May 2011 Grocery Challenge

skilly

Morning all, just updated my sig with a small spend of £17.00 (veggie box ). Making pizza for tea tonight Mmmmm

Winged_one

I have managed not to spend any more yet this week, although I have refilled various pasta and other jars last night and realised I need more pasta, sugar, lasagne, easicook rice, raisins, tinned tomatoes, and a few other storecupboard things. I think, given the amount that is almost gone, I MAY make a trip up north in the next couple of weeks and do a Sainsbugs shop (and stock up on gin too - I need proper gin for G&T's, and cheap gin and vodka for limoncello and other concoctions).

Before I go, I need to figure out what "till spits" are for Mr S, and how else to maximise the value of the trip. (I'm usually the one with 8*1kg bags of Mr S pasta, 20 tins of basics tomatoes, lots of tins of Mr S tuna and crab, 6 bags of basics tortillas....very strange trolley full of things). Any particularly good strategies to use or offers coming up? I have a nectar card but don't know if I ever get anything on it as the address is the CS desk in my nearest store.

I used up the last of the bacon joint from a few weeks back last night. I had one bag of chopped pieces in freezer, and made a macaroni cheese with it. So I think that makes 4 dinners and 3 lunnches from 1 joint costing €7 (or maybe €8), not bad going. last night fed 3 (and it's always a favourite that people take seconds of), and there is enough for DD tonight and to freeze 1 last DD sized portion for next week if I don't have it myself. But I think I'll have sausages, with buttered leeks and mash.

The freezer is quite full, so I think my strategy will be to empty that as much as possible in the next couple of weeks. I have just got chicken breasts (bag of 8) and a couple of bags of pork pieces (chops on special that I cut up before freezing), so that can be good to use up a few jars of sauce too. I must use the blackberries there too as I have a load of small packets - perhaps some jelly. And a few packets of leftover cooked rice too - nasi goreng calling there.

I think I should do some baking too though, as I have a lot of flour and nuts, although dried fruits are reducing fast.

RonniesMummy

Hiya, i know it is a little late in the month, but i just wanted to introduce myself

I will be joining you all next month, so at the moment i am just getting all the receipts together from this months spend and working out how much i can shave off - i was thinking £10 a month is this manageable?

Also i am off to do the big shop in asda today - i am going with my thrifty head on! Wish me luck

xx

cutiepieabf

Welcome to the Thread RonniesMummy. There is a wealth of knowledge on here, so if you have any questions or need some tips on anything everyone is happy to help.

There are lots of tips to help save money and i dont know if you have read through the start of the thread yet but thats a great place to start. The best ways of saving money are by buying thriftily (taking advantage of offers, substituting for things that are cheaper, etc), and cooking from scratch. I dont know what your cooking skills are like but there is a fantastic recipe index at the start of the thread (thanks to rosieben). Its always a good idea to do an inventory of what you have in your cupboards/freezer/fridge and then work out what meals you can make from those things without having to buy more ingredients. A lot of people also use meal plans, so they will do their stock take, and then make a list of meals that they can make with those ingredients. Of course you often need to top up with fresh veg, milk, etc, but it is a good food management technique.

Are you including all of your household items in your budget? some people just include food and drink (like me), some people include everything including pet food, cleaning products, etc.

Hopefully some things to think about. When you are ready to start, just post your budget for the week/month. Make sure the amount is in big red letters so that mothership spots it and adds it to everyone elses budgets.

Good luck!! :T

M0neysav3r

Hi All

Ok I know I have been awol for a few months but I have been sticking to my meal planning etc.... as you can see from my signature I have spent over every month so far BUT i'm still pleased as it could have been alot worse! I have had family gatherings, celebratory meals etc to but for too so as I say, i'm very pleased
So this month i've given myself another £20 (how generous) to see if I can come in on budget

I have also discovered a new Ald! which is on route from ds swimming lessons, very pleased as I can get there easily and save on petrol :T I took advantage of the super 6 this week

Good luck to everyone for the rest of the month.

Ronniesmummy - Just go with what you think would be manageable for you Good luck x

RonniesMummy

Aww thank you for your support,
I am not a very good cook, but i will be trying hard to learn - I moved back home recently, as i am on long term sick (trying hard to get better and get into work) and i cant pay my parents anything to live at home, being 22 its not good for your self esteem. So i thought if i try to save them money with the shopping etc, then maybe i will feel a little better about sponging off of them, they think its a fab idea!!

Look forward to getting to know you all well over the next few months

x

quintwins

ronniesmummy if you can't cook very well i'd recommend you get a slow cooker, you really can't go wrong no matter what you throw in it always comes out yummy

today is another nsd for me, breakfast was bagels from the freezer, lunch is sausage rolls we got reduced last night, i have chicken out for tea but i'm not sure wat to do with it yet i'm thinking maybe a nice sticky sauce, any ideas?

Billie-jo

:hello:Hello RonniesMummy, hope you do well on the challenge - good luck.

Back from shopping on my £10 limit and spent .................. £10.29 not going to beat myself up for 29pence though so am pretty pleased and there was NO MEAT in that thank goodness.

meanmarie

Spent €48 today on stuff in Lidl and huge joint of beef in butcher's for Sunday dinner when I will be feeding the 5000, not sure how many there will be but as its DD3s last week before she heads for Oz it could be all my family!

Marie

123budget

Just done my last main shop of the month - payday next thursday.
So far spent £447.43 out of my £450.00 budget. So that leaves me with £2.57 for extra milk/fruit which should be ok. I think this month will be the first one for me on budget:j
Last month I tried a monthly meal plan but found it too hard to stick to.
This month I did one big shop using debit card and then drew rest of my budget out in cash - this has worked for me as I found I was stricter as I saw the cash reducing (I had a separate purse for grocery money).

Have updated sig but won't put final amount or next months budget on till next week.