November 2012 Grocery Challenge

liz-paul

I'm still in October but can you put me down for £450 again please? Thanks

Tiglath

Please put me down for November for £350 for 2 - 3 adults + 9 cats. Mum will be staying a lot and we're increasing the catfood by 25% for the cold weather as they've been nicking packets of cheese + onion crisps.

Splitting budget into cat stuff (which is generally static unless DH goes over-generous on Dreamies treats for them), essential food including Costco renewal fees, household & toiletries, and treats - got the 4 columns set up on my spreadsheet, plus a running total column at the end.

KolaKube

<sigh> I drifted over to the mortgage free wannabe board for a lurk then felt guilty so I pared the asda shop back to £65.49... that's nearly £20 of unnecessary bits and pieces removed! Will update sig and feel proud of myself lol xx

Taranaman

Going for a 10% cut in my budget and aiming for £315 for November. Flirted with the idea of 20% but prefer the idea of 10% a month until I get to a target that feels about right. Two adults, one daughter back from uni for a reading (aka raiding the fridge) week and no pets. Should be do-able.

camNolliesMUMMY

£200 for all 4 of us please, as the food prices are ridiculous I did go over last month but my nov started today so please put £39 down for me please .
I made a list and went on mysupermarket first to check offers but hit b&m first jut Incase and lidl and got some bargains, then returned to tesco for the rest.

elsiepac

Hi everyone

Long time no see... but I'm back with my tail well and truly between my legs

I've managed to get myself into debt again and am entering a DMP (again) - I'm absolutely gutted and can't believe how stupid i've been.

I have a new job for nearly 3 months now and loving it, although it's hard work and long hours and less pay (it's a career move and it WILL pay off...watch this space!) so I'm really going to need to be careful :cool:

I've discovered that planning elaborate meals just doesn't work out for me, due to time spent and the fact I'm in a shared house, but batch cooking is ok as long as the prep doesn't take too long so I can do it on a weekend and I don't mind making new stuff on a weeknight as long as it's quick.

I've quickly discovered that it will massively help me if I have a few of "my own" ready meals in the freezer, but the place I'm really falling down is lunchtime - just completely uninspired.

To cap it all off, I SERIOUSLY need to lose weight.

So...

Am sheepishly declaring £80 for November.

This is my food and household budget (i.e. includes any cleaning stuff and things like soap and loo roll, but not make-up or "luxury" toiletries).

I get paid around the end of the month - can vary HUGELY, so basically until I get paid I'm living off what's in. Hence starting November now.

Right! *deep breath*

Off to figure out a meal plan...

LC

newlywed

Hello. Please can I try again (yet again!)

Need the brakes doing on the car and have the MOT too so will need to seriously watch the food budget (it was no where near my budget last month ).

Aim is £250 for the month - that sounds really scarey!

So lots of Lidl/Aldi trips for me coming up - no excuse as to why there hasn't been more trips in previous months...

Get paid soon but managed to find enough to get some of the super6 today in any case so am more stocked up than usual for pre-payday. Off to make veg curry for lunch tomorrow. And am planning the Carrot Parsnip Lentil soup from the links on the first page - as it has Chorizo (and I have some in the freezer) OH might like it too.

XSpender

I have decided to cancel the Mr T order I had booked in for Friday. We still have loads in from the delivery last Friday and I have hardly touched the veg box:o I felt like I was adding things I didn't really need to make it worthwhile and adding Christmas stuff and to use the £8 off £80 spend voucher. I am going to cancel this weeks veg box as well.

DH said he wants to go to ALd1 this weekend for wine and some of his favourite ready meals so I will shop there instead. I only need fruit, bread, ham and a couple of bits for DS really.

I have £88/week to spend for the next 4 weeks and I should be way under this week if I can keep DH under control in Ald1:rotfl:

NSD today and Mum's on Sunday for a lovely dinner.

lostcause82

Spent £6.85 today in Home Bargains (first time I have shopped there) and got some ground coffee x 2, two lots of body wash, deodorant, rice and curry sauce so thought that was quite good. Other half treated me to a pizza tonight so didn't come out of grocery budget. Must make an effort to cook tomorrow!

poppy-glos

tattycath wrote: »

Thank you. I'll have to set up budgets for different things...
I'm trying to make vanilla butter cream but have run out of vanilla essence. how do you use vanilla pods to flavour butter cream please?
I've started a new thread for this question but I'm in the middle of doing it band have run out of essence and butter cream. I can make some more but am clueless as to how to use the vanilla pods I found in the cupboard. Can anyone help please?

Hi, one way is to cut the pod in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds and whip into buttercream. Add a bit at a time as may not need all of them. Then put your used pod into a tub of sugar to flavour that to use next time.