June 2012 Grocery Challenge

Eyebright

JJ your dinner looks delicous, and I bet it tastes even better knowing how little it cost you!

Kitchenbunny

Ugh, was hoping to get through the week without spending, but it looks like I'll have go to shopping for cod liver oil tablets tomorrow morning as DH has run out. Had to go today for sandwich stuff and loo rolls. Spent a grand total of £8.17, and I'll update my signature now. I feel really hormonal today so shopping has been a disappointment and feels a bit of a setback. I wanted more NSDs!

Tea tonight is a simple jacket potato with melee beans. i.e., anything leftover in the fridge gets mixed up with baked beans and a good glug of BBQ sauce. It always goes down well, uses only 1/2 a can of beans between us and makes a cheap and tasty tea.

Got to keep going.

K xx

Midgetgem82

Had a NSD today but quite a big spend yesterday. £29.95 in Ald* and £8.75 in MrT. I'm hoping to spend no more than £10 between now and next wednesday which is my end of month. I have done much better than i expected but we have cut back on treats a little this month.
Tomorrow should also be a NSD as i have everything in i need for dinner.
Sig has been updated

Midnight_Shopper

Have updated signature,

Developing a strong dislike for SMs.

Even though I don't post often, I'm reading keenly, to keep me on track.

Yesterday, at work I was on the phone receiving some results, and I randomly wrote a pound sign in front of the numbers!

Keep writing ladies, as I read your every word of wisdom! Thank you!

Kitchenbunny

Just thought I'd post the recipe for the melee beans, if anyone wants it:

for 2 people

1/2 can baked beans
1/2 onion
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
pinch mixed dried herbs
few mushrooms
1/2 a pepper
3 rashers bacon, snipped into chunks (you can use any other meat you've got in)
good glug (about 3 tbsp) BBQ sauce
1 tbsp smoked paprika

In a little oil, fry the bacon and chopped onion, garlic & mixed herbs until the onion goes translucent and the bacon looks cooked but not crispy. Add the other veg and cook down a bit. Then add the 1/2 can beans and stir through the BBQ sauce. Mix in the tbsp smoked paprika and cook for a few minutes.

Serve over a jacket potato, or as I plan to do in a meal planned for next week, layered between tortillas and baked in the oven, in a sort of melee tortilla pie.

HTH someone.

K xx

Suffolk_lass

SusanP wrote: »

Right, I have decided to try and join in for July, if that is ok?

Normally we spend just under £500 a month, that is 2 of us but it's everything, lunch boxes, meals, toiletries and sundries like cleaning products...

I need to try and get that down I think, starting by a minimum of £20 this July, I'll start on 1st...

Today therefore I have been sat with a note pad, pen, calculator and the Internet trying to plan all the food I need for July, including meal planning...

It seems harder in practice than it was in theory?!!

How do you guys do it?

Once I've worked out food, I can figure out sundries.....

Thanks for any advice you can offer...

SusanP - It is quite hard to get going. I think the advice to know what you have in stock first is a great place to start - I got everything out of date (some was 2005 ) out and I have kept it out so it is in the way and makes me think of using it up first (but why 3 cans of coconut cream and two of condensed milk?).

I also recognise I stockpile when anything stressful is going on - I think it's a psychological siege thing going on in my sub-conscious; in my rational logical me I know I am paying the SM to store their stuff but sometimes it just goes awol (my May spend is testament to this).

I include everything I buy in the SM, market and butchers but not always pet stuff as DH sometimes buys this on his CC and it gets missed out (I'm conscious of that now and might have to consciously include it). DS is 20 so three adults being fed and watered (and he eats lots but only when he is here!).

I meal plan for the week ahead and I try for 1 veg day (mac & cheese in winter is typical) two freezer days (for meat) and in winter, I did a chilli or curry or stew that I could prep the night before and leave to improve for 24 hours in the slow oven (cooker). In the summer my meat bill is higher because I do grilled meat and salad or strips in pitta with salad. If I am running short I send DH with a list and demand he sticks to it and he does.

I compare only the expensive things on my-sm.com (too boring otherwise) and write things like 3 veg (on offer) rather than fixing on cabbage, broccoli and carrots (for example).

