February 2011 Grocery Challenge

destroyerofdebt2011

Spent £1 yesterday on some bargin chocolate. so up to a total of 42.88 ... £2.88 over budget but on the gd side ive just done a food stock take in the cupboards and now going to sit down and plan meals between now and end of the month.

And also plan some for march as theres still plenty of staples in especially as theres only me to feed. Plus 3 days holiday at my mates this week so i wont need to get food etc, i provide when she comes to mine so its fair.

I will get my spending under control!

martafdz

blue cat, I saw the Treasure Hunt thing and it looks fun! It would cost £5 for the details, the map and the answers: http://www.huntfun.co.uk/KidsFamiliesFriends/Manchester.php , a sample one here: http://www.huntfun.co.uk/Sample/home.php Looking for activities has made me feel like going out soon! Lol I will try to go to the Farmer's Market in Eccles next 19th of March and see if they have nice and cheap food!, shame it closes at 2pm because I work in the mornings so I might not made it!

Spiggle

l.m.hart wrote: »

... not sure how it is going to compare price wise. but im putting my money into an independent retailer which even though every penny counts for me makes me happier,im getting dispondant at the fat cats getting richer and small buinesses going under.
the box should consist of the following

1 x 3lb (1 x 1.35Kg) Topside Joints
1 x 3lb (1 x 1.35Kg) Boneless Pork Joints
1 x 3lb (1 x 1.35kg) Whole Chicken
3lb (1.35kg) lamb chops
3lb (1.35kg) chicken portions
3lb (1.35kg) lean minced beef
3lb (1.35kg) loin pork chops

i explained to the butcher that im not keen on chicken portions, we eat alot of breasts so hes going to change portions to breasts and reduce slightly the lamb and pork chops for more breasts, this is costing £50 is that good? ...

Hi l.m.hart,

It looked a good deal to me but got OH to check just to see and he agrees that it is a good price for the quantity. :T It's unlikely to compare favourably with sm prices but the quality should be noticeably better. The flexibility with the chicken just goes to show how much more amenable an independent can be for what the customer wants rather than what the sm wants us to buy. The only thing I'd question, but please tell me to keep my nose out, is if you need to get that amount all at once? I know some people like to stock up so sorry if that's your plan. We just go to ours once a week or when we need so that they do the storing for us! Different strokes for different folks no doubt.

Bacon is the thing I love getting from the butcher - the fact that I can have it sliced thin for me and thick for OH is just brilliant. Little things ...

Billie-jo wrote: »

Had to rush mum in to hospital on Thursday morning and have spent most of our time since at the hospital so today just ran round Te$co chucking anything in - result £43.88 gone and nothing to show for it. Just recently have been getting a full weeks shopping for less than this and todays haul will just last us until Monday maybe Tuesday. Just goes to show how beneficial making a list etc is.
However all is not lost as we are well within our Feb budget and will just put todays shopping down to unforseen circumstances etc.

Love & hugs to Mothership and everyone else. I think the majority of us are having a terrible Feb with one thing and another.
Will update signature now.

Billie-jo I hope mum improves soon. There are more important things than the gc at times in our lives and you're at one now so don't give yourself any grief. Love and hugs to you. :kisses3::grouphug:

I think you're right about the month being horrid, I think it's actually been since the turn of the year. Hugs to everyone else too. :grouphug: I was so looking forward to 2011 but my face is starting to smart just a little from the slaps we've taken. :eek: I just hope spring brings a better time for us all.

We went to town today and just visited the butcher and the Coop spending £29.41 which takes us up to £161.23 for the month so far. So we should be absolutely fine for the rest of the month.

I'm off next week and we've got someone coming to double dig the new veg patch. Really looking forward to that. And the first of my fruit plants turned up yesterday so may get them planted or at least heeled in tomorrow. Done loads of pruning and cutting back to maximise light and reinvigorate our older shrubs and trees.

Oh, by the way Sunnyday, I filled my car up yesterday (16 days since last full tank) at the cheapest garage I can access (£1.259 per ltr) and it cost me £58.22! :eek::mad:

Right, I'd better get off and update the sig as I can't remember when I last did it!

Take care all,
Spigs

sorting_myself_out

Another NSD for me again! Due mainly to the snow!! Oh well just as long as it doesn't stop my night out planned in Leeds! First night out of the year! Can't wait! Need to get my meals planned for next week as they have definatley kept me on track.......probably will do a shop Monday on my day off plus the baking i have planned too!! Got a viewing on my flat tomorrow, 1st one in 18 months :eek: really hope it leads to selling my property as this will really support me getting debt free!! :j
Everyone seems to be having no luck lately, lets hope in March we all get some!!!
:T

rosieben

Sending hugs and positive thoughts to anyone who's having a difficult time, seems to be so many of us at the moment

ifonly, your scrummy sounding carrot cake is in the recipe index

We're building up a really useful resource for recipes :T

never_too_old

Hi Spiggle
thanks for getting hubby to go over it, the reason i got it all at once was because it was a monthly pack,offering free delivery phoned friday and they do deliveries friday and saturday so didnt want to wait another week. another big factor was money, i did an extra job this week so had the money for it, dh is finding it hard to get customers to pay at the mo so is bringing hardly anything in.my logic was that if i have this in the freezer at least we will eat,
looking at it though cant see it lasting anymore than 2 weeks, must get my portions under control.
Until i started this challenge and some of the others im doing, it didnt really bother me just going to one place for my shopping but as i can only afford to buy the value meat or 3 for £10 ive noticed its not always brill and as i cant afford to be snobbish i wanted to buy the best in my budget. hoping i can do my stock cupboard in the supermarket, my fruit and veg in my box each week and my meat from butcher, keep 2 independents going as well as mr t and hopefully be frugal.

