October 2012 Grocery Challenge

Flat_Eric

Although I started the month with the best of intentions, its gone a bit awry and I seem to have mislaid my receipts for my recent supermarket spends. I haven't been very organised either - not helped because we were away at the weekend so needed travel snacks/pack lunch (nothing beats using the motorway facilities and then walking straight back to the car for free coffee and yummy home made sandwiches) :T

My delivery what not with Mr T renews imminently -bit frustrating the renewal has come round so quickly - signed up for the six month deal. so thats six months gone in a flash.

I don't think I have used it to its full potential so have been thinking of how best to get the full saving out of it this time round without spending too much cash. I start a Mr T shop online and before I know it, the shop is in three figures ! so I have been thinking of how to approach my shopping so that I save the cash.

I've started writing out what I need on a weekly basis i.e. apples, bananas, sandwich stuff etc.

Then I've got a list for monthly items and bi-monthly items - bin bags/coffee/tom. sauce/spread etc.

Then I'm going to work out the weekend meals - when I usually batch cook - a casserole one week - chilli the next etc

Hopefully by doing this I will buy only what I need. no more oh that veg looks nice - only to sit in my fridge and get binned. Even if its reduced and I buy it - If I don't need it then its money wasted.

will keep you posted as to how I get on!

ej22

hi guys,
I was thinking I might want to start buying cheap soups to stock up with as they are so very cheap.
I usually buy Heinz tomato soup and we really like that one but does anyone know how the cheap tesco, sainsb or asdas one is?
Thanks and have a great evening

hannah:-)_2

Another £5.34 today (now at £18.30/£100) :-s Also had a haircut, which was long overdue, but that's general spending not GC, so not counting it here :-)

Bluegreen143

No grocery spends today, and OH made delicious tandoori chicken and vegetable skewers with spiced rice, pitta breads, salad and an amazing curry type sauce to go with it. Enough rice left to mix with the leftover sauce and voila - spicy rice for lunch tomorrow. Think I'll cook some peas to add in and take it in with some greek yoghurt I have needing used up

Billie-jo

ej22 wrote: »

hi guys,
I was thinking I might want to start buying cheap soups to stock up with as they are so very cheap.
I usually buy Heinz tomato soup and we really like that one but does anyone know how the cheap tesco, sainsb or asdas one is?
Thanks and have a great evening

Heinz tom soup is only 50p in A$da at the moment. Tried Te$co's own and didnt like it.

malamay

Quite a good shop today! I popped into Mr. T's after a very long day of work. We needed fruit and veg, and it's been a long while since I've been. There were quite a few YS bargains, including bakery cookies for 20p that I had a 50p coupon for, and tender stem broccoli, which we love but would never buy at full price, for 26p. This scanned at full price, and I was given DTD without asking! My £8 shop came in at just under £6, and I went away with a huge bag of goodies :j

Flat_Eric

pinkypig wrote: »

Was having a really good ns week but needed cat food, also spotted some ys bread which jumped into my trolley.

Having a real dilemma - got £5 off £40 spend for next 2 weeks but don't really need much. Is is sensible to use vouchers and stock up or am I falling into their evil consumer trap?

I hate these kind of coupons because usually I end up spending far more than the £40 just to be sure I have bought enough to qualify. Nothing worse than being at the till and being 10p short :mad: Use the coupon if there are things you need but don't use it if it is putting money in the supermarket's coffers when it would be much better suited to staying in your bank account! and if you are buying items just for the sake of it.

If you can stock up on loo roll/beans - things that you always use / offers that suit you to a T then its worthwhile but otherwise check your meal plan/stock cupboards / fridge /freezer etc and stay away!! (in the nicest possible way).

I almost got caught by an offer in m&% the other morning. Their 2 mains and 2 sides deal plus free bottle of wine caught me out. for some reason I didn't appreciate that I would need to pay circa £12 to get the food and the free wine (which i don't need after stocking up with Mr T a couple of weeks back). so I hastily put the items back on the shelf and left rather quickly!

Likewise their meal deal is on this weekend but there is nothing that I particularly fancy and again £10 on other shopping will go much further. I am avoiding!

Dee500

Just to jump back in - spend over last few days £21.13 - will update sig in min. Had NSD yest - had Dd off school sick so didnt leave house - know this is key to my NSD so think will try this approach at weekend.

Will need to get something for Sunday dinner and some veg but other than that should be ok.

quintwins

pinkypig wrote: »

Having a real dilemma - got £5 off £40 spend for next 2 weeks but don't really need much. Is is sensible to use vouchers and stock up or am I falling into their evil consumer trap?

when ever i get these i stock up on things like porridge, tinned rice. custard, carrots, cereal, porridge and any decent meat offers for the freezer.



NSD again today, still running abit low on milk, but other than that i don't need much.

Spag bol from the freezer for tea

Coxy11

Morning everybody,

Just back from MrT. Managed to get all I needed into a small trolley - in fact, I can't remember the last time I used a large sized trolley. It's amazing how this challenge changes your habits.

Anyhow, I just wanted to point out a couple of offers I just purchased:

T's chicken breast are bogof - so 2 packs for £6 - think they are 500gish HOWEVER their diced chicken breast, same weight is only £2.50 half price so I got 2 of the diced packs as I only ever use it for stir fry, curry or pie filling.

Muller corners are bogof so 12 for £3.59 - quite nice as a treat

Salmon side 1kg is £10 half price. I only ever buy this when on offer. I portion it into 5 and bake it wrapped in foil with lemon juice and black pepper and the rest (about a third of the total piece) is used for fish pie.

HTH somebody. Off to update my sig.
Coxy