November 2012 Grocery Challenge

mummygems

Can I please be put down for £475 this month please

Woo came in under budget by £12! Would have liked it to have been a bit more but its under what it has been these past 6+ months so I am happy with that.

DH gets paid tomorrow and I get paid next Friday. I am doing a mini "big" shop tonight after work for juice, deodrant etc but wont be doing a massive big shop this month and will instead be splitting the budget into 4 and getting the cash out and seeing how that goes instead.

Just done a meal plan from Monday 29th October-Sunday 25th November which is the pay day to pay day payments.

We also have half term here next week so am going to allow a little bit extra so the kids and me can do some cooking and some little treats etc.

Thank you to everyone who makes this thread run so smoothly

stafftopets

Thanks for the ideas Suffolk Lass - i need all the help i can get.

Just logging to declare £13.92 spend at local shop - mainly household stuff like washing powder etc. Must admit joining this challenge has already made me think more what i am buying.

Will be back later as weekly shop planned for this evening.:o

MrsCD

tattycath wrote: »

Thank you. I have already improved from last year-last year at this time I had just spent over £100 on birthday cakes-in a one month period :eek:. this year I have made the same amount of cakes in a one month period and I think it's probably cost me less than £15 - total

Well done :T:T:T

john2009black wrote: »

Could I be added for November, we have recently been cutting down our costs but Groceries is the big spend. We spent £648 in September for a fimly of 2 adults and 2 children (oldest is almost 3 youngest is 8 months). I was thinking of setting a limit of £400 a month to start.

I didn't realise how much we spend until i sat down and worked it out. Its 2 pounds cheaper than our rent. :eek:

Does any one with a family have a shoppping list they could send me? Just trying to get an idea of what others are doing.

Thanks

Not sure a shopping list would help you as we all like different things , but as Suffolk Lass said, check out exactly what you have in your cupboards etc., first, then make a meal plan and work out what you need to buy based on that. It's not easy but it gets easier after a while, and you know what you have in stock. Well done for taking things in hand :T

Hello elsiepac - nice to see you again :wave: Sorry to hear of your troubles, but you have given lots of good advice as I remember, so welcome back on board!

My weekly shopping yesterday came to £74.50, so not too bad.

bossymoo

Hi All

Having realised I am much confused with my budget, am going to switch from calendar month to paid month. So I will wrap up October, under budget.

For November, please put me down for £300 which will last from 20th Oct to 20th November. This way I can manage my grocery budget alongside my usual spends.

And, I would like to report my first spend today of £49.79 which I'll round up to £50 to add to my sig. Been to @ldi and got bags full of stuff to stock the fridge, and I have both my freezers stocked now.

Thanks!
BM

XSpender

Today is looking like a NSD as I am leaving work shortly to go to college. Tomorrow will be for certain as I am leaving the house at 6 to drive to a meeting and won't be in til 8pm so won't be shopping then:eek:

I have written a meal plan and a shopping list for Ald1/Mr S or Mr A and M&S for the weekend. I would rather shop at just one shop (ald1) but have to go to the others for GF stuff. DH may be going walking with a friend on Saturday so I might be going shopping on my own which will save a few quid:rotfl:My shopping list including some flowers/chocs for my Mum and a shed load of wine is coming out at about £70 which is under the £88 I have for the week.

Meal plan is:

Mums
Sausage casserole, mash and veg
Chicken and leek gratin, broccoli and potatoes
Shepherds Pie with turkey mince, cabbage and parsnips
Salmon fishcakes/chicken grills and chips with peas
HM Pepporoni and Salami Pizza
Veg chilli with spicy wedges or Pasta bake or chicken curry

Lunches will be HM soup, leftover curry or beans ad sausages (HM not tinned)

I am planning to make a lemon drizzle cake, peanut butter cookies and a cheese and herb loaf too. I need to make some treat things and stop buying GF bics and cakes are they are so expensive. £3 for 4 sweet mince pies:eek:

Coxy11

Budgets done to here Anyone reading this thread who no longer wants to be on the list, please PM me - thanks :A

mossy

A couple of spends.

Icy £5
Lids 55p

Need to be good and keep it together! Go on holiday next week and must stick to that budget too!! Thank goodness it's half term next week!!!! :T

elsiepac

Thanks meg72 and MrsCD for the words of encouragement and welcome

I'd like to share a recipe I stole and then adapted over time... it has the bonus of being VERY versatile as well! I had it for my tea today and have 3 portions in the fridge :A

elsiepac's storecupboard curry

frozen veg, any variety, about 1/2 bag or 500g
2 tins beans
2 tins chopped tomatoes
1 tin coconut milk, reduced fat if you like!
curry paste

Chuck all in a saucepan, boil for a while and serve over noodles (makes a soupy texture) or rice (absorbs liquid!).

For example, the one I made today was:
1/2 bag frozen veg with peppers (the Mr T one) - 50p
1 tin chickpeas (east end) - bought on offer 3 for £1 so 33p
1 tin mixed pulses (sainsbobs) - £1.09 (had them in cupboard!)
1 tin value tomatoes - 31p
1 tin finest cherry tomatoes (you get the whole tommy's!) - 89p
1 jar jambalaya paste - £1.79
1 tin coconut milk (full fat as cheap one! 2 for £1) - 50p

This would total ROUGHLY £5.41 but 4 portions so £1.35 each

Huh, thought it would be cheaper, however I had everything in the cupboard so for me it was storecupboard food!

Another version I made was as follows:

1 jar Levi R00t5 Caribbean Curry sauce (offer) - £1
1 Tin coconut milk (chinese supermarket) - 69p
1/2 bag ald1 roast med veg - 75p
1 tin chickpeas - 69p

Total £3.13 but 2 large portions so £1.56 each

Hope this helps someone! I love this recipe... or lack thereof :beer:

LC

rosieben

its now in the recipe index elsiepac :beer:

JARUS

Hello everyone

Can I join in again please?

I have been missing for months and really need to get back on track with spending.

Can you put me down for £400 in November please. Not quite decided what extra to include within this.It will start from Monday 29th

Actually keeping all my receipts for a month would be a good starting point

Jarus xx