I'm eating out of the freezer and cupboards challenge

cheerfulness4

dannie wrote: »

ms_night_ryder - I'd be interested to see ideas for a 2012 "proper challenge".

Yes I'd be interested to see ideas to do this, too.

CherylEmma

Hey new to this so if its ok can I join pls?

klemutot

Frogletina wrote: »

Horse chestnuts :eek: are poisonous - also know as conkers

The ones that are edible are called sweet chestnuts

I have been eating 'conkers' for 40 years with no problems. We collect our own in the autumn and roast them for Xmas.

Lynsey

Hi all. I should have stuck to this for December as I've done quite well really - maybe a £150 budget for December would have done.
Had some great bargains from both Sainsburys and Morries of late and freezers are now bulging!!!
Loads of fish of most types and got loads of packs of various butcher counter sausages for only 25p per pack last week (Morries).
Got one turkey joint from Morries for £2.25 (stuffed and covered with bacon rashers), but still need the Xmas day turkey breast.
Loads of fruit and veg "whoopsies" of late - never paid more than 24p per pack for anything from Sainsburys (apples, satsumas, plums, peaches, mushrooms, potatoes, carrots, mange tout etc) - almost giving the stuff away.
Just made a deep dish apple pie today.

FWIW, I was thinking of an annual spend for next year and was toying with £1500 for the year. This would cover all food, soft drinks and coffee/tea etc. - but not alchoholic drinks (which we are vastly reducing anyway). This would be slightly over the £100 per month (£25 per week'ish) I've been budgeting for previously. It would also give a little extra for Easter/Xmas etc., but taking holidays/days away etc, would give a decent achievable budget. I think £100 per month for 12 months would be pushing it and I would always be looking over my shoulder and scared to fail. So probably a £1500 budget for two people for 2012 and that's starting with a decent (very decent) start. Meals out not included either, though we only eat out about 3 or 4 times per month anyway on average (depends on offers).

Interesting to see what others are budgeting for.

Lynsey

bramble1

Lynsey, I plan to do an annual grocery budget next year. OHs work is seasonal so when he earns more I make the most of it and stock up, when work is sparse we make use of stores more.

Thinking about £1500 for the year too, maybe £1600

[Deleted User]

I like the idea of a yearly budget as I find sticking to monthlies I struggle as some months go well over budget!!

£1500 sounds doable especially as we have fairly stocked up cupboards/freezers as it is!

Started well yesterday with free sauces and porridge, 17p bread, 30p bagels and 40p for 3 peppers!

Must avoid the shops for a while now!! :rotfl:

bramble1

I've decided to make Lidl my No.1 supermarket next year. The offers on meat and veg are so good. I will buy what is on offer and base my meal planning around that,rather than meal plan and then go shopping. Will still go to waitrose and sainsburys but pledge not to pay full price for ANYTHING from there

Today we've got stew, potatoes were from lidl as were carrots and the beef was whoopsied in tesco last week. All the rest was from the store cupboard.
OH has the usual sarnies for his lunch, I am still in pain and can't eat much so will try some soup later.

Plan for the rest of the week is sausages, kiev, xmas work do, spicy chicken all from freezer

Lynsey

Deleted_User wrote: »

I like the idea of a yearly budget as I find sticking to monthlies I struggle as some months go well over budget!!

bramble1 wrote: »

I've decided to make Lidl my No.1 supermarket next year. The offers on meat and veg are so good. I will buy what is on offer and base my meal planning around that,rather than meal plan and then go shopping. Will still go to waitrose and sainsburys but pledge not to pay full price for ANYTHING from there

Some of my thinking also.
A yearly budget gives more flexibilty as it allows to bulk buy great offers/bargains one month and then perhaps a slacker month or two to average out.
Not buying full price is also a very sensible tactic, especially from the big 4 - some massive bargains here with "whoopsies". Again Lidl half-price weekends/cheap veg and also Aldi fruit/veg offers can help.
Meal planning with what you have makes sense (to me anyway) rather than meal plan ahead. Planning ahead probably means you will be paying more as you need to buy something in particular and not just anything.
One thing I've personally found with budgeting is the lack of waste, not much thrown away now. Filling a fridge with a weekly shop meant things got missed and binned - this also meant meal planning was influenced by what I needed to get rid of. Much more sensible and cost effective just to tick over.

2012 "New Years Resolution" - bulk buy/max quality cheap bargains.

Lynsey

quintwins

but you can do a budget for the year in the grocery challenge, maybe this one should be setting so many days of the month to get out of the freezer? (but then thats kinda like a nsd challenge aswell)

anyway yesterday is a write off oh bought lots of junk food and ice cream so won't even go into that

today for breakfast was jam sandwichs and apples for the kids i had wheatbix and an orange and ds had an orange aswell, not sure on lunch yet thinking maybe sausage sandwichs but were having sausage casarole for tea so thats too many sausages i'll decide when i get back from the school run might do cheese toasties either way i'm not buying anything for it lol

bramble1

Quintwins - I was going to sign up to the GC challenge in Jan and thought this place would be pledging how many meals per month are out the store cupboards or something along those lines? Not sure how it would work exactly...

I have had 2 quorn burgers and 3 hash browns that were the last of a packet for my lunch.