November 2010 Grocery Challenge

[Deleted User]

spent just over a fiver yesterday on basic needed things so have no more shopping days hopefully before the end of the month .Still within my budget ,aren't we all doing well this month

XSpender

Small spend yesterday at Mr S on deoderant for DH, milk, bread and chocolate. I noticed my first significant price increase yesterday with Mr S stay fresh wholemeal going up from 75p to 80p.

DH has had a long weekend off so we had a drive to my favourite organic cafe for a 2 course lunch £22, finished our christmas shopping and had lunch out £12 and our traditional christmas flavoured coffee in C0sta (+ a bacon buttie for DH) £10:eek:

I tend to guess at my budget rather than base it on anything and since I used to do the GC we have had a baby so I am even more clueless about what I should set it at. Because of the baby our entertainment tends to be having people over, a bottle of wine and a DVD or lunch out, all of which I include in the GC as otherwise I would feel that I was 'hiding' spending. Only hiding it from myself but I need to be clear about what gets spent where.

So far this month we have spent:

£190.16 Food
£52.57 Cleaning, laundry, toiletries and OTC meds
£105.70 Alcohol at home and entertaining
£68.04 Baby milk, nappies etc
£30.00 Dog food for 2 dogs
£63.75 Eating out and one chippy tea

A staggering total of £510.22 for 2 adults, a 6 month old and 2 small terriers. I am embarrased by that TBH:o I used to do the GC before we had the baby abnd while I was never as low as some people I could do all of the above for £250 - £300. This month our entertaining and alcohol spends have been high, although most of the alcohol is probably drunk by DH, and I have got out of the habit of making a proper meal for us on an evening so we have spent more money on snack food.

I am not sure what to set the budget for in December. I have £59 Mr M stamps and will have their £25 voucher to spend too but I will leave them until nearer the big day. We have 5 on Christmas day and 9 on Boxing day so will have some extra costs.

I have set up a new spreadsheet for next month to detail my food spends so I can see how much gets spent on rubbish.:o

Right, I need to have a think about next month's budget.....sorry for the long post

rosieben

katholicos, thanks for that, I might have to wangle a lift to morries this week; I never pay full price for cheese, always stock up when its on offer ... 100 cheeses - I would have had to pay all my wages over at the end of the week to cover what I'd eaten

Skint_Catt wrote: »

You'll have to scrub me from this months - with the house move & being ill I've completely lost track - naughty me! ...

take care of yourself SC, we'll see you back next month; moving is one of the most stressful things to go through

I'm off to town in a while but no spends on food expected.

I have another AF order due - last time I bought the 3kg tin of pineapple which I love so thanks to whoever posted about it; I found a lovely recipe on Thriftlady's blog called Legacy Pudding which uses tinned pineapple and this time I bought the drinking chocolate - they have some left!

mum2b

well my grocery shopping has gone totally haywire this month!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I must be over £50 over the budget I set, and I have no idea what I have done differently! ARGH
Things are so tight all of a sudden, thank the lord I have done the bulk of my xmas shopping, I just don't know what we are going to eat in December!

Menolly_2

Ulp! Only a month until Yule/Christmas :eek: and I simply haven't been able to get my head round it at all. 75 Job Applications and not one interview - I guess there are just an awful lot of people out there all applying. I have also had to lose my car - simply couldn't afford the payments any more but fortunately Fiat 500s are desirable and so the dealership has bought her back in and settled the finance for me. I suppose I could have sold her privately and got more but time was of the essence *sigh*.
As to the Grocery Challenge - my "My Supermarket" list this week at Mr T's is £82.47 (I have to buy compatible printer cartridges for the Epson printer, which adds £7.00 to the bill). DH is out atm getting his car MOT'd and when he gets back, I'll go to do the shopping. Hopefully I can shave a bit off the bill and get it under £80.

Spoke to my mum in South Africa on Sunday - she is sending us a wine selection box for Christmas again this year, which is good. Last year's box had 3 red, 3 white, a bottle of Port, a bottle of whisky and a bottle of sparkling wine - not much of which got drunk as DH was seriously ill in hospital from November to the end of January .
We also have a stash of Tesco Vouchers, thankfully and most of the gifts this year will be home-made, at least for the grown-ups and the older grandkids.

wssla00

Hi all, I think I will bow out of December's challenge but I will still be around reading. I have just lost my father in the last week and don't think christmas will be the same this year.

**hugs to all those who need them**

franby64

Good morning

wssla00 - I'm sorry to hear about your father - take care of yourself.

Hugs to anybody else who needs them - I'm very behind with the thread.

My parents came down over the weekend so lots of munchy/nibbly stuff was bought and needless to say I'm over for November (by £28.18). Not too bad but I'm into damage limitation.
I have got enough to last 'til 30/11 bar bread and milk but I keep changing my mind about my food plan - need to write it out once and for all and stick to it. I also want to run down the freezer and use up some of the soup I've made - might need to cancel the veg box for a week to stem the soup build-up!

Hope everybody is doing OK in November - nearly there! Now I'll go and catch up.

Menolly_2

wssla00 wrote: »

Hi all, I think I will bow out of December's challenge but I will still be around reading. I have just lost my father in the last week and don't think christmas will be the same this year.

**hugs to all those who need them**

Sending you hugs, so very sorry to hear of your loss.

Hippeechiq

Oh wssla00 how very sad

Words are totally inadequate at such times, but my heart goes out to you hun :grouphug:

I lost my Mum when she was just 3 years older than I am now, but I take great comfort from the fact that, as much as I still miss her, she was the most loving and supportive Mum that anyone could ever have had, and my life is, and always will be that much richer for having had her in it. As is everyone's who was fortunate enough to know her.

Memories are wonderful, and, in time, a great comfort - and no-one can ever take those away from you hun

~moneysavingnovice~

Another £13 spent today, on 13 pairs of tights(!) and lunch.

And still the weekly shop to do 2m eve.

*Gives up*