Spiggle

l.m.hart wrote: »

Hi Spiggle
thanks for getting hubby to go over it, the reason i got it all at once was because it was a monthly pack,offering free delivery phoned friday and they do deliveries friday and saturday so didnt want to wait another week. another big factor was money, i did an extra job this week so had the money for it, dh is finding it hard to get customers to pay at the mo so is bringing hardly anything in.my logic was that if i have this in the freezer at least we will eat,
looking at it though cant see it lasting anymore than 2 weeks, must get my portions under control.
Until i started this challenge and some of the others im doing, it didnt really bother me just going to one place for my shopping but as i can only afford to buy the value meat or 3 for £10 ive noticed its not always brill and as i cant afford to be snobbish i wanted to buy the best in my budget. hoping i can do my stock cupboard in the supermarket, my fruit and veg in my box each week and my meat from butcher, keep 2 independents going as well as mr t and hopefully be frugal.

Hi l.m.,

Sorry I was nosey. It sounds a nightmare with your money situation so you have all my sympathy.

How many will you be feeding out of all that? There is a lot there and you may be able to stretch it to more than 2 weeks. (On the basis that we eat and there are only two of us, OH reckons he would make that last for about 8 weeks.) A bit of portion control as you've said but also bulking it out with lentils, oats and other cereals may help. You will notice a lot less water and fat in the butchers meat I'm sure and that will help with the portion control too. Good luck with it and I hope that it tastes really good and you thoroughly enjoy.

All the very best,
Spigs

freakyogre

Hippeechiq wrote: »

I have the same debate with myself. I've just bought two big jars of Kenc0 coffed @ £3 each from Te$co and 2 jars of ½ price Pickled Eggs, two packs of ½ price Pork Loin Steaks from £idl and 2 packs of ½ price Vintage Reserve Cheddar (which works out at £3.60 per kilo!) which is an amazing bargain!! None of which will be used until next month, but you can't afford to turn down offers like that - can you? Now I'm home, I wish I'd bought more of all of them, but as it is - taking into account my online delivery tomorrow - I now only have £17.55 to last me until the 28th! Arrgggghhh :eek:

I was weak and went to Lidl this morning It doesn't help that I work 2 minutes away from there now, so can pop in before work.

Nevermind! Got 2 packs of the pork which is all individually wrapped in the freezer now and 3 cartons of apples juice. I was tempted by the cheese, but still have some from their last offer, so I must resist!

I think i'll just reduce next months total slightly. Hmm, we'll see!

never_too_old

Spiggle wrote: »

Hi l.m.,

Sorry I was nosey. It sounds a nightmare with your money situation so you have all my sympathy.

How many will you be feeding out of all that? There is a lot there and you may be able to stretch it to more than 2 weeks. (On the basis that we eat and there are only two of us, OH reckons he would make that last for about 8 weeks.) A bit of portion control as you've said but also bulking it out with lentils, oats and other cereals may help. You will notice a lot less water and fat in the butchers meat I'm sure and that will help with the portion control too. Good luck with it and I hope that it tastes really good and you thoroughly enjoy.

All the very best,
Spigs

no not nosey, if i didnt want people to pass comment i shouldnt really post.2 adults plus dd but she doesnt tend to eat with us, 8 weeks that would be amazing, started putting a bit of porridge oats with cottage pie but definately need to do more, mad a chilli tonight with a 1lb mince should have put peppers with it, thought we would have at least another portion each to freeze but 2 of dh came round and he gave them some each so only one small portion left.

just found your diary so now am a subscriber, good luck x

Mothership

l.m.hart wrote: »

no not nosey, if i didnt want people to pass comment i shouldnt really post.2 adults plus dd but she doesnt tend to eat with us, 8 weeks that would be amazing, started putting a bit of porridge oats with cottage pie but definately need to do more, mad a chilli tonight with a 1lb mince should have put peppers with it, thought we would have at least another portion each to freeze but 2 of dh came round and he gave them some each so only one small portion left.

just found your diary so now am a subscriber, good luck x

I posted a recipe recently for sweet and sour chicken 1 chicken breast feeds 2 as the batter puffs up, also dumplings in minced beef/ stew fills you up as well. I sometimes make pork chops marinaded in egg and worcester sauce then coated in breadcrumbs, and grilled or panfried, they are filling too.
I think you got a good deal from your butcher, 5 local butchers have closed near me. So I have to look further afield.
hope your OH's business picks up soon. We were in a similar situation recently, no business for 3 months. Due to the weather and DD2 being unwell.

Came back home to our brisket, oh! my it was delicious, we had it with a little mashed potato and carrots, baby loved it too, she was in hysterics watching me mash the potatoes. We had a really lovely day today, I massaged DD2's head today and sat and cuddled her, she just soaked it all up, the poor wee soul. I think thats the first day I haven't cried.