February 2007 Grocery Challenge

belleabi0405

We used to spend much too much on our groceries but have been budgeting for some time. I now budget £75 per week and have been quite successful at hitting this target, the occasional shop is our downfall where a few bits leads to alot of unneeded bits.
I've just set up a delivery of milk with a local farm and have also just enquired about a fruit and veg box scheme. Not only is the produce better than from a supermarket, I am thinking I will use more and waste less and will finally get away from supermarkets altogether if I can source meat locally although unfortunately organic meat is a little out of our price. Any ideas?

poohbear59

Just read about you wanting organic meat but not being able to afford it. We get our meat from someone who has a small holding. They are not registered organic but sell meat that has been produced as near to possible organic. It depends where you are but by asking around you might find someone who does the same. Sometimes the box veg people can help with recommendations. Hope that helps.

Janeryan

belfastgirl23 wrote:

Final report in for Feb challenge. I set myself a budget of £200 for the month (there is just me and OH) and in the end spent £205.37 and ended up cooking an unexpected 'big' dinner for guests so fairly pleased about this I've also identified areas to improve on esp staying OUT of M&S - although DH does really like some of their food and I don't want him to be miserable. The other thing is that although snacks etc come out of a different pot of money, I need to cut down on these as well. Not just for financial reasons either!

Gonna follow the example of someone else here and go for a spend of £150-£200 for March. BTW yes there is a new thread for this

Sorry but where is the new thread-I can't seem to find it!

nodwah

I can't find the March thread either.

I'm going to start this month by really trying to find out what we spend, keep all reciepts etc. but also have a free delivery token for asda so that should give me a head start

LJM

well my month is up tomorrow and im underbudget by £31.08:T :beer: im really pleased,i think march i will keep it to £200 though see if i can do 2 months well before i cut down anymore:money:

Molly_M_3

Didn't to too well on my first challenge. I spent £128.30 against a target of £100. I fell for a few 'bargains' last week in Sainsbury's topping up my Lidl shopping. I think I lost my will power as I knew I had missed my target. Think I will try and aim for £115 next month.

LJM

youll be fine i was gutted end of january but it just made me more determined to do it this month

millionaire_in_training

Well I will make everyone who went over feel much better cos you can all point and laugh at me. I set a budget of £200 and spent ...........wait for it ................£343.10. Wowza!! In my defence I am just learning to even think about budgeting as I have never ever done it in my life. I did a huge shop in the first week but of course because it was there my kids ate it all really quickly. I wil def not do that this month and will go to supermarket etc with a list and do my damndest to keep to it. Am setting £200 again as my target and I will do better. Wish me luck xx

nodwah

Just added up the supermarket shopping from my bank statement for a month: £479.04







Picks herself up off the floor.. well that does include getting cashback and buying all those tempting cheap items of clothing but a whole load of £5 t-shirts add up. SOOO really gotta do something about that, perhaps £300 is a reasonable figure to aim at to start til I get into it?

ShirleyPark_2

Yay we managed to come in under budget !! £2.51 left. Although if I count the £8 of luncheon vouchers that we used, we actually go over. Next month I'm going to count the luncheon vouchers as part of the budget (I've got another £15 of them).