November 2012 Grocery Challenge

fedupandskint

£21.68 today on the weekly shop including a few items off list so didn't really get close to the £10 I was aiming for. £4.65 on a reduced face cream for my very sensitive eczema prone skin on offer so thought I'd get it as it should see me through the winter, also some reduced bottles of lime and lemon juice, reduced fresh pasta and tub of fresh sauce. Pasta and sauce portioned up into 3 and frozen

Hey ho - shouldn't need to much for next week and have just made 9 portions of scotch broth with half a pack of chicken wings, some pearl barley, some country soup mix and bottom of the fridge and old stock cubes from the cupboard so that's the weekend's lunches sorted and the rest for the freezer

PurpleJay

Can I sign up please? My budget for November is £300. We are a family of 5 - me, hubby our 6yo and 2 cats!

We have quite a lot of packet/dried/frozen stuff to use up but I also have some vouchers from Morrisons to make the most of. For the next 3 weeks I have a £3 off £25 and a £10 off £50 each week I hope to stock up on cat food and things using this and get xmas bits and bobs too.

Will post as I shop x

sonastin

First shop of November - £20.70 in ald! and £4.63 in l!dl. Very ill-disciplined shopping. Needed a couple of bits for the rest of this weeks meal plans but knew there was nothing in for next week & the weekend is busy so instead of planning next week and then shopping, just bought random bits and pieces. Now need to have a good think about what I've bought and figure out how to incorporate it into a plan. I hate doing it that way round - you can betcha there'll be something unwanted or wasted by next weekend.

Bluegreen143

Thanks Suffolk lass. Your plans sound good too - the veg thing (getting veg on offer instead of planning to get specific veg) works really well as long as your aren't fussy about what veg you put in meals, I do it quite a lot.

Have spent today happily meal planning as back to me being in control from Sunday. Tried to work out a plan that meant I bought as little as possible. This is what I've come up with:

Turkey escalopes with green beans, roasted parsnip & boiled potatoes YS turkey breast steaks in freezer, breadcrumb bag in freezer, parsnip, green beans & potato left from this week. Only need to buy a lemon for zest for the crumbs!

Veg chilli with mini baked potatoes & yoghurt Veg chilli in freezer, potatoes & yoghurt left from this week - don't need to buy anything!

Butternut squash & chickpea curry with rice & yoghurt Butternut squash in fridge, will chuck in other leftover veg including onions & garlic, have chopped toms, coconut milk & all the spices plus rice & yoghurt in. Nothing to buy!

Salmon salad with roasted squash / spag bol for OH Spag Bol and salmon in freezer, pasta in cupboard, squash leftover. Will buy salad leaves & cucumber

Spicy chicken wings with corn on the cob potato wedges & salad Wings in freezer, potatoes left - will buy salad & corn on the cob

Veg arrabiata with salad Chopped toms, garlic, herbs & veg all in, just need to buy salad

Only planned six meals as we might end up going out one night, OH often has to work late & I can just have soup then etc etc. if the worst comes to the worst I can make stir fry or pasta something.

Very very pleased with my frugal meal plan!! Bet OH wrecks it by not wanting any of the meals :rotfl:

MrsCD

icontinuetodream wrote: »

Here you go.....

Braised Cabbage with Red Beans & Rice


2tbs olive oil
1 onion chopped
1 carrot chopped
½ green cabbage (or white!!)
1 litre veg stock
4oz arborio rice
1 tin drained kidney beans
salt & pepper to taste

This sounds really yummy! (sorry I chopped the method to save space;))

meg72 wrote: »

This had me giggling, I was only just thinking the same thing myself.

Theres quite a disturbing rumour going round my way, that out little bungalows may be affected by redevlopment, EEEK:eek: the thought of having to pack and move . so thinking I will start now just in case, use up my stocks and buy Brandy, I am so hoping this is just a rumour as already had to relocate once before because of redevlopment, really dont want it again,

Ooh, Meg, I hope it's just a rumour and you don't have to move again. Let's hope. xx

armchairexpert wrote: »

Hi, I'm brand spanking new, but my November budget starts today, so is it too late to be added please?

Hello and welcome to the GC :wave:
Coxy keeps track of budgets, and Zippychick and Rosieben keep track of the thread and recipes. There are some regulars like Suffolk Lass who are the fount of all knowledge and can answer (almost ) anything you can throw at them.
Have a read of the first pages to get an idea of how everything works, and then join in the fun!

I did a frozen food shop today, and will update my sig soon, but I have to confess that I have been very naughty and bought other things I had to buy some new tops for work this afternoon, and I went to our local garden centre tonight with DD because they had a special Christmas evening with a buffet and 10% off everything. Downside was it cost £5 each. So I made the most of a nice evening doing Christmas shopping and got quite a few presents :T
PS - Thanks for the nice words SL

emmita

This thread is so inspiring and quite shocking for myself too (shocked at my own grocery shop). I estimate I spend around £320 per month on a grocery shop! There is me and 2 cats, that's it. I definitely need to tighten my belt. I would like to join and go for a target of £280 / month. Let's see how I go - and hope my cats are up to the challenge too

happy_chick_3

Hi everyone I'm trying again in November. September and October were both a complete write off with massive overspends - does this ever happen to anyone else? For me its all down to work being so busy and me resorting to takeaways and convenience foods.

I'm on half term this week which means I'm feeling rested, have eaten well all week and have more energy than last term so going to throw myself into it. I've thrown food away every week for the last 3 weeks and can't bear to think of doing that again - such a waste! Have just had this weeks veggie box delivery so off to meal plan and make sure it gets used and I get my moneys worth!

happy_chick_3

oops - forgot to post my budget! £175 for me this month please

WantToBeSE

Morning
1st spend of the month today, which came to £33.98. It was an online order with tesc0.
Forgot to get Milk and biscuits in the order, so will have to pop to T to get milk, and buy some cheap choc to make millies cookies.

Coxy11

Good morning everyone,

Budgets done to here

Welcome to all the newbies - good to see you here. Please feel free to ask any questions. The people on this thread are full of ideas and inspiration to help you.

I'm out for lunch with MIL, DD and DS2 today. Her shout! DS1 needs a couple of bits for his food tech. lesson on Monday, so shall ask DH to pick those up tomorrow. My gardening work is finishing next week and I have been lucky enough to get a Christmas job at 'shoes' starting tomorrow with an induction day, then my first shift on Sunday 2-10pm :eek: Wish me luck please

Have a good day everyone.
Coxy