Grocery Challenge - February 2012

ragz_2

£70.37 spent at Morrisons today, but £5 off with the Sun voucher, £9.50 was a new frying pan and spatula and £6.98 was cider for DH and I don't count those so (taking off 30p for the paper) GC spend was £49.19, added to the Aldi and Tesco shops earlier in the week that takes me to £134.02 this month. Will need fruit and veg at Aldi this weekend.

Morrisons had their Ethnic brand (KTC?) coconut milk at 2 for £1 which was such a bargain I bought 4 as I don't tend to buy it because it's usually nearly £2 a tin! Now I can plan some tasty curries...

Was very happy as they had their value nappies in in size 5 (£1.43 a pack) so I bought 4 and left 2 on the shelf. I don't go there often, the nappies are fine, not placticky like the tesco/asda ones, which I also use. In my opinion, DD has never reacted badly to them and they do the job so why pay more? (We use washables too)

Herbyme

Elsiepac, the pancakes went down a storm too! Keep 'em coming!
Crowdpleaser, I have this problem too, I find the solution is to add more liquid than you think you need and not so much pasta - I tend to try to do too many layers. Also maybe cook covered in foil for say first 20 mins of 35 mins in oven? If all else fails, have some spare bol ssauce to hand that you can add in if it looks too dry.
Pennygrabber, we're all in suspense... I'm a gadget girl myself and it's very tantalising not knowing...
Off to Mr Ws for some stuff for tea and some whoopsies if any around...

CompBunny

Really quick post to say that after doing so well this month so far I have just spent £1.60 on two packs of Baking Boys cupcakes from the co-op. 12 cupcakes. 2 remain. My partner is at work, a visiting friend had two....what happened to the other 8? *slinks off in shame*

Suffolk_lass

Had to go to the local shop in the next village as completely run out of cat food (they were not happy! - the cats, not the shop) - sadly the 3x48 packs (£10 each on Amazing with free delivery) I ordered have not come yet. Got box of 12 for £3 then eggs from the farm shop (£2.60 x 12), meat from the butchers (included oxtail for something slow cooked and lovely with a baked scone top and a huge slab of pork belly for Sunday and on, in keeping with the weather) for £27.10. All ramped up the spend faster than I hoped. Just bits to get tomorrow though; milk, juice and F&V. Sig up to date

freakyogre

Very small spend of 25p earlier in the week on some cup a soups to try (only 15p) and a packet of reduced pretzel sticks which I had at the cinema.

I've done a meal plan for next week and most of it is from the freezer which is good. I will need to get some cheese and fruit and perhaps some bread, but think that's about it.

123budget

spent more than anticipated today Ald* £49.75 and Mr.T£24.96
which leaves me with about £33 for the rest of the month.
Whoops think I may have shaved too much off my budget this month and will go over.
However I did buy two chickens so one for nxt week and quite a bit of stuff for baking as it's half term.
My dd has 3 friends for a sleepover tues eve so a few extras got in plus one of them is staying for 2 days.

I seem to be in the habit of buying carrots every week and now have a surplus that are getting old and need using up.
My ideas are a mixed veg soup (don't like carrot soup on its own) and a carrot cake.
Does anyone have any other ideas?

Right am going for a cup of tea now as throat feels so swollen - can't be tonsilitus - I've already had those removed:(

hex2

Evening all, we have some tofu to try as an experiment. Financially we could do with more veggie days, and neither of my boys like meat much so worth a try. Marinading tonight,

MrS has 12 packs of Walkers on BOGOF.

I have put the popping corn somewhere daft which is infuriating. Cheapest treat ever, popped in the microwave with no oil and then some toffee made with sugar and water boiled till it just turns golden.

Living_proof

I haven't been on the site for a while as OH and I have split after 12 years. I am devastated and still grieving so shopping has not been on my priority list at all. We have always both had our own houses but normally eat together so I have ended up with tons of frozen cooked food, exact portions for two and none of which I can face eating. I have again changed the rules for expenditure so that the £140 per month will cover both food and petrol and anything else I happen to buy. I have loads in the freezer so I don't expect to go over this and maybe will downgrade again in March as I really would like to run the freezer down altogether in case I move in the next few months, which was on the cards anyway.

I looked at mysupermarket today to see whether I might as well shop in A*da or Te*co now, but the cost of their fruit and veg is double the discount stores and I just can't get myself to waste my money like that. At the moment I am composting rather a lot of surplus veg. too as I haven't got used to buying for one at all. Cooking for one is certainly a soul-less task I am finding but I dare say I will get used it soon enough. I could lose four stone anyway!

MissOrganised1972

Have done very well today. I usually make a list based on my menu plan. Then I price it up online on Mr T and try & get it cheaper at places like Ald* finishing at Mr T to get whatever's left. I just didn't have time today so wrote a very rough list (without prices) & just whizzed round Ald* & Mr T. My aim is about £30 per week. Managed to keep it to £30.78 & that included a bottle of S Blanc wine, steak for Valentines Day, cereal, fruit, chicken, sausagemeat, 50 dishwasher tablets, butter, fruit, veg, yogurts, honey, biscuits & butter!

cw18

((hugs)) for Living proof


I've spent a hefty amount on groceries today - some of which won't be used this month, but was bought to either justify postage (a specialist oil where shipping is the same amount whether you buy 1 bottle or 5 - I ordered 4 plus some sports nutrition stuff which comes from a different budget) or to enable me to use a £10 off a £70 spend at Mr T. I had planned to ditch the Mr T voucher, but by spending over £60 I also qualified for a 10p/litre off fuel voucher - and as that's valid for 2 weeks my car will be running on fumes by the time I use it (two return trips to DD on 17th and 18th to collect/return my baby GD for an overnight stay) which will save me a further £5 or so albeit from a different budget, so the 'double ended carrot' was enough to tempt me to take a deep breath and compile a shopping list that big (Actually came to £71.55 before discount, but of the £61.55 I actually paid £4.59 came from my Presents budget as it was for Easter Eggs).

I know a few bits I bought aren't likely to be used this month, and my GC budget couldn't afford to swallow it all - so I've "borrowed" money from elsewhere (I'm running my own version of the 2nd purse) to pay for £30.74 of todays spends.

Even so I've got less than £29 of this months GC budget left, which is scarey :eek: But I'm hoping what I've already charged to my budget should see me through most (if not all) of next week, with only a few small/cheap bits hopefully needed to supplement it all until next weekend.

Signature pretty much up-to-date, but I've just remembered something I've taken from stocks that needs charging to my budget - so I'm off to do that now..........