March 2011 Grocery Challenge 24 February 2011 at 10:52AM edited 28 February 2011 at 12:01AM in Old Style MoneySaving 1.5K replies 167.7K views

slbhill

ab7 wrote: »

Ok I tried, I really did but depressingly it came to £400 when I totalled up the spreadsheets Tis not the weekly shop I struggle with but the top ups during the week!

I have the same issue -The GC has helped me reduce what I buy when I do go in but the big difference for me is being really careful with my weekly list so that I only rarely have to buy anything between weekly shops. Is there anything you can do to cut down on the number of visits?

Apologies if I am teaching my grandma to suck eggs here , but I have a list of everything I buy (not individual items, but headings - bread, rolls, milk, cheese, sandwich meat, snacks...) which I keep on the kitchen noticeboard. As I notice we're low on anything (usually when I open the last packet) I put it on the list. Then the day before I go shopping I do a menu plan for the week starting from stuff I already have & adding anything extra to the list. So for example I had cream and bacon to use up, so I added parmesan to my list so we could have carbonara. Then I skim through the list and check my stock levels. This means I'm a lot less likely to run out of something mid-week and have to enter the zone of temptation :rotfl: Of course it doesn't always work (my OH has only just got the hang of putting something on the list if he's low, and the amount of bread & milk we use is a bit variable. The freezer helps there though!).

But anyway I'm sure you've spent a lot less than if you hadn't been trying the challenge & got a lot more aware of what you spend and when :T, hope you're happier with your results next month !

fingersxed

£523.93!!!!! :mad: Hangs head in utter shame. I thought i was doin so well but having just checked my handbag for recipts I found one from tesco that i had not put on spreadsheet!! it was for +£80!!

Oh well must try harder. Put me down for £450 in April please. I have upped my budget cause I have yet to come within budget, the kids are off a fair chunk of April, and food seems to have gone up more than i thought.

beemuzed

Oh help - well over this month, and no idea why - meed to go back to saving every receipt I think!

£390!!!!:eek::eek::eek:

LittleMissHappy_2

:eek: I've completely lost track of my spending this month I *think* I am under budget as I got some of the Mr T DTD vouchers.......but not 100% sure There is no point in declaring as I really have no clue!!! Am back for April though and am going to go for £250 again. I will keep a better track this time as well

CupOfChai

Declaring for March at £69.85, only just squeaked in under target! Lucky that, specially as I had to do my last weekly shop in a Co-op so that one was a bit more expensive than my shops in other supermarkets.

Missus_Aka

declaring £94.32 for march

Sue14

Lucky I didn't declare sooner, as I went to A1di on Thursday and spent another £14.66, so declaring at £126.97 for March.

goodlife_wannabes

Hi Please put me down as £171.10 of March and £200 for April

mfwin2019

£25 over but because of Mr T DTD the cupboards are bulging - £210/£185

nessie216

Total for March £141.94/£150