August 2012 Grocery Challenge

NickJW

Possession wrote: »

My office - not that I'm ever in it - is just over the road from the Japan Centre. I used to live in Japan so I need my fix, LOL. Proper panko breaded chicken is nicer as the crumbs are much harder, but for easiness you can't beat buying some M&S breaded chicken, however un-MSE it is. I'll go and wash my mouth out now.

I would be WELL over budget if I was near there. Loads of sushi for lunch!

KatyReed+5

Another £3 added today, all these summer picnics are costing me a fortune, i even took my purse out with us today so i could buy the kids ice creams. But after getting to the park at 11:30 having our picnic and playing with friends by the time we thought about ice cream it was 4:35 so time to go home for dinner. HM lasagne from the freezer, followed with leftover cakes from a party at the weekend. only 10 days of my August budget left, i can't wait for Septembers to start, as have blown my budget out of the water again.

Katy, X

Sue14

A bit belated, but I'm going for £130 again this month. So far I've spent £5 in £1 shop, £23.78 in a!di, £3.37 in Mr A's, £17.46 in HB and £7.60 in Mr T's.

OH bought my birthday cake from Mr T's, which was £6 for a large chocolate cake, and when we got to the checkout I remembered that I had a £5 clubcard voucher that had to be used by the end of the month, and as I don't go to Mr T's that much I decided to use the voucher towards the cake, so we got it for £1, bargain!

craigywv

Hi all, spend today of 18.93 in mr tthats me all filled up again no room in freezers yet again. also planted my winter spuds as got a great amount and still have loads in ground, i got a great harvest this year.raspberries coming out my ears dont want to make any more jam, compote has anyone any ideas i have massive containers frozen for puddings over winter, also made and froze cordial so an ideas would be welcome. thanks.

MrsCD

Debt_free_soon wrote: »

Hello all,I'm new so please be gentle with me!
I have a budget of £300 per month starting on the 19th for 2x adults, 2x young children & 2 teenage step kids who stay 5 days per month.
I was wondering which is the best way to shop, doing a huge on line shop and then topping up on fruit & veg, milk & bread as and when say weekly or 10 days. Or to just go weekly and get what you need for the week?
I already meal plan & take a list but not sure I'd manage a months worth of meal plans if doing a big online monthly shop so the top up shop coud be biggish sometimes.
Also do you find Lidl to be cheaper or better quality than the big 4 value or own brand items?
Thanks for reading if you got this far!
Looking forward to some advice as you guys seem to be so creative! :-)

Hello and welcome Debt Free Soon :hello:
Everyone has their own way of working things out, but I do a regular weekly shop every Tuesday - that works for me, and I only buy eggs when I need them. I bake cakes myself, and try not to buy processed foods. I do a frozen shop once or twice a month, and that's all. If we don't have it, we wait until the next shop! It all helps to keep costs down. I do a sort of meal plan each week ( a bit of paper in front of the microwave on the kitchen bench ) and work out what I need to buy and take a list with me. HTH

craigywv wrote: »

Hi all, spend today of 18.93 in mr tthats me all filled up again no room in freezers yet again. also planted my winter spuds as got a great amount and still have loads in ground, i got a great harvest this year.raspberries coming out my ears dont want to make any more jam, compote has anyone any ideas i have massive containers frozen for puddings over winter, also made and froze cordial so an ideas would be welcome. thanks.

Hi craigywv - how about making some crumble mix ready to use and freezing it to use with your fruit - just take out what you need each time.

I did my shopping today, but need to work out what was groceries and what wasn't, so will update sig when I've done that.
Enjoy the nice weather while you can

craigywv

MrsCD wrote: »

Hello and welcome Debt Free Soon :hello:
Everyone has their own way of working things out, but I do a regular weekly shop every Tuesday - that works for me, and I only buy eggs when I need them. I bake cakes myself, and try not to buy processed foods. I do a frozen shop once or twice a month, and that's all. If we don't have it, we wait until the next shop! It all helps to keep costs down. I do a sort of meal plan each week ( a bit of paper in front of the microwave on the kitchen bench ) and work out what I need to buy and take a list with me. HTH




Hi craigywv - how about making some crumble mix ready to use and freezing it to use with your fruit - just take out what you need each time.

I did my shopping today, but need to work out what was groceries and what wasn't, so will update sig when I've done that.
Enjoy the nice weather will you can

thank-you think i shall do that tomorrow xxx:)

sonastin

Another wee spend of £3.03 today in a$da - needed petrol and ended up picking up some of the *best from a$da* bits while I was there to save having to go again later. Hoping I won't need to do much more spending this month

Caterina

Hi all

I have been a bit neglectful in recording my spends so I forgot whether I had spent any money or not on Thursday, I had £10 and it is no longer there so I have estimated my daily spend at that sum. Then I had the NSW/end, that was a real success, got to repeat it on the BH weekend I hope!

Spent a bit more in the last couple of days as we were running out of stock, so I have now updated my signature.

This exercise is showing me how important it is to record everything when it happens, even the smallest spend, otherwise it is so easy to forget it!

Anyway, I am happy with my progress, perfectly on target at the moment and as I am so well stocked up at home and got a fair amount of veg growing in gardens and allotment, I might even end in credit, that would be wonderful!

Have a good day all.

Make-it-3

Really busy at the moment, so coming on here to track spends is proving difficult, let alone follow the thread.

Anyway so I don't abandon things completely, reporting in for a shop from Monday - £11.80 (all the bulky things I couldn't carry home on Sunday). August total now standing at £84.88/£200 - and I see it is almost mid-month so not bad going.

quintwins

nsd today, ended up having tea out lastnight but we had extra money come in so looking at it like it paid for it's self (plus £2) we're having last nights sheperds pie tonight.