November 2012 Grocery Challenge

NickJW

Evening all

A few spends to report yesterday and today:

£5.57 in Superdrug on Shampoo, Conditioner and shower gel
£5.50 in Mr S today on things for lunch

£11.07 total

Trying a new recipe today - Pork fillet with honey + five spice, with egg fried rice w/babycorn, Spring onions and peas. Have everything in so thought I would give it a go

angelatgraceland

Last night I made my first bread pudding. Shame the kids don't like bread pudding though so it's all to myself! Half will go into the freezer.
Took apart the last of the chicken I cooked late Friday evening. It had served 3 plus a couple of portions for the cat! The remainder is now cooking in a curry and will do at least 4 portions (with some leftover peppers and mushrooms and onion thrown in). For lunch we had homemade bread, real butter and smoked salmon(Mr T Everyday Value slices )with some cucumber and mayo. The luxury of cutting down? These were over from the "wake" and dated today so I wanted them used up. When you compare the cost(£2.50) to a Greggs or whatever for each of us though its half the price!
I will start on the pastry tonight at least-to make quiche and curried vegetable pasties for tomorrow and Wednesday. I will be adding sweet potato to both-it is just so yummy! Went into Iceland and spent £6.25 on milk eggs salad bacon and tomatoes.Got 2 till spits-one for £3 off £30 to use by 23rd Nov and one for £2 off £20 use by 30th Nov. I've also got one for £4 off £40 at Coop to use by £18th Nov. I don't really want to spend all of that and most likely will not but I am tempted to stock up on things that will keep-baking stuff, pet food etc and a few Xmas goodies. Filled up the car for £36 -non grocery spend and donated a lot of books to the hospice shop-all this while my youngest DD was donating blood. I have told them the importance of organising every journey to cut fuel costs! Ds came along too as he wanted to pop in the shops. He asked for a Subway meal but I said NO! (no idea if he was paying or not) It's curry tonight!!! OK he said-you are right!!!

mossy

angelatgraceland, you are amazing. x

Had to cave in and buy some Ribena so another £2 spent!

We have run out almost everything, even frozen veg!! :eek: I don't have any more money in this month's budget but I don't think we're going to make it without spending some more money!!

My mum is coming down for my birthday :blushing: and we have a friend staying as well so I think I'm going to have to sneak in to next months budget which I was really trying not to do!! Really cross with myself! I think I'm going to work out meals for the rest of the week and the minimum I can spend and then really truly stick to that, maybe spend around a tenner!!

Keeping to a budget is much harder than it seems when you actually keep track of it!! :eek:

Billie-jo

angelatgraceland wrote: »

Filled up the car for £36 -non grocery spend and donated a lot of books to the hospice shop-all this while my youngest DD was donating blood. I have told them the importance of organising every journey to cut fuel costs! Ds came along too as he wanted to pop in the shops. He asked for a Subway meal but I said NO! (no idea if he was paying or not) It's curry tonight!!! OK he said-you are right!!!

Well done to your DD for donating blood - a very good thing to do. Due to certain medication and being anaemic I am unable to do this but have been on the recieving end of blood and its amazing how much beter you can feel once you are 'topped' up. I try to eat food with good amounts of iron in it. Tonight DH had liver & onions which I am not keen on but I do manage a small piece but then have sausage with my mash. I actually love the gravy it makes so always have that which helps as well.
Spent £5.01 in total since last post. Total now stands at £70.97 out of £260 so doing good so far this month.
May need a loaf tomorrow but that will be it and thats only if DS and his mate are here for lunch, if not there will be enough for us two.
Meatballs and pasta with a creamy mushroom sauce tomorrow, this will use up the last few mushrooms that are left. Running low on eggs - think only two left - but they can wait until Thursday when do main weekly shop.

JIL

Now apologies to the thread but I just need to ask some advice and I know lots on here use them.
I ordered some red labelled fizzy drinks from @pproved foods along with some soups and a couple of other things. The website said they would arrive on the Wednesday, they didnt and arrived today in bashed up boxes. The tins are very badly damaged and theres things missing.
Is it usually like this? I have done one of them ticket things but I am so disappointed.

Thanks for any advice

GreenFairy

Added 24ish euro to my running total. A top up trip to Ts and Als. Have burned through more of my allowance for the month than would like and can't afford to go over this month. Going to start running down the pantry as much as possible.
Will get a trip to the Asian market tomorrow for a 5l container of vinegar (it's €2 a pint in MrTs - no value version sold!). Might pick up some extra rice as well as it's so cheap there.

keepcalmanddrinktea

My DH is not paid until 15th of the month so my month runs from then, can i still join?
I've been loosing track of my spending lately and want to get back on track instead of spending willy nilly.

I have a question though, do you just count food, (the human variety) or do your totals include cleaning products and pet food?

And, how do you decide how much to allocate? Usually i just buy whatever i think we need that week and bits and pieces during the week, I'm not extravagant but find myself buying things that i probably needn't have bought, if you know what i mean.

I do meal plan, well sort of, i always have an idea what in on the menu, and i do cook and freeze for future meals, it's just that it doesn't seem to be saving me any money:(

Any help appreciated.

tattycath

I must get back on track with this-will hunt out my receipts-think I've spent another £140 but will have to check my various receipts.

katholicos

No spends on groceries still. Only managed to eat some leftover spuds and veggies and later a piece of toast and marmalade.

This damned illness doesnt really allow me to be altogether organised grrrr...

But tomorrow is another day eh?

mossy

Well had to go in to next months food budget so will keep a track of it on my sig ready for the next thread! I have been sensible thought and managed to pick up some YS sausages for 70p and 2 lamb steaks for £1 so at least everyone else won't feel/realise how skint we are lol!! Just need to go to the chilly store tomorrow for frozen veg, bread and eggs and that should hopefully be enough for all the cupcakes I need to bake over the weekend as well!