December 2011 - Grocery Challenge

nannygladys

Lovely to be back after a really disasterous Nov, but lessons learnt I think!

Start of a new 4 week period for me as I got paid today, and it has been a NSD, turned casserole from yesterday into pie for today, wouldnt have done that a few months ago, I would have eaten the lot or thrown it!!!!!!

Very Impressed with Lurpak butter recovering spendaholic, that will be something else I will be looking out for.

Off to have my pie now, even the heat from the cooker is heating the kitchen up nicely, so feeling really positive!!!

rej-c

A [rather lazy, apart from laundry] NSD for us today

valerie57

Thank you to everyone who runs and contributes to this thread. It has made a big difference for me. I set an unrecorded target for November of £81 and came in about £20 under. For December I want to increase it to a scary £400 but we have a houseful for both Christmas and New Years eve. I have made our cake and bought the pudding but I still need to ice the cakes and do mince pies. We will be getting some nice cheese and a gammon in. I have just done a big Costco shop to stock up on dishwasher tablets, washing powder etc. Will update the amounts soon. Good luck to all in this most difficult month. I am going to plan my way through it and enjoy it without the guilt and remorse in January.

Ches

Went to Mr T with OH today as he wanted to stock up on booze which is not included in my budget. Found some woopsies which is so rare in this area as the local uni students usually get them first. Bought coffee, loo rolls and tea bags for £5.38 instead of £8. 98 and 2 cakes to have with our tea this afternoon £1.29 total spent £6.67. Used a £6 voucher so cost to me was 67p.

freakyogre

£4.18 spent - £3 in Morrisons on 4 x shampoo and conditioner.

£1.18 in Lidl on couscous.

JIL

jammy_dodger wrote: »

can anyone recommend a web site that will teach how to use spead sheets or an easy one i can download , i dont have a clue where to start and would like to budget and meal plan on them to keep track
cheers

JD xx

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L1OVkw2ZQ8

this is a good one and teaches in short bursts.

this is the one on the MSE pages but it is very detailed
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=39711066&postcount=360

PaddyPaws

Well, big shop of the month delivered yesterday from Mr T - £88.61 and then I popped into Mr S today and managed to spend £4.90.

On the plus side, I defrosted some stewing beef overnight (about 350g) and bunged it in the slow cooker with some potato, carrots, parsnips, swede, onion, mushroom, beef stock and red wine. We had it for tea with some hm bread - was yummy. Even better there are another 4 portions for the freezer - not bad of 340g of meat (and I didn't even add lentils to this one :rotfl:)

Better go and check my list for over xmas as I've still got some stuff to get, unfortunately my freezer seems to have shrunk and I can't fit anything else in yet.

PP

ms_night_ryder

I have spends to record today, spent £12.16 in mr a walking around with my friend, but i'm going to take £5 off that because it was treat for me, a box of baileys choccies which came out of another budget, so 7.16 was spent on ben and jerrys icecream 2.50, 2 bottles of don simon at £1 each these have gone down in size, they used to be a litre! a big apple yogurt and some spray.

then went to waitrose and got 3 bottles of bottlegreen my crimbo dinner contribution for £1.77 after using mocs.

so £8.89 spent, staying in this weekend, as i dont need anything, hopefully nsd days, will update sig

Twiceblessed

Quick update on my spends, spent far too much on cr*p. Emergency chocolate and alcohol purchased, just dont mention the R word!

angelatgraceland

jammy_dodger wrote: »

can anyone recommend a web site that will teach how to use spead sheets or an easy one i can download , i dont have a clue where to start and would like to budget and meal plan on them to keep track
cheers

JD xx

I've sent you a PM. Do take a look on youtube for some instruction but I am happy to make a simple one for you.

I had a NSD yesterday but did some shopping today to refil with fresh veg etc. DH had a laparoscopy yesterday and needed dressings. I was going to buy some but as I had to pop in the health centre for him anyway I asked for a few(4)in the treatment room. so I saved a couple of quid and it all helps(without being greedy). I did buy his paracetamol though as they are so cheap I would never ask for those. I went to coop and they had Aberdeen Angus burgers reduced so I got 6 packets!. Also got some corned beef and the rest was all fresh fruit and veg for £17.89. I slipped up on the oranges though-I accidentaly picked up fair trade ones-obviously put back in wrong place by someone and twice the price of the normal ones! Never mind-all in a good cause-I hope!
I have a £5 till spit for the next 7 days so I will try to use it for the Christmas shopping. popped into Iceland for milk,fresh juice,eggs, philly and a couple of meals for £9 so we are ok for a couple of days at least.