September 2012 Grocery Challenge

Suffolk_lass

Just cleaned out both freezers and updated my list in the futile hope I might use it. Who knew I had so many plums from 2011 that survived the open door debacle in the garage! Defrosting some now to make a bit of a jumbleberry jam with some strawberries, raspberries and apples from the garden.

I have to go to away for work the week after next but have found individual portions of mince, a steak, a chop and two jumbo sausages that DH can use up.

Did a massive Idea run (Lakeside, so quite a treck) with DS yesterday as he moves out next weekend into a student rental. I promised him modern as home is very old and "homely".

His shared house is suitably cramped and a bit run-down but a great location and ideal for him to learn to look after himself. The room he is taking needs everything so we bought shelves, desk, clothing storage, curtain material, a rug, desk and bedside lights, towels and sheets and a couple of those laundry shelves to go near the radiator so he can dry his washing (5 sharing the bathroom...). Next weekend will be busy as all is flat-pack and everything needs cleaning and then painting. Then for a bed but it will be a camp bed for the first day or two.

I'm so excited for him but there's a little piece of me crying "nooo" inside. I feel unreasonably emotional when I think of him not here. Must pull myself together and go and get some fruit, juice and milk and some frozen chips and potatoes (first time buying potatoes since May!).

Have a good weekend everyone
SL

WelshWoofer

Done the last big shop of the month at Mr Ts and managed to spend £27 including diet pepsi cans for work for the week and dog food (about £6 worth).
Quite pleased with that.
My original budget for Sept was £120 and I've come in at around £96 ish with only the odd bit to buy, if anything at all.
Very pleased with that - a few £6 off vouchers from Mr S have helped and I also got a £4 off £30 from Mr T today (probably because I haven't been for a while).

I'm off to post a budget on the October thread..... see you all there!

jumblejack

Is anyone here on Slimming World diet?

I keep hearing about the sounds wrong but tastes right, mushy pea curry.

I am gonna put it to the test in a minute.

How do you guys do yours?

ps, mushy peas are 3p a can in Tesco at the moment

NickJW

JumblejackThose pictures look lovely! I have a pack of Lidl beef meatballs in the freezer that need using. Do you think they will go well with the faux toad in the hole? They've been there for a while and I'm not really 'feeling' meatballs and pasta at the moment.

Got a bit of a nasty blast from the past earlier this week. Years ago in my non-MSE days I defaulted on a Barclays bank account (in 2006). It was written off but my current bank (Santander) reactivated by paying £500 off it by paying the wrong bill payment to them instead of a Barclaycard account in 2008, (initially they only provided me with a Basic account so couldn't pay extra via card).

Obviously, due to this it wasn't statue barred, and I got a letter from a debt collection payment agency asking me to pay the £380 remaining. Because it was so long ago I didn't recognise the account number, so requested proof. Well, they provided it to me, and after conferring with Citizens Advise they said I was due to pay it because of the 2008 reactivation.

Cut a long story short, I paid off £380. Bit annoying, but I suppose it was my debt in the first place and it could have been worse - no interest was applied since 2006. Briefly I did wonder what the point of saving money was for, but then if I didn't save, I would be in a bad situation trying to negotiate some sort of repayment plan!

Looked through my credit report and it looks like everything is okay now.

It has however gave me a bit of bad vibes towards Santander, because although they are fine now, when I was struggling they stung me with fee after fee and caused me no end of trouble. Currently researching other banks to see if anything is better.

Sorry to ramble - I know it's not relevant, but this is the only thread I really read/post in so needed to get it off my chest

Onto GC spends:

Just £1.25 in Mr S and £3.70 in Mr T.

It's been a busy day so looking forward to an evening and Sunday catching up on recorded programmes from when I was on holiday!

jumblejack

Hi Nick

The lidl meatballs will be perfect!!!!!!

Update re: mushy pea curry..


Success!!


This is a pic of the ingredients AND the finished thing.....

Easy PEAsy :rotfl:



... just dont have it too often... it could 'backfire' on you;)

Mrs_Addicted_to_Spending

NickJW wrote: »

JumblejackThose pictures look lovely! I have a pack of Lidl beef meatballs in the freezer that need using. Do you think they will go well with the faux toad in the hole? They've been there for a while and I'm not really 'feeling' meatballs and pasta at the moment.

Got a bit of a nasty blast from the past earlier this week. Years ago in my non-MSE days I defaulted on a Barclays bank account (in 2006). It was written off but my current bank (Santander) reactivated by paying £500 off it by paying the wrong bill payment to them instead of a Barclaycard account in 2008, (initially they only provided me with a Basic account so couldn't pay extra via card).

Obviously, due to this it wasn't statue barred, and I got a letter from a debt collection payment agency asking me to pay the £380 remaining. Because it was so long ago I didn't recognise the account number, so requested proof. Well, they provided it to me, and after conferring with Citizens Advise they said I was due to pay it because of the 2008 reactivation.

Cut a long story short, I paid off £380. Bit annoying, but I suppose it was my debt in the first place and it could have been worse - no interest was applied since 2006. Briefly I did wonder what the point of saving money was for, but then if I didn't save, I would be in a bad situation trying to negotiate some sort of repayment plan!

Looked through my credit report and it looks like everything is okay now.

It has however gave me a bit of bad vibes towards Santander, because although they are fine now, when I was struggling they stung me with fee after fee and caused me no end of trouble. Currently researching other banks to see if anything is better.

Sorry to ramble - I know it's not relevant, but this is the only thread I really read/post in so needed to get it off my chest

Onto GC spends:

Just £1.25 in Mr S and £3.70 in Mr T.

It's been a busy day so looking forward to an evening and Sunday catching up on recorded programmes from when I was on holiday!

I'm not surprised you are annoyed. We've been with F!rst D!rect for 17 years and they've always been brilliant, if you're looking for recommendations.

minicooper272

I've done fairly well in my first week of the challenge - had a target of £50 to last the 2 weeks to the end of the month, so far I've spent £21.33. Don't need a lot of food to get me through this week, so will probably come in under budget. Must make up a meal plan for the week to run down the cupboards.

KatyReed+5

Thanks jumblejack, i'm good, back on track 100%. My aim this month is to finall come in under budget. Definately doign better than when i joined. I'm not doing any "big" shops this month, as i have 30+ dinners frozen so wont need any of the bulky cupboard things, i am however going to still do my bread and milk run to to cash and carry as it's just so so handy to have it all in the freezer ready to stop those whoopsies when i pop to get bread and milk. I will only shop for lunch things, fridge fruit and veg etc.

Katy, X

Suffolk_lass

Ooh sneaky! Ariel Excel gel packs have reduced in size from 925g to 888g or from 25 washes per big pack, down to 24. MSM shows Mr A selling 25 packs for £4 but in Waitflower the new 24s are on offer for £4.08 - and the fuel costs more than 8p. I thought I was doing a like-for-like comparison and now don't know if I was or not.

Did my week's shopping for £65 but nearly £12 was stock shops of washing gloop and toothpaste (I have a voucher so getting 3 a week at the moment) so not too bad but all coming out of the same finite pot so must be careful.

Take care everyone - good to see you both back JJ and Katy
SL

digging

£3 for 2 pizzas for a dvd night in....cheaper than a meal out!

Total for Sept £138.98/£150