Grocery Challenge - February 2012

123budget

Morning All,

Have just about survived dd's sleepover, having gone into their room at 2 am to tell them to turn out the light and go to sleep - some very tired looking children this morning! Poor DH had to get up for work at 4am:eek:

Felt really guilty yesterday as we havn't done valentines for many years and in fact I forgot all about it - he arrived home from work with a big bunch of roses and a card. Did tell him I loved him tho:o

Am trying soooo hard to save balance of holiday payable at end of April but things are conspiring against me; As quick as I put money in holiday account I am having to draw it back again.
Dentist bill £148
Central heating breakdown £269.00
It was a problem with thermostat and didn't realise it was constantly heating water to over 80 degrees:eek: also valve broke so it wasn't putting water round the system. Due to that we had a small gas fire heating the whole house for 2 days - Just got gas bill for the month :- £300 (just for one month:eek:) normally only about £80
I am lucky that I know if I ask my dear mum will help us out but I soooooo want to be able to do it for ourselves - I'm 48 and shouldn't have to be asking for help from my mum:(

Was going to do a bulk shop at end of Feb but think I will just meal plan and buy what I need weekly and see how that goes

Herbyme

I know what you mean about winning bupster and meg. I couldn't believe how much cheerier I felt yesterday after I managed to fix the tumble dryer for nothing. Had been very blue and was really quite cheerful afterwards. I'm going to try and build a small victory (ms or otherwise) into each day, and see if that's helpful.

Just got cod in cheese sauce out of the freezer, have some new pots and plenty of carrots (30p a kg at Mr Ms, amazing) so dinner is sorted. Now looking for a cheap/free day out with family... one of whom isn't up yet ...

tessie_bear

im :j as i have just made my first order from approved foods...£60 but got loads...hope it is delivered soon

just been to asda to get the 2 for a quid syrup...i buy loads at this time every year....also had a look round but didnt buy much else...im also :jabout the fact we are off to costco shortly

so all in all a :jkind of day...wishing everyone else the same

tess

p-pincher

I love this thread, it really is inspiring reading everyones reasons for shopping. I mentioned in an earlier post that i actually enjoy food shopping, though I think its just a substitute for the clothes/shoes/bag shopping. Another post really hit the nail on the head when it said how guilty you feel when theres not enough choice. When I make DH and both DD's pack up I like to have a choice for them, do you want ham, cheese, or tuna? Sandwich or wrap? Do you want a flapjack or crisps? Yoghurt or Dunker? and I feel bad if I don't offer them enough choice when in reality none of them are fussed. There more than happy with cheese everyday or tuna for a few days running, no ones ever complained. In fact the kids asked for jam everyday last week.

But even though I ve kind of replaced my old spending habits with food shopping at least i now have a budget in place, something I never had before. I love finding the best deals and bargains, well don't we all. Even though this month has been a struggle I can now see light at the end of the tunnel as next friday is pay day and I'm determined to do it. Were very lucky that we've never been in the situation where we haven't had any food or money in at all but i'm all to aware about what can happen and you never know whats around the corner.

Anyhoo thats my roundabout way of saying thanks to everyone for posting there stories and thoughts because I find them really inspiring, so inspiring I think ill have another NSD today xx

Herbyme

Made the Nigella breakfast bars, left out coconut and cranberries, substituted raisins for both in ters of weight, it seemed really dry when mixed and now it's baked, it's really hard and pretty dry - anyone else found this? Maybe I need to reduce the amount of dry ingredients if I leave out the coconut (which I'm not keen on). These are toothbreakers!

EverTheOptimist

Morning all

Spends of £15.75 over the last few days. Hubby has been at home but will now be away for 10 days so we had a few special dinners. Hopefully should be balanced out by me eating out of the freezer for the next week at least.

I have a day off today and am desperately trying not to go and spend money somewhere. I actually don't need anything but i see shopping as a leisure activity/ something to do to fill my time. :eek: It feels a waste just to sit around the house....
I do have some gift cards to spend so can spend without actually spending, but again i dont actually need anything and i know i should just save them so why am i conspiring against myself.

Right think i will go through the freezer and see what meals i have for the next week, maybe do some cleaning, organise the paperwork. oh the fun.... :rotfl:

Hugs to those that need them and are struggling with any aspects of life at the mo.

