May 2012 Grocery Challenge

little_miss_moneysaver_3

Thanks for that Fozziebear does sund clearer now. But like you said once you get started it will probably make more sense.
Need to get a final couple of bits done before we go on our travels. See you all in a few days.

Soworried

£30.51 spent yesterday which takes me up to £302.09 from a £400 budget. I still have 10 days until pay day so it will be tight.
I have loads of stuff in but just can not stop spending on food. I think I'm going to give my husband my bank cards so I can not spend. I need to get some more willpower.
Can bananas be frozen? I have a lot that need used and don't want to use them yet.

jumblejack

Soworried wrote: »

£30.51 spent yesterday which takes me up to £302.09 from a £400 budget. I still have 10 days until pay day so it will be tight.
I have loads of stuff in but just can not stop spending on food. I think I'm going to give my husband my bank cards so I can not spend. I need to get some more willpower.
Can bananas be frozen? I have a lot that need used and don't want to use them yet.

YES! Bananas can be frozen in their skins for later use in smoothies and cakes but the skins go jet black, be warned!
They also freeze very well without the skins and can be eaten as lollies if you stick a stick in em. Try coating in honey or chocolate and rolling in sprinkles or chopped nuts (thats basically what rocky road bananas are). My sister also has a banana ice cream recipe somewhere which she used when she had a glut of bananas.

Soworried

Thank you jumblejack

Pixie_Fairydust

Well I've still got 5 days to go before pay day and I'm over my budget :mad:

................. But it's made me focus on menu planning and organising my weekly on-line shop so I'm not tempted to nip out to the local shops........... a pint of milk will turn into a £5 shop :eek:

On a positive note, I have just been offered a permanent position within the NHS, 20 hours per week, Tues, Wed and Thurs. So I am really pleased, as my previous contract was on an 'as and when' basis, so its nice to have a bit more stability

Off to do my meal plan for the week, I have a quorn/leek/potato bake in the oven as I type, pizza, HM wedges and carrot sticks for DS............ so at least tonight is sorted.

Have a great day everyone.

Pixie

fozziebeartoo

tessie_bear wrote: »

if peeps dont think it is too tragic for words i might post a pic of our new car (when we get it) to show where the savings i have made following this thread have gone

take care tess

Not tragic at all!! Cause for great celebration I would say!! :T

fozziebeartoo

Pixie_Fairydust wrote: »

Well I've still got 5 days to go before pay day and I'm over my budget :mad:

................. But it's made me focus on menu planning and organising my weekly on-line shop so I'm not tempted to nip out to the local shops........... a pint of milk will turn into a £5 shop :eek:

On a positive note, I have just been offered a permanent position within the NHS, 20 hours per week, Tues, Wed and Thurs. So I am really pleased, as my previous contract was on an 'as and when' basis, so its nice to have a bit more stability

Off to do my meal plan for the week, I have a quorn/leek/potato bake in the oven as I type, pizza, HM wedges and carrot sticks for DS............ so at least tonight is sorted.

Have a great day everyone.

Pixie

Congratulations on your job, thats great news!! :T

Aldahbra

EyesWideOpen wrote: »

By the way, I have been wondering if you all feel you eat better now you're meal planning etc or have you substituted say fresh fish for fish fingers or fresh beef for minced/sausages? I am trying to keep to the healthy food groups, just trading down in quality (so slow cooking meat rather than fry it in the pan) but must admit I am currently having lots more mince than ever before. Not sure if that is terribly healthy as of course I am having the cheapest mince I can get, rather than the leanest etc. Interested to hear your thoughts

I'm doing a bit of both at the moment. I have tried downgrading on a load of different products. Sometimes we don't mind, sometimes we do.

I've had to cook from scratch for about 10 years because DD has ADHD to avoid additives and preservatives in things. But I am not a good cook and did tend to follow expensive recipes or dish up plain meals like chops, veg and potatoes. But I can't afford to buy meat like that for every meal now.

DD also has ASD so doesn't like change more that most kids so I can't just swap our diet all at once, so I have actually bought more products which I know the children will eat, like fish fingers and pizza to intersperse with the days with the new recipes. my plan is to reduce that over time

But on reflection, like you I think that maybe I have been making too much mince based meals.

hm71 wrote: »

hi everyone- hope everyone is doing great. i feel bad that every else seems to contribute a lot of brill info on here where as i arrive say what i'ver spent this week &disappear again!!! so this week a spend of £70 to report so still kinda on target, with 1 week to go.

Everyone here is at a different stage in their life, some have more time at this stage than others. If it is helping you stay in budget, then it is worthwhile.

---

I'm here to report an £80.45 spend at L&&l this weekend. I've only got £28.46 left for next week - that'll be for 9 days!!

While there I bought 2 packets of cerials, chocolate hoops(not chocolately enough apparently) and some oat flacky things(don't taste nice enough). Neither of which the kids will eat. I thought I might make some Chocolate Krackovs using some of each of them.

Has anyone got any other ideas on how I can use them up?

iQueen

hm71 wrote: »

hi everyone- hope everyone is doing great. i feel bad that every else seems to contribute a lot of brill info on here where as i arrive say what i'ver spent this week &disapear again!!! so this week a spend of £70 to report so still kinda on target, with 1 week to go.

Obviously, we advice-givers don't get out (shopping!) enough! :rotfl:

Also, some of us have a wealth of tips, after living through the Fifties! :A

iQueen

Mr M is offering 12p/litre off fuel this week, for any of you who can afford to spend £60 on groceries.