February 2011 Grocery Challenge

PennyGrabber

NSD today, and looking like one tom too. Had sc pork casserole for dinner, with enough leftovers to make a pie and freeze a portion. Was going to have the pie tomorrow, but then friend rang, and she's now coming over for fajitas tomorrow. I have all the stuff in, so i'll just freeze 2 meals' worth of casserole instead. Will try and use it within a couple of weeks though, as I'm terrible at putting something in the freezer and then just leaving it there!

On the freezer front, I have started to double bag meat that goes in there, so I'm going to take out the chicken I need for tomorrow, and I know it will be in the chicken bag! No more UMOs for me! (once I've finished the rest of the stash!) So, Thanks to whoever it was that said to double bag stuff. I almost did my trick of "oh, I'll know what that is", but got enough willpower at the last minute to label it with what it was and the date frozen! Check me out!! I'll become organised yet!

Still holding on to my last £1.??, hope to get some leftover milk tom as we're then shut for half term. May also get some lo fruit. Hope so! Got enough in for all meals and baking bits for half term, so just need to steer clear of sms!

On the offer front, Asd@ have a washing powder, something-or-other actilift, £4 for 4kg. Also, they had corned beef, 200g of princes lean, £1.98 with 70% extra free (so a big tin for the price of a small tin effectively). Not been any offers on that for ages that I've seen, so that's about as good as it's going to be for a while. HTH someone.

PG x

cha97michelle

I've managed to go bust as i am having a bit of a tough month. DS1 went down with chicken pox on the 3rd of Feb, and DS2 caught it earlier this week, and is really poorly with it. The Dr has got me giving him huge quantities of antihistamine and paracetomol/ibuprofen so he can sleep through it, as it is a really nasty case.

The end result is i am already at £200.68 of a £200 budget with another 2 weekends to get through.

I'm trying my best, but we have had to buy extra fruit, juice and some ice cream for my poor baby as he just won't eat anything as his mouth is really sore. The only thing he fancies is bananas.

I'm trying to cut down elsewhere by being good, padding out meat meals, and i have baked for the 1st time in a long time from scratch. I made a batch of banana bran muffins and a fruity flapjack by adding in some dried fruit in the cupboard.

We have lots of stuff in stores, but we are going to need more milk, bread if i don't get chance to make some, and fruit at least, probably also a bit of fresh veg. I will do my best to limit damage for the rest of the month.

Ilona

Went to Testico's today to take advantage of their B2G1F offers on pet food and cereal. Stocked up on 12 boxes of Value Bran Flakes, 6 bags of Value Cat Litter, 3 bags of Whiskas dry and 12 tins of Whiskas wet cat food. I get Felix pouches for my cats but I noticed that they had put the price up to £3.97 per box, so it was no advantage to get them, when I can buy the same box for £2.50 at the market.

I had a rummage in the damaged goods shelves and got some bashed tins of beans and spaghetti, 10p and 20p. Flora Light, two for £2. More Value items. I usually get tins of Mackerel Filliets but these are now 68p, so I got tins of Tuna Slices in lime and pepper sauce for 49p each, instead. If something I usually get has increased in price beyond what I want to pay for it, I look for an alternative which is just as good but cheaper.

You've got to keep an eye on the pack sizes when you buy cheese. There was a BOGOF offer on Lakeland cheese, two for £3.99, but the pack size was 370 grms instead of the usual 400grms. I went to the chiller cabinet and found the same offer on Cathedral cheese 400grms. They don't always push the best buy.

Total spent £57.08. Money saved on the offers £17.11, bringing it down to £39.97. My store cupboard is full now, I only need to get fresh veg, soya milk, fruit, and yoghurt for the next few months.
Ilona

Mothership

I got a £4.50 T***O's club card voucher in the post today, I was almost out of butter, so was delighted it was on B1G1F.
So I bought 10 X 500g tubs of Lurpack 8 of these are in the freezer.
The whole lot ended up costing me £9.50. Less than £1 per tub.
So I'm well pleased.
I also got 6 boxes of Old fashioned Porridge Oats on B2G1F @ £6.32

Total spend from the 2nd Purse £15.82

Total Spend GC Rice wine Vinegar £1.09

I still can't believe I came out with EXACTLY what I went in for.

I was a bit low yesterday and spent £30 on Ebay, my first personal spend since Nov, very ill family member let rip on me AGAIN on the phone. I was shaking like a leaf for hours, I did what I usually do to try and take my mind off things and read all your posts. Checked my emails and there was a reminder that my watched items were ending soon LOL. So I bid on 3 items and won them all , all at a good price.

We had a lovely dinner I made the Prawns with Saffron and rice, I glooped a little for the baby she LOVED it.

youngmummy

hi all went to mr t's today
sub total - £54.13p
total to pay - £31.64p woopwoop
i brought what i needed and the fruit, veg and milk i brought was mainly covered with healthy start vouchers also had a £5 clubcard voucher. im still under budget with 11 days left too go hopefully i will stay under or on budget each month and not go too far over my annual spend. i have updated my sig.
hope everyone is well take care xx

JulieGeorgiana

Mrs Macawber could you please change my total aim for the year to £2560 please.

My OH is getting a £15 a month pay rise and we have decided to up our food budget to the equivalent of £50 a week from April's pay.

This will help with the fact that my dietary needs requires some foods which are 50 - 75% more expensive :eek:

Plus the family are making changes to some of the same foods!

Thank You x

never_too_old

Mothership wrote: »

I still can't believe I came out with EXACTLY what I went in for.

I was a bit low yesterday and spent £30 on Ebay, my first personal spend since Nov, very ill family member let rip on me AGAIN on the phone. I was shaking like a leaf for hours, I did what I usually do to try and take my mind off things and read all your posts. Checked my emails and there was a reminder that my watched items were ending soon LOL. So I bid on 3 items and won them all , all at a good price.

We had a lovely dinner I made the Prawns with Saffron and rice, I glooped a little for the baby she LOVED it.

so sorry to see your still enduring your problems,i always find that when i watch true sad things about other people with problems have a good cry and makes me think that even though i have problems there are people with alot worse.
on the frugal front,not spending anything, dh whos se is not bringing any money in, so cupboards and freezer looking very bare.:(

scotsaver

Morning everyone - firstly apologies for not posting for a while but I have been reading all your Posts and keeping up to date. Hugs to those that need them.:D

I have updated my total and getting really close now and I don't finish until the 27th.:eek:

I need Bread flour today so thanks to who posted about Tesc0 price, will pop in there this morning on my way to the Allotment and then that way I will only by Bread flour and nothing else.:o

Bought some fresh Sardines in MrM's yesterday so having those tonight with some salad and chips, kids are having fish fingers from the Freezer, still trying to clear it out to make room for DR delivery next Friday.

Have a good day everyone.:)

Candy_Belle

Happy Friday Everyone!

Hugs to all that need them.

Just a quick question, I've got some salted/unsalted and stork (marg not the bird) in my fridge that are all best before Nov 10. Is it still ok to use? or will the taste of it now be impaired?

Thank u x:)

ebayqueen_2

Morning all
Havent been posting for a few weeks...been a rotten month in every way and I am spending more than I planned to.
Anyways .... changing sig now and its not great but onward and upward.

take care all ....