April 2007 Grocery Challenge

ti1980

I started putting the prices of things I bought regularly down on a table on my computer but now I write them down in a notebook.
I see how much a particular thing costs me usually and then when it is on offer I see how much I'm saving. I can see easily when something goes up (or down) in price.
I write down where I bought an item, the price and the weight. I usually only write it down for food items. I'm trying to build up a list so I can see when I should buy from M&S, Sainsburys, Lidl or Aldi. Some items I'm not fussy where they are from, others I will only buy in a certain place.
I need to update my total spend for the month so far. Not done that for a while.:o

WelshWoofer

rachelmk wrote: »

Well managed to get to Thursday evening without shopping and the good news is that the OH came and bought it all! He usually chips in evey now and then ( he pays other bills normally) but after traipsing around Tesco with him like an overgrown child wanting everything in sight he paid for the lot! It should last us around 2 weeks and rather than my more economical approach we have a ton of the posh stuff that we usually have for treats! (more fool him - I did try to talk him out of stuff but he was adamant!)
I also have enoough toiletries to last 2 or 3 weeks so it should just be bits and pieces to buy for a while.
However, I did pop in and spent £7 this afternoon, the first spend of the month.
Hopefully on course for less than £100 this month.:j

Disaster has struck!!! Had to spend 86p on Bisto Gravy this evening - mash just isn't mash without gravy!
Running total now £7.86p.
Doing OK so far (cheated by OH buying shopping unexpectedly!)

happyathome_withmyboys

southern_chick wrote: »

Hi everyone

i seem to be loosing the money saving plot a bit this month, i have only spent £6.11 on food this week but have spent loads more on days out because of the Easter holidays and being off work and DD being off school, at least the shopping budget is ok but i can't find any of the underspend at all!!!! it must have gone on ice-creams and stuff, i will try harder next month

SC XX

I had a problem with 'losing' underspend too - now I have 3 purses (my 2 extras were £1 each in Asda)) - my main purse for groceries, purse 2 for child-related expenses, purse 3 for fruit & veg. Makes me really think hard about spending on extras - this month, for example, the sand for their sandpit came out of 'their' budget! - and prevents cross-contamination of lack of thrift.

angelatgraceland

rachelmk wrote: »

Disaster has struck!!! Had to spend 86p on Bisto Gravy this evening - mash just isn't mash without gravy!
Running total now £7.86p.
Doing OK so far (cheated by OH buying shopping unexpectedly!)

Always keep some stock cubes and some flour or cornflour. You will always be able to make gravy then! I do use granules-generally Goldenfry which I buy in Iceland.They are excellent flavour. They often do them bogof. But if I did run out it would be a stockcube and cornflour.:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: Oh I do get a big kick out of NOT spending :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

seashore321

Do not buy sauces.. some are very good.. but the chopped tomatoes Dol mio and Heinz are the most regular BOGOFF.
One or two cloves of garlic a herb of your choice e.g. basil coriander chilli, depending on what you are cooking one pound of mince some spaghetti or other dried pasta and you have, as I have done in the past (and will quite happily give out the recipes )can make a meal for two to three days.

When I really struggled for cash I made spaghetti bolognese, anything meat wise I had left over I then added chilli powder to that, kidney beans (small tin) cooked on the hob and then grated any cheese I had in the house on top and put that on top of the spaghetti left from the original packet and then grilled it.

Any meat left over I then used the same herbs and added potato and cheese on top and made shepherds/cottage pie.

Granted I was only feeding two people.

Ilb mince from a butchers it may cost a lillte bit more but it doesnt shrink the same. 2 onions. I chillii. 6 mushrooms. One packet of spaghetti, four large cooking potatoes. one clove of garlic. Small tin of kidney beans.ANd the tins of tomatoes and if you get BOGOFF wehhee. 8oz of cheese, get the strongest cheddar on special offer or edam which melts well and is cheap. Also either buy a cheap tin of carrots for the shepherds/cottage pie and cut them up to add, or buy a couple of fresh carrots (always recommened).

I found that this would feed us for a week when we were short and usually cost us about £8 but that was taking into account the BOGOFF on tomatoes which we used later.

angelatgraceland

I have done this using a pound of mince with about 100g of soya. I make approx 16 meals from this mix. Basic mix can be adapted to either chilli or spag bog or even curry. I also make a vege curry using pulses which is extrememly cheap, filling and very nutricious. Recipes along with the costings below.:money:

angelatgraceland

Vegetarian curry. Serves 8
1 cup chick peas(tinned or reconstituted)
1 cup lentils(a tea cup)
1 cup soupmix
2 tins tomatoes
3 stockcubes(tesco value)
8 spoons curry powder(put in 5 and do tasters)
3 garlic cloves or paste or granules
3 med carrots
1 red pepper

Rice
Home made naan bread made from:
flour
olive oil
baking powder
natural yoghurt
salt

cost 32p per person using value products and dried chickpeas.

angelatgraceland

Vegetarian chilli serves 8
200g chick peas
100g lentils
200g mixed beans
3 stock cubes
1 pint hot water
1 tin tomatoes
1 pack passata
3 teaspoons chilli powder
4 cloves garlic or paste or powder

Homemade naan bread
rice

cost 34p per portion

happyathome_withmyboys

I have an Excel shopping list which I am supposed to use (and WILL from now on!) which has everything that I need in the pantry, bathroom, etc. The beauty of it is that it is a complete inventory, so I'm not tempted to add things I think I might 'need' - and also it only prints out what needs buying. I can easily adapt it now to include prices, so it will also become my price book.
If anyone else would like it to use as a template to adapt thmeselves, please PM me and I will be very happy to share it.

tracyg

Just got back from Aldi (didn't make it yesterday) and was very good and added up what I spent as I went round. Iceland is just over the road so went there to get cheaper milk than Aldi, think it was about 60p different. So have got 86p left this week as although I've drawn out the monthly money I'm still trying to budget weekly. Just had a call and think I'll have 2 extra for dinner tomorrow night so the chilli I planned is now off, have got some chicken breasts in the freezer I was relying on for the rest of the month but will have to use them and prehaps just get a few more veggies.

Just when I was feeling smug about having something left, it all changes - but it will be lovely to have these people over.