January 2012 Grocery Challenge

Ninno820

Afternoon everyone - thanks for such an inspirational thread. This month my £100 target is to cover all spends - food, groceries, coffees out - even the double sided sellotape today! Its a toughie and I only have £18 left until 23rd Jan but I need to go cold turkey. The two freezers are full and there is an additional "winter" storecupboard upstairs - crazy:eek:

So - right now - there is a chicken and vegetable soup - loads of veg and pulses - bubbling on the stove from a chicken caracass that I froze before christmas. There is enough soup to last me at least 4 days. Tea tonight is risotto - made with some pureed pumkin saved from halloween and frozen. A little weird perhaps but not that different from butternut squash.

Keep going everyone!

mandco

gonna try for £300 for jan please

jan starts from the 1st for me but have spends of £24 to add already. finally gave in to the cabin fever and had to get out of the house so ended up popping in mr A for few needed bits and while I was there decided to pick up/stock up on a few bits that were on offer and would have been brought next month anyway, also means i wont be making a extra trip to go back for them next wk so hopefully save me money in the long run. as they wont be used till next month gonna include them in jans budget.
today will be another nsd as been up all night with a sick lo though felling better this morning

hope everyone had a great xmas

thanks to everyone who keeps this thread going
wishing you all a happy new yr :beer: and heres to a MS 2012
goodluck everyone

WelshWoofer

Just popped to the greengrocers for a red pepper and came out with a giant pomegranate too! A total of £1.50.
Why are peppers so expensive? (75p)

Will update the total in a minute but I'm around £2.50 so far I think.

I'll go to Al*i tomorrow for some fruit and veg - if I don't like the look of it I'll go back to the greengrocers - don't need to go to Mr T I only need fresh stuff and if I get them there I'll end up spending double due to browse buying!

jo84

Hi,
am a total newbie to forums in general but would love to get added to this challenge!
I am hoping £180 would cover us for the month. Have some meat, etc in the freezer (yellow labels lol) and always meal plan anyway so fingers crossed!:p

SavingJane

I'm BACK again, I lost my way towards end of last year but need to get back to the budget, new year and all that lol

£150 for me please for Jan

I've already done my meal plan for the month using up all thats in freezer, I did a stock list of it yday so I know whats in there *loads* I've done a small shop to come on Mon at @sda, but really only cos we use there nappies and getting short, so ordered couple bits to get it to the min spend but bits we need so thats ok.

I plan to stay on track this year and try and get the bill down to £120 if I can. I'm sure I could if I put my mind to it

I hope everyone had a lovely xmas and is looking forward to a good 2012

SueP19

OK just did my first shop of the year.................I know its not quite 2012 but my food/petrol etc is a weekly thing

Spent £56.78

Not too bad but its in the week it tends to get out of control

ragz_2

Total of £400 for me for January please. I spent about £30 on reduced (to half) meat in co-op the other day so that's quite a few meals. Should only need fruit, veg, bread and milk and few bits for kids' lunches. Of course, that will all change when I set foot in the supermarket!

Islandmaid

Hi all

December was a financial nighmare - but I am putting that behind me now and moving into January with a new determination....:T

Spent just under £40 today ! - meat - 4 kilo,s of good quality sausgages reduced to £6 - massive pork joint reduced to 8.50' chopped into 3 bits - 20 chicken thighs reduced to £2.50 - 2 kilo minced beef £9 - kilo of cooked ham reduced to £3 - 2 steaks (not OS, but a night alone tonight ) £7 also 24 bread rolls for £1 and 48 cheapo loo rolls. All meat sorted and in the freezer, fingers crossed only veg and essentials for the rest of the month

Hope everyone has a fab new year, we,re off to a party, so will cost a couple if bottles of wine, roast pork for new years dinner.

Have a fab day xx

prepareathome

My previous two months since I started this challenge have been total failure but I have learnt a lot. I am spending less on things that have to be used quickly and have now built up a small store cupboard ( enough for maybe 4 weeks if careful) which I did not have 2 months ago so that is a plus. My income is likely to be halved in the New Year ( I am transferring from IB to ESA but reading how they are not giving those on deaths door I know I am unlikely to receive it) leaving us with an income less than if hubby was unemployed and claiming for both of us, but he loves his job so we have to make it work as not fair for him to become unemployed before he must ( rumour is his firm will only last another couple of years tops) so we must learn to live very, very frugally. He is looking round for another job but at 57 with no qualifications, unfortunately its me that has I am spend most of my time in bed, wish I could transfer them to him. So will say £200 for January, but if I am told my IB is stopping I will have to revise that as after essential bills we will only have about £10 a week for food, so got to try and build up more stores. I would rather have the food than the money with prices rising as they are as at least can buy more now than I would later in the year. Also in April he changes to monthly pay and that will mean we have to make last weekly payment in March last 3 weeks so must get bills ahead for that as well.

Libretia*

This isnt coming out of januarys grocery budget as that. Doesnt start till sunday, but just to get my practice in ive done a shop at helldee of basic thiongs we need....and some sweeties we dont...and want to record my spend here.

Also thought it would be a good way for me to see how the prices of grocerys change as time goes on.

5kg potatoes £1.59
steak cut chips frozen .99p
Toffees .23p
Scouring pads .69p
Sweeties 69p
Sweeties 69p
Diet lemonade 18p
Sweeties 27p
Clementines 69p
Red seedless grapes £1.69
Paracetamol 19p
Carrots .39p
Bran flakes .99
Mature white cheddar £2.49
Eggs 15 pack £1.25
Washing up liquid .99p

£14.01