March grocery challenge

tiff

I'm really glad to see lots of people doing really well with the monthly challenges. Looks like I will come in under target, I have a lot of meat in the freezer from Lidl so will only need to buy bread, milk, veg and cereal in the next couple of weeks.

Will be starting the April challenge thread soon, as some people need to start at the end of March to coincide with pay day, and also to give others the chance to organise themselves in time for April.

Anyone reading these threads that hasnt done the monthly challenges but would like to, please feel free to join in at any time, there are lots of people here willing to help.

moggins

We've had a major shock this week which is going to baffle my budget for a while to come. It appears that my youngest has no control over her bowel movements and is being referred to the continence clinic, she starts school in September so it's really hard on her and us. It appears that I will be paying out for nappies for the forseeable future

At least I have found the Asda Pullups at £3.78 a pack though.

foreverskint

sorry to hear that moggins. Is it not possible to speak to your hv and ask she if continence products are available FOC as your daughters condition is medical?
I know in some cases it's possible, must be worth an ask anyway?

Hope her condition can be resolved in the near future, wishing you all the best

moggins

Thanks, it depends on what they offer us though, she's okay with her 'big girls nappies and I wouldn't want to upset her by putting anything on her that felt like a step backwards

MATH

moggins wrote:

We've had a major shock this week which is going to baffle my budget for a while to come. It appears that my youngest has no control over her bowel movements and is being referred to the continence clinic, she starts school in September so it's really hard on her and us. It appears that I will be paying out for nappies for the forseeable future

At least I have found the Asda Pullups at £3.78 a pack though.

Sorry to hear your bad news Moggins. I may be wrong here but it thought most health authorities allowed you nappies on perscription is your child is over 3yrs old and has an incontinence/medical issue. Speak to your HV and see if you can get financial help.

moggins

Thanks Math, to be honest we're all of a muddle now and are just sitting on the edge of the slide waiting to go down if you know what I mean. We have an appointment with the doctor tomorrow to use both HV and doctor to push for an urgent appointment with the continence clinic as she's due to start school so soon.

As soon as I know what's going on and what the future could hold then I'll sort out the practicalities. She's an extremely bright child and this is causing her a lot of misery.

Lillibet_2

I've just had a little tot up &, with one week left to go of my month when I should have just £3 left for topping up fruit & veg next week, I have £19.32 left in the budget!! Will wait until my offical month end next Wednesday & will use the balance to stock up on store cupboard long life stuff as my freezer is at bursting point.
I have always budgeted my money but naively assumed I was buying all "house" stuff inculding gorceries, toilteries, stationary etc in the supermarket out of the same budget. As I'm sure many more seasoned MSE'ers can assert, of course I am not, the odd blank videos from the pound shop, the occasional trip to superdrug for a new toothbrush etc all come out of other money which impacts on other spending areas, so I am going to set myself a little incidental budget of £20 next month for these items. I will reduced the general grocery budget by the same ammount so I won't, technically, be any better off but I will be able to monitor where it is going & might be able to hold back a bit of it!

Janeryan

With one week to go until payday I have spent £181.08 on groceries so thats not bad but will leave me a bit short for next week-however I am hoping to do an Iceland online shop at the weekend to be delivered mid-week but none of that will be eaten as we are away at Easter & have to self cater so most of it will be for the first week of next month.

I am lucky that I have the money spare to do that thanks to the 3 purse cash method-it really works!!

I also filled the car up with petrol yesterday in anticipation of possible budget rise which did blow my petrol budget but again I would have had to have filled it up next week anyway for the trip away and I had the cash spare from our miscellaneous account so I used that.

I was trying to put all extra money saved from the weekly amounts away for the PMS challenge but sometimes it makes more economic sense to use it(and sometimes to save time too)

chinagirl

tiff wrote:

I'm really glad to see lots of people doing really well with the monthly challenges. Looks like I will come in under target, I have a lot of meat in the freezer from Lidl so will only need to buy bread, milk, veg and cereal in the next couple of weeks.

Will be starting the April challenge thread soon, as some people need to start at the end of March to coincide with pay day, and also to give others the chance to organise themselves in time for April.

Anyone reading these threads that hasnt done the monthly challenges but would like to, please feel free to join in at any time, there are lots of people here willing to help.

WHY IS THERE SO MUCH MONTH LEFT AT THE END OF THE MONEY?!!

I'm afraid that seems to be my motto lately. However, I am determined to do something about it, and want to sign up for the April Food Challenge. I will be thinking about a realistic total to set myself, as we are 2 adults and 3 hungry boys ages of 16, 9 and 6, 1 dog, 2 cats, 2 fish and a rabbit. (regarding the rabbit, I buy my hay in bulk from the farm at a fraction of pet shop prices, as long as you have a dry shed to store it in, it lasts for best part of a year that way.)

I shop predominately at Aldi, mainly because their food is excellent quality, and cheap. My downfall is running out of items and having to go to my local Coop late at night and pay top money. Perhaps I will have to be more disciplined, but usually, my boys have raided the cupboard of just what I was looking for.

Well I shall keep in touch with challenge reports.

halloweenqueen_2

Well I did well at some shopping at Netto which came in at under £12 and I spent another £20 during the week on essentials. Have hardly used my car at all this week which has helped with the petrol, put £10 in instead of £20, So I am on budget, which must be a first! Did get my husbands car insurance in for the first week of April and have managed to put the money away for that in my bills account, also shopped around and have cut £50 off the premium and got protected no claims as well. Roll on Aprils challenge! Now this one is getting near the end I don't want to blow the budget!