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January 2007 Grocery Challenge

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  • We're quite lucky here as I live on the outskirts of an old market town. We have a handful of butchers, a couple of bakers, couple of chemists (inc. boots) 2 newsagents, a budgens supermarket, about a dozen charity shops, travel agents, estate agents, etc etc!! The only thing we dont have is a greengrocers as it closed a few years back but there is an organic veg box delivery company there so in essence that counts!! Oh and the farmers market on the last friday of every month.
    I've decided today, after doing my usual stop at the bakers on the way home from the post office that I'm going to boycott supermarkets and major retail stores/shopping centres. Not sure when to start as it will probably increase my weekly budget but think it might be the way to go. I love the idea of supporting the local places, if I'd have started years ago we might not have lost our grocers!!
    I can get everything I need, I think, from the town if I shop at the charity shops for clothes for the kids etc. School uniform may be a problem tho.
    Any one else do this?? Is it feasable?
  • kiwi88_2
    kiwi88_2 Posts: 513 Forumite
    Hey Moggins I reckon I live about 10mins away from you ;)

    However back to the groceries :D I have just blown the budget on a night out at pizza hut :eek: For some reason, ok I was fed up and the kids pleaded, we ended up going out for dinner so I am now over budget by £25 :eek:

    Oh well better luck next month :rolleyes: However it's still better than I used to do so a slip or two is ok so I keep telling myself :rotfl:
    MFiT Member No 85
    :money: Martin says NO :money:
  • kiwi88 wrote:
    :D I have just blown the budget on a night out at pizza hut :eek: For some reason, ok I was fed up and the kids pleaded, we ended up going out for dinner so I am now over budget by £25 :eek:
    QUOTE]

    I know how you feel - I have the same trouble with dbf, although usually I don't need much persuading to eat out! Was very firm last night and insisted that we paid for our meal out with our own weekly spending money rather than with our joint food budget - especially as we'd already had a quite expensive meal for his birthday earlier in the month.
    Shouldn't complain too much, though - now I've started doing a proper list of stuff (mainly veg, fruit and milk) once or twice a week, mr redspot has become very keen on doing the shopping. I think he figures it isn't too traumatic anymore and it earns him brownie points ;);)

    I was away with work all of last week, which I think has saved us some food money, but still £30 over what I'd hoped this month - huge on-line delivery plus birthday tea haven't helped. Have definitely decided to combine Jan and Feb together to try and redeem my over-spend next month. At the weekend I'm going to do a stock take of the cupboards and freezer so can plan some meals for Feb, and will also have a good look through the recipes on here - my new slow cooker is desperately waiting to be used!
    Any more advice would be welcomed...


    New flat, new budget, new commitment to MSE!

    "It's never too late to be what you might have been" George Eliot
  • lil_me
    lil_me Posts: 13,186 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Well I've added £12 fruit and veg for the week today, forgot eggs, darn it!

    Moggins wish my local shops were cheap, unfortunately local one is an expensive village store, 2 miles away is Somerfield, there is a butchers and bakers there, butcher charges what he wants when he wants cost me £14 for sausages, bacon and chicken breasts last time and the bakers stuff is awful! I usually use the farm shop which is about 6 miles away fro meat but he's only open 2 days a week. Tescos is about 8 miles, same with LIDL, ALDI etc. Pleased I drive as no buses direct to them, have to get at least 2 each way costing about £7/8 return journey! It's £3.80 return just into town but only grocery shop there is Iceland and Waitrose!
    One day I might be more organised...........:confused:
    GC: £200
    Slinkies target 2018 - another 70lb off (half way to what the NHS says) so far 25lb
  • moggins
    moggins Posts: 5,190 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    redspot, for special events it helps to think in advance and pick up anything you may need when it's reduced or on special offer if it will keep.

    I already have sirloin steaks in the freezer for valentines day (from the reduced chiller cabinet in Tesco) and a duck for easter (frozen reduced from Mr T after christmas)
    Organised people are just too lazy to look for things

    F U Fund currently at £250
  • moggins
    moggins Posts: 5,190 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    lil_me I am lucky I know. It's also only a ten minute walk to Asda and 15-20 minute walk into town where we have a Sainsburys, Iceland, indoor market with lovely fresh fish stall and twice a week we have an outdoor market where I stock my freezer up every 3 months. I can buy enough meat there to last us 3 months for £50 and sacks of veg for a couple of quid each.
    Organised people are just too lazy to look for things

    F U Fund currently at £250
  • I know it sounds stupid, but it wouldn't have occurred to me to think about that - don't know why, as our birthdays fall on the same day every year :rotfl:

    Like others, I similarly bemoan the lack of good local shops. I live in the city centre and we just don't have anything reasonably priced and local - we have a deli over the road which sells beautiful cheese etc, but is v expensive - £1.85 for 2l of lemonade :eek: Manchester recently got an Aldi on one of the main shopping streets but it's always so busy I can't face it. It's on-line deliveries then odd fresh bits from Sainsbury's local. Must try to get organised enough to remember to get veg from local stall which is on way home from work...


    New flat, new budget, new commitment to MSE!

    "It's never too late to be what you might have been" George Eliot
  • Softstuff
    Softstuff Posts: 3,086 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    redspot24 wrote:
    Manchester recently got an Aldi on one of the main shopping streets but it's always so busy I can't face it. It's on-line deliveries then odd fresh bits from Sainsbury's local. Must try to get organised enough to remember to get veg from local stall which is on way home from work...

    There's Venus Foods too, it's near Rusholme. Worth a visit, it's a Turkish wholesalers. The fruit and veg is really good quality and very cheap and they have a huge variety of dried foods and spices.
    Softstuff- Officially better than 007
  • Thanks for that recommendation - I know where it is and it's quite near to where I work so I'll try to check it out. Also love the fact it's such a long distance recommendation :rotfl:


    New flat, new budget, new commitment to MSE!

    "It's never too late to be what you might have been" George Eliot
  • Softstuff
    Softstuff Posts: 3,086 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    redspot24 wrote:
    Thanks for that recommendation - I know where it is and it's quite near to where I work so I'll try to check it out. Also love the fact it's such a long distance recommendation :rotfl:
    Hehe, I used to live near Lancaster, and my ex-husband was Turkish, so that's the link.
    As I recall it's also pretty cheap for cheeses, yoghurts and loads of stuff.
    If you do go make sure to head there just before lunch and grab a couple of fresh turkish pizzas (Lahmacun - pronounced la-ma-joon). Used to be 99p each, and veeeery tasty.
    Softstuff- Officially better than 007
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