January 2012 Grocery Challenge

superduperloop

Hi everyone, I really need to join this challenge, hopefully it'll help with a couple of other I've joined.

I'm taking the advice given in the early post, starting easy and keeping my receipts. Hopefully I'll see cutbacks quickly.

Please can you put me down for £440 in January

Looking forward to this :cool:

meg72

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!!

Sorry love but if that was my daughter,SHE would be the one eating a piece of toast.to teach her some respect and consideration for her Mum.

Justamum

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

Please, please tell me how you've managed to get all yours to eat tins / cheaper food!

He's just never been fussy, so I suppose we have been lucky. He could have been a caviar cat I suppose We used to have a cat years ago who loved bacon rind, but only once you had thrown it into the kitchen bin, and the she would climb up and hook it out!

rising_from_the_ashes

Good news of the day .... just received an email from Sainsbugs for a £10 off £50 spend which is valid until mid Jan (was really impressed with their basics stuff - got an online order for the 1st time during Oct as the store is miles away).

I've also got around £9 worth of vouchers (need to spend £40) @ Mr As (valid until the 10th)....

Will have to do some serious planning and make use of them - so stocking up may be happening!

XSpender

Had a small success tonight that I wanted to share with you all if you don't mind.:D

I bought a half price Enchillada kit from Mr S a few weeks ago (my favourite:p) and usually use a 500g bag of quorn pieces as per the instructions which makes enough for me and DH dinner and my lunch the following day. If I buy the kit full price this works out as a very expensive dinner.

Tonight I used half the amount of pieces, the other half will do another complete meal for us, and a tin of value kidney beans and it was lovely. DH said it was better with the beans than all qu0rn:D:D

I may be tempted to go all beans next time as I stocked up on the half price kits and have another couple in the cupboard:)

I have updated my sig as best I can but my figures are at work and I am off poorly. I know there is £20 on takeaways to add and about the same on food at work but it will have to wait until the new year to be accurate.

Off to Aldi tomorrow to do the week's shop, may also need a small trip to Mr S for calpol and owt they don't have that I need for my menu plan. Hoping to spend no more than £60 including something nice for NYE dinner.

JIL

rosieben wrote: »

any chance you could share your recipe please, would be good to list it on the front page?

I am more than happy to,

Smoked Mackerel and rocket fishcakes.

1 packet of smoked mackerel (Aldi approx 90p try the different flavours for a change)

A handful of rocket. chopped up a little

1lb approx mashed potatoes

seasoning, chopped spring onion if liked.

A beaten egg.
flour
Breadcrumbs.


Skin the Mackerel (its easy and comes of really well)

pull it apart into small chunks and mix into the potatoes with the rocket, seasoning etc.

form into cakes (i use a pastry cutter and put it down on a floured chopping board and fill it to get round shapes.

coat in flour, then into the beaten egg then into the breadcrumbs.

fry in a little oil.

I often make fishcakes, and have used tinned salmon, with spring onion/chilli, Tinned tuna and left over mozzarella/sweetcorn mixed into the mixture, all make a little bit of fish stretch further and look quiet impressive. They also go well on a buffet if you make small ones. I just looked at the posh ones in the supermarkets and worked out a home made version.

I left one mackerel fillet out and made some smoked mackerel pate.

which was just a teaspoon of lemon, the smoked mackerel fillet, a dessert spoon of sour cream and a dessert spoon of cream cheese all whizzed together. It was surprisingly nice on toast.

ms_night_ryder

I have £1.77 to add from mr t's bought x18 andrex on the go rolls, the mini hand bagn size ones as they were only 6p each, x4 paella tapas and 3 loose carrots, the 4 mini paellas were from. The whoopsie section and took another 2.50 off my bill, oh yes, got 4 mary berry cupcake packs, they are now selling at 50p , as my aunt,gram and cuz each asked me ti get them 1, I kept one, as they were gifts, will only count mine, so £2.27 to add, not bad, could have been way more.

meg72

ms_night_ryder wrote: »

I have £1.77 to add from mr t's bought x18 andrex on the go rolls, the mini hand bagn size ones as they were only 6p each, x4 paella tapas and 3 loose carrots, the 4 mini paellas were from. The whoopsie section and took another 2.50 off my bill, oh yes, got 4 mary berry cupcake packs, they are now selling at 50p , as my aunt,gram and cuz each asked me ti get them 1, I kept one, as they were gifts, will only count mine, so £2.27 to add, not bad, could have been way more.

Bless you I love the way you share your bargains with your family. This to meis true old style.

Souk08

Can you please put me down for £60 for this month for all food for me. Thanks

mi_jardin

I'd like to join in too, I have to get back to a budget after Christmas. I am going to try for £100.
Off to add it to my signature now!:)

Forgot to say, thats just for food and cleaning products for 2 adults, not including dog food or DDs, etc.