July 2012 Grocery Challenge

Soworried

Welcome back Flo, great achievement on your budget x

I am hoping for a no spend day today as I am rapidly running out of money.:eek:
Lunch is free today as my husband has a swot ananlysis to do on a restaurant. I am hoing that we got a doggie bag for dinner. He regularly gets freebies or samples.
If not it will be just sandwiches or egg and chips type meal.

I hope everyone is well and has a low or no spend day x :T

Mrs_Addicted_to_Spending

Hi my total for July is £321/£320 - only £1 over so I'm fairly pleased with that - I'm getting there gradually . I've realised that the only month I was within budget was when I set myself the challenge one week of staying within £50 for the week - it was really tough as there's 4 of us, including 2 boys (one teen, one nearly teen) but I did it. So I'm going to try that again - just for one week out of the month and see how I get on.

Florenceem - your average monthly spend is amazing - congratulations!

Jumblejack - congratulations to you too as you feed 4 for £30 a week!

You are all (on this thread) an inspiration to me - thank you.

sketchingkari

I would really like to join you guys, if you will have me

I feel like a bit of a lost cause to be honest, every month I start with good intentions and every month we are broke, I've tried time and time again, i'm obviously doing something wrong and I hope that by hanging out here I can pick up some tips and inspiration and that you guys can maybe show me where i've gone wrong?

A little info, we are a family of 5, 2 adults, one hungry teen, a 10yr old and 4yr old, plus 3 cats and a ton of fish, but the pets wont be included in the grocery budget.

I have numerous diet issues which mean that I have a very restrictive diet, I eat primarily protein, veg and brown rice, my teenage daughter is almost veggie, my husband works late and often isnt home for dinner until 8pm and my 4yr old will eat it if its a nugget or a sausage :rotfl: so as you can see, its pretty complicated at dinner times.

Trying to balance the budget, plan and feed everyone what they need and like at the right times is a major source of stress for me, I hate it, it seems to get worse every month

At the moment, we spend probably £600 per month, ideally I would like to half this, but I know it wont be easy, this month I am going to budget £400 and see how that goes.

I'm thinking my best plan of action would be to use the slow cooker as much as possible, make a meat dish thats good for me, its great for hubby as it can keep till he gets home, the 10yr old will eat it too, that just leaves me with the teen veggie and the 4yr old to sort out.

Right now I have about £17 left until payday (Tuesday) and little in the house, I need to buy some meat, i'm thinking a small chicken, a ham hock, sausages and some bacon, then the other pennies will be spent on milk, eggs, bread and ham and cheese for the kids sarnies.

I will start my budget for August when we get paid on Tuesday, I'm stressed and anxious about this month, I know its going to be stupid tight with the kids home and a week away, but if I can just keep control of these purse strings, we can do it :beer:

Soworried

Hi Sketching
You will get lots of support here to help you. Your right you can do it.
Sausage casserole sounds like it would be a good option for you. It can be done in the slow cooker and can be made with vegetarian sausage also. Just put an oven proof small dish inside your slow cooker for the veggie portion and cook at the same time.
would vegetable bakes work? You can just add bacon for the meat eaters.
Any way good luck and post if you want any help x

Florenceem

Soworried wrote: »

Hi Sketching
You will get lots of support here to help you. Your right you can do it.
Sausage casserole sounds like it would be a good option for you. It can be done in the slow cooker and can be made with vegetarian sausage also. Just put an oven proof small dish inside your slow cooker for the veggie portion and cook at the same time.
would vegetable bakes work? You can just add bacon for the meat eaters.
Any way good luck and post if you want any help x

Sausage pie is good - pastry makes the dish filling. Pad out a few sausages with any veggies you have - tomatoes/mushrooms/celery/carrots/swede/parsnip/peppers also tinned baked beans/tomatoes/kidney beans. You can also add butter beans and lentils. I stretch a bit of meat as far as possible. You can use less meat in a meal by adding HM Yorkshire puddings and stuffing + fill them up with a starter of HM soup or HM pudding.

savesummore

Hi everyone

A £5 spend last night added to the signature- it was spent on a takeaway OH late back from work and I was baby sitting for my friend so needed something quick

My GC ends this Tuesday and I do need to food shop tomorrow- im armed with a meal plan and shopping list and the plan is to spend as little as possible

sb88- sorry I really laughed about your dog eating the bread naughty savesummore

bossymoo

Another nsd here not going out, littlest one poorly and it's teeming down with rain, and has been for hours. I have, however, written my list for next week. I've got all sorts of vouchers for mr t so will get a delivery I think, as we need some heavy stuff.

Question, are any of the own brand diet colas any good? My preference is Pepsi max, but unless on offer it isn't cheap, and I tried the sainsburys one but it's yuk...

MrsCD

Good to have you back Florenceem. Well done on the spending front :T
NSD today. I've done all the ironing ready for going on hols

My month ends on 29th, but won't be using GC money next week, so will be more or less on target.

Coxy11

Our veggie houseguest left this morning. The quorn sausages and peppered quorn steaks I bought for him yesterday I will freeze. Don't mind a bit of quorn myself from time to time.

There are 11 days left of our July GC and I've only got £86 odd left. Happens every month....think I'm doing okay, then all of a sudden it's a scramble to the finish. I try to stretch meals but DH said last night (in front of our guest) that his dinner was too small. It was salmon and prawn pie - topped with mash along with green beans and sugar snap peas. He is forever saying he needs to lose a few pounds - but then moans about portion size, and drinks a fair bit of alcohol. I can't win!!

Doing DR sausages tonight for DH and the three children. I am out with the school mums for a greek meze meal (different budget luckily).

Another headache this morning - thank the lord for Panado! extra. Had an eye test recently so I know it's not that, so must be stress :rotfl:

Have a good day everyone.

Kitchenbunny

Afternoon, another spend to report of £16.41 on bits for the weekend to add to my total - my it creeps up! Total is now £168.75 so it'll be touch and go if I can get under budget this month. Last shop should be Monday so we'll see... I know we don't need much so will try and make do as much as possible.

Tea tonight is going to be enchiladas as they're lovely comfort food for us and not too much faff to make. I'll get started on those in a bit - right now I've got home with another headache - ugh!

Take care, everyone. Welcome to the newbies - hope you get on OK

K xx