February 2011 Grocery Challenge

LondonDreamer

Mr T delivery this morning. Quite impressed, saved 25% in multi-buy savings, then used £10 in vouchers that I didn't know I had - just happened to check my balance online last night, haven't received my actual statement yet. So applied those to my order to make the food spend £14.55, plus £5.42 in fresh food. That includes £1.82 for my DH's favourite cheese as a treat. My tiny local finally had a massive shelf of whoopies (bread mostly, but some meat) but I resisted the urge to buy and picked up only what I needed from there - a bag of organic carrots for 52p. Will be lovely with roast turkey tonight.

Takes me to £53.89/£100.00 at about halfway through the month. So keeping on track. :j

martafdz

quintwins wrote: »

it's a nighmare isn't it, try phone somewhere independant tho because they knocked £30 off the currys sale price for me and delivered for free , have u looked on gumtree aswell? my hubbys funny about secondhand appliances so tahts why we got a new one

if your not fussy about where your eggs come from iceland do 15 for £1.50, also i tesco do value 15 for £1.53, looks like your'll be in every sm getting the best deals

Thanks! I need to have a look at washing machines, I found an Indes1t for £250 that looks good. But I also wanted a chest freezer I saw for £140 or so that would be perfect because it is quite narrow (35cm) That is too much money atm. I could use the cc but I am actually in the challenge to pay them off so I should not do it, unless I pay the goods within 54 days, which is the interest free period... but that requires discipline.

I ended goint to both MrM and MrS, I stocked up in great bargains but I used most of the budget for the next two weeks. Idk if I should count it as part of Feb's budget because I stocked up on items for the next months. But I think I will just to make it simple, I know that it is not a real going over and I am quite happy with all the stuff I found.

I spent £33.94 in MrM and £74.62 in MrS. I think my bargains are:
From MrS

Robinsons squash 1l at £1.60 x 2 bottles. It will last me until September.
42 F1nish AllinOne Dishwasher tablets - £4.49 I stocked up until October, you are allowed to take 10 in a shopping.
Flash multipurpose 1l £1. I use a cup of this diluted in water inside some old Flash sprays I have so they last me ages.
Nescafe 3in1 satches, bag of 10 £1, I am stocking up for a couple of months, they save me a lot of money in coffees at work.
18 value eggs at £1.87
From MrM
1l Innocent Juice at 99p trial offer. It lasts for over a month in the fridge according to the ood so I bought 6 to last until the end of March.
Nescafe Decaff 200g (big jar), 2 x £5. I have coffee to last until August or later.

I went to buy the toilet paper but the offer had finished!

So that makes a total of £108.56 and I had £110 left plus an A&C delivery on Wednesday, so I am already over half way trough. However, I was spending £400+ before, I managed to reduce it to £250 for Jan so as long as I do not go over £300 I will be happy. I need to stretch the last £90 for the rest of the month and then I all my stocking up will pay off soon.

I am going to do an excel list to add my regular items, the best price ever found, the price for unit/tablet/100g and last time I bought them. That will help me see better if a bargain is in fact a bargain and not different packaging and size. Last time I went to £land I spent a bit in things I thought were good bargains and then realized that actually worked more expensive because of the size, which was smaller. :mad: That will teach me!!!

Off to see washing machines online!

elfen

Need to add 27.68 to my monthly total, which is now 93.87, but includes some reduced beef bits for a stew, and a nice piece of pork loin for half-price. I now have 56.13 for the rest of the month

jintyb

Hi everyone,
havent been on here for ages, this month's been a bit mad!
Did my final shop today, wont need anything till the weekend now. My new month starts on Friday so my total for Feb is £154.98 - £25.02 UNDER budget!
I renewed my membership at Co5stco last month and I feel that's really helped as I've stocked up on lots!Although my NSD total could be better, at least I'm not blowing the bank!
That's us in for the rest of the day. OH is making a nice stew which we'll have with tatties, carrots and mangetout. Good old comfort food for a wet Sunday;)

Ilona

123budget wrote: »

Will try to budget for March but was wondering if people include toiletries/household items in with their figures. E.g. things like washing powder, toilet paper, toiletries and cleaning products or is it purely just food?

Personally I haven't set myself a budget, I keep an account of all the money I spend, on everything. I can't see the point of scrimping and saving on food alone whilst frittering away cash on whatever takes your fancy. In the grand scheme of things all money spent is relevant, if the money in and the money out doesn't balance you're sunk.

