January 2011 Grocery Challenge

zebredy

Reading some of these posts I felt so silly lol, never new what a whoopsie was before, how do we find out what the best time to go to the shops to get bargan stuff is?

Anyway I'm new to the shopping challenge, and going to give it a try for the month.

As per other advice on this forum I had a look in my cupboards and after using passata as the base for some of my sauces for a while, being lazy and never really checking before what I already in had at home (100%) and a Christmas shop in Morrisons with my mum who had a full book of stamps, I realise to my amasement, I have enough pasta and rice for the month including lasagna sheets to make my sloppy lasagna ( this is bar some more brown pasta, as I like to do a sort of 60/40 white / brown pasta for me and my 'I hate brown pasta' hubby at least once a week, as I think its healthier and he actually is ok with that, plus I love brown pasta more then white)

I have 18 jars of shop bought sauces in the cupboard, 4 pizza mixes (also have stuff to make 4 cheese pizzas) loads of fish fingers that I bought when on special, and a bag of chips and some curly fries for OH, so thats another 4/5 meals (depending how long chips/curly fries last) ooh and I still have half a bag of frozen spuds left over from new years eve, and some stuffing, and a bit of frozen veg (onions and peppers) and sweetcorn in cupboard, some chicken will go nicely with some of those last things, for a cheap ish roast.

Never realised how much I had before. I mean even have 3 packets of gravy granules in the cupboard which will come in handy..

All I need to do really, is stoke up on cat food for 4 crazy cats, worked it out at about 112 cans for 28 days (is this to much do you think, feeding them 4 cans a day 2 for morning meal, 2 for evening) some veg and potatoes, some meat (to go with all those sauces) some wraps and one or two other things like eggs and butter, as we have cereal and milk a plenty, (now I know why I love UHT so much, lasts ages lol)

Wow sorry for going on a bit, but seems it might be a better month money wise then I had first hoped (fingers crossed)

I realised to my horror that the cat food is going to make a big dent in my budget around 50-60quid:eek: lets hope I over estimated on that hey (I don't mind there all worth it, except when I want to kill them for bringing another dead bird in the flat for me like they did yesterday lol) but this month we might be able to buy slightly better meat with the other money and still do ok (again fingers crossed)

Got farmers market on in Romford on Sunday 10-3 (this is the second sunday of the month so it should be on?)

Anyway enough from excited little me (who is hoping to be dept free by end of 2011 which is 95% very likely) not sure about adding my figure this month as not sure I'm gona get it 100% correct (know its not always possible on first month) but I think somewhere around £100-120 a month is a good figure for this month, really hoping for less then £100 but don't want to jinx things

Once again sorry for very long post, the rest will hopefully not be as bad:o

Candy_Belle

Doh! didn't manage a NSD yesterday as had to pick up the following:-

Wilko's £8.08 6xCat Food, Toothpaste & Surf Cap's @ £3.00 (instead of £5.98):)

A**a £2.77 2X Friskies - Indoor & Kitten and Cat Treats

Off to update my siggy!

Have a good day all x

NickJW

I found a list of VAT products on Mr S's website btw everyone. It does it from last year when it increased from 15% to 17.5% but I guess the information is the same.

I'm glad that I realized what the stars were because I too thought they were for offers!

(Sorry - because of the number 2 in the website link I can't seem to be able to create a separate linky)

http://www2.sainsburys.co.uk/aboutus/popularquestions/vat.htm

patentgirl

Rebelle what a brilliant bargain well spotted
should be another NSD day today cant see I will be tempted by anything as at work till 5, got my packed lunch
Have a good day everyone

zebredy

Please can I be put down for £120 for 4 weeksfor January if its not to late? I'm hoping its going to be way under that figure but we shall see.

Will update signature (if I remember lol) when I get back from a free BBC mozart concert

69chick

Hi all and Happy belated New Year I havn't been on here for ages. Have got out of the habit since moving my whole family South and now living with parents till we can get a new house sorted.

Anyway can I join you on the grocery challenge...have got soo bad with spend especially as I am spending more being not in my own house and doing stuff quickly for convenience.

Right enough waffling....I have been doing a budget for spends and my total from 20Dec to 20Jan so my Jan budget was 400.00 have already spent £263.54 :eek:

will update siggy later...keep up all the great advice..:T

happycrafter_2

Mothership wrote: »

I don't know what a planc is LOL, if it has a flat base it should cook them. My daughter made her first batch on a griddle, and the scones got stuck in the grooves. Mine are all gone, my husband had the last 3 fried in sunflower oil for his supper. They taste completely different fried. Whatever you do don't try and fry them first, the scones seem to soak up the oil and are not as nice.
I'm away to make some xmas pudding scones and bread noo, will post those recipes tomorrow.

A planc is the welsh term for a flat based cast iron griddle, if I call it anything else but a planc my mum shouts at me! My mum bought it for me as a Christmas present and was one of the best presents I received and it will be well used.

Kazsaver

Went into Mr T yesterday and just got two loaves both reduced even though they were dated 7th jan. so total spend for today 1.40.
I'm pleased with my self as that is all I bought. Shopping day tomorrow will go into Aldi first, as I don't normally look in there, before going into Mr T.

should be NSD not going near a shop but hope to make some soup and go through freezer and meal plan for rest of month. I've been looking through the recipes at the beginning they have given lots of inspiration thank you.

Have a great day every one

Kaz x

OrkneyStar

OrkneyStar wrote: »

Weekly update
From my £60 I spent today:
£44 on food (£36 Tesco, £8 Lidl)
£10.01 diesel (£1.36.5 per litre up here!).
The remaining ~£6 will be kept for milk.

Off to meal plan now.
OS

Spent £2.00 of this last night (hubby bought Cravendale in the local shop- had to pay £1.99!!!!)...might nip into library in town today and will see if Tesco have any Cravendale 2 for £3 in stock (none on monday).

So I now have £4 left for this and anything else!...to do until Sunday 9/1/11....easily do-able as have plenty in and meals planned .

On the bright side hubby treated me to special offer 5-Alive which he did not want cash for .

XSpender

Will need to pop to Mr S today to get milk, apples (need both before organic delivery on Friday), baby formula, shoe polish and fine sea salt. Not expecting to spend more than about £15.

Couldn't make the carrot cake yesterday as my runny honey has crystalised and I did not have enough eggs. I will use this honey up on toast and buy some more at the weekend when my eggs and fresh carrots have been delivered so we can have it in lunch boxes next week.:)

I have calculated that I should be able to manage on £50/week for the next 4 weeks including box delivery. I should be able to but I will have to be really firm with myself and not let DH sway me in to saying 'get it then' when he fancies something in the sm. Best plan is to leave him at home I suppose;)

The home made bread routine is working so far, I need to look at my bread maker instructions and see how I make dough in there but bake it in the oven to see if this is more efficient.