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

mossy

Went and picked up some eggs and a choccie bar as part of a present from Icy today. EDIT: Just the choccy was a present not the eggs too lol!! I took back some breaded chicken that I bought in an emergency the other week and DH said was horrible, so what I bought was the same price as what I took back so no spends. My new budget starts on Thursday and we have plenty to keep us going.

I absolutely HAVE to sort out a meal planner for next month though. Maybe I'll just do a weekly one rather than trying to pin down a whole month as I never seem to get around to it and end up loosing the will to live while trying to think one up!!

redbooties

Scrap what I said about staying on budget. I took my uncle shopping today to help him get gifts for his friends and I ended up spending £29.63 on stuff I didnt really need. So I'm over budgetand we still have nearly 2 weeks to go, I just need to stay out of the shops!!!!

meg72

Shortie wrote: »

OOoohh now I like that way of thinking... You see, after a very good point my Meg72, I was going to eeeek the next grocery month to the end of this week (I've been paid early and the end of the week would have been my normal pay day) but we suddenly have a childfree evening and that makes a perfect opportunity to do a last shop before Christmas (most of the Chrimbo veg I can pick from the garden this year :j) and for that we only need carrots and frozen peas. What an exciting life we lead eh :rotfl::rotfl:

And I was trying to work out out max budget for today, and after that you've suggested, it's simples.. £80 to last the rest of this month, £120 for the 3 weeks of next... £80 would be the max -any remainders would roll over to the next month.

Or as Mr Shortie just piped up with - 'if we can save some of that budget, there might be some really good reductions on meat on Christmas Eve. I can nip down and see what I can pick up'. You go Mr Shortie :beer::rotfl:

Will post the damage to the new budget when I get back later

A childfree night cant be missed, you will save a fortune if they are not with you. go for it regards meg

Shortie

meg72 wrote: »

A childfree night cant be missed, you will save a fortune if they are not with you. go for it regards meg

Lol - I'd like to say it was a treat but traipsing round Mr T isn't quite what I'd call romantic :rotfl:


So, for my first spend of the new grocery month, and I think covering us till end of December we spent £74.25. it's under the £80 budget allocation but I find the amount still slightly unsettling.. This shop saw us restock the fridge and freezer with enough bread and milk to the end of the month, plus decent sausages for DS2 for Christmas dinner (we forgot that he eats very little meat so no sausages = just veggies for him otherwise ), cheese, reduced 'bakery' mince pies to warm in the oven over Christmas - saves me making them plus they were cheaper than the raw ingredients and they probably looks lots better than mine would) the month's worth (maybe two if Mr Shortie's Dad slows down a bit on the coffee consumption when they're over for the week) as it was on offer... plus lots of othee bits.

Thing is, even if we manage this month with this budget, our stocks will have been further reduced and that's not sustainable. Might need to revisit the budget next month and add back in te £50. We already do a lot of the Mr T value stuff and the bits we don't either we haven't yet spotted a cheaper version or we don't want to go for it for one reason or another.. We eeeeek meats out too...

Hmm... something to think on during this grocery budget month while seeing how the spending pattern goes

Night all x

Coxy11

Morning everyone,

Went to MrT yesterday and spent £120 :eek: £20 was on their beer offer, £10 on gifts, plus I bought a large gammon joint and a large pork crackling joint to have over the festive period.

DH moaned about the beer this morning - little 330ml cans instead of 440ml cans. Thing is, I know that the shops are only going to get busier from now on - already had to park on basement level 2 - so wanted to get some larger items now. Men huh? Just under £80 left until end of December and I still haven't found a turkey. MrT were clearing some fridges yesterday ready for them. Thinking of trying MrW or MrS at the weekend, failing that have told DH we have sausages in the freezer :rotfl:

Dinner tonight is hm mince and pasta bake, comfort food

Have a good day everyone
Coxy

nicolula87

Spent £68.98 on Monday in Mr A but that did include stocking up on all alcohol for Christmas! Got Christmas veggies left to get, and Mum is buying the rest of the Christmas food which we will be paying back some of it.

Next month starts on the 25th so should be no spends till then really.

bossymoo

bossymoo wrote: »

Well I wrapped up my December budget on Monday, but I think I'll have a Christmas budget, then a smaller january one. Just to keep things in the right year.

So I'll have £100 for the rest of this month, and £150 from 1st to 18th jan. I've spent £20 of my Christmas budget. Mostly on tat. Lol.

My mr t shop has arrived and been put away. After deducting some party bits (I have a separate budget for the birthday party) I've spent £60.

So that leaves me £20 for the rest of the year. Which is fine. We have lots of pullups for bedtime, loads of cravendale milk, xmas and boxing day etc are all sorted, and a two freezers and a fridge full. So I'm happy with my plan!

mummyyof5

Big food shop yesterday..spent £80 between MrAs and L**ls..did need wash powder,black sacks etc this week..enough to last till Monday now...will be spending Sunday and Monday but most of that is already in saving stamps and 2 £25 gift cards for MrS

Will be going to HB tomorrow to get toilet rolls and a few treats so will add that too as soon as i know the damage

NSD today..fry up for tea as asked for by my 6 year old DS xx

pinkypig

Very small spend of 50p on a big bag of ys apples. I have done a detailed list to see us up until New Year's Eve which should keep us under budget which will give us our cheapest Christmas ever :j:j:j

Thank you all for keeping me focused and motivated :T

tessie_bear

om goodness nearly had a melt down in aldi today....went with dh to check out the fresh meat and buy christmas bits...i decided the meat we had in the freezer would be ok and went off to get some veg...the 39p sprouts were dire...i got some earlier in the week and they were lovely...so we went on to the coop and got some sprouts there....dh coughed all the way round adding to the general atmosphere

i think we are set for christmas and i am looking for ward to scoring a few christmas eve bargains...anyone else going looking ??

take care tess