ETO
x

[Deleted User]

good morning all,well I am still 'shopping' from my freezer and its very slowly going down.I have to get a few fresh bits today bread,milk etc but thats all.Its almost halfway through the month and so far all's going to plan.yesterday we had a picnic out with my DGS so nothing was bought but everything taken from home including a large flask of coffee for DD and I (I can't believe how much a shop wants for a cup of coffee)I took some cereal bars along with me and the boys scoffedd them which was good and we looked at the cafe in the grounds of Bodiam castle and I think for DD and I and four boys it would have cost us the best part of 30 quid to buy and ours came from home so we saved a fortune.The boys are all on my National Trust ticket and my DD gets in for free as my 'carer' as I am disabled great day out which cost very little,only diesel for my car which I top up once a month anyway

NickJW

Hi All

No spend yesterday - had a Mr W ready cook stuffed chicken tagine meal from the freezer which was originally YS for dinner.

Spendy day of £6.35 in Mr S which got my lunch stuff for the next 3 days and a box of cereal. Tonight and Thursday are my housemates turn to cook so if all goes to plan I shouldn't need to spend anything else until Friday.

I need to go searching to find a recipe which uses up half a pack of sage and half a pack of parsley in the same meal for Friday since I refuse to throw them away!

Kylieminoag

More spends to declare.... I took DS (18) shopping yesterday to spoil him a bit - we didnt spend a lot, the important thing was that we had a whole day together without interruption from the rest of the herd.

Lunch was lovely fresh samosas and pakora from the market and I bought him his first ever fresh oyster (75p) and watched his face as he swallowed it raw (:p revenge is a dish best served cold!)

He then persuaded me to spend 50p on a pigs trotter which has cost at least that in fuel to cook till it turns to jelly!

Then we went to TKMIKS and he spent his christmas vouchers on some R*ckp*rt boots reduced to £43 from over a hundred. Then he managed to persuade me that I needed to spend my months pocket money on a pair of bright red :eek: Hilfiddler trousers for him. I'm softer than a down duvet!

We bought a couple of sensible things too - live mussels are in season at the moment and only £2.50 for a kilo bag so it was moules mariniere for tea when we got home.:T:T

Signature all updated ... am hoping for a NSD today but BiL has already mentioned twice that the milk is low and he cant possibly manage without meusli even if I have made a fresh HM loaf for toast for breakfast tomorrow. :mad::mad:

The end of the month draws nigh...... keep up the good work everyone! And thanks for all your support.:beer:

xx
K

Suffolk_lass

Well done everyone, there is such superb support on here and so much helpful advice. I went to stay with a friend Mon/Tue and had to catch up this morning but really enjoyed the posts


My meagre tips for cutting down on sm spend are:

• Write the list based on a fridge list of things we are running out of + meal plan list and the staple things we always use I buy the milk and one loaf of bread for the week and make my own bread the rest of the week.
• I keep one spare 4 pint and 1 spare 2 pint of milk in the freezer and use this when we overuse or have a freezer no sm week (once a month/6 weeks currently)
• I send DH on his own to do the sm run at least once a month. He hates shopping and gets only what is on the list. He really appreciates it when we go together that way! :shhh:
• My new bargain hunting is on-line rather than in person, where I look for MOCs, read other's saving posts and use SM comparison sites, then I also check Waitflower (free delivery if over £50 - and we are 18 mile round trip) and Amazing (also free delivery) before finalising the list.
• I still go shopping but maybe 2-3 times in the month so I get the buzz but less often. We go to Aldo's first, and only go on if they can't do it. We use the local butcher at least twice a month and the farm shop for eggs (cheaper than sm for FR)
• I was getting drawn into the £10 off £70 in Sainsbob but I shopped there 3 weeks running and suddenly it was £10 off £80 so not going there for a few weeks now.
• I've got a 2nd purse spreadsheet for shopping from my own stores (complicated as I was already stocked up for the next Suffolk siege :eek: and I'm not counting the "old" stuff).
• All my ood tins are on the counter (really annoying and makes me consider using them instead of forgetting I've got them)

Not sure if this helps anyone but it sort of works for me (I stop sleeping if I don't know what we've got and what to expect).