April 2007 Grocery Challenge

tracyg

Morning! Big thanks to everyone who has responed - it means a lot that people care.

I've took your advice and had a chat with DH, he was aware money was tight but didn't accept that we were strapped for cash if that makes sense. He is very head in the sand, he earns a really good wage so thinks he should spend what he likes and if I want it, I'll buy it - it doesn't matter if we don't have the money so constanley making matters worse. Last night he wanted another takeaway and said he'd pay but once I explained that he'd be skint for the rest of week and to think about it, he changed his mind. We had a good talk over money and (again) I showed him our budget and made him realise what the true situation is. Feel so glad for doing this and now he understands its much better. Thanks again for pushing me.

I've worked out our budget again and its not as bad as I thought. I'm only now about £50 short for the bill which I can find next payday so thats ok, I've moved some things around and now have £20 for this weeks shopping BUT am going to Aldi shortly and having done a meal plan on what we've got in, I should only spend about £15. We then have £40 for next week, this should be fine as I've bulk brought a lot of stuff so only need fresh food and meat. The house fee, will we go overdrawn for a week or so but DH with have extra in his wage on payday to cover this and it does come off the house price in the end so its not dead money.

Thanks again, am determined to stick to this shopping budget if it kills me! After reading over threads about peoples money worries, i feel a bit silly for posting as our is only a temporary problem and DS always has plently of nappies, etc (I never use his child benefit for over than nappies and milk) - a lot better off than some guys who have real worries.

happyathome_withmyboys

Tracy - I'm married to an ostrich too - he can't understand that even though he is earning less than half the average wage (which was a positive life-changing choice we both made) he can still drink the same premium beer as he used to when we were both earning considerably more than average ... he also cannot understand why I think it is immoral that he wants more than my fruit & veg budget for the whole family for beer... I can't understand that he doesn't understand, so we are at an impasse.
It also doesn't help that 18 months ago I acknowledged that I had a problem with booze - so now I don't drink at all - so of course any comments I make are taken as 'holier than thou' and 'you are worse than an ex-smoker'....
Takeaways are also an issue! I'm tackling that one very very slowly... baby steps in all things!
Don't worry - you've got lots of 'neighbours' here who are only too ready to offer a shoulder and a virtual cup of tea. I had a big baking session yesterday - so if you fancy a total blow-out: just let me know!

Mrs_Wossinge

In response to jcr16 and NewMrsLockwood:

A price book is a notebook where you have a page for each item on your usual shopping list and under that a list of shops and their price per unit. Next to that you work out the price per kg/100ml/etc for ease of comparison. If you have a particular price per kg/100ml/etc to be looking for, it helps you know whether the offer you're evaluating is a good one. I'll try and put a photo of a sample page from mine on my blog in the next 24 hours.

Compiling the price book takes a while - the first few trips round the supermarket take ages but it really is worthwhile. Amy Dacyczyn discusses it in The Complete Tightwad Gazette (available by inter-library loan or from Amazon), if you'd like to see more.

The 21-pence-per-loaf bread recipe is on my blog (link below) and no, I don't use a breadmaker. I don't think a breadmaker saves much time and I enjoy making it by hand. If you're feeling like you want to punch something, then breadmaking is the productive answer!

Hope that helps - sorry for the delay in replying!

jcr16

ah i get u.

so ( hopefully if i got this right) say crips i usally buy are x amount and work out at 11p a bag. and i then see loads on offer and think it a good deal. but when i work it out they work out to be 13p so it isn't a good deal.

tracyg

happyathome - seems our DH have much in common! Well done to you though on giving up!

Just back from Aldi and nipped into Iceland, got some yellow sticked mince so thats one for the weekend and next week. Have about £40 for next week now, hopefully won't be spending now for the rest of week so will be back next week.

jcr16

i've just looked. the pictures make it seem so simple

ur sooo pretty. it a fab picture u have got on ur blog.

also saw ur linky to rpoint's. thats looks quite interesting might sign up and give it a whirl.

Mrs_Wossinge

Glad to help. Blushing at your other comment!

newmrslockwood

Well, Did better last week, spent £20 less than the week before!:j
I have just done my first ever meal plan for this week and found that i have enough in freezer for 5 days next week too! That should make next weeks shopping even less:j .
Usually i would just put stuff in trolley and not think of whats left at home. I'm really getting into this.

celyn90

I started getting rid of the take-away habit firstly by cooking the rice if he wanted chinese or curry, then by explaining that as I don't eat x, y or z, it would be sensible not to buy enormous portions as he'd never finish it - so three dishes plus rice and sundries was reduced to two dishes, plus home cooked rice, then I started cooking one dish, then two just to prove how quickly it could be done and how easy it was. He actually likes cooking, so I taught him to cook curry, some Thai stuff and make naan bread and other little bits so now he's really proud of himeself if he does it and it's cut the cost significantly. He does drive me mad in the kitchen, but I think of it as practice for if I ever have children... (I might move him on to rice crispie cakes next week! :rotfl: ).

I had to do it slowly, but it worked

happyathome_withmyboys

Re weaning OH off takeaway - I've tried setting a maximum limit - but that then becomes a goal to surpass. On Saturday night I said that i didn't need a starter (we don't eat them as a matter of habit on ordinary nights at home!) and that I would cook my own noodles - but he still came back with a starter for himself and a carton of rice! We do cook (very yummy) curries at home, and because I cook them in the SC I do a lot and freeze them...
I'll try and cook a big batch of rice and freeze that in portions, and make some more curries, and schedule it into the meal plans as a permanent Friday or Saturday night 'treat'.
I think the main problem isn't actually the takeaways - it is having a 40-year-old OH who likes being 'naughty'. Still, better the Chinese takeaway than some younger flat-tummied floozie with pelvic floor intact!