November 2011 - Grocery Challenge

rosieben

findingmyownway wrote: »

... spent over £400 in the supermarket in October!
... and try stick to £200. Does that sound sensible?

welcome to the GC, that seems like a big drop in spends to me, especially this time of year when we're all buying a few extras for christmas; might be better to do it in small stages, maybe drop £50 per month?

Rainy-Days

Lidl shop only

£24.16


Currently only buying what we need in so have avoided doing a Sainsbob shop this week. :T

meg72

findingmyownway wrote: »

Hi everyone

So tonight I am going to do a review of the freezer/cupboard and then try meal planning (I used to do this years ago when money was tight but have slacked off lately). I get paid in the middle of the month (yesterday) and so going to run my 'month' from today until 14th December and try stick to £200. Does that sound sensible?

Thats quite a drop in one go, but if you feel comfortable with it, go for it, Just remember that if you dont achieve quite so much its not a failure.Any reduction at all is a success.Good luck. you will get a lot of support and encouragement on here.

his_missus

findingmyownway wrote: »

Hi everyone, I am new to this thread but it seemed like a good place to start.

A review of our finances revealed we (ok, I) spent over £400 in the supermarket in October! No real idea how this happened as I don't remember eating particularly decadantly!

QUOTE]

It's amazing how quickly little bits here and there add up. Our monthly grocery spend could easily reach over £400 in a month. I'm keeping a shopping diary so I can see exactly what I spend my money on, where and how. I'm still quite new to the GC and am finding it difficult to keep within my budget so hoping the diary helps. Keeping a record on here when I do go shopping of the cost definitely helps. Maybe it will help you.

Good luck!:)

tessie_bear

hi...been to farm foods today for milk and got x6 muller light yogurts for £1 and activia pouring yogurt x2 for £1 strawberry flavour which i thought was reasonable....also raspberry cheesecake carte dor ice cream £1....got a chicken in roasting which smells nice

going to have a stirfry for tea tomorrow and im not sure whats going on for the rest of the week....plenty in the freezer so we wont starve

tata tessa

TheThriftyScrumpers

CompBunny
So sorry to hear about your Grandfather. Sending love and hugs xxxx

rosieben

CompBunny, so sorry to hear your sad news, will be thinking of you

bikelesschick

CompBunny, I'm new to the thread but just wanted to say sorry for your loss.

GC so far has definitely been a challenge! I only had a few days to buy for as spending over a week at parents' so I won't need to buy anything (unless I'm asked to get a few bits and bobs, which is never more than a few quid!).

I've kept all the receipts but not have had the courage so far to add them up. I'll try to find the inner strength within me to add them all tonight. I did have an NSD today though so that's a start!

tigerfeet2006

Tonight we had Sweet Chilli Sausages. Hippeechiq has a recipe in The Collection but I did mine in the slow cooker and altered the quantities.

Make a sauce from 8 tblsp tomato ketchup, 4 tblsp honey, 4 tsp chilli powder, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tblsp water.

Brown some sausages and chop into 3rds (I find I can get away with giving them less if the have chunks.) Cut some carrots into battens.

Chuck the lot into the SC and stir it. I put this on at 12pm and put it on high and then turned it down at around 4pm but this was probably to much and I will put it on low next time.

I served this with cheesy mash and sweetcorn.

Clean plates all round

rosieben

tigerfeet, I've added your Sweet Chilli Sausages recipe to the index :T