January 2012 Grocery Challenge

ModestyB

recovering_spendaholic wrote: »

I REALLY need to get into meal planning - I do it but it is really half hearted and we often give in and get takeaway if we don't fancy what is on the plan!! I have also got to be firmer with the kids - the younger one constantly brings her friends into the house at mealtimes and asks me, in front of them, if they can stay for tea and I always feel embarassed and say yes, even if it means that I only have a piece of toast because there isn't enough (like last night), but yet she is never asked back to their houses for meals. I am sick of telling her not to ask but she persists in doing it!!

My month has already started (yesterday) but as yet I haven't spent anything. I would love to be able to get through the weekend without spending!!

If your daughter asks again why not say "yes, as long as you share your portion with them" and make sure she does. Hopefully it might make her think twice about asking again. You should not go hungry for other people's kids. Your family need you to be strong for them.

SueP19

I have just found this thread and would like to join please

Last January I spent about £425/month and have cut back to about £325/month now but still feel I would like to do more

I would like to stick to a budget of £70/week

So can you put me down for £303 for January

:T:T

ModestyB

Hi all, my £200 pm is for food only as I put extra money aside for cleaning stuff etc. And I have a cupboard full of loo rolls, courtesy of the Prep for Winter thread. Lol!
Actually won't need any washing powder/liquid tabs for months as I bought a kilo of soapnuts a couple of months ago and only used a fraction so far. They've saved me loads already. Thanks to everyone on here who recommended them. They save on fabric conditioner too.
Not starting GC till the1st so haven't anything to put in my sig. yet.
Good luck to everyone.

tigerfeet2006

Well there will be no cauli and broc cheese tomorrow as the tin has been licked clean. There is absolutely none left at all and if I had had more they would have scoffed that to.

Recovering Spendaholic , your kids seem to rule the roost if you don't mind me saying. Please remember that NO is a complete sentence. You also may find that doing a list of seven meals and then choosing what suits YOU on the day. Maybe sit them down and get them all to list favourite meals and get a list of twenty or so that you can do your meal plans from and then you should have things that they like.

Gorgeestwo

Hi
Please could I be put down for £350 for January (thats for 2 adults, 2 hungry children, 2 cats, 2 rabbits 4 guinea pigs and a few fish )
I MUST stick to keeping track for this challenge as I always give up about half way through the month and food shopping is the main way we overspend really :eek:
Going to do my first shop of Jan tomorrow, shouldn't really need too much as we've just got back from staying with MIL for a few day's and she's sent us back home with a fair amount of bits and pieces , though some of it is a bit random so could be some interesting meals for the next week or so
Good luck everyone.

mooomin

Recovering Spendaholic, if your daughter asks for someone to stay for tea in front of her friends again, could you say something like "I've told you before I don't mind your friends having tea here, but you have to give me advance notice as tonight we've only got enough food for [however many people]". If you keep doing that both her (and more importantly her friends) will get the message.

What you might find is that her friends may be more considerate and stop her from asking as they remember what you've said even if she conveniently forgets

This kind of tactic worked well with me when I was a thoughtless teenager

aberdeensaver

Recovering spendaholic, can you give your daughter a limit per month of her having her friends for tea? Maybe batch cook some portions of a kids favourite and freeze them, give her a limit per month (you decide on how often) and on the nights she does ask, you and the rest of the family can eat to plan (save her portion and freeze it for a later date) and her and her friend can have something you have kept frozen ready for her to ask?!

LavenderBees

My goodness, doesn't this thread move fast! I read the first 6 pages tonight, but every time I move on a page, another page is added, so I've had to give up for now Apols to those who posted pages 6 to 9....I'll try to keep up from now....

I have my first January spend to admit to - siggy update below -a couple of days early but that was only as the shops were on my way home from the panto this afternoon. Saves another car journey. :money:

But honestly! I'm getting fed up with myself - it's almost like I'm 2 different people! :eek: I got my very short list of things from Lidl £4 ish, but then went into Mr M's and bought whoopsied stuff for £8 - yes, bargains, but no, I didn't need them. I then had to spend half an hour doing the freezer shuffle. How I managed to fit them in is a minor miracle.

So, I'm not going near the shops again until NEXT Friday (6th) and only for fresh fruit/veges. NOTHING ELSE!

You heard it here first folks...:rotfl:

Happy New Year to you and yours. May the best of 2011 be the worst of 2012.

xx

P.S. will prob order cat food tomorrow and have decided that £28 will come out of my food budget, so will update my siggy when that's done. It'll make this month's challenge all the more challenging, but dear me, if I can't spend less when I have full freezer and store cupboards, when can I?? :rotfl:

Mrs_Sparrow_3

Evening folks

First 'spend' for the month to report.

£41.73 in total split £0.75 in Mr M, £9.04 in Mr L and £31.94 in Mr A.

Was hoping to come in under £40 for the week but hey ho

Justamum

aberdeensaver wrote: »

Just tried to put together my first batch of bread dough, no idea how long I was supposed to knead it for and what to do with it once I had, so might be a bit hit and miss. I hope this will become an important part of my living frugally this year hope it doesnt take too much trial and error to get it right.

I'm a bit of a "can't be *rsed" kneader to be honest. I just make sure that it's well mixed and knead it for a couple of minutes, then leave it in the bowl for as long as needed ([STRIKE]sometimes [/STRIKE] usually longer than 12 hours).