December 2010 Grocery Challenge

ifonlyitwaseasier

adelight wrote: »

I should have known not to buy custard powder! Why would I suddenly like it after all these years of hating? It's warm, gooey, vanilla, amaretto, all the things I like but together make me gag and now I have a 59p tin of useless useless custard powder.

oh but its not useless linkie to a lurverly biccie recipe

so had a mad moment for dinner hubby had to spend 2.73 to get eggs and oven chips thank goodness he gets discount!!

( +1.40 for his lunch as he forgot his GRRR)

losingpatience

Well braved the weather and went to Mr S tonight for my first shop of the month and my gosh have people been panic buying! Absolutely no loaves of bread left whatsoever so had to make do with a pack of 4 buns and another 4 pack of buns I managed to get that were marked down. Curiously another thing that they'd pretty much ran out of was toilet roll, so it would appear people think as long as I have bread and toilet roll I'll be fine!

First shop was expensive as I had to get a few things that I only get every few months so toilet roll, kitchen roll, bin bags, olive oil and also bought a few bottles of wine which were on offer ( 3 for £12 ) to put away for Christmas. I normally go to a butchers or farm shop for meat but with the weather being bad decided to get my meat from the supermarket so bought a large pack of mince, pack of braising steak and a whole chicken

First spend of the month was £76.45 broken down as:

Alcohol £12
Other Drinks £7.00
Food £35.13
Cooking Ingredients £3.78
Toiletries/household £11.43
Guinea Pig Food £7.11

Should really be enough food there for 2 weeks, bar a top up shop for guinea pig food and a few essentials like bread and milk etc. But Mr S are doing the 25% off when you buy 6 bottles of wine starting tomorrow ( I thought it was today :mad: ) so depending on when that runs out I might pop back to get a few bottles to put away for Christmas

suzybloo

Well after last month (november) and tightening of our belt for christmas and the rest of the months shopping I will put forward £450 I have a good stock built up and plennty in the freezers too.
I bought an oxtail and paid around £7 for it too so that seems average - HOWEVER! - I dont know what to do with it, and I am not sure if we would like it - every time I see it in the freezer I feel guilty at wasting so much - maybe I will be brave enough to defrost it and give it a go!

Rainbowchild

Can I be put down for £185.00 please. This includes food, toiletries, cleaning products and cat food/litter. Not much brought for Xmas yet just a box of cream crackers and some peanuts.
Spend so far is £55 on meat delivery which should see us for a couple of months I hope and £4 on store cupboard items.

Sue14

I'm setting my budget a little higher this month, to account for Christmas, so can I please be put down for £200. Good luck everyone!

nattyt

In again....went over again but not as much as October!! Going to go for £350this is to include booze etc for Christmas period etc. £118.37 spent already!!! Spending few days over Christmas at parents so don't have that expense but trying to factor possible New Years Eve party in!

Winchelsea

£50 for December please.

Haven't added extra for Christmas, as I go away with family, and apart from some wine (different budget) all I'm expected to take is Christmas pudding for 20 people! I plan to make them on Thursday (a bit late I know), and I have most ingredients already.

Dee5565

Hi my first time doing this £150 for me please.
Pay dates from 29th Nov to 27th Dec.
Spend £8.49 so far.
Also hoping to do at least 10 NSDs
Thank you
Dee

Dontknowanymore

Penny-Pincher!! wrote: »

Don't compare your spending to others hun!...Thats only £17pw per person, so sounds good value already.

PP
xx

Aye I guess so, I spend alot of that budget of fruit and veg, and meats, so I might go and get it from the green grocers and butchers to try and cut costs.

franby64

Morning

Well I'm up to £157.93 for December already including overspend and yesterday's A*da delivery.

But I have got a lot of stuff in especially baking stuff and pasta so tonight I'm making a leek and cheese flan for tea and some jam tarts for the kids when they come in. I'm also doing them some HM chicken nuggety type things for their tea.

I'm definitely buying less processed things than I did which I'm pleased with but it does mean that I can get days when I've planned to cook something a bit more time consuming but when I get to it I don't want to faff about, like yesterday. So plan A was ditched, the kids had fish and chips, I had some fried rice from the day before and DH had a plate of mash & BB.

Anyway, writing this I've realised I can double up on todays meal, i.e. make two flans and freeze half the chicken nuggets so that will help! Hope I don't lose my cooking mojo again before 4pm! And won't need to go to the shop today - not for food anyway - it's present wrapping day (Pt 1).:).

Have a good December everybody.