January 2012 Grocery Challenge

123budget

tracey12 wrote: »

I had a NSD yesterday as it was my birthday. My family treated me to a meal out for lunch and was really spoilt by my friends and family

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR YESTERDAY - HOPE IT WAS A GOOD ONE
and
THANK YOU for all of your birthday wishes for me today.
Silly really was feeling a bit deflated - really don't like this getting older malarkey!! Had told my dh not to buy me anything as it was straight after xmas and we really need to pool all money to pay for holiday but he presented me with Toni and Guy vouchers (went halves with my 18yr old son) as he knows I am desperate to get hair done. Also noticed he had hidden a Thorntons birthday cake at back of fridge for later:T
We won't be going out but I have a bottle of Sparkling wine with sloe gin in fridge to have with my roast dinner later:beer:
Enjoy whats left of the weekend everyone.

rising_from_the_ashes

Wee update from me.....

£6.50 in the Co*op last night (popped in on my way home from a lovely roast dinner at my pals) as they'd mentioned beers & ciders were on offer - gave into temptation of a 10 pack of Cider .... but it should last me about 3 months!:o

£22.91 just spent at Mr A after my £5 off £40 + several price guarantee vouchers used:D. A couple of good offers that you may be interested in:

Goosefat £1 (from £2.20) - these were in the whoopsie aisle not in their normal place. I was after some anyway as use it year round (dated May '13) so got 3!

Whiskas pouches (12) various flavours - £2.50 (from £3.40ish)

I only got a couple of boxes of Whiskas (separate budget) really to help get me to the £40 spend I needed to use the £5 voucher.......

tracey12_2

mummyyof5 wrote: »

Hi all..just need to add another £2 to my budget this was on Detangling spray for my 5 year old sons very long hair...its half way down his back...he is a little rocker

I used to buy this as my 2 dd's have very tangly hair. I now buy a leave in conditioner and put a little in an empty spray bottle and top up with water. The conditioner lasts for ages as you only need a little and saves loads of money and their hair is really soft and less tangly in the morning.

Happy birthday 123budget, hope you have a good day.

Tracey

LisaJane

desperately needed bread and freezer bags for massive pot of bolognese I made yesterday. although I am £6.51 over target for the month,my freezer is filled with at least 19 dinners...along with eating in other people's houses I have no excuse to do any more substantial shops this month.

pay day 22 days away ...will re-adjust my target in February to reflect what I have discovered in January. i have learnt a lot already this month.

angelatgraceland

Lovebeingathomemum wrote: »

Gone from thinking i'm doing well to not so sure. spent £20.00 yesterday eating out and a further tenner on bits and bobs, but the cupboard and fridge is now completely depleted and I will have to do a big shop tomorrow. Maybe £200.00 for family of 5 is too little (altho kiddies are only tots)?

DH also complaining about not being able to 'grab a sandwich' or choose most expensive thing on menu. I have just made him take some leftover soup I had frozen to his mums to give the kids for lunch, 1. so he dosent 'grab' them a maccy d's and 2. because her idea of healthy is spaghetti hoops with crackers (i kid you not, this is what they had for lunch last week!).

So, I'm left in bed feeling all stuffed up and feeling like a right stingy nagging wife! - Also had to knock on the head his £10+ spend a week on beer watching football, which on derby day didnt got down to well...moan over.

Don't beat yourself up! Sometimes we all try to hard and then feel like ailures but we are not! Personally I think £200 is a bit low although I don't know what you are including in your budget. Even if it is for food only(no nappies etc)then it could be a bit harsh. Better to raise it to say £260(another £15 pw)rather than leave the situation open of not being able go grab something. Make sure you have lots of sarnie stuff if that is what hubby likes and also some frozen buns burgers and salad stuff if he craves maccy dees. Watch out on the "bits and bobs" and try to put off that spending as I find that often a delaying tactic is moneysaving-it gives you time to decide what you "really really " need!
Maybe you need to give in to hubby on "derby day" or some special match just as a treat rather than excluding it completely-it takes a while to adjust for everyone and whilst we are focused on budgeting our families often just don't want to play ball!
I am still using up the stuff in my fridge so had 3 or 4 day old beef casserole for lunch today and dh and dd had bacon butties. Ds still not out of his pit but he filled himself up on taleaway rubbish at 1.30 am but he pays for that. I want him to eat something decent later on today though as I do worry what it is doing to his health longterm. Because is is slim he thinnks he is getting away with it but is not looking at the other health issues associated with eating junk food.
Going back to burgers(above)my kids like my own homemade ones best-lean minced beef chopped onion and herbs! I know what is in it that way and buying a few packs of mince is very versatile.

whole amount out of Jan,s budget or split the household stuff amount

Islandmaid wrote: »

Hi all,


The household stuff should last at least 3 months - now do I take this into 3 - any advice gratefully received xx

Personally I would take it out of January budget as it has been spent and we tend to forget things like this in future months. Just don't beat yourself up if you are overspent by about £16 in Jan and Feb!
Well I have just done a stack of ironing and DS sarnies for the next two days-easier than doing them daily! DH said he should do him himself-yes-I know but I want to use stuff in them that I want used in the order I want it used etc etc-I'm a fussy old F**t! :+) I think I will get out a chicken to defrost for tomorrow and we can then use any leftovers in more sarnies-that is, if the cat doesn't get it all! I am also tempted to make some bread-we shall see!

cleggie

Hi everyone! i have done my 1st food shop of the month!
It came in at £88.71.
I am GOING to stick to my £200 budget this month, i just KNOW IT!

rising_from_the_ashes

Islandmaid wrote: »

The household stuff should last at least 3 months - now do I take this whole amount out of Jan,s budget or split the household stuff amount into 3 - any advice gratefully received xx

angelatgraceland wrote: »

Personally I would take it out of January budget as it has been spent and we tend to forget things like this in future months. Just don't beat yourself up if you are overspent by about £16 in Jan and Feb!

I'd suggest taking out of Jan's budget but reduce Feb & March's by the relevant amounts to compensate IYSWIM?

It's actually one of the reasons I've switched to an annual budget as I do bulk buy (mainly due to distances to places) so I'd overspend in Month 1 but then not reduce the budget in Month 2 & 3 to compensate - so I was still overspending.

Lovebeingathomemum

angelatgraceland - many thanks for advice, I feel much more positive about it now. This is my first month and went at it all guns blazing which took the hubby back a bit I think. I think a little more softly softly to ease him in might be better. I know what you mean about younger men eating what they want as they are so thin. DH 28 and just starting to notice the odd pound creeping on when he's always been slim. They can get away with it at first but eventually all those pints of lager and 2.00am donner kebabs will catch them up :rotfl:.

camNolliesMUMMY

hi sorry can you change me too £170 as its a longer month for us, just ordered a fortnightly shop from tesco online wont be shopping now till the 22nd at the earliest.

LondonDreamer

Small spend to report today, I don't usually go into town on a Sunday afternoon as it's too busy but popped out to get new passport photos so did some whoopsie hunting. Got a pack of iced buns (DH's favourite) down to 39p and free-range pork sausages (delicious) down to £1.75. Sausages popped in the freezer for next week.

So £2.14 to add, off to update sig.