June 2011 Grocery Challenge

espresso21

Thanks for the advice re milk. I hate it when we run out on a Sunday morning and I have to have black coffee. Yeugh! And as I said before, popping out to the shop for 'just a pint of milk' usually ends up expensive!

Missus_Aka

Can i be put down for £75 for this month please a big drop for me and this is supposed to be for me, ds3, little sister 8(9 days this month) BIL (4 days a month at least) and a new kitten as well, this month is going to be sooo tight but i have meal planned for the month. Fingers crossed, i have a delivery for whats supposed to be £45.26 tomorrow but will update when i get it.

never_too_old

Evening

could you put me down for £300 again please, under budget for May, hoping June will be same.:j

philsmum

Hi
Mrs.Mac. Please will you put me down for £150.00 this month... I feel that the last 3 years have been a rehearsal for what is about to happen tomorrow, we are filing for bankruptcy. So sad that it has come to this at our ages me 64, hubby 67 but we can't go on like we have been doing. No matter how long we live we will never pay of the interest on the credit cards. Been in floods of tears for last few weeks. We have to be at the court for 9-15 in the morning, don't think I will get any sleep tonight, no change there then.
Will let you know what happens.
Pat:(

farmers-marketeer

Hi can you put me down for £140 for June please same as last month which i managed but cooking for SIL and my bro stops me going to pub so it's really a saving and food is still for sharing even though i live alone. Reducing the booze bill to under a tenner a week is a huge saving and i feel better too.

PennyGrabber

Oh philsmum, I don't know what to say. I feel for you. I know what it's like not being able to sleep because of the worry - not to such an extent though. Maybe now this is happening, you can sort your money out? I've found it really hard going from not worrying too much about what I spend, to watching every penny, and it's really hard sometimes. You'll be in my prayers tonight. xx

I had a spend day today, but only because we were having a picnic. Only spent a few £s, but ignoring that today, as it's just part of the madness that was/is May! June starts tomorrow, as does my new attitude. I will only buy things this month that I will use in the week that I buy them. I have so much stuff all over the house, that it's ludicrous. I don't need to stock up, as I stock more than I use, and I'd like my house to look like a home instead of a shop. My friends joke that they could come to me when they run out of food, instead of the shops, and this has to stop!

Took some mince out of the freezer tonight ready for a bolognese pasta bake for tomorrow's dinner. Will be having fish and chips at lunch time - it's my once (ish) a month treat, having a take away, and as long as i don't buy much (ie children can share stuff as it's lunchtime) and take fruit etc for pudding, it won't cost the earth. Managed to only eat out once last month, and that helps a lot with the finances - I often think when ordering that what i choose costs as much as 3 or 4 main meals for my whole family!! That really helps with the attitude.

Haven't done a meal plan for the month yet, as the children have been with their dad for the last 4 days, so will get onto that tomorrow. DD has asked for fish pie this month. I normally let them choose 3 or 4 things each, then plan the rest around what's in. I make it into a list (no allocating meals to days, or I would fail straight away - I need the flexibility!!), then as a family, we choose the night before what we're having the next day, which gives me time to get stuff out of the freezer etc. Sometimes, if i don't have certain things in, I'll choose, or offer them a limited choice from the list, explaining that they can't have ___ til we've been shopping again. This method has really helped them as well as me - it's not that mine were fussy eaters, but they (especially DD) would almost turn their noses up at the dinners I gave them, if they didn't know beforehand what they were having. This way, they now know the night before, which gives them time to get used to the idea! I've tried many different ways of meal planning, and this has proved the most effective for me and mine, as it offers a meal plan with flexibility.

Off to bed now, with dreams of tinned tuna, salmon, frozen this that 'n' the other, and puddings galore!

Night all,
PG x

castri09_2

hi can you put me down for £90 please

JAMIEDODGER

Off to Tesco today for the first food shop of June. Trying to keep it low this week so will only be buying exactly what I need. Will need enough milk to last us for the week but I will probably buy 4 x 6pts for now. A couple of loaves of bread, will buy Tescos this week instead of Hovis and will need fruit, veg and cereals plus other bits. I have a meal plan sorted so hopefully I can keep within budget. We are eating out today at Butlins (separate budget) I have a fair bit in the cupboards and freezer and I am planning on baking this weekend. I have £45 available to spend this week, so it is a challenge but I am sure that I can do it.

mummyroysof3

Hi, i am aiming for £350 this month please, not sure if i can do it though...we will see i guess

tootoo

Hi all, new month new budget!
I don't think i've been doing bad, but i haven't been counting the little bits i've been picking up.....so this month I'm starting today and will count everything. I'm aiming for £200 please.
tootoo