March 2007 Grocery Challenge

millionaire_in_training

I am coming to the conclusion that I need a personal shopper. I went to shops today armed with a list and should have spent £12 max. I had meal planned, I had cooked in bulk and I am going to bake batches of cakes, biscuits etc over the weekend. Why oh Why did I spend £38???. I am an intelligent person. I know I shouldnt BUT I do it all the time. GRRRRRRR at me. Right I really really have to wisen up. Help me xx:o

lil_me

Mrs Wossinge I havent tried that but will. It probably comes down to they cut him because he doesn't clean them properly. Definately not 'wrong'. My DP uses these expensive Gillete ones and at about £10 for 4 need to do something, might check them next time he uses them and make sure he's getting as much use as possible from them.

Millionaire in Training - have you tried taking less cash with you? Allow for the shopping and maybe a little over, leave the rest at home, you can't spend what you don't have. I take my grocery budget out in cash now each month and find it much easier that way. If I take my debit cards I am done for. How many are you buying for ? Pressuming with wht you've spent on average so far either large family or have a lot left ? Maybe try a store cupboard challenge next month ? I am thinking of doing that myself. Also timing, don't g shopping when you're either hungry or in a rush, impulsive spending is worse then.

Redbedhead

Looks like we are going to fail this month. I have £5.70 to shop this week and next week (forgot it was a 5 week month:mad: ) plus we are due to bulk buy some chicken tomorrow.

Not really sure where things went wrong. Our weekly shop has edged up by about £5 each week, so that is partly it.

Am going to concentrate while shopping this week and see if I can see what is going wrong!

DonnaP

But what happens when all your stocks of storecupboard etc foods are gone? Surely then your next food bills will go up having to replace just about everything.

That's what I've always wondered! I suppose it depends how much you have in your storecupboard or freezer. I keep mine to a sensible level, so doing a storecupboard challenge would leave me with nothing in and I would have to go shopping every day.

Donna

kiwi88_2

Impomdasp wrote: »

One question though. I see towards the end of the month some of you are having a 'use up what's already in the freezer and storecupboard week'. I applaud this and do it myself when money's tight. But what happens when all your stocks of storecupboard etc foods are gone? Surely then your next food bills will go up having to replace just about everything. Please forgive me if I've missed the point somewhere. My excuse....I'm new to being sensible with money and stuff! That's why my finances are in such a mess and why, thank God, I've joined you all on these ab fab boards.

Hi Impomdasp

The short answer to your question is yes at first :rotfl: When doing this challenge it is very difficult in the beginning to judge your cupboard/freezer stock levels.

My own experience has been that usually I had one of each apart from regular item tins, baked beans, toms etc however after the first 2 months, when I realised I hadn't budgetted for 5wk months, I realised that either I had to up my budget to replace things or rethink how I used them. As upping the budget was not an option I rethought.

So whenever I came under budget for the week I bought one, two, or three extra storecupboard items. As for the freezer, same thing, if it was on offer or within the budget it was bought.

What also helped was cooking in bulk and freezing the extra portions so there is always dinner in the freezer.

By doing this I can live off the storecupboard and freezer for a month without running down my stock levels too much.

Whew, sorry for the essay, hope that helped though :rotfl:

southern_chick

Hi eveyone

well i've finished my challenge for this month and come in under budget again by £32.65. i'm going to keep the budget the same each month because then if i need to buy lots of more expensive things (washing powder, loo rolls, deoderant etc) i've got the "spare" money to do it, with my underspend each month so far i have managed to treat myself to a night out and it felt almost like a free night because the money was in a different budget, not sure if that makes sense to anyone else but it does to me!!!:rotfl: :rotfl:

good luck to everyone who hasn't finished yet this month

SC XX

mikeD

kiwi88 wrote: »

Hi Impomdasp

The short answer to your question is yes at first :rotfl: When doing this challenge it is very difficult in the beginning to judge your cupboard/freezer stock levels.

My own experience has been that usually I had one of each apart from regular item tins, baked beans, toms etc however after the first 2 months, when I realised I hadn't budgetted for 5wk months, I realised that either I had to up my budget to replace things or rethink how I used them. As upping the budget was not an option I rethought.

So whenever I came under budget for the week I bought one, two, or three extra storecupboard items. As for the freezer, same thing, if it was on offer or within the budget it was bought.

What also helped was cooking in bulk and freezing the extra portions so there is always dinner in the freezer.

By doing this I can live off the storecupboard and freezer for a month without running down my stock levels too much.

Whew, sorry for the essay, hope that helped though :rotfl:

Can't quite see the logic of cooking in bulk and freezing. Surely you have to buy the ingredients in the first place, so over the time period, the cost would be the same as if one had cooked as and when??? Or am I missing something??:o I do a major shop over the internet on a fortnightly basis and try to order so that when delivered my fridge/freezer/cupboards are nealy empty. Its a Japanese stock control system called "Just In Time". It is not perfect and doesn't always work, but I like it. You do have to have in your head an idea of what the meals or item usage over the time period is likely to be, but fortunately there is a convenience store just down the road so I can be a little flexible. Cooking or buying in bulk is OK if the goods are BOGOF's or on special offer, but even then how does one know that one might get them even cheaper in the future? :cool: or what?

kiwi88_2

mikeD wrote: »

Can't quite see the logic of cooking in bulk and freezing. Surely you have to buy the ingredients in the first place, so over the time period, the cost would be the same as if one had cooked as and when??? Or am I missing something??:o I do a major shop over the internet on a fortnightly basis and try to order so that when delivered my fridge/freezer/cupboards are nealy empty. Its a Japanese stock control system called "Just In Time". It is not perfect and doesn't always work, but I like it. You do have to have in your head an idea of what the meals or item usage over the time period is likely to be, but fortunately there is a convenience store just down the road so I can be a little flexible. Cooking or buying in bulk is OK if the goods are BOGOF's or on special offer, but even then how does one know that one might get them even cheaper in the future? :cool: or what?

Hi mikeD

No you're not missing something :rotfl: It's like you said at the end that's the only way I bulk cook, if it's on bogof or I'm under budget one week You're right though you never know when you might get it cheaper so you take a chance :rolleyes:

It also means that if we are short one month I have main meals already cooked so all we need to buy is fresh bits.

I couldn't use the Japanese stock level system myself but, like you, I meal plan and have an idea of usage time and that really helps

This is why I love this thread :T We all find out how differently we work things out. It can be really interesting and give you so many ideas.

Janeryan

End of month as payday today and have spent £247.48 so am under budget(just!)

May be over next month as doing lots of entertaining over the next few weeks but will try to keep to £50.00 per week so for April that will be £200.00

Well done to everyone else for keeping up with it(even if you didn't quite mamange it this monthat least you tried!)

NHSslave_2

Well have done the last of the grocery shopping for this month. It was the first month I have been on MSE and so the first month of my grocery challenge. I had set myself the target of £250 (pre-MSE was spending £400-£500 per month). and the grand total is..... (drum roll)... £259.65 for the month. £9.65 over I know but I console myself with the fact that this included buying a years supply of washing powder in costco and without this I would have been on budget. Will be sticking with the same amount each month and see how I get on
Thanks for all the great OS advice I feel my life has been turned around (and DH is shocked at the amount of cooking and baking I am doing now:rotfl: )
Katie