January 2011 Grocery Challenge

pension-newbie

Popped into large Mr T on way back from work trip - spent £22 on bits and bobs - bit undisciplined really but we do get through fruit at an enormous rate so hardly ever goes off so I don't mind stocking up. also got some half price frozen stuff for some cheapish ready meals for when we need to be quick

happycrafter_2

Last week of December meal plans before payday and I start Januarys challenge so this week we are having:

monday - fry up sausages, bacon, eggs from our chickens, beans, toast and hash browns
tuesday - homemade KFC wedges and homemade coleslaw with left over white cabbage carrots and some limp spring onions and mayo
wednesday - shepherds pie and frozen veg gravy
thursday - ham joint that I will have cooked wednesday night (will use leftovers for sandwiches and make a HM pastry free quiche for lunch) homemade chips and eggs
friday - burgers and wedges
saturday - pheasant and partridge that have been in freezer since Christmas our turn to cook dinner for friends
sunday - lamb casserole (aldi do a bag of lamb chops in the freezer 2.99 for approx 7).

Have also just pinned up my 2011 wish list hope I get some for Mopthers day, birthday or Christmas....

list consists of so far

set of circular needles for knitting socks, sausage maker and jam, chutney and pickles book.

PennyGrabber

NSD today. That means I've only shopped three times this year, making 7 NSDs so far! I'm well impressed with that, as normally I'm tempted to go in for a 'few bits' and end up spending £20 or £30! OK, so I'm actually just over halfway through my budget, and not yet half way through the month, but oh well! Don't need too much, and I bought some UHT organics milk in asda (reduced to 50p in sale), and I dug out my breadmaker, which means that I don't actually need to go into the shop now. Have lots of tins of fruit and dried fruit, so mainly ok.

Of course, being the compulsive shopper I am, I'm bound to muck up, but that's the beauty of a new month and a new budget!

Children had potato waffle, poached egg and baked beans for dinner. I had their leftovers and some leftover Xmas cake! Not good for diet, but good for purse! Reckon it cost 59.5p plus a squirt of ketchup!

Tip for newbies: I have a long old list of regular meals I cook at home. They are organised by price, so when I'm at the end of my GC budget, I choose from the cheaper end of the list!! HTH someone.

PG x

welshkaz

Hiyas all im doing really well this month for a change ... mrT just dropped off my order shame he dont pay for it lol £63.30 for me today x

CupOfChai

Did another shop after work today, so I'm up to about £20 spent now and good for food until Friday. Want a pizza for that day's dinner, and helpfully I saw some offers on that should still be there when I go to get it.

Now, I can't at all think of what to do for me and possibly Boyfriend for lunch on Saturday. We'll just want something smallish, like a sandwich or some such, but I've no idea what to make :S. Any ideas anyone? Don't say a sandwich, I don't want one of them again!

happycrafter_2

pixiedust09 wrote: »

I've frozen my first ever black nana's instead of binning them, I'm so proud of myself :T, blimey I sound like a complete nutter.:rotfl:

I know im a complete nutter a mse nutter that is!!
this time last year when we were given loads of large oranges they sat in the house until they went rotten, this year totally different frame of mind I cant throw anything away with looking on the web for a recipe to use it up, this year I made the oranges in to marmalade and it was soooo simple i couldnt stop smiling all day and tell everyone I made it.

today i chopped up half a white cabbage, some limp spring onions and grated some carrots for HM coleslaw usually they would have all got chucked. My OH says Im getting obsessed but I dont care if it saves me money and pays off our debts quicker and we still have fun and we do weirdly but we both spend our time in the kitchen cooking.

cat_smith

Pot Roast Chicken was delicious. Huge amounts left and its just falling off the bone.

About to put SC on again with the juices left (ready made stock!), lentils and lots of frozen leftover veg. Should do lunches for the rest of the week.

Forgot to get mushrooms so will go to Mr T first thing tomorrow. JUST mushrooms! Then I'm doing SC Gourmet Bolognaise for dinner. Wonderful recipe - added chicken livers and smoked bacon. It makes it really special.

PennyGrabber

Just been onto approved foods, and did a £30 order incl delivery. Then I deleted it all, as I don't actually need it or have space to store it! It was just stuff that I fancied, or that I wouldn't actually buy normally, therefore even though it was cheap, it was still wasted money, IYSWIM.
Wow, I'm getting better! On that virtuous note, I'm going to bed - at least I can spend as much as I want in my dreams! Caviar, champagne, decent cuts of meat, heinz etc etc etc (mouth waters!)...

Night all!
PG x

Rebelle

Oh dear, oh dear. Popped to Asda for milk, bread and two weeks' petfood and loo roll (which would have blown the budget anyway) because I had a lift, but then spent another tenner on a few more bits for the freezer and some stuff on offer (2 for £1 Pot Noodles, 3 for £1 Ainsley cous cous, 50p Laughing Cow cheese).

Am a bit disappointed to have gone so much over my £50 target with two weeks still to go, but it is my first month and I'm still learning! Think my target for Feb will be a bit more realistic, keeping track of things this month should give me a better idea of what to aim for.

angelatgraceland

Mooloo wrote: »

I have just gone a bit crazy and ordered loads of "luxury goods" biscuits, cakes, and the like from ApproOved Foods. Spent £20.20 out of my budget, but have masses coming as I was £20 in credit! Now I am wondering where I will store it all as the new house doesnt have room! Oops. under the stairs will need a complete rethink! Although I know that the kids usually all go home with a carrier bag of stuff each whenever I have one of these kind of deliveries!.

Oh Dear! I know the feeling well! I had my Approved Foods delivery today also and it's "where the heck do I put it?" Lots of those fab bakin boys cakes-going to give a box to my workmates with a thankyou card as I didnt give out any Christmas cards due to being unwell.
Did more damage in Lidl and Tesco tonight and the house is now bursting at the seams with food. Thinking of cancelling my Asda order due on 15th. However-as Im back to work this Weds and I will have a very hectic week ahead with lots of work I know I will have some nospend days ahead of me and this is what I have overstocked for.
Now what to do with 10 packs jelly,10 packs couscous and 8 packs risotto along with about 75 cakes, 36 cans of pop-OMG!
Bought 4 packs of Branston baked beans in Tesco at £1 a pack so that will last ages. Stocked up on medicines and vitamins also as everyone here is ill one way or another. Got my fruit and veg in Lidl. -my app foods has already been included in total.
Also got 2 packs of cooking bacon in tesco-looks like nice slices and only 75p for 500g. I think they have lowered their prices on some lines again.Got 4 packs of lurpack butter also- 2 for £2.
Breadflour has gone up in Lidl to 69p but I still bought 2 bags plus a bag of SR. Sugar is only 68p in Lidl and 6 FR eggs are only 85p Pineapples only 69p each so I got two!
Tesco spend was £25.19 and Lidl spend was £22.31. Not going to count £6 of that as it was for socks for hubby!Just spoke to my sousin tho who spend £140 in costco for 2 people so I still feel good and I can stop worrying about spending simply because I HAVE NO MORE ROOM LEFT!!!:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
And-Ive still got £178 left until 31st.:D