July 2011 Grocery Challenge

TryingHardToSave_2

Hi all,

Have been lurking on this post for the past couple weeks, trying to pick up any hints or tips. I think you all do so well and hope i can do just as good :S lol

When the August list goes up i would love to join

We are a household of 5, hubby and myself then 3 boys aged 7, 5 and 19 months. We also have an alsation, rabbit and goldfish.

My weekly budget of £60 will include all food, nappies/wipes, animal feeds/bedding, tolitries and cleaning products.

I shop all over really usually local markets, butchers and the supermarkets this is normally on a friday and can never resist a bargin, so this will be good for me because im going to have to ask myself do i really need it and can we really afford it?

My monthly target for August will be £240, wish me luck ha x

69chick

Congratulations Pipersky on your new arrival :T

Have updated sig although i need to go back and put another £1 on as I forgot I bought coffee yesterdayo in poundland. £39.82 spent in A$di on my main shop of the week and .85 in MrT as I forgot to get a cucumber (am quite amazed that I managed to go in for cucumber and only come out with that!!)

I was wondering if any of you use tinned potatoes at all,I picked up a tin in A£di as I thought it would be good to have in, thought it might be nice in potato salad, but was wondering whether I could use them for fishcakes? I have got a small tin of salmon, does anyone use them for that? I am trying to build up my easy meal options from the cupboards list as at the moment it consists of pasta and sauce!!

Hope everyone is getting the nicer weather this weekend, it has been a godsend as I havn't been able to get any washing done all week!

losingpatience

Well I've been following you all this month and would like to join properly in August. I've been doing my own little grocery challenge this month and put aside £220 a month for me, H2B and 6 guinea pigs and I'm up to £212.50 so I have £7.50 to last me until friday It all went wrong from pretty much as soon as we got paid in July where I spent over £100 in 2 shops in the first week. I did stock up on meat for the month at a farm shop, which I'm still working my way through now, but still it didn't bode well for the rest of the month when I blew almost half my budget within the first couple of days!

I think I'll aim for £200 in August so looking forward to seeing the August thread go up

Eyebright

I'm signing in with my total for July. I'm a bit disappointed as I've gone over, but this was the first month doing the challenge and I know I will do better in August! So my total for July is £210.48

I will be aiming for £200 in August

Long_tall_sally

Well back from a lovely week in Ibiza and already been to the Co Op, Home Bargains, Tes*o Express & Sainsbugs. I am under budget for the month but not by as much as I hoped considering that we were away for a week. My month ends on Tuesday so will wait till then before defintely declaring. Hope everyone is doing well.

Savvy_sewing

I think that I may have to go over my budget.
My meat order cost me £90 then I spent another £20.98 in Mr T, followed by £5.80 in the post office on bread/ham/milk. and we are now out of vegetables and the milk will be gone by the morning. But I am obviously much less then the month before, and there is enough meat to take me through until we go away on holiday at the end of August. I have just a few gaps in the menu plan for things like omelettes and pasta and the like.
But only 10 meals that I havent actually put on the plan yet.

pepsi-kins

Hi All
Another good week for me regarding the GC. We got given a leg of lamb this week, so that helps. I haven't any room in the freezer to buy anything, even though I could do with getting some meat, as only have the leg of lamb, and a joint of beef brisket, so I think my meal plan may go a little awry, to use up stuff in the freezer, so I can go and stock up on meat.

Have a good week everyone x

tessie_bear

hi...had a couple of spends in lidl and aldi...got a few (boxes ) of lollies in fir the school holidays....much cheaper than the icecream man...didnt think much to the lidl offers this week but i always have a look as have had some good bargains

i have made some meal plans for the week but need to give some thought to lunches as packups are for school(or so im told)...might do something from my on toast menu

have a great first week of the holidays....tessa

espresso21

I have been away for a week but I'm back now and determined to get back in to money saving. I really need to. My salary is going to decrease horrendously from August so I really need to save some money now, pay off store cards, etc and get in to the habit of not spending....and hopefully find a new job where they don't treat me like this!!! Hope you are all doing well out there.

losingpatience

Mean to say in my other post that the recipe for Millies cookies is fantastic! ( Though not so good for my waist line, I'm on to making my second batch of the week ) H2B is learning though, I don't buy biscuits anymore as they're just too expensive, he would quite happily sit and eat half a pack with a cuppa so I'd buy 2 - 3 packets a week ( and he doesn't like the cheap ones! ) So he's just asked if I would mind baking another batch, I said fine as long as he took over the ironing. Ten minutes later the cookies are in the oven and he's still working his way through the pile of ironing. Think I scored there!