November 2011 - Grocery Challenge

recovering_spendaholic

Only read on this thread last night that the Daily Mirror had a £5 Aldi voucher in it, so at midnight I rang tescos and asked them if they would put me a Daily Mirror away and I would pick it up this morning. I went and got it earlier and also got some value dried fruit for my Christmas cakes while it is still on 3 for 2. £2.56 spent.

made a chicken bacon and sweetcorn sandwich filler today for lunchboxes and for my lunch too. I have just had it and it was lovely - it was just some leftover chicken, four rashers of well grilled bacon, couple of tbs of frozen sweetcorn mixed with salt and pepper and a bit of creme fraiche mixed with salad cream.

Dinner tonight is hm meatballs with gnocchi bake. I have just made the meatballs and they are in the fridge firming up.

Louise - its a while since I had to buy nappies but others on here rave about the Aldi nappies - have you tried them?

Need to update signature!

Spiggle

Hello all,

Just a quickie to say my sig is up to date and I'm up to date on reading psts too!!! I know OH did a bit of shopping today so I'll update later or tomorrow.

Been having a bit of a clear out (well last weekend really) and have listed a few things on eBay that will end this weekend so will be near the computer.

Take care all,
Spigs

Need2bthrifty

CompBunny wrote: »

Thankyou SallyHat


Awww well done Need2b:j, recognising your triggers is the most important part of avoiding them, good luck with your quit effort, you deserve all that extra money you will save every month Since quitting in February we have saved £1807.75 if taking into account various price increases. We would be in debt again if we had carried on, but instead we now have savings You're doing a fabulous thing for yourself and your loved ones.

Keep up that knitting! :T

Aaah thanks, CompBunny, thats week 1 done, had a bit of a blip midweek and smoked 2 of the evil things but I'm really going to do it this time and noting in my diary what I've not spent on Cigs and will transferthe money to a separate savings account at the beginning of the week. With the cost of them these days I see a holiday coming up in the near future :T

tigerfeet2006

Louise, I second Aldi's nappies. Never had a problem with them and I went through 3 babies . Though I will admit mine were mostly in cloth and I just used the dispies for emergencies and lazy days or if they were staying with relies.

Recovering Spendaholic, thanks for the sandwich filler recipe. That will go on my list of things to try.

Good luck with Ebay Spiggle.

Need2bThrifty, congrats on the giving up smoking, think of that lovely holiday.


Dinner tonight wasn't a success with the brood, it was the sauce I did with it that they didn't like, if I had left it plain they would have eaten it. I enjoyed it though.

I cut up some potatos and put them in a pyrex dish and gave them 10 mins on high in the micro. Then I added a chopped head of brocolli and a chopped leak and put it back in for 5mins. I mixed a 300ml tub of creme fresh with a couple of table spoons of whole grain mustard. Then lay salmon pieces on my veg and poured the sauce over it and added a sprinkle of cheese. Grilled this until the salmon was cooked and the sauce bubbling. I have a couple of portions left to go in the freezer

Thorndrop

Hmm.. I've kind of being doing this for this month already, even though I've just joined here. I'm a student (and am just buying for myself) and I'm really careful about money, but don't have a proper 'budget' set in mind, so I've recorded how much I've spent in order to get an idea for a starting point. So far I'm on £23. I like to buy basic products in bulk which will last for ages (bread, pasta, rice, oats, beans, lentils.. - yes, I'm also vegan, if you're wondering, and it makes things a lot cheaper) and are really cheap and make up the basis of my meals. I do enjoy cooking and I don't eat out or buy convenience foods. Would love to know what you would consider a good budget for one person for the month since I have no idea what's 'good' and what's a 'bad' amount to spend yet.

cleggie

just updating...am on £180 so far, so only have £40 to last the rest of the month, which SHOULD be pretty easy!

MissOrganised1972

tigerfeet2006 wrote: »

Next weeks Meal Plan thread https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3618459

many thanks! Had a quick look. Will bookmark that :-)

Spiggle

Thorndrop wrote: »

Hmm.. I've kind of being doing this for this month already, even though I've just joined here. I'm a student (and am just buying for myself) and I'm really careful about money, but don't have a proper 'budget' set in mind, so I've recorded how much I've spent in order to get an idea for a starting point. So far I'm on £23. I like to buy basic products in bulk which will last for ages (bread, pasta, rice, oats, beans, lentils.. - yes, I'm also vegan, if you're wondering, and it makes things a lot cheaper) and are really cheap and make up the basis of my meals. I do enjoy cooking and I don't eat out or buy convenience foods. Would love to know what you would consider a good budget for one person for the month since I have no idea what's 'good' and what's a 'bad' amount to spend yet.

Hello and welcome Thorndrop! :hello:

That's a difficult question to answer really but you are already doing the right thing by recording your spends. :T

There are some on here who are budgetting for one and they may be able to give some guidance though IMHO I think you should keep a record for a few weeks or even the full month and that should enable you to see the pattern of where you stock up on your bulk buy dry goods, when you buy your fruit and veg and if you have any weaknesses, for example going out to buy one thing but coming back with a lot more. Cor, that was a long paragraph!!!

If you've been recording since the start of the month I have to say that you are doing really well to have only spent £23. Others will be along soon who'll also offer their advice I'm sure.

Ok quick update again, I've added today's spends to the spreadsheet and will update the sig once this is posted. Then I'm off to have some grub, jackets, cheese and beans almost a favourite food of mine. Substitute the jackets for rice and I'd eat it every day, such a simple girl ........ :rotfl:

Take care all and I'll see you tomorrow,
Spigs

mooomin

Room for one more?

I get paid on the 20th (well, today actually as the 20th is Sunday) and this will be me joining for December if that's ok? I'm aiming for £200 for the month for myself, Mr F and two fat cats. This is for all food/pet stuff/cleaning supplies and toiletries.

ellanutella

gone over budget :eek: really surprised at the cost of the little shops I do, and we haven't even counted some things! (Put them under "entertainment" budget.

Has opened my eyes though and next month i'll try harder