December 2012 Grocery Challenge!!!!! REALLLY?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

meg72

Shortie wrote: »

evening everyone! So, I get paid early this month, I'm getting paid tomorrow instead of Thursday which is great as we have run out of some bits, but but makes next month a longer one. Plus the budget has gone down as the children now want school dinners, so I've decided to add their school lunch money to the grocery budget and increase the overall budget. That leaves us with about £200 pm for the griceries now instead of £250, but I'd like to really see if we can manage it as I'm trying to shave as much off our debts this year and hadn't budgetted an extra £80/100 for school lunches !

So you got paid early, that dosn`t mean you have to spend early, are you really sure you couldnt squeeze another couple of days out of what you have in. Have a look in your cupboards and your freezer, bet you can go another 2 days.

I have been doing this challenge for a long time now and I truely find that its better to eke out and make the budget work for the first week or maybe two and then use up the rest, preferably on offers or reduced items.

mossy

I have a question about YS/Whoopsie/reduced stuff on Christmas Eve. Does anyone know when is the best time to go to the SM's in search of extra reduced bargains on Christmas Eve?

Shortie

meg72 wrote: »

So you got paid early, that dosn`t mean you have to spend early, are you really sure you couldnt squeeze another couple of days out of what you have in. Have a look in your cupboards and your freezer, bet you can go another 2 days.

I have been doing this challenge for a long time now and I truely find that its better to eke out and make the budget work for the first week or maybe two and then use up the rest, preferably on offers or reduced items.

Thanks Meg and I would completely agree and was planning to do exactly that, but over the weekend we run out of fruit (ok, no a massive issue for a couple of days), butter and cat food

Actually, maybe I can pamper the cats for a few days with some fish and liver I'd bought specially as a treat that's in the freezer... The butter might be an issue though. I'll revisit the shopping list in work in case there was anything that really can't wait. My 'local' supermarket isn't close since we moved so petrol wise I try to make sure I do bigger shops when I do go

But thank you for making me think twice! x

lottie3000

Just a little spend on Saturday of £3.79, sorry it's taken so long to update but had quite a busy weekend. Before doing this challenge though that would easily of been over £10

redbooties

Oh dear I spent £149 in tesco but the good news is I don't have to buy anything else until around the 29th of December apart from the fresh veg for Christmas dinner. I think I'll be not far off my December budget which I think is quite good considering this will be my first grocery challenge and I've had the extra expense of christmas and guests staying over, so next year I think it will be easy to stay on budget.

pamsdish

Going out to get most of my groceries, need to update then.

jumblejack

Hi guys. Hope everyone has had a lovely week.
I've been on hols with a poor signal.

Finished crocheting my first 100 granny squares whilst away do in trying to put them together now in a blanket.

It's a lllllooooooong process.

Shepherds pie n broccoli for dinner and chicken soup for tea.

We took out own food last week so the only spending was in a lovely haberdashery department and a charity shop in Tenby.

liz-paul

Feeling quite pleased with myself today - I have turned half a block of pastry & some old apples into a pie, some old bananas into banana & honey loaf & a stick of salami that was no good for sandwiches into pasta sauce along with some ancient peppers. Might not sound like much but I'm pleased to have used all those things that would have otherwise found their way to the bin!

Also got a turkey drumstick & pork joint out to slow roast tonight or in the morning. Am trying to make pulled pork for the first time for tomorrow nights speedy tea....

mummyyof5

£14 spends today but do need milk asap...hoping OH will stop somewhere later when we pick my mum up from the coach station....shes been in Bournemouth visiting my brother...DD has treated us to some rump steak for tea...cant remember the last time we had steak....reduced burgers for rest of them...crazy kiddies dont like steak

Coxy11

Hi everyone,

A NSW (whole weekend yay) for me. DNephew's 18th party on Saturday but I made a chocolate pavlova - mainly paid for with Nectar points on Friday. Worked yesterday at my Christmas job - hate it with a passion - only one more shift to go (just think of the money - my mantra at the moment)

Dinner tonight is bacon and cheese puffs with ys pastry. Will probably have mini roasties and sugar snap peas with it.

Will be visiting MrT tomorrow for some prawns plus a few other bits for this week. Still haven't ordered a turkey for next week. Have used our local butcher the past 7 years - boned, rolled and stuffed - but last year it was £62 and only made Christmas dinner plus cold meat in the evening. Not even enough left for a curry! I know I could order a bigger bird, but at what cost? Thinking of going to MrW to get one nearer the time. Anyone know if that's doable or should I have ordered one already :eek:

Coxy