November 2011 - Grocery Challenge

XSpender

2 NSDs in a row for me:D Can't remember the last time that happened.

DH had the tea ready for me again as soon as I walked in at 8 tonight. His timing is really good. I have offered to make a curry before I go to work in the morning that he can warm up for me tomorrow night as well as make at least 2 cakes for DH works CIN cake sale. I am going to be a busy bee.:)

I am trying to make the most of what we have in and not waste anything, tested the 10 eggs I had that were a week OOD (not had time to make the christmas cake gifts I had planned) and they are all still fresh so that is a relief and will get used in the cakes tomorrow morning.

cattysmum

tigerfeet2006 wrote: »

Cattysmum, meant to say have you discovered the Sewing Room on the Christmas and Other Yuletide Festivals board?

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2169321

OOOhhhhh thanks I will have a peek!!!!:T

mrs_mum_3

£15.50 today - I realised we had no soap when I was stood in the playground this morning and saw DS dirty face - he told me there was no soap (I had a shower so hadn't noticed)
Also bought some nan bread to go with dinner - much cheaper and lower calorie version than garlic bread with cheese!
A few bits for packed lunches, I'm starting to think packed lunches are more expensive than schoool dinners but the cost isn't all upfront! (for my 3 it would be £180 every half term)
I think from next term I will monitor how much I am spending on packed lunches and if it is as steep as I am beginning to think I will switch back
A few other bits and bobs and before you know it bang goes £15!

Mrs Mum

cattysmum

Hello, just a quick post before I go to bed, went out with DD2 today and Sis, went into Boots and they had lots of reduced stuff, so got 2 lots of Garnier cleansing wipes for £2 a Body Scrubber for 50p and a 36 pack of Strepsils for £1 but when I got home, the BBF date is end Jan 2012, so have informed OH that he has to have his sore throats etc before then so total spend day today is £3.50

rej-c

Thanks for the reminder, Mrs Mum - I need to put soap on the shopping list too

Adding a whopping £19.80 to our total for yesterday, between H&B, Mr T and Mr W - almost entirely SW-friendly stuff to make Him Indoors feel less overwhelmed by it all as he tries to get to grips with the plan [fresh fruit, 'free' yoghurts, snacky things, veggie sausages, Quorn slices etc]. I know he'll feel better about it if he can look in the fridge and think 'I can have that'. It's alarming how pricey 'free' foods can be, though...

I'm going to be trying to stick to mostly 'ingredients' for the rest of the month now - I've got several days off from next Friday, and plan to make the time to put plenty of freezer-meals together while I'm at home. If he [or I, for that matter] can just grab something already prepared, rather than faff around trying to work out what to eat, it'll make things much simpler.

Keep up the good work, everyone. :T

recovering_spendaholic

The weirdest thing happened to me in Tesco last night. I went along at about 9.30 to see if there were any reduced bargains and there were none - not a single thing reduced! Anyway I got dog food and walnuts and gnocchi (which I had gone in for anyway) and when I got to the tills they were just wheeling up loads of cages of stuff which they announced over the tannoy would be 90% off. It was a bit of a rugby scrum but very good natured as there weren't really all that many people in the store and I managed to get the following for £6:

2 trays of 4 pork chops
2 packs (900g) of lean mince
2 whole pork fillet tenderloins
tray of 9 chicken thighs
tray of 5 chicken thigh fillets
finest pizza
finest goats cheese and red onion flatbread
2 packs of 12 croissants
2 packs of pain au chocolate
pack of crumpets
2 white loaves
pack of finest scones
pack of pulled chicken
finest pea and smoked haddock risotto
finest pea and mint mash
finest king prawn curry with pilau rice
finest tempura prawns
scotch egg
8 lots of chicken and stuffing sandwiches
3 bacon and leek quiches
just cook chicken with cheese and bacon
just cook chilli con carne
large tray of barbecue wings
southern fried chicken goujons
large piece of sirloin steak
2 chocolate eclairs
tub of mini blueberry muffins
2 finest chocolate sundaes (DD and I ate them when I got in!)

The multi buy discounts were coming off at full price so it made it even cheaper!!

There was so much more there but I knew I couldn't fit any more in my freezer so had to leave it. I rang my friend and she came down and got a load of stuff too!! The only thing was that you had to take the stuff through only one till as none of it was price marked so there was a bit of a wait to pay but hey ho!
When I got home I had to take most of the stuff out of the boxes and bag it before freezing and my freezer is absolutely full to bursting! I think that I probably have enough food to last until Christmas, only needing to buy milk and fresh veg/salad and eggs.
Off to update my signature!!

ebayqueen_2

Thats absolutely fantastic. Well done :):):)

ebayqueen_2

As*a delivery to add this week and it came to £63.65. Well stocked up in dried foods but running low on meat etc. Next week going to do a freezer audit and use up whatever bread etc is in there. So delivery will be bit different and I may stock up on other dried goods.

take care all
E

sproggi

recovering spendaholic - Oh my! I am sooooo jealous. What a fantastic shop. Very well done :T

I have not been here for a few days, have been busy Christmas shopping and helping DS1. Have only got OH to buy for and then that is all the presents bought, I have never (nearly) finished so early!
Need to help DS1 with meal plans, he is out of the house for work nearly 12 hours a day, so anything that requires a lot of prep and cooking is not ideal, but he can batch cook every other weekend, so that helps a lot.
I am going to use the Mega index and the GC recipes to help, plus the cheap family recipes site to help.
He loves trying new foods, both cooking and eating, so that helps a lot.

I have had 1 NSD since I last updated and spent £67.46. Not great, but could be a lot worse.

CompBunny - I am so sorry about your grandad. I am glad that you could be there for him at the end. Big hugs x


Sproggi

tessie_bear

:j wow @ bargains...good one

i have been making a chicken pie for tea and peeling veg....also washing duvets...my life is a whirling thrillfest:cool:....off shopping in a bit as need a few things and need to get some cash from cashpoint as ds has a training day off school tomorrow and they are never cheap:eek:

just got some mince and stewing steak from the freezer so cook up tomorrow might do spag bol with the mince and make a stew with the other

take care tessa