December 2010 Grocery Challenge

nmlc

Evening all

Have been MIA but have been budgeting, PLEASE SIGN ME UP FOR £375 FOR DECEMBER SORRY ITS LATE on Friday I did the 2nd week's shop for December. Have been using one of the cheaper supermarkets thinking it was saving me money, but then having to visit elsewhere as they don't stock everything I need, so actually not really saved any money doing this. My downfall is trying to shop at 2 places. Have discovered I'm better off to visit one supermarket buy everything and then not go near them again until the next week shop! This works ok as long as I shop correctly at the start and buy everything I need. I will keep plodding on though as I am much more aware now of how much I'm spending and try to substitute items for recipes etc. Today we've had roast chicken, still a reasonable amount of meat left and some yorkshire puds, and veg - this will get used for another day. Hoping to use the carcass for some stock for soup that I will make tomorrow.

Take care everyone.
nmlc

slbhill

Looking at where I can drop a brand at the supermarket - has anyone tried the Tesc0 value dishwasher tablets? Worth buying or not? We have very soft water if that makes a difference

sveika

Really sorry for being this late for December challenge. Have been really busy in the last few days and didn't get a chance to come to MSE.

Could you please kindly put me for £80 for December if it is not too late please? Thank you so much indeed!

larmy16

slbhill wrote: »

Looking at where I can drop a brand at the supermarket - has anyone tried the Tesc0 value dishwasher tablets? Worth buying or not? We have very soft water if that makes a difference

They are very good and did very well in a survey -may have been Which. Lidl brand are also extremely good.

I just put vinegar in my rinse aid. We have hard water, so they should be very good for you.

Once a month I bung a value bottle of vinegar into my dishwasher 13p from Asda and give it a good old clean.
Sometimes I even have already used the vinegar to descale the kettle and the iron.
I put another value bottle in the washing machine. All done for 26p - not bad eh?

kochi1

scotsaver wrote: »

Nick - we can sympathise, my OH has had to bus it to North Greenwich and then Underground as there have been no Trains on Southeastern early in the morning, he leaves home at 6:15am on a normal day. He hasn't even bothered trying to get a Train at the end of the day either, he thinks it's just as quick getting the Underground and then Bus. Still snowing here now and he left at 6am this morning but not heard from him yet, think journey today will be more difficult.

Keep Safe and Warm everyone.:)

Can understand about that commute - used to live in Woolwich and was a nightmare to get in, I remember when it was just the train strikes and we used to walk to Greenwich to get the boat to Westminster then walk to work - always a nightmare.....:mad:

Hippeechiq

larmy16 wrote: »

I put another value bottle in the washing machine. All done for 26p - not bad eh?

Hiya

Can you elaborate on this? I buy value vinegar, both malt and white. Which do you use? How much do you use? Where do you put it i.e. in the dispenser or in a ball in the machine? What temp wash do you put the machine on? Do you use solely vinegar or do you add some washing tablet/powder/liquid?

Thanks

LolaLemon

Today was a no shops day but unfortunately not a no spend day
sons swimming lessons finished so had to rebook or u lose your spot, and this block is costing £28. was a bit gutted, but i feel they are very valuable for his safety and self confidence (has been swimming on his own since year and a half, but only since this summer has he been able to get himself up for air! lol)
I made dinner today at my parents, a sort of garlic potato bake


2 baking potatoes (i didnt have them so i used 2 biggish potatoes and a small one)
fried onions, (i used 1 large red onion)
50g frozen peas (used blue n white stripe mixed veg as had none 'just peas')
600ml white sauce (i made my own with goats milk, dont think i used 600mls, more like 400ish)
450g cooked shredded chicken.
garlic butter (again, made my own, but cheated, used dried chopped garlic mixed into butter)

baked potato's sliced and placed on bottom of an oven dish, cover with white sauce, season and sprinkle nutmeg (i used garlic as had no nutmeg) layered fried onions, froozen peas, shredded cooked chicken, frozen peas, fried onions then potatoes again, a few dollops of garlic butter on top, cover with buttered foil, bake for an hour at 180^ then remove foil and bake for 30 mins at 200^

my mums brand new oven is rubbish! so we didnt eat til after 7, having put it in the oven at 4.15!

Also made banana muffins/cupcakes, was going to do a loaf, but i go out visiting on a sunday and didnt have a spare 60-90mins, but ment i could take some to my granda and some to my parents house

so rather productive day to kick start me into making more to freeze, but by time i got home tonight i just cba'd and i wanted to get the meat cooked tonight (and do all the dishes that are in the sink) looks like im going tobe busy tomorrow.

oh that was my 1st time making white sauce and if i say so myself, it turned out good, just took a while to make

jintyb

NickJW wrote: »

Finished my Xmas shopping today! All discounted as well in the Debenhams 20% off sale. I'm debating whether to count the discounted price or the original price. I have a set budget per person, and because of the sale, I've spent less...I'm thinking of using the original price because it's the thought that counts....? Or do you think I should get people a little extra present on top so I meet my usual spend?

Anyway - £3.40 spent on lunch today along with £5 in B0ots. Will update signature.

No, stick with what you've bought/spent and enjoy the savings!;) Whoever receives the gift wont know you didnt buy at full price. I fell into that trap for years - feeling guilty about spending less than I would have and then "topping" up - then I got wise! ( Skint):rotfl:

Winged_one

Overall we've spent €140 over the past week or so. DH did the weekly shop on Friday, in case the forecasted snow arrived later. And we needed more things like dishwasher salt (for both the dishwasher and footpaths).

We are using up lots of stores stuff, as we were home a lot more than usual with the weather. But I reckon I should still come in under the budget for the year.

sharronej

NickJW wrote: »

Finished my Xmas shopping today! All discounted as well in the Debenhams 20% off sale. I'm debating whether to count the discounted price or the original price. I have a set budget per person, and because of the sale, I've spent less...I'm thinking of using the original price because it's the thought that counts....? Or do you think I should get people a little extra present on top so I meet my usual spend?

No I don't think you should buy more - It is the thought that counts and you obviously like what you've bought for people otherwise you'd have gone up to you full budget. Well done for the Savvy shopping!