July 2011 Grocery Challenge

ragz_2

lessthanthree<3 wrote: »

Started a new job today (same company, new team) so felt obliged to go for lunch in the canteen with them- £5 for soup and a can of coke!! Outrageous. They'll probably think I'm rude, but I can't afford to eat with them every week

Feign food allergy/crazy diet and take a healthy cheap packed lunch! Eat that with them. If that's allowed of course. Where on earth does soup cost £4???

I've had a lot of little shops, and the booze spends have been rather high due to all the celebrations this month (and commiserations, we're going to have to move in the next year )

Borrowed 'Mince' by Mitzie Wilson from MIL, it's FAB there are so many things I'm going to cook from it. It's £7.99 on Amazon so I'm going to have to copy out the recipes, though MIL has never actually cooked any she got it from Book club for a few quid.

69chick

Need to update sig as spent a bit in Co-op yesterday, got the garlic and cream for last nights meal which was pork strogonoff (which was yum) now have 2 portions of it in the freezer for next week when dh is away.

I am really thinking about everything I buy now, whilst I was in there I picked up reduced fresh burgers that the kids all had and reduced burger buns, have 5 burgers in the freezer too for another day/barbecue..other than that just got some sugar, choc drops and reduced utterly butterly to have a go at making Millies cookies today..

Have a question about baking, can I use butter substitute in my baking/biscuit making? I have been picking up real butter but don't know if thats necessary and was going to try the biscuits with the utterly butterly but am worrying now that it won't be right...

Can hear the church bells at the moment, I love that sound on a Sunday morning (not that I go, just love the sound of the bells!)

hex2

69chick - I mostly use stork for baking now. IMHO you need butter for flapjacks, shortbread and butter icing - the things where you taste the fat if that makes sense. There was a whole thread on stork for baking a few weeks ago.

here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3269602

spendlessmummy

Haven't had time to catchup on the thread yet but will try to come back later!

Another spend this morning, at Mr T, £46.19 on the weeks groceries. That includes a tub of formula for baby and a stock up on crisps (on offer).

Also trying to eat a lot from the freezer this week so I can make some room to use for more GC friendly buys!

emmad5689

Sorry but need to rant, going to visit my mam in hospital this afternoon but it's about an hours drive and we don't want to take the kids so my SIL was supposed to have them at her house, I would have provided food etc for them as I always do, now she's decided she will have them at our house instead so that they don't get bored (they always take toys with them) the thing is that what she basically means is she has no food in so she will come over here with my 2 nephews and eat anything she can lay her hands on. Am I being selfish? it's just that she would rather smoke and drink than keep a stock of food and it annoys the hell out of me and I know that when we come back the three of them will have had dinner, desserts and snacks which doesn't help when i'm trying to cut costs. Have rearranged the freezer so I can tell her what drawer she will find something in so I can at least limit the damage to the budget. Rant over

redkids1972

Been to Tesco to do my weekly shop mainly bought bread and fruit/veg. spent some time looking for the offers and did OK only spent £28 in total but did spend £8 in Iceland for milk and chicken and gave kids £5 for sweets/crisps on Friday night. So total up to £120 which I feel is OK and includes pet food for the month which I got from Amazon.
Dont know if Ill be within my £200 budget but gunna try.

annem38

well time for my second post! have religiously been writing down all my grocery/toiletry/papers and mags and for my first 2 weeks (of 5 that i am counting as july) and have come in at 63.45/250.00 . mind you, have not included 2 days in brighton and oh off, as we speak, on a golf weekend, but still a great result

have certainly found myself questioning every penny i spend, am working my way thru freezer and cupboards and am no longer stocking up for sake of it, only if i see a really great offer and i actually need it!

gawd i love this site and i feel like i have only just scratched the surface!! am looking forward to having more money, being more organised and having a cleaner, less cluttered house and life

anne

rej-c

NSD yesterday, £21.02 spent today - £9 in Mr T's [plenty of veg/meat/bread whoopsies plus some frozen veg and yoghurt] and £12.02 in another local shop [a month's supply of Him Indoors' favourite mayo and peanut butter - in his dreams, two of his three core food groups, along with pizza - plus some vegan sour cream-alike for me]. That takes us up to £68.86/£250.

Shouldn't need to get anything in now for several days, as I'm planning plenty of meals from the stash - starting with putting a dent in the pasta mountain

Rowan9

Some shopping in today. Spent just over £2 in health shop on their fab free range eggs - 89p for 6 from named farm in borders and a huge Cos lettuce. Went to MrM this afternoon. No whoopsies that were of interest but did get 5 tins of chick peas which were 20p each in their ethnic bit. Chappati flour was £1 for quite a big bag which I thought was good. Got the Gia tinned tomatoes on offer at 3 for £1. Lots of fruit - 2 bags apples, bag clementines, bumper sized bag of bananas, huge tin grapfefruit and other stuff and it came to just over £13 so I was pleased with that. We have a couple of tins of salmon, couple of tuna and have gammon and cooked chicken in the freezer as well as some veggie grills and fishfingers so I'm fairly sure that this will do us this week. Older dog's prescription tablets to collect again this week so I try to have a lean week and use some grocery money when they are due. She's a dear, dear soul and we're happy to be spendy on her in her old age.
Good luck this month folks. I love reading your posts for inspiration. So many of us are watching the pennies and, like others, I am really thinking whether I need something before I buy it.
W

emmad5689

NSD today so thats 3 out of 10 days, actually need a couple of things but not sure when i'm actually gonna manage to get them so will have to do without for now!