January 2007 Grocery Challenge

jillie1974

This is my first grocery challenge! am aiming for £120 from today!
so far spent £9.54

aussielovell

my budget for January (until pay day) is £100 cause thats all I have. Thats for me and my daughter and she will just have to be happy with school dinners

retiredlady

OK - I want to do this grocery challange. I know we buy too much and throw away too much unused food:eek:
My question is - what constitutes groceries? If I plan a grocery budget does that include toilet rolls, shampoo, cleaning supplies (stardrops of course!:D )?

Or is just stuff we actually eat?
Thanks from a reformed spendthrift!:o

Marion

Kazonline

I'm going to start onThursday 4th to Weds 31st (inclusive) to give me a perfect 4 weeks.
My challenge is £320 total, all groceries.
I know it's a lot to some for 1 adult, 3 boys & dog - but as some of you may recall my lads have a hefty appetite, and leftovers non existent!
Also this is pushing my comfort zone which was £125 per week - and is also inline with what it should be on the DMP.
I'll add it to my sig asap.
Good luck everyone!
Kaz x

cobbingstones

Hi Pink

First time for me. Three adults and two under 2's. I'm going to estimate the shopping bill to be £60 weekly. If under that will be fantastic!!

Happy New Year

MMxx

earthmother

Well, third time lucky hopefully.

I tried in October and November, but failed dismally both times. December didn't even get started, but I'm back to try again


My month runs Monday to Sunday - so January is 1st to 28th - and my budget this time around is £320 (about £100 less than usual).

We're a family of 5, and the budget includes nappies for two, formula for one and specialist toiletries, detergents etc for all.

Hopefully I shouldn't have too much trouble - I'm stocked up on non-perishables, and this week just finishing is £10 under budget.

millionaire_in_training

I have decided to only lift £60 per week from the bank and work in cash only. This is money to cover everything from food, petrol etc. Any expenses such as birthdays etc will have to be in addition to this. There is 1 adult and 2 hungry kids in this house. Will put 2 totals in my signature as only want to spend £30 per week on actual groceries. Feeling really motivated and hope it lasts. Good luck all. xx

lily-ella

my first time too! good luck everybody x
Im going for £100 for the month as its just me and my daughter, and she eats like a mouse (doesnt get that from me!)
Does this budget include loo rolls and cleaning stuff or just food?

benjacksmum

retiredlady wrote:

My question is - what constitutes groceries? If I plan a grocery budget does that include toilet rolls, shampoo, cleaning supplies (stardrops of course!:D )?

Or is just stuff we actually eat?

Hi Marion,

There is no real answer to this, it is completely up to you. Some people include petrol, others including me don't. I do include toiletries, cleaning and pet food though, this on top of the edible stuff. On your first month I think the main advice is to just keep track of where your money is spent so that you can work out what you are currently spending on your groceries and aim for a comfortably lower figure that you can achieve. Hope that helps a little.;)

Just completed my 2006 spreadsheet and my weekly shopping has averaged out at £59.41 for 2 adults, 2 boys 6 & 3 and one pooch, so I am chuffed to bits with that, much better than the £100+ it used to be a couple of years ago.

Included in my 2007 resolutions are two that relate to food - one is to bring the shopping bill down to £50 per week, and the other is to menu plan every single week to help achieve that. January is gonna be a cinch as we have still got a ridiculous amount of food in which has left me with a dilemma now - do I still budget £50 per week (as per my 2007 spreadsheet) knowing that I don't really want to spend more than £10 per week on milk and perishables (cos I am trying to use this food up) and put the savings to good use in my mortgage pig, Preston or do I just aim for £10 per week anyway?

What would everybody else do?

Ang x

earthmother

benjacksmum wrote:

... has left me with a dilemma now - do I still budget £50 per week (as per my 2007 spreadsheet) knowing that I don't really want to spend more than £10 per week on milk and perishables (cos I am trying to use this food up) and put the savings to good use in my mortgage pig, Preston or do I just aim for £10 per week anyway?

What would everybody else do?

Personally I'd go for a split - use some (say an extra £10 a week) to top up non-perishables like tinned food and loo roll (whatever's on offer), then put the balance against the mortgage (or in our case debts).

That way you're getting a head start on next months' shopping, whilst still reducing the debts.