January 2012 Grocery Challenge

DebtFree2012

Evening all, no spends on groceries for me today although tomorrow will be the spend for next week's packed lunch items.

Tea today was lasagne with mince from freezer and everything else from pantry and fridge.

Tomorrow will be something with sausages! That's the only item i can identify from those defrosting as we speak - had a freezer tidy out and quite a few labels were, ahem, missing.....

Night all x x x

thriftwizard

Please may I join in? It's a long time since I've done this, and it wasn't here, so I may take a while to get the hang of putting it in my signature. I'd like to aim for £350 for the month; that's food, toiletries & cleaning stuff for 6 adults (actually it
varies between 5-8, but 6 most of the time) three cats, one rabbit, 5 assorted cage birds and 10 chickens. I'm well stocked-up ATM & need to empty my freezers for defrosting & store cupboards for a full stock & date check so it should be do-able, even allowing for irresistible bargains. The month starts tomorrow and runs until 31st... can't wait to see if I can stick to my target!

pixie1

I need to do this and stick to it for a change!!

This month Im not going to spend more then $500 I know this sounds a lot for just two adults and a cat but fruit, veg and meat are really expensive here Hopefully with some careful menu planning i can get this right down over the next few months.

Pix

rosieben

JIL, your Smoked Mackerel and rocket fishcakes recipe is now listed in the recipe index :T

My_Lil_Revolution

Hi

Not done this before but could you please put me down for £200 for January. Fingers crossed.

MLR
xx

angelatgraceland

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

Firstly .... a huge thank you to Zippychick, Helen Jelly & Rosieben for looking after us all - this is one of my favourite challenges - I just wish I'd found it sooner!:D

A quick question for anyone on annual budgets - how you do keep track?
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(Budget already on first page so not coloured/bold)

Does this sound like it would work?:o TIA:)

I once did a weekly/monthly spend but I find the annual one easier. I split my annual amount into 12 regardless of the lenths of the month-they balance out. This means that it doesnt matter when payday is-as I set a total allowable spend for each month, I keep a record of all of my spends for the month in my spending diary. So, my annual budget for 2012 is £4000 so divide it by 12 and I have £333.33 budget per month. I tend to work out that it will mean on average(30 days)£11(31 days is £10.75per day)I don't panic if I overspend one month and spend less another month-it balances out. Keeping a running total in my diary is the important bit-I know that I have approx £83 per week to spend so that is my aim. As Ive built up a good storecupboard over the last few years with offers and bogofs my "multiple" buys for discounts are no longer a one off spend but my "normal" way of shopping so I make no allowances for anything extra that I buy for "future" months-I always record my actual spends even if the shop will last me more than the month as over the year it all balances out! hope that helps.

Libretia*

Thanks for adding my username on the front page. Makes me feel more a part of the challenge. Ate at mums today. My january grocery budget wont begin until sunday. T,orrow i am going to aldi to buy some fruit and veg because after all the unhealthy stuff we have been binging on i need something fresh and healthy to eat. Its like my body is physically craving it.

recovering_spendaholic

Gosh lots of new GC'ers which is nice to see!! I'm sure that you will find this thread enormously helpful as I have done, plus it is a really friendly and supportive thread too!!

Thank you to those who responded about my thoughtless kids! I am guilty of letting them rule the roost and it is my New Year's resolution to try and change this - I think I over compensate for the fact that their Dad left us and makes very very sporadic contact but still I need to get a grip!

Tonight I said no to the request for them to stay but compromised by saying that she could have one kid in tomorrow to make some cakes (I made cakes for hampers at Christmas and have loads and loads of cake making stuff left so it will be a "free" activity!!).

Tonight I made pizza dough in the breadmaker and made a pizza, plus I baked some reduced chicken bite things so they had a home made takeaway tea! I also batch cooked a huge chicken casserole and froze some, plus there is a big bowl for tea tomorrow night.

I am visiting a friend tomorrow but won't be eating there, but I am hoping that I can still manage a NSD - I need to take a hostess gift with me but I think I have a bottle of wine and I may make some cupcakes to take too.

Have just noticed the time!! Must get to bed!

bagabogof

Hi can you add me please going to try for £350

never_too_old

Not been on for a while but have been sticking to my GC and filling in my sow.
I will try to keep up next year:eek:

Please could i be put down for £250 a month.Im going to try and do it for a lot less .
thanks