January 2011 Grocery Challenge

mrs-moneypenny

Happy Birthday wssla00

baps are now in the oven.:)

DH got a couple of those big desk diarys through work so we have earmarked one as the spending diary and are writing everything in it we spend ie shop name and amount spent. If its only a couple of bits im itemising but on saturday for example ill just write morrys weekly shop and amount spent. then i can do a carry forward total each week as i turn the page and total at the end of the month.
im also noting the amounts of any cheques i write at the bottom of the page on that day just so i can keep tabs on those as well but i wont total them.
This year my goal is to draw my budgeted money out once a week and not shop with plastic or draw any extra money out midweek. the mantra will be once its gone its gone and if we havent got it you eat something else till shopping day

huxley

Hi all just popped on to update my signature. Trying the Leek and Potato soup from the recipe section for tea tonight. Dug up leeks, parsnips and artichokes from the allotment this week so they will make up the basis for all meals.

UnluckyT

Morning all.
Still got £30 left in my food money purse.
It helped this month that work was giving us a £10 as i said in an earlier post and am hoping not to need anything else until i get paid in a fortnight.

david69_2

Just been to mr al after 5 nsd's spent
24.34 at mr al
9.36 at butchers
my total spend for the month is £71.64 out of a budget of £160
I must keep away from mr s to keep to it.

martafdz

Hi!

I think I am in track, I have spent £77.85 / £250 so far, down from an average of £350+ a month. I have updated the sig. So I feel quite good about it! I still have to go today again and buy some milk, but I hope to be strong and buy nothing but milk!!

I have done so far 2 shoppings, one main one at M for £60.05, one top up shop at T for £14.66 and one naughty shop at S for £3.14. It is naughty because I did not need it: I bought milk and biscuits (on sale) for the staff room, a reduced fruit salad and a drink for myself and some reduced oatcakes. I could have passed without all of that but I felt I needed some caffeine and extra energy.

My only problem is that what I have saved in groceries I have spent it in transport £14 the last couple of days and out of the blue. I have now bought a weekly ticket for the tram (another £13) so I can attempt to save something in that part. I probably have to spend more though. I want a permanent job so I can organize myself better!!! (well, and have a permanent income lol)

toddles*

NSD yesterday. Have to go out for milk in a bit but know I will spend more than that. Unless I just take the correct money with me for the milk...ummmmm good idea.

Been clearing out the spare room for flumps arrival. Been selling all my old bits on eb*y. Made about £200 not bad. Really really tired today though.

9 days until holidays, woo hoo! We are taking my toddler to center parcs. shes loves it. It will be freezing but I love wrapping up warm and biking through the forest. We take all our own food so hardly spend anything.

woopsied Pork mince for tea. Thinking of making nigel slaters pork meatballs, without the anchovies. havent got any.

pixiedust09

SeriouslySeekingtoSave wrote: »

I've never actually been into this shop apart from the once when I was driven out again by the packaged horror. Are there some good bargains that wouldn't make my salt/sugar/fat intake for the day quadruple?

I don't do my whole shop in there and don't tend to buy ready meals often, but their dried goods, toiletries and dairy is quite a good price.

cat_smith

Ahhhh. Went to garage and forked out over £100 for a new key for OH car. (It fell through a hole in his trouser pocket. When I asked where the trousers were, he said he'd put them in the bin :mad: Didn't occur to him that needle and thread are available! I've rescued them.)

Anyway, bright idea to get milk today to avoid having to take car out at all tomorrow. Very good at Mr A - just milk and yogurt £3.28. But then popped into Mr T. £15.89. But all stuff I buy anyway - it was just on offer. 3 months worth of DW tablets half price, and Whoopsies on chicken thighs, chicken livers and wholemeal pitta. Also 1/2 price Shreddies as OH says own brand taste like cardboard.

Would have spent more, but deliberately picked up a basket rather than a trolley. Amazing how a sore arm reduces the impulse buying:rotfl:

martafdz

freedom2011 wrote: »

Coffee beans are our luxury item on our food list each week, we have been paying £3 for our cheapest in our supermarket so I was over the moon to see them for 75p on AP.

What's AP? Do they have instant coffee? I spend quite a lot in decaff instant coffee and I would like to have a look!

I go every now and then to Poundland and I always find loads of things much cheaper than in the supermarkets. I bought the other day Sugar Puffs and Chocolate Sugar Puffs (OMG, those are tasty!!), also have multipacks of crisps (6) from Weight Watchers, branded toothpaste and mouthwash, shower gel, etc... that usually are £1.50-£2 anywhere else. Last time I went I also bought After Eight chocolates there, it was 60% cheaper than in S'!!

CRANKY40

I've been to Asda and done this weeks shopping. £24.68 now added to the total, making £60.13 in all. I'm doing better than I thought, but I put that down to sorting out the cupboards so that I know what's in the stockpile, instead of buying more of what I already have. I'm also trying to do weightwatchers but don't like any of the WW cakes, biscuits etc, so I won't be splashing out on any of that sort of thing. I have however discovered a passion for dried dates, which I tried for the first time at Christmas.

There's plenty in the freezer and in the cupboards, so it's mostly fruit (for me, child won't touch it) fridge stuff and bread that I'm buying. I do have a bread maker, but Grumpy the house elf (my 6 year old) won't eat it. He says the crusts taste funny. I thought that most children his age seem to leave crusts, but not mine, therefore until he appreciates the finer points of home made, we are stuck with Kingsmill.