June 2011 Grocery Challenge

69chick

Am declaring June at £319.69 as my June has finished now,just done a £10 shop at the co-op for bits for a family barbecue this afternoon (I know the weather isn't looking great but we will battle on!!!..its a lot cheaper than the original plan of eating out with my lot...am pleased with my spends this month as it turned out to be a 5 weekend month (managed to only do 5 shops with just a few little bits in between) and I came in under budget, am going to put £30 into a 2nd purse (system courtesy of Mothership) if I can get the hang of it...As I am living with family at the moment I don't have a lot of space to stock up but want to get to grips with the system before we move into our own home again and the bills really start to fly in :eek:

What I need to do now is get to grips with my other spends such as booze (which we need to cut down on) and what I call 'family spends' for bits like taking the kids out to the cinema/swimming etc. need to cut down there too, but think it will be easier when we are back in our own home as I feel the need to get out with them more to give us and myparents a break!!

Hope you are all having a good weekend, I have just made the 'misers chocolate cheesecake'from the index and its in the fridge chilling...a bit miffed as it was ds that wanted me to do a chocolate cheesecake with him and he has tasted the topping (which I think tastes great) but he doesn't like it!!! anyway I still doubt it will hang around long in this house!

pepsi-kins

Hi,
Not doing too bad, pretty much only bought what was needed this week, except for the offer in Wait*ose for the cushelle loo roll, which someone (sorry can't remember who) mentioned, I can't seem to resist a loo roll offer!! Then I went into the Co-*p today for some eggs and they had the Elmwood sausages 20 reduced down to £1.55, so I couldn't pass that up, so got two lots.
I bought some reduced blueberries a while back, and last night I made with one punnet, blueberry jam, it is lush, felt very domestic goddess making it. This morning I made scotch pancakes with blue berry jam - I made a right pig of myself (but i don't care). With the other punnet I'm going to make blueberry and lemon cake with cocunut crumble topping (the recipe says to use lemon curd - which I made the other day - go me, go me)
Have a good week everyone x

TheBees

TheBees are lurking this month and wil rejoin in July.

Just in the middle of doing an online shop with MrS and came onto the site to find some menu ideas. I've now got enough meals planned to take me to the end of the month.

Mon - Lemon & courgette linguine (new recipe found in newspaper not tried it yet!)
Tues - Crispy chicken, croquette pots, veg
Wed - Sausages, potato, pepper, onion bake
Thurs - Chorizo rice
Fri - Home made pizzas
Sat - Spag Bol and garlic bread
Sun - Lamb roast (whoopsie bargain), pots and veg
Mon - Frozen fish, chips, beans
Tues - Campbells bacon pasta
Wed - Mini meat pies, pots and veg
Thurs - Chinese chicken wraps
Fri - Domio Stir in/Pesto pasta
Sat - FOOD SHOP!

missblonde

I've had a very busy week so haven't been about, so just checking in to say I've not forgotten! I was doing so well until I bought snack food for two parties and wasted £50ish on rubbish food and alcohol. Bah. Still, fresh start from today and I am still within target.

CRANKY40

I made the Millies cookies from the index again today, but reduced the flour slightly and threw in 1/2 an ounce of cocoa powder. The chocolate version is even better than the original (I had to have a little taste for quality control purposes).

Tracey.32

Ooops ... well I am completely spent up now! Went to Mr A's for shopping this week - checked online and they had more offers on stuff I needed. Spent £35.70 which is a bit of an increase on my recent weekly shops, but that included some more expensive items, like 12 cushelle for £4 and shampoo and conditioner (herbals) @ 2 for £3. They also had 10 mullers for £4 and 2 frozen pizzas for £3.

I'm aiming to plan better next month and shop around a bit more ... would like to try some stuff in Heron's and have a look in Lidl and Aldi before heading to the big ones for the bits I can't get cheaper.

On the plus side, we are lucky enough to keep hens at my workplace and if it's your turn to feed or water (or shovel!!) then you get that day's eggs. So I have 8 free range eggs that cost me nothing :T

Made Millie's cookies today. Had no chocolate drops tho so I used sultanas instead and added some cinnamon. Mine have turned out more cakey than cookie - lush tho!

I'd better have a ton of NSDs now as I only have £1.06 left till 28th. Got bread and milk in the freezer and fruit from my last shop - it'll just have to do. Hope everyone else is ok and doing well :hello:

XSpender

£1 spent on ham on offer at Mr M yesterday. The good news for next month is that DH found some of his razor blades in the back of the bathroom cabinet which means I do not need to spend £25 at C0stco on buying a new pack for ages:T These should last him about 5 months:D

I am down to 1 nappy so will have to buy some tomorrow. Don't get paid until Wednesday so will have to borrow a few out of the pack I sent over last week to MIL who watches him 2 days a week. Either that or buy a pack of value ones for £1.47! I only need 3 a day for monday and tuesday as he is at MIL/nursery the rest of the time. Hope they don't leak!:eek:

Meal plan is done up until the 1st and shopping list written for Mr A, Mr T (DH) and Mr S. Just need to wait til payday to hit the shops. :rotfl:

quintwins

i use value nappies and they never leak and he pee's loads we had awful trouble with huggies leaking but never had an issue with the value ones

destroyerofdebt2011

Another smallish spend of £6.16 to report on essentials for the week ahead. Im still under my budget but realised there really isnt any more money left in the bank account untill payday (and i refuse to put it on CC when im trying so hard to reduce them), so will just have to manage untill friday now on whatever is left.

Mothership

quintwins wrote: »

i use value nappies and they never leak and he pee's loads we had awful trouble with huggies leaking but never had an issue with the value ones

My DD2 spends a fortune on brand named nappies. Would you be so kind as to tell me what value nappies you buy? What supermarket?

Went to Costco for the first time with a friend who has a card, for B&B supplies, was really impressed. I was good didn't spend anything from my GC budget, or the 2nd Purse. However I went to M&S and got a few of the Deli Deals...

2 packs of BBQ chicken and 2 cooked chicken Legs 3 for £5
1 Quish Lorraine 1 Large Pack of Salad 1 Large Apple pie 3 For £5
1 Carton Extra thick Double Cream 59p
1 pack Pork Sausages 99p
1 pack lorne Sausage 99p

Total Spend £12.57

I love M&S food, I find the above purchases of some of my favourites, helps stop me going nuts in there LOL. Not only that there's 5-6 meals there for the days when there's only two of us to feed.

Had the family over for dinner last night OH wanted Sweet and Sour chicken ( recipe in index) I made it with Donald Russell chicken breasts, it was lovely, still prefer M&S Oakham Chicken.

While on the subject of DR, I got a few of their weekly meal planners, one with Fish Cakes, Lasagna, they were nice , but not a patch on home made. the chicken was part of one of the deals. I've still to try their rather expensive sausages, will let you know what we think OH will only eat M&S sausages, I've tried him with all kinds, no joy.
It wont be hard to resist their meal deal offers in future ( we can make better at home), though I must say , their steaks, mince and old fashioned cuts of meat are far superior to anything I have found.

They have an offer on at the moment with their mince @ around £3 per pack, + there's 7% cash back on Quidco. Its a great deal.

https://www.donaldrussell.com/p/HomePromotions/Minced-Beef-Steak-440g-D219.htm