January 2013 Grocery Challenge

Thriftkitten

Thanks for that... now off to total up my whole budget for the year.... armed with coffee and ciggie to stimulate after the shock of how much it costs per annum, after previously digging my head into the sand and only looking at how much a month!!
Am feeling the post xmas blues... having over spent and into my overdraft, think the solemn mood is due to not going to the sales... however there is plenty of college homework and spreadsheet for budget to be getting on with..... just cant seem to motivate myself to more than 15 mins at a time to my psychology assignment which is due in on the 7th jan...:eek:

cw18 wrote: »

If you're using my spreadsheet you put your annual budgets into the Budget column (column . You can either enter a single figure (eg 960) or a formula (eg =80x12) Both give the same result (and in the case of the examples would both show 960 in the cell)

It then self calculates your monthly budget as being 1/12th of the annual budget, so with show Budget to date as being 1/12th in January, 2/12ths in February etc. (so the above example would show 80 in January, 160 in Feb, 240 in March etc)

But you can override the Budget to date if you want to. I use a personal formula in the grocery one, as my monthly budget depends on number of days in month (me), number of weekdays in month (son) and number of Saturdays in month (OH). By the end of the year that cell has quite a long and complicated forumula in it !!!

cw18

Thriftkitten wrote: »

I bought a joint of cooked ham on the bone yesterday from Mr T's, one of their finest range and have sliced it all up to go in sarnies.... does anyone know if this is freezable as it is already cooked, but I also bought another and dont want it to go to waste. If not I will mingle it in with dinners over the course of the week, thanks.

totally freezable. I used to buy whoopsied meat off the deli for freezing - especially beef and pork that I'd then use for my Sunday roast (not worth cooking a joint for 1 person, but a couple of slices heat up nicely with a couple of minutes in the top layer of the veg steamer )

WelshWoofer

Popped to Aldi this morning as it was on the way home from the swimming pool with the intention of just getting a few tins (beans, tomatoes etc) but ended up buying yet more F&V (seem to be chomping my way through it quite happily after the deluge of Xmas "beige" food so not a waste) and a few things to make sandwiches with.

They had the boxed cheese selections reduced to £1.75 (and loads left) and a cheese/relish/biscuit box thing reduced to £2.49.
Bought one of the selections - can freeze some of the hard cheeses if necessary.

Spent £13 in total but all stuff that will get used over the next week or two and some storecupboard bits and pieces that were cheaper than Mr T.

Have already spent £29 but next week's shopping (on Sat) will be minimal (or that's the plan anyway....;))

forever_saving

Could i be put down for £250 for Januaryplease.
I have a fair bit in the freezer so should be able to do it. Famous last words though, i have been there so may times before.
Good luck to everyone this month. Happy new year to all :beer:
FS

tessie_bear

hi....very wet here today....i had a look at the market and paid £2 for a huge bowl of apples and a medium bowl of pears...will make baked apples for tea also went to coop and got reduced clementines/pots/tomatoes

in the coop they had reduced christmas cake...we have 2 so didnt bother but thought might help someone...been thinking about new years eve and i think i might do chicken and chips in a basket and maybe make a trifle...whats everyone else up to ?

still havent done any meal planning for jan...need to get on to this as want to use up freezer stuff...that sounds grim but will try and perk it up a bit

take care tess

Islandmaid

6 NSD,s in a row - shame its not Jan yet !!!!

I have resisted the sales so far.

Have a fab day all x

KatyReed+5

Hey i've just made a huge batch of cupcakes, i know they can be frozen, but does anyone know if they need to be individualy wrapped an frozen, or just put in as they are, in a tub etc? X

cw18

KatyReed+5 wrote: »

Hey i've just made a huge batch of cupcakes, i know they can be frozen, but does anyone know if they need to be individualy wrapped an frozen, or just put in as they are, in a tub etc? X

My Mum used to put them into a Tupperw@re tub and then freeze them. Then we lifted out (and iced) a few at a time.

theshinyone

I wanted to share my day so far ... I've used up most of the christmas veg and cleared out my fridge.

Using the leftover/uncooked veg that was bought in excess for Christmas dinner, I have made, mostly for the freezer:

* massive pan of veg soup, 8 portions!!
* hashbrowns x6
* carrot and potato mash x3 portions
* Bubble & Squeak (with bacon) x4 portions

Im happy with that little haul out of veg my mum brought over for christmas dinner - i didnt even pay for the bacon either :-)

This means that my freezers are well and truly rammed to the rafters so I really am able to restrict myself to a once a week visit to aldi for fresh fruit, milk and bread. reaslistically I probably have enough food for 2 months which is a tad ridiculous ....!!! HELP!!!

Solstice_3

Afternoon everyone Went out with DH to Sainsbobs, it wasn't too packed which was a surprise and I was very lucky to pick up 2 lots of free range chicken breasts (4 meals worth) and a pack of free range thighs and drums from the reduced section. Meant I could take my chicken off my Vegbox order Spent £39.08 so far I think, a few bits and bobs in Co0p not much YS there and the rest in Sainsbobs, also picked up a half price cheese selection box - it's dated Jan 5th but I think I can grate and freeze the cheese, will eat the Brie before my diet starts again lol