December 2011 - Grocery Challenge

BohemianCoast

My first ever GC (I've been over in 'Don't throw food away') and I'd like to keep under the relatively princely total of £500. I know that sounds like a huge amount by all your thrifty standards, but you need to know that last Christmas, the Ocado delivery I had on 23 December cost £317, and that did not include the turkey. So we are not going to do that again, and we are going to eat plain, simple, seasonal food for the first half of December so that Christmas comes as even more of a treat. I haven't exactly put much away already for Christmas, but there's a bottle of Champagne in the fridge; does that count? We are four (adults/teens) normally, and six from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day.

helen_jelly

Morning all

Budgets done to here

Welcome and Hello to all our new joiners, please take a few mins to check out the first few posts and the recipe links managed by the lovely Rosieben, ask lots of questions as there are lots of clever people on here willing to help.

Good luck everyone and remember we don't fail - we learn!!

Helen

Mrs_Sparrow_3

Hello

First attempt at this for me.

My DMP with the CCCS starts this month and my budget allows me £200 for food, toiletries and cleaning.

Having read some of the other posts on here, I realise that £200 is more than generous for one person but I guess I have to start somewhere.

My aim is to come in much lower which going forward, will let me increase my DMP payment and become debt free sooner

mum26

Hello, could you put me down for £120 until the 16th December please (which is payday for us).

That is for two adults , a 16 yr old veggie, 12 yr old bottomless pit, 10 yr old, 2 x 8 yr old, 6 yr old and two cats 7 packed lunches a day.

I have plenty in my store cupboards and freezer but have a terrible habit of frittering so hopefully I can keep in check a bit more. Thankyou.

jammy_dodger

I'd like to join the grocery challenge as festive spending has a habbit of running away and i end up buying far too much can you put me down for £160 so i can try and keep track
good luck everyone
jd xx

Living_proof

Could you please put me down for £75 for December please. Because of my work days I will only have three possible spending days and unless I come across some really good buys I won't be buying much. Maybe a turkey breast joint and a few sprouts, but the rest we either have or will do without. This year there is just the two of us and I already have the New Year steak pie in the freezer, so I can't think we will need much more than fresh veg and milk, etc.

What really has amazed me is the cost of cat food we no longer have to budget for. Ancient Mog had to meet his maker this year but I really notice the difference in such a big regular cost no longer being there. I resist buying toiletries and cosmetics (separate budget anyway) and have bought from car boots and charity shops for a couple of years now. By simply giving complete consideration to everything I buy has saved hundreds of pounds a year. I still think the best regulated households would be those with a couple of teenage boys, as there is no such thing as waste and very little exists beyond its shelf life - crumbs where the biscuits should be and all that!

wouldbeqaulitymoneysaver

I hope I do better this Month but with Christmas coming and needing to fork out a bit for presents for my deserving loved ones...

Cheapskate

Hello everyone

November challenge completely went out the window, so I'm going to try for the last time this year!

Helenjelly - please will you put me down for £400 for December? Many thanks!

I think I have to keep reading/posting, so that I keep motivated - tend to lose the plot after a week or two, lose receipts as well, which doesn't help! We have a fair amount in the freezer that I want to use up before the Christmas re-stock, so that should keep costs down, along with a really tight menu plan for the month.

Will be watching this thread with interest - have never tried GC during December.

A xo

pepsi-kins

Well I have the grand total of £35.02 for December if I am going to make my £2400 annual budget, but I do have lots of vouchers to spend, so I am not too worried. My freezers are full to the brim. DH has started a healthy eating programme,he's really into his keep fit at the mo, so we've had to make a few adjustments, which has cost a bit, however we will save on choccy, crisps and other rubbish, so shouldn't be bad, and to be honest we've been so healthy the past week, i do feel a lot better.

Have a good week everyone x

mooomin

Today I aimed to spend £15 at the shops. I think I was pretty close!

Aldi - £13.72
Morrisons - £1.93

Total? £15.65 :rotfl: I would have been on budget if that pack of meringues hadn't jumped into my trolley in Aldi

I bought loads of veg thanks to Aldi's Super Six this week which had loads of things I like and will eat. Tomorrow I'm making vats of minestrone soup