January 2013 Grocery Challenge

m155piggy

2 small victories for me today - firstly an NSD and secondly my credit card bill arrived (we pay for everything on credit cards then pay them off in full EVERY month so no charges) it was under £500 when I usually spend around £700 - £900 including EVERY aspect of running the house like food / clothes / shoes / presents etc (hubby pays the bills from his card and the joint account) DH was amazed how much smaller the bill was, I don't really think he took my money saving seriously until he saw it!!!

Got my new food slicer today and rushed to make some bread and a loaf cake just to try it out - it's amazing on HM bread and means I can slice it much more cleanly and thinly so a loaf will go further.

Big weekly shop tomorrow which should do until the end of the month.

jem1980

Have managed to scrape through with no grocery spends since Sat (woohoo!). Only have £21.35 left for the last week, but am hoping it will be enough. The only thing is, I have included toiletries / cleaning products / nappies and wipes in my £200, and we now need deodorant and shaving balm desperately so not much left for food... will have to be creative!! (& no Home B's crisps or cookies!!)

I am planning to start rough meal planning for the month this week, although I have been basing lots around the Ald* Super 6 veg.

I never use Iceland, but there is one next to my usual Ald* - is there anything they are especially cheap for to make it worth planning to go there too, next month? Thank you, helpful peeps :-)

lizalloareds

65p spend today in Mr m sig updated.
total over this week was £14.22, never paid much notice of what we were spending but with the cost of everything going up it is good to try to keep track, meal plans nearly done for next week.

tomorrow is my last week of gc for jan

Lolkat

I've noticed something as I've been meal planning over December and January. I will plan to cook say 5 meal in the 7 day week, but then somehow that spreads from 7 days to last me 9 or 10. For example: this week's menu has been
Tuna pasta bake (2 meals planned)
Chicken, puy lentil and fennel braise
Tartiflette (bacon and cheese potato bake)
Cod in coriander and coconut sauce
Chicken and vegetable casserole (2 meals planned)
There are 7 meals planned. In reality, we have managed 10 meals from the same food. I am being careful to note the recipe size. If it says serves 4, then i do halve it or split it once cooked. But even doing that, it seems that my food is multiplying. I'm mystified.

cattysmum

£1.40 geocery spend today on new fruit and bran loaf and a roll of puff pastry reduced to 40p oh and two balls of wool for my crochet practice:)

meg72

jem1980 wrote: »

Have managed to scrape through with no grocery spends since Sat (woohoo!). Only have £21.35 left for the last week, but am hoping it will be enough. The only thing is, I have included toiletries / cleaning products / nappies and wipes in my £200, and we now need deodorant and shaving balm desperately so not much left for food... will have to be creative!! (& no Home B's crisps or cookies!!)

I am planning to start rough meal planning for the month this week, although I have been basing lots around the Ald* Super 6 veg.

I never use Iceland, but there is one next to my usual Ald* - is there anything they are especially cheap for to make it worth planning to go there too, next month? Thank you, helpful peeps :-)

I would say Iceland is well worth a look they have had some really good offers lately and if you have a bonus card you often get a voucher for something free or money off.

katholicos

Have had a trawl through the chest freezer and moved things around a bit. I have lots and lots of stuff in it, and also in the freezer part of my upright fridge/freezer, so shall be trying to use some of that up in our meals in the next week or so. Definately don't need to purchase any quorn, cheese, milk, margarine/butter etc for at least a couple of weeks, maybe longer.

As we mostly eat a vegetarian diet, i am going to be getting shot of the minced beef over the next few weeks. There are about 5 meals worth, this may sound sacriligious but i am going to be giving some of it to the dog and use it up also in meals for my DS.

It has been in the freezer for well over a year and i need to free up some room for my batch cooked meals which we all enjoy.

Miroslav

Think I amy forget about January and start with February.

I have started well, but it will be easier to manage with a fresh month.

I've spent a few £ this week, but that's been on offers in tesco that I want to stock up on before they come off of offer on Tuesday.

lizalloareds

snowing here again, not looking forward to going for the shopping.

lushlifesaver

Had to pop in to Tesco yesterday after work but the bits I bought came out of a different budget - proud as usually I would have bought loads as the prices in their were so very enticing (I was impressed as it was an express store!) So technically a NSD

Think I have settled on my NSD challenge for February so will pootle across and add that to my budget post over there : going to drag my feet and aim for everyday left of this month to be NSDs apart from 2