May 2012 Grocery Challenge

[Deleted User]

Meg72 I am struggling with my budget. I think i just need to stay away from food shops and not look at AF. I had to prize(sp?) my hand off pressing the place order. I do not need food at all, apart from fruit & salad, probably not fruit as i have large catering size tins that could do with using. Did you cut the bacon frozen or defrost it, just wondering as i have a pack of the same bacon in freezer, no room in there so cant defrost all bacon. Any tips re not spending appreciated. I just want to do this month on this low budget

abitofhelp

I'm being very frugal tomorrow and in fact i have impressed myself very much by doing this. I am out with work tomorrow and we tend to stop somewhere for lunch. I am taking some marinated chicken strips out of the freezer and making a salad to take with me instead. That will save £20. So that will be another NSD for me wahoo! I will also put the slowcooker on in the morning before i leave the house, so i will have a meal ready for me when i return. Very os.

Florenceem

Makes 12.

10 ozs plain flour.
2 ozs sugar.
2 ozs margarine.
2 eggs.
4 rounded tsp baking powder.
6 glace cherries.
2 ozs dessicated coconut.
8 fl ozs milk.

Mix flour/baking powder/sugar/coconut and cherries in a bowl. I cut each cherry into 12 pieces. Melt marge in MW. Add beaten eggs/milk and marge to dry ingredients. Mix to combine. I use Muffin cases from Wil... but do buy pretty ones when I see them elsewhere. Put mix into Muffin cakes in a Muffin tray. Bake - 200c - approx 20 minutes. Remove from tray and cool on wire rack.

Cost approx 75p.

Not a lot of fat/sugar in these muffins. I like that.

Florenceem

Save_Dosh wrote: »

Meg72 I am struggling with my budget. I think i just need to stay away from food shops and not look at AF. I had to prize(sp?) my hand off pressing the place order. I do not need food at all, apart from fruit & salad, probably not fruit as i have large catering size tins that could do with using. Did you cut the bacon frozen or defrost it, just wondering as i have a pack of the same bacon in freezer, no room in there so cant defrost all bacon. Any tips re not spending appreciated. I just want to do this month on this low budget

You need something to occupy your mind/hands so you don't shop. Have you got any hobbies?

Florenceem

abitofhelp wrote: »

I'm being very frugal tomorrow and in fact i have impressed myself very much by doing this. I am out with work tomorrow and we tend to stop somewhere for lunch. I am taking some marinated chicken strips out of the freezer and making a salad to take with me instead. That will save £20. So that will be another NSD for me wahoo! I will also put the slowcooker on in the morning before i leave the house, so i will have a meal ready for me when i return. Very os.

:T Very well done!

Rage_in_Eden

Oooh I might give those muffins a go! I've just done my meal planner with an eye on what's in the pantry/store cupboard and freezer and hopefully we will have to spend very little this month - which is just as well as I've done the accounts and worked out we've got about £35 a week for the two of us. It can and will be done

meg72

Save_Dosh wrote: »

Meg72 I am struggling with my budget. I think i just need to stay away from food shops and not look at AF. I had to prize(sp?) my hand off pressing the place order. I do not need food at all, apart from fruit & salad, probably not fruit as i have large catering size tins that could do with using. Did you cut the bacon frozen or defrost it, just wondering as i have a pack of the same bacon in freezer, no room in there so cant defrost all bacon. Any tips re not spending appreciated. I just want to do this month on this low budget

I did cut the pack frozen, but let it defrost thinking I would use it all,before realising I didnt have freezer space, for the resulting meals would only defrost half the pack next time. Or even better cut the pack into quarters when I get it

meg72

Florenceem wrote: »

You need something to occupy your mind/hands so you don't shop. Have you got any hobbies?

Great advice, I used to shop every day now can go about two weeks, do you like growing things, a big money saver for me has been growing my own, even if you only have a windowsill you can grow herbs, if you have a garden, even better.

Florenceem

meg72 wrote: »

Great advice, I used to shop every day now can go about two weeks, do you like growing things, a big money saver for me has been growing my own, even if you only have a windowsill you can grow herbs, if you have a garden, even better.

We only have a small garden - just big enough for the dog to do the necessary. Our dog goes out for a walk every day.
I have loads of hobbies. :eek:

MunniMuncha

And there was me thinking Florenceem was mid 40s:p

You sound sooooo youthful