March grocery challenge

moggins

We don't get paid until Wednesday so I'm having to do another weeks shop to get us through till then, I think a big rummage through the freezer and cupboard are in order to see what I can get away without buying.

I would like to have something left at the end of this month, it's not gone too well so far, it doesn't help that the kids are home for the holidays and are eating me out of house and home

Curry_Queen

Ok, I've totted up this month's grocery spends and worked out the final totals. I had my last delivery of the month today so don't need to spend anymore and as the curry prince is going away for a football tournament tomorrow and isn't back until Tuesday (boooo hoooo ) I can survive eating up all the left-overs and scraps



Totals: Gross Cost Actual Cost Savings % Saved

Groceries £120.98 £74.54 £46.44 38.39%
Household £8.83 £8.83 £0.00 0.00%
Toiletries £9.56 £9.56 £0.00 0.00%
Alcohol £60.83 £26.43 £34.40 56.55%
Tobacco £30.36 £30.26 £0.00
Del charges £21.91 £21.91 £0.00

Total = £252.37 £171.53 £80.84 32.03%



My budget was £200 so I've come well under that, thanks to the savings I've made, and have also reduced my grocery bill by just over £100 on last months totals

The £80 savings has also gone into my PMS account, along with other savings elsewhere I've made this month, which currently stands at £148, so I now have enough money to buy the TFT monitor I wanted

I'm also stocked up to the brim so could actually get through next month doing virutally no shopping at all, but I'm sure I'll find something to buy :rotfl:

carpool72

I've kinda lost track of what i was doing this month - will definitely be running 2 purses as of tonight! (one for groceries / household, 1 for petrol) I have kept my receipts though & am on £167 for the month so if I can stick to £30 for a week then I've cracked it... should be OK as have stocked up on nappies & wipes & have some stuff to use in the freezer. Then maybe I'll be able to make my first pin money payment!

Curry_Queen

moggins wrote:

it doesn't help that the kids are home for the holidays and are eating me out of house and home

I keep seeing people say their kids are already on holiday but ours don't break up till this afternoon ... although little'un has been off sick anyway this week so he started his hols early :rolleyes:

Sarahsaver

jazzyjustlaw wrote:

Duh that hadnt occured to me how funny.

The value stuff used to be good for kids learning to read...before they started putting pictures on it! I would ask the kids to get a tin of tomatoes or beans out of the cupboard, and they HAD to be able to read to get the right one.
I had a few quid left - I went into poundland and bought a raspberry bush and a blackcurrant bush. When they fruit am i allowed to give myself a rebate! LOL;)

mum26

a good way of saving wipes is to use really cheap flannels, old muslins or terrys squares cut up for wipes for hands, faces or wet bums and save the shop bought ones for pooey bums only, i'm always amazed at how it slows down the demolision of a packet of the things!

mrsmab59

mum26 wrote:

a good way of saving wipes is to use really cheap flannels, old muslins or terrys squares cut up for wipes for hands, faces or wet bums and save the shop bought ones for pooey bums only, i'm always amazed at how it slows down the demolision of a packet of the things!

Great idea
My mother-in-law has always taken wet flannels in plastic bags with her whenever she takes any of her grandchildren out for the day. The youngest is 12 now but she still does it...just in case

mum26

that'll be me in 50 years!

Iona_Penny

I am sorry that I have been overlooking this thread and have only recently read some of it ( I hope I will be geared up to join in April ) I know that there has been mention made of markets and our local one is Fridays and Saturdays. What I have found is that if I visit on Friday toward 4pm when they are packing up you get even more for yur money. Last week I had 3 red peppers mushrooms punnet of yellow plums two bags of grapes enough bananas to keep even my teenagers quiet, potatoes cauliflower and a pineapple all for £9.70. This included a small netted bag of onions- maybe about 30- for £1 !!
I live just a couple of miles outside Oxford where we pay London whack for everything (more for petrol if you can believe it) I am going to try to get all my veg there now.
We also have a shop called Everything which is as name suggests but all branded shampoo soap etc even paracetomol are much cheaper.
Across the road is a Tesco Metro and it really is just making the effort to visit more than a one stop shop to save loads of money.

moggins

Last week of the March challenge for me. I waited till today to go to Asda and I have picked up enough meat and fish (including a whole salmon) for 10 days, enough bread and cooked meats to last the week along with breakfast cereals, squash, chocolate ice cream, some minted peas, a freshly cooked chicken and a rather large bottle of wine.

All for the grand price of £21.

I love easter