February 2007 Grocery Challenge

Pink.

Hello everyone,

Welcome to the second Grocery Challenge of 2007.

Another new month is about to start for most of us, while some of you are already well into things.

As always this challenge is to reduce your own grocery budget to levels that you will be pleased with, not forgetting that we always recommend that you stay inside your own comfort levels and take things gently one step at a time.

If you are new to the challenge I have quoted the advice from Galtizz below which will help you get started.

Please post into this thread for help and advice and support at any time. Good luck to everyone taking part!

Galtizz wrote:

I have said this before, but for all the newbies to the challenge;

For the first month I took a guess at the budget but I really had no idea how much I was spending.

I found the best thing is to have a guess the first month but SAVE ALL OF YOUR RECEIPTS (and yes, that does include the ones from the local shop when you run out of milk ), then at the end of the month add them all up and have a look if you were on budget, if not, it doesn't matter because your budget was a guess. For the next month you can use the total of your receipts and take a bit off to get a realistic budget, just shave off as much as you think you can, it could be £1 a week or £20 a week.

If you are currently spending £200 a month don't suddenly drop it to £100 - you'll never do it but if you cut £20 a month off for a few months you'll get there eventually without feeling you're missing out on anything.

You might think you've done everything you can in the first month but someone always comes up with a new idea and, if you try it you often find you save a bit more (unless you are SarahSaver who is an expert at this and could only save more if she turned her back garden into a paddy field and lived on rice ) In the first month I thought, I'm planning meals, I couldn't possibly save any more, but then I started double cooking and freezing, and making soup instead of buying it in tins.

I've been doing this since Feb but only saved ALL of my receipts last month, it has given me a much better idea of where it is all going. Budget for next month is £80 for 2 of us, I'll start on 30/4. I could probably save more, by eating different foods but I can afford to live on £80, I have saved a lot of money since Feb. and I don't waste food or money any more. So I'm happy with my budget.

Good luck!

Pink

chewy62

Well. didn't do so well last month, but spent less than usual so am quite pleased with meself!
I am changing the way I budget for the month, working from Thursday to Thursday as I find it helps to have the week-end in the middle to break it up a bit!
I've ordered a Mr. T shop for the month which is about £200 (have managed to forget a few bits!)so am allowing another £100 for food for the next 4 weeks, so £300 altogether.
This is less than usual and I'm sure I'll not spend that much if I'm good!
Still to do meal plans for the next four weeks but need some peace and quiet first!!!!
Good luck everyone!!!

Anwen_2

I am aiming for between £150 - £200 this month, I think I spend anywhere between £175 - £250 per month for me and DD, but the target I've set should be do-able. This is my first month.

On Sunday we went to a Farmers' Market and bought £25 worth of food including a chicken, veg, fruit, eggs, lamb sausages and a lump o' mutton. I've had an Abel & Cole organic delivery last night of £24 including stewing steak, milk, veg 'n' fruit box and risotto rice. Together with stuff I already have in the cupboards/freezer that should do us for about two weeks.

Penny-Pincher!!

Last month went well and spent £210 of the £300 budget including diesel. That averages to about £53pw including everything (food, detergent, toothpaste, diesel, loo rolls, etc etc). This 4 week period I will set the same but shouldnt spend that, but will move all the excess over to the savings account at the end of the month.

PP
xx

redspot24

Count me in again... Am doing a 'roll-over' and combining Jan and Feb's total as did a HUGE online shop at beginning of Jan that will help us out over next week or so too. Budget is £250 for the two months, trying to cut down from my old pre-MSE budget of £140 per month that I alway exceeded :mad:
Whether this is do-able remains to be seen - as my signature shows, already spent quite a lot, plus have a few receipts to add on.
On the plus side, have done a meal plan for month already, have an on-line shop ordered for mid-month and am getting to grips with my slow cooker :j
Am also thinking of getting dbf's jaw wired up :rotfl:
Hope everyone gets off to a good start xx

Cazzdevil

I'll be sitting this one out, OH and I think we have about 3 - 4 weeks worth of food in the cupboards & freezer so it's storecupboard challenge for us!

Good luck everyone who does it xx

ShirleyPark_2

I've been waiting for this thread to appear for a couple of days. Our budget is 80 quid (only 2 of us), for food, toiletries, cleaning stuff. That's 10 quid more than we spent in January, but we did a storecupboard challenge for the first half of the month.

Meal plans and shopping lists are on the plan for this evening.

wackyjacobeany

Hi I have also been waiting for this challenge to start as i want to do the february challenge. I will start on friday as this is my payday, I work part time and my money goes on food , cleaning stuff toiletries etc. Therefore i am going to try and maintain £80 per week this month then will aim to reduce it next month if i can if this target is achievable . i will keep you all posted. Now i just have to work out how to list my spends below. thanks

brummiebabe

Came in under budget in January - this month's target is £320 for 2 adults & 3 kids (inc 3 month old!!!) Got a big box of nappies last month...so hopefully won't need these in Feb. Have ordered a 'bulk' shop to be delivered on Friday (loo rolls, washing powder etc....) so 1st spend is likely to be quite high!!

Onwards & upwards!!!!

cjalynch

Okay, I'm in. This is my first challenge and comes at a time when I am trying to deal with my overspending habits after falling off the wagon with my credit card through December and January. I will therefore be keeping a spending diary to try to rein in my trips to Tescos (two-minutes walk away, unfortunately!)

My budget is 28 pounds a week for everything except essentials (eg medicines, razor blades etc.). It includes nappies and wipes for two and food etc for four (two adults, a two-year old and a ten-month old). We are vegetarians which helps to keep costs down.
Total for February is 112 pounds and I really want to try to come in on target this time!

bluegiraffe_2

hello everybody!

Ive been lurking around on this thread for some time, and this month I thought I'd give it a go!:eek:

My budget for DH myself and 2 kittens is £220. Ive already cut quite a lot, thanks to some great posts on here!