December 2011 - Grocery Challenge

Brassic_Park

Hi all. I know I'm new here and this isn't really GC related but I really need a rant!

Me and OH have both been off for our Christmas hols this week, and money has just spiralled out of control. We've spent easily over £1,000 on gifts, food and alcohol. I've tried to reign things in, but today I just snapped. I am so fed up of always being the one that says no, the only one who worries about our savings. So I gave in to OH's whining and let him buy a ridiculously big tv. He has been wanting one for 2 years now and I just felt mean not letting him. He works so hard and earns a bit more than me so I suppose it's only fair.

But now our savings are depleted to £3k and I feel like blowing the rest of it cos what's the point. So demotivated, just when I was starting to look forward to a fresh start in the New Year with the GC and other challenges.

Sorry for the tirade

SpagBol

I've just found this board and need to join the next challenge but please can you guys help me with is a good value for a "first go", I usually spend £60 one week then £80-£100 the next (loo roll etc every other week) and this includes all presents, school uniform, cleaning products etc throughout the year even xmas presents have been done though this (or using paypal money from things sold on ebay). I also top up with bread about once a week and the odd bottle of wine or pack of chips from the chippy so there is an extra £5-10 a week. So I am wildly optimistic and hoping for £35-40 per week, we are two adults and two young children and this would include all cleaning, school packed lunches (although small one will have a "hot" lunch at nursery 3 days per week) and meals with the intention of only having one meaty meal per week e.g. large roast chicken with leftovers, huge mince to do a big spag bol with portions for freezer etc. and mostly veggie pasta and soups rest of the week. No Alcohol until March once xmas booze has run out!

Cheers!

SpagBol

Should say we don't need nappies and I am going to buy extra bread to freeze and no more chippy! We are really overpaying furiously in 2012 (I hope!)

elantan

Brassic_Park wrote: »

Hi all. I know I'm new here and this isn't really GC related but I really need a rant!

Me and OH have both been off for our Christmas hols this week, and money has just spiralled out of control. We've spent easily over £1,000 on gifts, food and alcohol. I've tried to reign things in, but today I just snapped. I am so fed up of always being the one that says no, the only one who worries about our savings. So I gave in to OH's whining and let him buy a ridiculously big tv. He has been wanting one for 2 years now and I just felt mean not letting him. He works so hard and earns a bit more than me so I suppose it's only fair.

But now our savings are depleted to £3k and I feel like blowing the rest of it cos what's the point. So demotivated, just when I was starting to look forward to a fresh start in the New Year with the GC and other challenges.

Sorry for the tirade

please dont apologise i'm pretty sure we have all felt the way your feeling at one point or another ... do you talk to your oh about money? do you have similar goals ( not spends cause they obvioulsy are different) ...

my oh didnt take anything to do with money and was like your oh at one point ... and i struggled and struggled till i couldnt take no more ... finally now we sit down twice a month and go through things ... so he knows exactly what we have and what we can afford etc ...

we also spoke frankly about what we wanted in life, debt free (including mortgage) with savings and some enjoyment in life ... what was also important in our lives ( t.v's etc) and then made a plan with them all ... maybe just now isnt the right time to do something like this ... but we have a perfect excuse in 6 days time ?

good luck with it all ... if i can help in anyway please feel free to pm me:D

tessie_bear

hi....hope everyones christmas is going along well...ours has been rather nice...i judged the food needed quite well which makes a change normally it is pilied up to the ceiling after we have eaten all we want...less is more in this case:cool:

might go out and look for a few food bargains tomorrow....biscuits seection boxes i can split up ....dont want any meat as we :cool:have had enough joints over christmas...bring on the egg and chips

i am going to have a think about next years budget and how to run the grocery spending

take care tess

cat_smith

My turkey has been streeeched to within an inch of its carcass. Apart from feeding 4 on Christmas Day it has just provided turkey pasta for 9, sandwich slices for 4, enough turkey bits for 10 portions of something, turkey gravy and some delicious turkey stock. Only problem is space in the freezer and the fact that DH is going to get sick of it quite quickly:rotfl:

Think I might give him a break and feed him curried stuffing tomorrow . It's made of sausagemeat isn't it?

Only budgetting for milk before the New Year.

Mrs_Sparrow_3

Evening folks

Well seeing as my 'new' month will be starting Thursday and I don't think I actually need anything more grocery wise, I'm going to declare a final spend of £285.14 for December.

So well and truly 'bust' as far as my original £200 goes...but January will be better :-)

mummyjane

I have updated my signature now with everything we've had to buy this month. That's everything until Friday when we'll start with January's budget. Well over this month by £145.58 :eek:

I know I have spent far less this month than I usually would, even with Christmas and a few unplanned for guests. I would estimate that we've been spending at least £500 each month, a lot on junk to be honest. I think I am going to aim for £400 next month and hopefully we'll manage to stay under.

Brassic_Park

elantan wrote: »

please dont apologise i'm pretty sure we have all felt the way your feeling at one point or another ... do you talk to your oh about money? do you have similar goals...

Thank you for replying! I think OH and I do have similar goals, but he has no comprehension of what it'll take (financially) to get there!

I do feel a bit less desperate now tho, so thanks again

turbo5019

Hi I would like to join in. I last did the challenge back in 2010 but then fell off and spending has gone over what we can afford due to my husband's change in wages. Can you put me down for £250 a month in Jan.