Grocery Challenge - February 2012

XSpender

Suffolk_lass wrote: »

Actually you're both pretty wonderful, inspirational and supportive of everyone else - quintessentially what this board is all about. :T:T

I second that x

wannabee_in_credit

Hi everyone,
Just calling in to report my first grocery shop for March. We got everything we wanted in Ald! today for the grand total of £44.75. Unfortunately our fridge freezer is on the blink for the second time since October.... the lovely repair man came today to fix it for free but needs to order another new part for it. I just hope it lasts into next week when the parts arrive - when it went last time I threw four binbags of food away. And I cannot afford that now that OH is off on the sick.
Hope everyone is well - real life is going too quickly for me to keep up with what is going on here.

katylou6180

I would just like to shout a huuuuge THANKYOU from the rooftops about this board, I am halfway through my month (all bar a couple of days) and out of my initial £200 budget for me dh and ds(12) (did big shop at sainsbury with basics and dinners for the month costing £129.23) and I have only spent a further £18.91 (under budget for the £10 bread milk and incidental weekly budget) bringing me in at £148.14 so far!! Worked out that I can buy the men some treats this week! Even better, reporting this years weight loss since 20 Jan=30lbs, no fads, no expensive memberships, just good old fashioned portion control and calorie counting..only another million lbs to go before my friends wedding!! I have found that the budgeting and the losing weight are going hand in hand as I am only budgeting for "junk food" for the men, and buy stuff i don't like, so if i ain't got it I can't eat it! lol I must confess to paying a very over inflated price for a mars bar for the pmt chocolate fix when you can get 5 in the £ shop for £1...but ho hum....Hope everyone is doing well and budgets are suiting them xx

prepareathome

Just popping in to say thanks to my stocks I actually managed to stay within target - how come when I have a large target I always go over but for Feb had only £35 and spent £34.30 as I looked and looked and thought and thought about every little thing, and big thing I bought. Stocks now are very low so its going to be fun jigging money around again as hubby again has a weekend away at end of the month. How come I always find the money so he can go away with his hobby yet in all our years married I have never gone anywhere I would love to go as I can always thing of half a dozen things the money could be spent on.

Right will go and find the March thread and join that.....thank heavens for this challenge I would never have managed to stay within budget without it and things like rent would have not been paid, but sailed through and not one debt and hubby had his weekend away with no budget restrictions, not that I must in fairness say means much he doesn't drink or smoke, in fact a few team mates asked if they could share his car so that they could have a drink so that cut petrol costs by 2/3 and he just goes back to his hotel room after his matches and meals and watches tv but it did mean he could take part in raffles, tombolla and anything else without looking penny pinching.

I might not have posted much this month as had nothing really to report but have read and you all have such brilliant ideas on stretching things, you are brilliant.

Florenceem

katylou6180 wrote: »

I would just like to shout a huuuuge THANKYOU from the rooftops about this board, I am halfway through my month (all bar a couple of days) and out of my initial £200 budget for me dh and ds(12) (did big shop at sainsbury with basics and dinners for the month costing £129.23) and I have only spent a further £18.91 (under budget for the £10 bread milk and incidental weekly budget) bringing me in at £148.14 so far!! Worked out that I can buy the men some treats this week! Even better, reporting this years weight loss since 20 Jan=30lbs, no fads, no expensive memberships, just good old fashioned portion control and calorie counting..only another million lbs to go before my friends wedding!! I have found that the budgeting and the losing weight are going hand in hand as I am only budgeting for "junk food" for the men, and buy stuff i don't like, so if i ain't got it I can't eat it! lol I must confess to paying a very over inflated price for a mars bar for the pmt chocolate fix when you can get 5 in the £ shop for £1...but ho hum....Hope everyone is doing well and budgets are suiting them xx

Well done! You have got the idea now. Portion control and balancing out the different food types on a plate is SO important. No junk food as well. There were biscuits and chocolate sweets on plates at Church for us to have with our tea/coffee. Mr F and I said no.

tigerfeet2006

wannabee_in_credit wrote: »

Hi everyone,
Just calling in to report my first grocery shop for March. We got everything we wanted in Ald! today for the grand total of £44.75. Unfortunately our fridge freezer is on the blink for the second time since October.... the lovely repair man came today to fix it for free but needs to order another new part for it. I just hope it lasts into next week when the parts arrive - when it went last time I threw four binbags of food away. And I cannot afford that now that OH is off on the sick.
Hope everyone is well - real life is going too quickly for me to keep up with what is going on here.

Will keep my fingers crossed for you. Check your house contents insurance and see if you are covered for food in the freezer. I know we are. Then if the worst happens you may be able to make a claim.

If you need a temporary one while you save for a new one then check your local Freegle/Freecycle. My last one from there lasted five years

meg72

wannabee_in_credit wrote: »

Hi everyone,
Just calling in to report my first grocery shop for March. We got everything we wanted in Ald! today for the grand total of £44.75. Unfortunately our fridge freezer is on the blink for the second time since October.... the lovely repair man came today to fix it for free but needs to order another new part for it. I just hope it lasts into next week when the parts arrive - when it went last time I threw four binbags of food away. And I cannot afford that now that OH is off on the sick.
Hope everyone is well - real life is going too quickly for me to keep up with what is going on here.

Fingers crossed for you that it lasts until the new part arrives.Hope oh is better soon,why is it that these things always happen when you least need them?.Thinking of you ,

Lip_Stick

Declaring £145 spent out of £150 target for this month.

Thrifty_Mummy

Hi I am declaring £104.96 for February. It's my first attempt at this so hopefully I can get it under budget for March. Well done to everyone who came in under budget

Spiggle

Well done Thrifty Mummy, :T

Excellent achievemnt for your first time. Keep up the brilliant work.

All the best,
Spigs