July 2011 Grocery Challenge

HalfaSixpence_2

JIL wrote: »

its not been my husband that i have the problem with more my daughter, i know she wont look in the salad drawer so in the past i have 'hidden' cooked meat, chocolate, cheese etc in boxes in there out of her way. the problem then is remembering its there!!

Great minds think alike - in my case it is the salad drawer of the spare fridge in the garage, wrapped in a plastic carrier! Cheese fit the rest of the month an a pack of ham datedto 16th in there from last night - another pack of ham went in the freezer for cooking when I almost missed the date by forgetting it was there.

helen_jelly

HalfaSixpence wrote: »

Did a Sainsburys shop last night wanting to get the petrol coupon as dh is going to be doing a lot of driving next week. The New Me actually found it quite hard to find £60 of stuff that was on the list and cheap enough, particularly since there is no freezer space left unless I take something else out so couldn't stock up on anything perishable. Got to £68 in the end after deals so got the petrol coupon and was then given a coupon for £14 off my next shop over £70, which seems quite good but only valid until 8/07! Am deliberating whether it would be feasible to shop for the rest of the month, do major stock up on non perishables (they have an offer on the classic catfood my cats like) and maybe even put some stuff in my MILs freezer.

How do people find it works do do a big shop? I'm really used to shopping a couple of times a week and I'm worried it would just mean I'd run out of money half way through the month.

I find it really annoying that MrS have vouchers with such short dates on them - I'm really strict with myself now - if I have no need to go shopping then I won't be lured in by the offer - I only end up spending more than I can afford and as we are so short of money now I can't justify the extra spend even if its stocking up for the year ahead - its all a con to make you spend more money - I feel a rant coming on lol

Helen

Mothership

helen_jelly wrote: »

I find it really annoying that MrS have vouchers with such short dates on them - I'm really strict with myself now - if I have no need to go shopping then I won't be lured in by the offer - I only end up spending more than I can afford and as we are so short of money now I can't justify the extra spend even if its stocking up for the year ahead - its all a con to make you spend more money - I feel a rant coming on lol

Helen

Ditto, I think thats one of the reasons I've been able to reduce my spending so dramatically. If I have a money off voucher now I don't use it unless my daughter is needing nappies and baby milk. Its made a big difference.

Hope everyone is well.

emmad5689

HalfaSixpence wrote: »

Did a Sainsburys shop last night wanting to get the petrol coupon as dh is going to be doing a lot of driving next week. The New Me actually found it quite hard to find £60 of stuff that was on the list and cheap enough, particularly since there is no freezer space left unless I take something else out so couldn't stock up on anything perishable. Got to £68 in the end after deals so got the petrol coupon and was then given a coupon for £14 off my next shop over £70, which seems quite good but only valid until 8/07! Am deliberating whether it would be feasible to shop for the rest of the month, do major stock up on non perishables (they have an offer on the classic catfood my cats like) and maybe even put some stuff in my MILs freezer.

How do people find it works do do a big shop? I'm really used to shopping a couple of times a week and I'm worried it would just mean I'd run out of money half way through the month.

I started getting one main delivery per month (stops me putting in things we don't need) and then get the fresh things throughout the month and I have found this doesn't work, when you go for the fresh stuff you see things and think that's a good deal or I really fancy that for tea one night and buy more (my full freezer shows this fact) I think you would have to basically be able to happily plan your meals weeks in advance and be happy to stick to this to do that. I have now decided on doing it a different way, I am still doing a home delivery for heavier and bulky things and will go shopping once a week fo fresh but be prepared to buy little extras and do a smaller online shop. Today I have spent £1.15 bread (none of us like the cheaper stuff ) 91p on powdered sweetner (gonna get some Mr T value sweetex types to have in coffee and see what their like so granulated can just be for my cereal) £1.08 on bottle of pop as OH won't drink the juice that I always make sure I carry with me as it's not cold (nitemare)

sahara007

Can you add me please?

2 adults, 4 kids including 2 hungry teenagers and a cat, we currently spend about £500 a month on groceries :eek:

Would like to try to aim for £400 so that means me planning better with lunches in particular!

Thank you

TizerCat

Hi Pink-winged and Rosieben,

Please can I join the challenge? Have been away for a while and need to get things under control!

Now I may or may not have students coming this month:cool: so please can I do it weekly? No Students this week so am aiming for £15 this week? and have spent£10.02 so far on food @ @sd@. Am counting pet food and toiletries seperately this time.


good luck everyone on your July challenge!

TC

HalfaSixpence_2

helen_jelly wrote: »

I find it really annoying that MrS have vouchers with such short dates on them - I'm really strict with myself now - if I have no need to go shopping then I won't be lured in by the offer - I only end up spending more than I can afford and as we are so short of money now I can't justify the extra spend even if its stocking up for the year ahead - its all a con to make you spend more money - I feel a rant coming on lol

Helen

Well, yes- it is irritating but on the other hand that's the reason they offer the coupons, to get you into a regular habit of shopping with them. If I did all my shopping in the supermarket it wouldn't be too hard to use it - it is valid for a week, so that would be next weeks shop there instead of TES os or whatever. But ideally I want to keep shopping at my local shops and just taking advantage of offers etc at the supermarkets without getting pulled into doing the rest of my shop there. If I could work out a way to use the coupon on stuff I would buy anyway, that would be a point to me:rotfl: but I'm not sure I'm organised enough to shop monthly for smkt things.

hex2

:wave:Natty68

Can you please put Hex2 down for £350 in July. Two adults, two medium sized children, a part time teenager, four cats, two dogs and six hens. Trying to get a balance between spending, taste and ethics

Hope all is well with MrsM, Spiggle and Hippeechiq

emmad5689

Just wanted to say how disgusted I am, I am planning the online shop for next week so am adding bits and pieces each day and then will review before sending, I have just come across the babybels which my daughter used to get and they were £1.45 a pack of 6 a few weeks ago and now £1.78 in one jump, I have also found a jump of 82p to 99p and a jump of 28p to 31p even though this is only 3p look at it the other way and it is over 10% in one go. I am determined to suceed at this and have put a few value products in which we do not normally buy, sorry rant over

kymbo82

Thanks for the suggestions, I will give the value dishwasher tablets a go, at that price I'd be mad not to at least try them.
I didnt know about Tesco price check, I only knew about the asda one because they gave me a little card when I shopped there last week- it was the first time I had shopped there in years it was a lot closer to me at my last home