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

nicolula87

Well OH spent some money on veg today but don't know how much and I think he paid for it rather than take it out of our joint budget account so.....hmmm whether to count it or not?

minicooper272

I'm really useless at this challenge! I downloaded lots of apps to help me keep a track of my spending, but they were all mega-confusing if you started mid-month. I won't be buying much more food til the new year anyway, so I'll budget £20 and just wait til then to start afresh.

See you all in January! Have a good Christmas everyone!

lottie3000

OK last little spend haha!!! £8.94 to C00P and A$da delivery of £80.74 and that's it for my December spending on groceries so only just managed to scrape under my budget. That's it now off to January's thread if it's up and running. Thanks to everyone involved i've really found that this has helped me keep and eye on what i'm spending. £400 again for January but will be about 6 weeks but i'm really hoping to stay under that.

tessie_bear

hi...been making mince pies...2 dozen that might last the weekend i shall make a few more on christmas eve,,,i am going to get the meat out of the freezer for christmas day tomorrow morning and let it defrost in the fridge

not planning many more shops but u never know what i might decide i need at the last moment

take care tess

pinkypig

I have just done our last food shop to see us through until New Year. It was a free for all, I'm absolutely knackered!!!!! Where do all those folk come from? The car park was full, I had to wait ages for petrol and the shops themselves were just crazy. I am so glad that I do not need to go near a shop again until the 28th (and that is only to get a few fresh bits as we have friends joining us for New Year).

I am very proud!!!! For the first time in living memory I wrote a detailed list with exact quantities of things I needed and I stuck to it.
The result... Three courses Christmas eve for 8, breakfast for 14, three course lunch plus cheese and biccies for 6 and all our weekly essentials for ....£71.06 :j:j:j However, I must confess that this doesn't include wine (in laws are bringing that) and the turkey (I got that a couple of weeks ago). However i am so chuffed!
What a difference it makes to your spending when you know that you need to come clean on here afterwards! I am so looking forward to my cut price Christmas. Thank you Thank you Thank you :A:A:A

CRANKY40

£29.44 spent so my final total for December is £197.52, just scraping by under budget. Apart from milk, bread and eggs I'm fairly sure we have enough stuff in to last until nearly February, so hoping to come in under target next month too.

I've just made fairy cakes as the tin was empty, and tomorrow is mince pie making day, yum yum!

NickJW

£4.01 spent today in Mr W

Making Honeyed Chicken and Parsnip casserole tomorrow with broccoli.

My housemate got diagnosed with high cholesterol and wants to stop pasta, bacon, sausages, dark meats and prawns etc (I feel stupid, but I always thought prawns were healthy!), and the doctor said needs to go on a health kick for 12 weeks in the New Year. He didn't want to start until after Xmas! The doctor review after the 12 week period.
Will also mean cutting out desserts in the evening.
IF there are any left I will cook of course so they aren't wasted, but they won't be replaced in my next shop. I have 2 packs of chicken thighs (1 used tomorrow), 1 pack of tiger prawns, 1 pack of bacon and 1 pack of sausages to use.

Since we eat the same things, I feel like I should probably join, and also, because we share cooking meals I don't really fancy cooking 2 different meals when its my turn to cook.

So - turkey breasts will replace chicken thighs, beans and pulses will replace mince and bulgur wheat will replace couscous. Have been searching around for things that could be nice for new recipes. Will certainly be interesting and it's going to be a complete lifestyle change!

Shortie

Well done on supporting you housemate with their diet changes NickJW :T

Coxy11

Shortie wrote: »

Well done on supporting you housemate with their diet changes NickJW :T

I second that! and also agree that it's weird about the prawns. Who knew?!

I walked to MrT today - not as virtuous as it sounds as I can see it from my front step I needed to get some snacks for DS1 as he has 4 - yes 4 - friends sleeping over tonight. I also got a bottle of bucks fizz, some sprouts and 2 x red cabbages, and a bedding set (for said sleepover). Total of £30+ :eek: but £24 on the bedding so that doesn't count

Lots of harrassed people randomly chucking goodies into their trolleys. I'm hoping to go for cheese and biscuits tomorrow, and then veggies on Sunday. Little and often will hopefully be less stressful and of course no need to park if I'm only getting a few bits

Off to update sig.
Have a good evening all.
Coxy

Suffolk_lass

Bought everything except the meat (Butcher's 07.30 on Monday...) and some fizzy drinks and lager but I forgot I already had the wine and bought more :eek: so my budget for this month looks horrific but we do have several house-fuls.

DM arrived yesterday and was reminiscing about riding her pushbike to the local town (Kingston-on-Thames in those days) and diving into M&S between 3-4pm on Xmas Eve for all the Christmas mark-downs. I feel very proud to be planning the same thing, nearly fifty years later!

I think I've been overcharged in the local wine shop so will check tomorrow afternoon. I have to collect my door-wreath from the florist (I've included things like that in my budget which is humungous). Other than that it is chores day tomorrow (washing, housework, sort out the lights and the tree - bought but sitting in a bucket outside at the moment) and loads of prep to do.

Bought squeezed OJ in Waitflower at the bargain price of £1.26 for 1.75L last weekend so got enough for Christmas bucks fizz too.

Sounds as though many are doing really well so keep it up everyone.

Merry Christmas if I don't post again

SL