice makes perfect.

Ok, I spent £280 last month, so I'm going to try for half that. Please can you put me down for £140 for October. Thanks

Budget is for all food and drink shopping

mooomin

I spent £15.85 today I'm also nearly 100% sure I'll be over budget this month as I have spent £25 on catfood which I'm collecting tomorrow. I have saved a packet with what I have bought though so that saving should roll into next month.

I do have a trip to Costco planned for tomorrow but am going to inventory the freezer first so I don't get carried away. :A