I look at the offers and tailor or swap to meet that and I write my meals (not lunches) on my list so I remember when I have swapped and don't double buy (one of my more expensive tendencies).

I buy paper goods from Aldos or L!dl so loo roll kitchen paper and tissues and cheese for lunches too (sliced continental cheeses and meats are 20% of other sm prices).

I still spend lots but I started at £650 in November and I am aiming for £5000 in 2012 at £400 until December which will be more.

I do still buy stores of non-perishable things on offer (8 months of washing detergent on the shelf eg ) but I allow for that.

I hope this helps - I have found reading and posting (thank as you go so you know where you're up to) is also part of the commitment and it takes two or three months before it all clicks a bit. I've since failed but like dieting, I have a complacency smug filter I regularly need to turn down (sorry everyone!)

Mammoth post - sorry

SL

PennyGrabber

Suffolk_lass wrote: »

I also recognise I stockpile when anything stressful is going on - I think it's a psychological siege thing going on in my sub-conscious; in my rational logical me I know I am paying the SM to store their stuff but sometimes it just goes awol (my May spend is testament to this).

This is so me too!!

You've got some fab routines though, like the veggie day, freezer days etc. I wish my two liked chilli and a few other bits. It would be so much easier! I'm not really complaining, as they eat most things, but they don't like chilli! I may try it again this summer hols though...

I've started meal planning via the freezer too. This is working to a greater extent than before; as someone said before, you have to be ready. I have a chocka freezer, so I'm focussing on one shelf. I'll look at two or three things, and use those up, then two or three more things. My trouble is that I fill up the spaces!! At least this time, I'm filling the spaces with bread, which is easier to use up.

NSD gc wise today. Had to really convince the children to have fish and chips today! They wanted tuna pasta, but we were at school until gone half 5, and I just cba to sort it out. Still, we haven't had take out for aaaggggeeeessssss, and it only cost £4.30 (2 jumbo sausages, one battered sausage and a large chips - should've had a small)!

Tuna pasta tomorrow! Will need to make it tonight, as we won't be back until gone 6 tomorrow. Sounds like we have a big social life, but it's children's choir, and swimming lessons!

PG x

happy_chick_3

elsiepac wrote: »

happy chick , the veg box company I use are one that are not organic, hence the price difference, in fact they actually focus on value. Having said that, I have found the produce in the past to be of very good quality, and any niggles they will sort straight away. They also do their best to source locally, then UK, then abroad. As you saw from my list, the majority of my box is UK.

The company is called 5 A Day Box.
www.5adaybox.co.uk

You can put in your post code and see if they deliver to you - they'll also deliver to work addresses if you like.

LC

EDIT - I've just had another look on their site and realised they are basically South West only - they are based in Wiltshire, however my old box was delivered to Thornbury, which is South Gloucestershire (BS35) and I now live in Bradley Stoke, which is Bristol (BS32). So I guess you'd have to be in the vicinity...

ANOTHER EDIT - I've googled cheap veg box schemes in London (and found Hello Fresh, what a rip!!) anyway, this one came up - £15 a box: http://www.fruit4london.co.uk/homes/fruit-and-veg-boxes.php which I clicked the essentials choice and chose 1-2 people, then it gives you the contents on the left.
Also this one does a fruit and veg bag (choose This Week and go to the bottom) - it's £12 for 2-4 people, still not as good as mine, but getting there: http://www.farmaround.co.uk/thisweek.php

HTH!!! LC

Thanks for checking them all out elsie. At those prices I might as well go organic! actually I didn't realise you could get non-organic boxes so i'll keep having a look for cheaper london based companies.

bossymoo

Have added a round £50 to mine for this morning.

Then worked out I've almost run out of tea bags :eek:

Will have to pop up to town tomorrow. Home Bargains I think...

sb88_2

Haven't spent any money all week! YAY

Have done a quick stock take , we have 3 meals worth of beef, 18 sausages, 2 meals worth of fish cakes! carrots, potatoes etc pasta, cous cous, corned beef.

So this weekend , I am going to try and only buy stuff for OH pack lunch , - fresh ham and bread.

Although I am already over budget by £4, I'm still going to try and keep my damage to a minimum! and review for next month