November 2011 - Grocery Challenge

bikelesschick

Can I please join this challenge? I've been setting myself budgets every month but I never seem able to stick to them and just end up giving up. I'm hoping that joining the thread (and finally leaving lurkedom land) will help me.

I'm not sure what a reasonable budget for a single person is, so any ideas are very welcome! In the meantime, can I please be put down for £30. I know this is quite low but it's only until the end of the month and I'll be spending 9 days at my parents so I really only need 11 days worth of food. Also, I have a few bits in the freezer as well so I'll use these up.

Thank you.

Long_tall_sally

Small spend today at the Co Op.

Living_proof

It must be Christmas. In the post this morning I had a £25 premium bond cheque, several £5 off £40 Tesco vouchers, and out of nowhere £4 off £20 shops (4 of them) from Sains's. Wow! Don't they know that I spread myself around these days - Aldi, Lidl, Asda, Tesco and occasionally if I am out and about, Sains's? Things are getting seriously competitive out there. There were also £12.50 of Tesco vouchers, so that's even less I will be actually spending.

Talking about vouchers, I get regular incentive vouchers Capital Bonds, and the only grocery type places I can use them is Farmfoods and Iceland. No matter how open minded I try to be these stores are just not for me. All the garish packaging puts me off and I can see that they would be really good value for people with young families, but for mature singles and couples, I don't think they have much to offer. I notice that if I lose 10% of the value I can swap for Asda vouchers, so do you agree that I would overall get better value from these to save up and swap? Vouchers are always so much more fun that money - that just gets eaten up in the general scheme of things, and probably saved these days whereas vouchers are almost for treats - king prawns, sea bass, great bottle of wine, etc. What do you think?

totallybored

I'm up to £21.98 so far this month (I was away for the weekend though). I've only popped in Mr Ts for some beans and pizza last week and then Iceland for some bread and milk. Tomorrow night I'm going to meal plan for the rest of the month and hopefully I can be under budget and make up for last months over spend.

pipersky

No spends today or yesterday.... my other half went to T's to pick up some sheets yesterday and we then realised they were in the double up promotion so I ordered them online with double up vouchers (insert virtuous smily here!) but then he decided that since he was there he would buy a big tub of Smarties for him, a box of chocs for someone at work who he managed to offend (don't ask!) and the massive pack of Magnums (the pack of 8 for £4!!!! eeeeeeep!!!)

I refuse to include them in the grocery spends as it's just junk that I wouldn't have bought so he can take the hit! :P

So anyway, spends remain the same regardless of whether I have sneakily eaten several of the magnums *blush*

meg72

Need2bthrifty wrote: »

H

Can I ask if anyone has tried freezing tinned corned beef - I used to by the small tins cause a large one keeps me going for days, but I recently started buying the larger 'basics' one but after two meals I still have a third of the tin left , I know it would keep for another couple of days in the fridge, but for next time wondered about freezing some when I open the tin.

Corned beef freezes really well.I love cold cornbeef with chips and
sp pickled beetroot. I can get 5 meals from a big tin so slice and freeze in bags.

Twiceblessed

update for last few days

0.85 milk
5.00 fleece on offer from Play
3.18 bits and pieces from Home Bargains

ms_night_ryder

Nothing more spent on groceries, my fridge is rather bare and only have a few quid of my budget left, i have loads in the freezer, but i need a small amount of veg and fruit, im thinking since i didnt include a tescos voucher i got i will spend that and maybe top it up with a tiny amount of my budget money if needed.

rosieben

Having read it here, I've just frozen half a small tin of corned beef for next week/month never thought to slice it and freeze it - duh! - thanks, Need2bthrifty and meg72


recovering spendaholic, I've added your baked gnocchi to the recipe index :T

tessie_bear

hi....i have a birthday cake to make today so will need to put my creative hat on and think up something pretty....got spag bol cooked in the sc yesterday for tea....what to do for pudding ?? decisions decisions

off shopping in a bit...mr t and lidl as i want to have a loook at the latters christmas bits...a bit different i think so might get something nice like the very lovely turkish deligt covered in chocolate

also need to decide on a budget and get some cash out for next week

tata tess