July 2012 Grocery Challenge

debbiedeejay

Just a quick post to say I'm in again for the month - £225 as per norm but might have to change it to £250 as it's DD3 birthday near beg of July and she wants a BBQ - but with the weather as it is it will be more like stew & dumplings!

Gorgeestwo

Hello again

again life has messed up my grocery spending :mad: and I've totally lost track, so going to try again for July, going to try for £450, would be over the moon if it came in less than that, but we'll see. Good luck to everyone :T

DebtFree2012

For the question regarding a bulk buy. It depends on your finances, for me, I don't have the spare cash to "borrow" now from next month if you know what I mean. I literally have the money and that's it so I don't have the choice of should I apply it to next months and still have this month's intact - it comes out regardless.

However if I had the cash to set aside and repay next month then I may look into it. I assume it'd reduce next month's for you anyway so it will balance out in the end.

Good luck.

Also regarding what we grow - I find that lettuces grow better in tubs than the ground anyway so yards would be fine if you can spare some soace for a few tubs. It's great!

xxx

cllola

Hi

Could I please join in for July?? I have been lurking for the whole of June and have gathered some great ideas from all the frugaltastic people on here!

My budget is £150 (I will keep track in my sig) - for me, OH and 3 yeard old son and 2 cats

This is to include all food, toiletries, cleaning stuff etc.

I am already very careful and HATE to throw food away so i come up with some weird and wonderful concoctions. My OH is not quite so MS minded though!

We have just built a raised bed to grow some veg/herbs in but need to build some sort of construction to keep the cats from digging it up...any ideas??? (I have tried jeyes fluid)

Thanks for reading and good luck to everyone!!!

fozziebeartoo

In_it_not_to_giveitaway wrote: »

Oh - where is the cheapest place to get re-useable freezer boxes in bulk (need about 30)?

Best regards to all,

Poundland, 99p Store and Wilkos sell them in sets of 5 or 6 depending on size, from memory the Wilkos ones were a wee bit more expensive but bigger and a bit sturdier.

BUT.......

My freezer (upright) tends to spit stuff out at me when I open the door (how very rude :rotfl:) and the freezer boxes are very brittle and crack and bits break off easily!!

Presumably not an issue with a chest freezer.

For long term storage, I think Lock & Lock are hard to beat but expensive, but last for years.

DD bought lots of boxes cheap from Ikea and they seem fine in the freezer but leak easily if you want to take something out and about that isnt frozen.

So you takes yer money and yer takes yer choice

But I am starting to think I may be better getting more higher quality containers, rather than the cheap ones.

KatyReed+5

I went to a mum and baby group this morning with my youngest 2, my friend owed me £2 so paid for us But then we stayed out longer than expected, and went to boots and bought some lunch to have in the park with said friends, so another £5.09 to add to my total.

Katy, X

Also i bought a chest freezer yesterday, as my little one is rammed of YS meat etc, so i can do some more bulk cooking it should be delivered within 7 days, YAY.

TheThriftyScrumpers

jedi82 wrote: »

Good monring all!

Going to go for £400 again in July and try and actually achieve this. It is do-able, just have to concentrate....

Today is my birthday and so being very non MSE tonight and having a chinese take-away but that is definitely coming out of a different budget! Very impressed with my birthday pressie from DH and the kiddies - a blueberry bush! We don't have much money and so to get me something without going overboard and also something we can eat is fantastic (maybe I am winning him over to MS afterall!!)

Have a good day all

Jedi x

Happy Birthday Jedi! Have a great day xx

helen_jelly

jedi82 :j Happy Birthday :j

Hi

Welcome to all our new people joining in, its lovely to see you on here, ask any questions as there are lots of lovely people who will help out. check out post 1 on the first page as its got lots of really helpful advice and have a browse through the recipes that Rosieben collects for us - phew it'll be August by the time you've done that little lot lol

Budgets done to here

Reminder

If you want your budget included on the front page please post your amount in RED,
If you want to keep track of your total in your siggy then post your total in BLACK

Off to update the first page now

Helen x

In_it_not_to_giveitaway

fozziebeartoo wrote: »

Poundland, 99p Store and Wilkos sell them in sets of 5 or 6 depending on size, from memory the Wilkos ones were a wee bit more expensive but bigger and a bit sturdier.

BUT.......

My freezer (upright) tends to spit stuff out at me when I open the door (how very rude :rotfl:) and the freezer boxes are very brittle and crack and bits break off easily!!

Presumably not an issue with a chest freezer.

For long term storage, I think Lock & Lock are hard to beat but expensive, but last for years.

DD bought lots of boxes cheap from Ikea and they seem fine in the freezer but leak easily if you want to take something out and about that isnt frozen.

So you takes yer money and yer takes yer choice

But I am starting to think I may be better getting more higher quality containers, rather than the cheap ones.

Thanks for the advice. I would like to think that it is best to get it right from the start. So I will keep costs down by buying maybe 8-10 of the Lock and Lock in mixed sizes and gradually acquire more as I become familiar with the sizes I use most.

Alpen and a banana with milk for breakfast (£0.50), Duck-flavoured rice noodles with some chicken LO from last night, 1/2 tomato, some fresh ginger, garlic, choi sum and fresh coriander (about £0.80). Stir-fried chicken with veg and rice tonight (about £1.20). About £2.50 for the day - although no cash outgoings (so far - have to run the 'shops on the way home gauntlet' yet).

All the best,

jumblejack

Chapatis done the JJ way:

sneakyspender wrote: »

Hello all,

I have made.a yummy chicken curry for tea as homelate tonight. Just realised we have no rice. Looked at the chapatti recipie looks easy, only problem is needs to be left for an hour before rolling out. Could I do the dough now or would it spoil by tonight ? Many thanks

Enjoy yer curry!

Not sure if it'd been answered but I wouldn't make the dough early.

It is so easy and takes seconds.

The JJ method for chapatis:
I just add as much flour (regular plain flour is fine) as is required according to how many I'm feeding. Add a generous pinch of salt. Add enough water gradually to make a workable dough and then pull off a handful at a time and roll on a floured surface as thinly as poss.

Slap the chapatti from palm to palm to get rid of surplus flour then pan fry with or without oil. I personally prefer not to use oil.

The chapatti is ready to turn when the underside starts to rise up in bubbles. Flip over immediately. It will then puff out if done correctly but collapses flat once it cools.

The pan will smoke after you've done a couple so rinse under the tap and dry with a kitchen towel in between chapatis.

You will soon get to see how you pref to make em. They are done in a jiffy and taste incredible with a HM curry.

:beer:

Cllola, I would just use nice n cheap bird netting over the beds. It works great for me. It can be reused year in year out too so a neat little investment for future productive plantings!!!