January 2012 Grocery Challenge

LondonDreamer

Popping in to report a spend of £12.64 at Mr T, the bulk of which was a 2kg organic chicken whoopsied to £5 which is now tucked away in the freezer - only just fit in! Some Lactofree milk to try as suggested earlier in the thread, bananas and bread.

Picked up some of DH's favourite cereal bars as it looked like they were on offer but online says it's only for a specific flavour. :mad: I didn't have time to query it with CS as I was rushing to make my train. Oh well, he's ill so I'll write them off as a treat.

I get paid on Friday and planning not to go into a shop until Sunday, so going to declare January at £196.48/£250. Very pleased as it's less than I thought I was spending. :j

bestill

just updating sig to 308.37 leaving £31.63 until end of month on Tues. Should do it easliy if I use up all the stuff I've got in, tonights tea is chicken stir fry wiht leftover chicken from freezer & using up bits of veggies. Hoping to stretch to a take away for me and DH on Sat when kids at party (well perhaps supermarket ready meal).

Byatt

Need to update my sig; it's getting complicated as bought stuff with Feb's budget. Is that allowed? Couldn't miss out on some YS stuff. But not feeling so good and brain very woolly. So will do that tomorrow hopefully.

Anyway, Feb will be £50 again. I really want to try for that as it's made such a difference this month to my bank account and I have managed to pay off some bills. Really chuffed.

elizabunny

Evening GCs!

Well dinner was a disaster tonight, bought some carton soup (I usually make my own) and we hated it.....it was chicken and corn chowder or something and incredibly stringy with inedible bits in. We won't be buying that again.

Then I made some Pasta with a Tomato & Garlic Sauce and Choritzo and it was horrible and we had to throw most of it away:o (which I really hate doing) but it was truely horrible.

One small spend today on more Kitchen Roll and fresh herbs for the bunny, so £1.99 to come out of GC Budget. Roll on summer when I can grow the herbs, Also £10 coming out of GC Budget for my 2nd Purse.

Just about to update Sig.

Hope everyone else is doing ok:)

tessie_bear

eliza...if the soup was inedible u could fish the container out of the bin and write a letter or email complaining about it...i always have a moan if food isnt what it should be ...im sure u will at least get your money back

claireosully

Hi Everyone!

This is my very first post! I have really enjoyed reading through this thread. I feel inspired!
I realise i have been spending far too much on my groceries (£400-£500 a month!) And its just me my husband and our 3 year old daughter!
My goal for feb (which will start on friday for me!) is £320!
This is probably still too much but i feel it is realistic and do-able. I think if im too tight i will fail and end up not caring!
Any tips on how to keep the food bill down would be much appreciated as i am new to all this . . . . !

Thanks all

Claire x

Florenceem

claireosully wrote: »

Hi Everyone!

This is my very first post! I have really enjoyed reading through this thread. I feel inspired!
I realise i have been spending far too much on my groceries (£400-£500 a month!) And its just me my husband and our 3 year old daughter!
My goal for feb (which will start on friday for me!) is £320!
This is probably still too much but i feel it is realistic and do-able. I think if im too tight i will fail and end up not caring!
Any tips on how to keep the food bill down would be much appreciated as i am new to all this . . . . !

Thanks all

Claire x

Most important - plan!
Write a menu - then a shopping list.
Be prepared to swap meals about if you find a ys/reduction/special offer.
I have mushrooms that need to be used - so plan to make a mushroom/stilton/red onion tart. I don't have any stilton but Mr F was bought some as a pressie - so I can use some of that.

Kylieminoag

claireosully wrote: »

Hi Everyone!

This is my very first post!

Welcome Claire

Hope you manage to resist being quite as obsessed as I've got! I cant bear to miss a post and have to check at least twice a day!

You'll get lots of tips - I have found this thread goes really well with the "dont throw food away challenge" thread - worth a look if you've not seen it already.

Good luck - and dont be afraid to ask questions - there are lots of really helpful people who answer.

skintmum2012

Hello please may I join? There's 4 of us my hubby and me 1 year old Daughter and 3 year old son. My month will run from 24th Jan to the 24th feb and I am hoping to come in at 200 a month

£50 a week


I have already spent £43 of this but that was all on yellowed Stickered stuff my fridge and freezer are both full to bursting

ostaragirl

As a newbie to MSE I'm just starting out on here but so far have started the sealed pot challenge and have been saving my grocerie receipts since Jan 13th and I'm also noting down toiletry/cleaning stuff spends.
I was just pondering this, there are just the 2 of us and we are foodies with healthy appetites and like to cook everything from scratch. Are there any others who are just buying for a couple and if so what is your average monthly spend? I'm trying to guage how cheaply a couple can live. TBH we are quite frugal anyway but I'm trying to make changes as I tend to shop little and often and this is the first time I've ever kept a track of what I'm spending, I was beginning to wonder if by shopping like I do I was overspending, and had no idea of what was going out on shopping and if I should just to a one shop a week?. Any insight appreciated.