January 2011 Grocery Challenge

Keybilly

Hi booskyeboo,
May I ask what you are going to make with your dried fruit?
I was given quite a lot of dried fruit in a Christmas hamper. In my bid to be healthy, I'm eating it on its own but I know that I'll get bored of it very soon.
Many thanks for everyone's helpful suggestions.

Kx

suzybloo

I am really surprising myself this month as I have more than halved our budget and have only spent £10 odd so far this month. Need to get Bread, milk, rolls, choc bisc and cold meat tomorrow for hubbys packed lunches so that should only be about £6-7. Will go to semi-chem for the biscuits as penguins are on at 9 for 69p - a good buy plus I cant stand them! Bread has gone up 8p in the past week or so from £1.27 to £1.35, as I always buy the same one (Warburtons Toastie - orange wrapper,) cold meat will be whatever is cheapest as hubby doesnt mind which one. Milk is around about £0.85 and rolls will be £2 for 8. I will take out whats left on Friday from my budget and put that into my savings for the £11k in 2011 challenge on the up your income thread,
good luck everyone

PurpleJay

Hi all

Had a Sainsburys delivery tonight which came to £60.71. Still have to buy bread for the week (I order 3 loaves every friday from a local bakery which I collect from our paper shop) and a few other bits but no more than £10.00 though which is on target. We are completely stacked out with food and we are away for a couple of days next week so I will probably just get bits as we need them. I will try and keep track. I need to do my meal plan, ideally up to the end of next week.

Managed not to spend anything on the 2 days I have been at work this week other than 50p for the tea fund

A good start.

youngmummy

hi all i have updated my sig, spent £77 pound so far ... dont know how but anyway ... will proberly go over budget this month !!! im eally going to try harder the rest of the year. my budget works out at £212 per month hopefully i wont go over on my annual budget though. got a pantomine to go to sunday curtosy of my grandma. so will need some money for then but hopefully all will be ok x

minnie2

thank you for your help!!!! well overall i am overspending by £837 a month according to the budget plan - but what i have worked out grocery wise is £395 that does include laundry, though i want to get this down to £155 a month.

There is only my hubby and me and our three dogs! But we are clearly going wrong! I tend to be frugal in some ares but then go all out in other areas. I have many allergies - so have been limited to many items - which tend to be the more expensive ones!!! I also feel i am losing the battle with my hubby who has no idea about money - or what things cost - or how not to waste money!!! For example - came home tonight to find him in the bedroom on his games while the tv was on downstairs - with 5 plugs on the go on hte extension lead!!


I finally used my eco balls tonight - tried them on my towels to start with - apparently they have come out smelling clean ( i have flu so cant do the smell test myself). I have had them for two years now but havent got round to using them! Washing is a complicated area due to my allergies, so i have been testing many different products trying to find a good combination.
Anyway seem to go well - so thats a 3p wash instead of 25p!

We had frozen chriistmas left overs for dinner tonight - veg, roasties, stuffing and gravy

Currently also defrosting turkey mince to make up meals to freeze in small containers for our lunches!!


Feeling positive about saving and making changes this year!!

oh any suggestions about mince and finding cheap mince will be greatfully received!! I am allergic to beef and the smell of lamb makes me vomit- so have to buy pork and turkey mince which keep going up in price. And ive tried 6 butchers who are reluctant to do either type of mince unless its a big order and it also works out more expensive than the supermarket! i have tried the frozen mince but it dregrades into mulch and smells awful. thanx

curiouscrafter

Hello all,

Please can I be put down for £120 for 4 weeks in January, this is a little less than a normal month, but we are still maiking our way through all the Christmas leftovers!!

happycrafter_2

minnie2 wrote: »

thank you for your help!!!! well overall i am overspending by £837 a month according to the budget plan - but what i have worked out grocery wise is £395 that does include laundry, though i want to get this down to £155 a month.

There is only my hubby and me and our three dogs! But we are clearly going wrong! I tend to be frugal in some ares but then go all out in other areas. I have many allergies - so have been limited to many items - which tend to be the more expensive ones!!! I also feel i am losing the battle with my hubby who has no idea about money - or what things cost - or how not to waste money!!! For example - came home tonight to find him in the bedroom on his games while the tv was on downstairs - with 5 plugs on the go on hte extension lead!!


I finally used my eco balls tonight - tried them on my towels to start with - apparently they have come out smelling clean ( i have flu so cant do the smell test myself). I have had them for two years now but havent got round to using them! Washing is a complicated area due to my allergies, so i have been testing many different products trying to find a good combination.
Anyway seem to go well - so thats a 3p wash instead of 25p!

We had frozen chriistmas left overs for dinner tonight - veg, roasties, stuffing and gravy

Currently also defrosting turkey mince to make up meals to freeze in small containers for our lunches!!


Feeling positive about saving and making changes this year!!

oh any suggestions about mince and finding cheap mince will be greatfully received!! I am allergic to beef and the smell of lamb makes me vomit- so have to buy pork and turkey mince which keep going up in price. And ive tried 6 butchers who are reluctant to do either type of mince unless its a big order and it also works out more expensive than the supermarket! i have tried the frozen mince but it dregrades into mulch and smells awful. thanx

what about quorn mince? or buy a piece of meat and mince yourself in a food processor just pulse until the right texture.

minnie2

hi thanks for suggestion! im allergic to quorn and have considered making own but would have to spend on the equipment initially and also have no idea what pieces of meat to buy to make mince from especially turkey (which is cheaper than pork) but the only other turkey i see is breast etc. Do you think its worth while investment? we got an argos voucher for christmas and we were going to put it towards a mincer but replaced our can opener instead!

Sunflower1227

minnie2 wrote: »

thank you for your help!!!! well overall i am overspending by £837 a month according to the budget plan - but what i have worked out grocery wise is £395 that does include laundry, though i want to get this down to £155 a month.

There is only my hubby and me and our three dogs! But we are clearly going wrong! I tend to be frugal in some ares but then go all out in other areas. I have many allergies - so have been limited to many items - which tend to be the more expensive ones!!! I also feel i am losing the battle with my hubby who has no idea about money - or what things cost - or how not to waste money!!! For example - came home tonight to find him in the bedroom on his games while the tv was on downstairs - with 5 plugs on the go on hte extension lead!!


I finally used my eco balls tonight - tried them on my towels to start with - apparently they have come out smelling clean ( i have flu so cant do the smell test myself). I have had them for two years now but havent got round to using them! Washing is a complicated area due to my allergies, so i have been testing many different products trying to find a good combination.
Anyway seem to go well - so thats a 3p wash instead of 25p!

We had frozen chriistmas left overs for dinner tonight - veg, roasties, stuffing and gravy

Currently also defrosting turkey mince to make up meals to freeze in small containers for our lunches!!


Feeling positive about saving and making changes this year!!

oh any suggestions about mince and finding cheap mince will be greatfully received!! I am allergic to beef and the smell of lamb makes me vomit- so have to buy pork and turkey mince which keep going up in price. And ive tried 6 butchers who are reluctant to do either type of mince unless its a big order and it also works out more expensive than the supermarket! i have tried the frozen mince but it dregrades into mulch and smells awful. thanx

Hi you could try an mince your own meat, i remember my mum doing this many years ago in a mincer like this one

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/meat-mincer/F/C/preparing-food/C/preparing-food-mills-grinders-mincers/product/10118

Long_tall_sally

Hi everyone.

Justa quick note to say NSD today but have to get milk, bread, ketchup & a few other things tomorrow (if my car starts as I keep gettinga flat battery).

Got a few pages to catch up on on reading - note to myself - up to p33!