As this is a grocery challenge, IMO you generally buy toletries and cleaning products with your weekly shop, so I would put them in, but it's up to you.
Ilona

LondonDreamer

123budget wrote: »

haven't joind in with the feb grocery challenge but am trying to mend my ways! Will try to budget for March but was wondering if people include toiletries/household items in with their figures. E.g. things like washing powder, toilet paper, toiletries and cleaning products or is it purely just food?
I am a lot better at planning meals etc than I used to be but also wondered what people would think to be a reasonable monthly spend for a family of 5 (2 adults, 2 nearly adult boys 15 and 17 and a ten year old girl)

I can't help with your budget since I don't have children, but I can answer the other. As there's just my husband and myself in our household, I only include food in this challenge. We go through everything else so slowly that I tend to purchase them only a few times a year. So for me, it makes sense to keep that budget separate as it would make a big impact to our spend that week. Where I'm really only interested in tracking food for this, as it's the area I find it easiest to overspend in. But do whatever makes sense for you, there's no wrong way to do the challenge.

martafdz

Yeah, I put in the GC everything bought in a sm or market, whether it is food, cleaning products or washing powder. I take out, however, things that I might buy in a sm only once, like maybe a duvet cover, clothes or a hair drier. The main reason for me is that it will make my monthly spent unrealistic since I do not buy those items often and not generally from sm. So I include in the GC food, cleaning and toiletries. I do not include make up or branded face moisturiser that I buy specifically from B**ts or so but I include toothpaste and shower gel since I do buy them for both of us and I need a new one every month. I think in general any item that is just beauty-product related and only for me goes out of my "own toiletries" challenge, basics such as deodorant, shower gel or body lotion goes out from the shopping budget. I guess I could include all or exclude this and that but I can't be bothered to substract items from the supermarket's receipts and I find it much easier that way, plus it keeps encouraging me to save also on those items. You could look at your own budget and decide where you think you can save and then set an initial target to start with. If you do ok, reduce it a bit and see how it goes.

Btw, I need to update my total to £208.04/£210 , there is no way I can make it this month since I have a delivery next week for veg and I also need to buy meat. However, £90 of that total has gone into stocking up like mad, so I will be happy if i can stay under £300 this month, since it would mean that in the normal shopping I have reached the target. I will keep the limit at £210 anyway so I do not get carried away with a bigger limit and go also over it.

sorting_myself_out

Hi Everyone! Not sure where this weekends gone again!! doesn't help that i worked 12 hours in the pub yesterday!! My feet were killing me!:( anyway todays been lovely.....made 6 portions of carrot and coriander soup....defo need to have a look at making another one before i get sick of it, if anyone ones got a favourite let me know and i'll give it a go!! signature updated , had a mid week shop for meat and other essentials....cupboards and freezer looking more healthy now spent £22.38 in sainsbugs, my highlight being the persil washing liquid 85 washes for 8 quid it'll do little old me for a least 3 months! :T. Been to mr a's today for fresh stuff and so i dont need to pop in and be tempted during the week!! haha spent another £24.93 so getting abit too close to my total but i'm stocked up and meal plan is in place for the 1st week!! yayy:rotfl:2 Weeks to go i can do this!!!!

123budget

sorting_myself_out wrote: »

Hi Everyone! Not sure where this weekends gone again!! doesn't help that i worked 12 hours in the pub yesterday!! My feet were killing me!:( anyway todays been lovely.....made 6 portions of carrot and coriander soup....defo need to have a look at making another one before i get sick of it, if anyone ones got a favourite let me know and i'll give it a go!! signature updated , had a mid week shop for meat and other essentials....cupboards and freezer looking more healthy now spent £22.38 in sainsbugs, my highlight being the persil washing liquid 85 washes for 8 quid it'll do little old me for a least 3 months! :T. Been to mr a's today for fresh stuff and so i dont need to pop in and be tempted during the week!! haha spent another £24.93 so getting abit too close to my total but i'm stocked up and meal plan is in place for the 1st week!! yayy:rotfl:2 Weeks to go i can do this!!!!

Hi,
I made a lovely soup from a recipe I found in a magazine;
Spciy lentil soup: 300g red lentils, 2tbsp red thai curry paste, 1 onion, half can of coconut milk. veg stock
fry onions lightly mix in curry paste,add lentils cover with about 1 1/2 litres f stock and simmer for about 20 mins until lentils are soft. then add coconut milk and liquidize. my son said it was a bit bland but you could add more curry paste, pepper or springle spring onions on. if you haven't got red thai curry paste i'm sure it would be good with whatever curry powder/sauce you have in stock.

SuziQ1962

Oh dear blown the budget this month,don't really know where I have gone wrong! Will change my budget to £400 -or £80 per week and try sticking to it until the end of my month which is 26th.