I'm eating out of the freezer and cupboards challenge

Kirri

ammonite wrote: »

but have spent about £250 on groceries in the last month alone

Ooh that's a lot in a month - though how many people is that for though?

Lynsey wrote: »

Morning all.

2 x NSD's in a row completed.
Took almost 10 months to realise that I can save even more by having NSD's. :rotfl:

Try a week next time?!

I've found that even though I want specific items for whatever I am cooking, when I've avoided shopping lately, if I don't have them there is always something else I can eat that day and even on my more modest stocks compared to others I could last months :eek:

Had yet another reshuffle in the cupboards last night - going to sell some of the storage jars now I think Top cupboard shelf is now all baking tins, am down to just 2 shelves of dried goods now and just a few jars/tins in another cupboard that will be used in recipes shortly. Feels good but is taking AGES running it down.

Slightly dreading vegan month just due to the fact I have so much veggie food in but hardly anything suitable for vegan meals as I won't be able to eat Quorn or the pesto I have in or the quiches I've stacked in the freezer... and I don't really want to be having to buy more food in to add to what I'm trying to run down..

ammonite

:rotfl: Kirri - just for 2 - I hasten to add as I said in the post - we haven't eaten £250 of groceries, I've had to re-fill my freezer and cupboards from empty so that should last us 3-4 months with just £15-£20 top ups each week. I haven't spent that in a month since April which is when I did my last freezer re-stock. I don't mind that I've spent that much as I've bought loads of meat, I just need to get eating it now

Lynsey

I've decided not to go back out - can't be bothered and I'll get by with just enough milk to last until tomorrow.
Weeks spends = £17.92 (lowest in approx 10 weeks - week 31 £9.71)

So [STRIKE]bore you time[/STRIKE] update time again.

Weeks 1-6 = £84.74
Weeks 7-12 = £126.69
Weeks 13-18 = £165.57
Weeks 19-24 = £113.86
Weeks 25-30 = £130.98
Weeks 31-36 = £136.14
Weeks 37 - 42 = £169.08

42 weeks total = £930.06
42 weeks average = £22.15
40 weeks average = £23.25 (taking into account 2 weeks on holiday)

10 weeks left leaving an average of £56.99

What on earth am I going to spend £56.99 on every week??
I'll plod along until November and then I'll be frugal for the whole month (£100 for all of November) and that'll take it to the last 4 weeks running up to Xmas/New Year. I've got approx £30/£35 on Nectar points for Xmas stuff. I might even treat myself with the Nectar points and keep them for the January sales.

So the hard work has been done and just a stroll to the end - looking forward to week 52 now and getting to the "winning line". I want to come in at under £1400 and that'll allow my foodbank fund (£100) to come out of my budget.

Kirri - I should really try and get by for a month on just £40 and it would be a "doddle" with the stash I've got. I'm now stashing "whoopsies" for next year as I couldn't possibly use up what I have already. I like the fun though and love even more beating those supermarkets.

Thanks for reading (if you have), but you have all inspired me and kept me going all year. The help, fun and camaraderie on this thread is fantastic. :T

Lynsey

[Deleted User]

Lynsey
you certainly are an inspiration and have done very well!:)

As stated before I MUSTnow stick to the title of the thread and use things up!!

Lots of bargains tonite tho including 30p curry and 19p naan for dinner , 3 packs of lamb/beef @ 38p, 40p and £1.05 - trouble is my freezer is now full to bursting and only£30 of shopping budget left till xmas!

Gonna do an inventory tomorrow (andmake sure I do a food parcel before xmas too!) as can probably find more meals than I think out of everything!!

Kirri

ammonite, that is a lot for two, I thought you were going to say 6 or something! but as a replace shop I guess it will last a long time.

lynsey, that is an incredible average spend!!!

One thing I've found this year is I really dislike having food in stock that I have to eat and although I have a few stock items I like to buy or cook regularly, I really prefer to cook what I fancy and try out new recipes rather than have to use what I have and I've hated this year! It's also been time consuming keep sorting and reorganising large amounts of food..

Have shuffled yet more jars tonight and stuck a batch of storage jars on ebay I've stashed more stuff in re-used jars so when those things are eaten I can just recycle those glass jars and create more space ready for a more streamlined 2013.

Lynsey

Morning all, nice bright day here.

Kirri - the average does look pretty good on paper and it does seem lowish, but that average covers a load of food and God knows how much I've wasted on chocolate and crisps etc? Others have done far better than myself, but I'm happy with what I've done. With hindsight (great thing), I could have got away with a £1200 budget (£100 p/m), but was scared of failing, so added a cushion to allow for Xmas and possibly a shortage of "whoopsies" and the possibility Lidl stopped the half-price weekend offers. Both those fears never materialised.

Out most of the day, but will try Sainsbury's later for milk any any decent bargains. Short on bread again, but not bothered about that as loads of Wright's stuff to use up. Did take out some bagels and half a French stick.

Just a coffee and Kit Kat for breakfast, beef dinner for myself and hubby is having pie and mushy peas (bless him).

Lynsey

[Deleted User]

Lynsey, if there are any mushy peas left over I'll have them

ms_night_ryder

Im not cooking today, I went to make a bagel with cheese and pancetta, turned on my beloved George foreman and it blew up! Having a grump now and a tiny bit scared to turn anything else on, it tripped all the power as well.

So will hunt out a deal on a gf, I have had mine quite a few years now about 5.

ms_night_ryder

Went and had a McDonald's for late lunch, ordering Chinese later, while I watch Xfactor etc.

Went to Mr w got a box of 9 yogurt tubes, 2 bags of raisin bagels and i was curious about the green and blacks so bought vanilla, it was down to 2.79 and since Edwardia buys it often lol, thought I'd give it a try.

I don't feel one bit of guilt for not eating out of freezer today.

But i have taken out some spare ribs, mainly to fit bagels and Icecream in lol.

elly2

Hi can i join please, i have done a freezer check and am ashamed by the amount of food i am currently storing we are a family of myself and 3 children (20,9 and 7) my dad also lives with us 6 months of the year. I have 3 freezers in my home and it has been along time since i have seen the bottom of any of them atm my freezers contain......

2 bags of chips, 24 individual pies, 3 pizzas, 30 battered fish portions,14 crispbakes,32 beef burgers,8 mega burgers, 48 chic dippers,26 fish cakes, 3 plate pies, 22 fish fingers, 4 x garic bread, 18 chic kievs, 100 + sausage about the same number of meab balls.6 crispy chicken 8 garlic chick,chick thighs/drummers aprox 40, 3 whole chickens,3 beef joints,1 pork joint 9x mince 11 tubs of marge 10 blocks of cheese (also 5 in fridge) all manner of potato products (for the kids who wouldnt eat mashed pots they will now if i give them muhy peas with it so have 5 bags of them now) 6 x steak bakes 4 x fried rice 2 x chow mien 50 spring rolls and various odds and sods oh and a carrier of some sorts of meat i recall at one point buying sausage meat steak and kideny chicken fillets etc from the butchers. In the cupoards i know i have pasta and rice not done this yet but i have 20 tins of soup and 24 tins of beans on top of them. i have herbs spices gravy granuals flours eggs the list goes on and on to be honest i'm scared to have a propper look at exactly what is there. But i do know that there is no need for me to go out again next week and spend any money on food. I need to try and sort out some kind of meal plan but am overwhelmed by what i have.