January 2012 Grocery Challenge

PaddyPaws

Well done Pennygrabber - that's impressive!

lula_moneybaggins - love that, drink wine not tea and cut down on visits to the sm :rotfl:

Well, having said I'd only one shop left till the end of the month I ended up going to Mr T today as needed one of those non-slip mats for the bottom of the bath so that I could bath the dog (you really don't want to know). I wasn't going to even look at anything else, but, you know how it is, I couldn 't resist checking for whoopsies. Got a big pack of stir-fry veg for 30p and a kilo of organic onions for 45p, so we had turkey stir-fry for dinner and I'm going to make some french onion soup tomorrow to put in the freezer as we've run out. I also picked up 6 packs of soothers (2 for 80p), so I spent an extra £3.15 (the mat will come out of the pet budget not the GC budget). I think that leaves me about £38 till the 31st. Best go and check and update my sig

Hope everyone is ok
PP
xx

blackandwhitebunny

I made a double batch of these earlier to use up three pears that had been lurking in the fridge and needed eating but were sort of ripe but hard and then thought it might be a good recipe to share.
Dorset Apple Muffins (no idea why Dorset - I adapted this from a cake recipe of the same name and it doesn't have to be apples)

200g Self raising flour
100g butter or margarine
100g sugar (caster is best but granulated works fine)
2 eggs
1 large apple or similar
a handful of dried fruit if you want

Rub the butter/margarine into the flour, add the sugar and stir in. Chop the apple up into small pieces (about 1cm maximum) add to the mixture with the dired fruit if using (again anything you have in that will work with the other fruit)
Add the eggs and mix well, if its very stiff add 1 -2 tablespoons milk (don't worry if its a little lumpy looking)
divide between twelve paper cases in a bun tin, sprinkle with a little brown sugar if you so desire and bake at 180 / gas 5 for around 15 to 20 minutes.
These have been tested to destruction by large numbers of yr 8's:D, they work with apples, pears, plums, bananas (not as well as the others but a good way of using over ripe ones), blueberries and even apricots. They also work with replacing the fruit with about 1/2 small jar of mincemeat.:D

mumwithamission

Hi All

Just updated sig. with this past week's spends. Am loving the whole adventure, and am so pleased that I appear to be managing. Have tons of food in the cupboards so not expecting to have to buy too much for the rest of the month - though I struggle to resist a bargain :rotfl: At this rate Feb's budget will be set lower - cannot believe how different my spending is now - thanks everyone.

lisakay_2

Today I did my last weekly shop of january's budget. DH gets paid on wed and I will not be able to get to a shop before then so NSDs. I spent £43 of £43.50 left of the budget, leaving me 50p under!!!! :j:j I'm so pleased. this will last until next sunday at least, giving me a bit of a headstart on my feb budget which starts on the 25th. I'm almost tempted to lower my budget a bit for next month to see how i get on. I have lots of staples in, beans/lentils/flour, and a good stock of meat in the freezer. also well stocked with loo rolls and washing powder and no one has noticed that I haven't been using fabric softener:p....and there are only 4 shopping weekends to account for, sod it, lets do it!! (only £20 off mind you, no point in running before I can walk;))


so when next months challenge comes up I shall be declaring £180 for 2 adults 2 little(but hungry) girls a dog a cat and 2 rabbits. wish me luck:D

ETA.I think I need to change the way I do my sig as I just added up what I spent and it puts me 50p over budget . 50p I can cope with though as last year my shopping bill would have been at least double what it is now. and i am still lowering my budget and thinking about it, i did round up to the nearest 50p....lol

mummyyof5

:j:j:jWell..my son thinks I am the best mummy in the world...the Ready Brek with chocolate spread is the yummiest in the world xx:j:j:j..and so much more MSE x

Linz4383

mummyyof5 wrote: »

:j:j:jWell..my son thinks I am the best mummy in the world...the Ready Brek with chocolate spread is the yummiest in the world xx:j:j:j..and so much more MSE x

so glad he likes it :j:j:j:j:j

Chopper5

Hi everyone, I am in the process of meal planning for the month ahead (started 20th Jan). I have 14 portions of soup in the freezer, 9 meals (Goulash and Bolognase) and things to make at least 8 meals for 2. This is enough food for 2 of us for 2 weeks, including cereal for breakfast (I have 6 different boxes, of different types almost full). I was going to budget £200 for the month, but I think I will drop that even further. Please put me down for £160 for February.

I spent £32.76 in A5DA today on 28 items, mostly random items as we only go to A5DA once a month, I will need to go to lidl or the market for veg and salad in the week as I won't pay the price in the supermarkets anymore.
Did get a few treats, Chicken Madras from the curry pot is only £2, Extra Special sausages £2, and B*chelors Pasta and Sauce 50p. OH tried to put a bottle of wine in for £9.34 and 3 x £4 DVD's but I made him pay separately!

pipersky

Spent £22 and odd between Aldi and Sainsburys today (mostly Aldi!) - keep forgetting to use my Nectar points to get my shopping for free. Grrr! Sig updated

tigerfeet2006

DH has just moaned at me because he reckons there is nothing to eat in the house for the next week. He had to do dinner today as I wasn't feeling well and have been in bed. He did HM ready meals for everyone, I don't mind as they are there to be used in situations like this.

I have meals to lasts to Saturday and we most likely will be out on Sunday. I will start my February GC on Monday, 2 days early but I am not going to quibble over two days. I might have to get some lunch box stuff but will try and stretch it to the weekend.

rej-c

NSD today :j; should be tomorrow, too, but we'll see...