February 2013 Grocery Challenge

jedi82

Good morning, well not really a good morning here (poorly DD2 and just had to pay £370 to fix car with DS1 birthday next week ) and can't get to mrM for the weekly shop and so popped into c0-0p and got some chicken for tea and will hunt about in the cupboards to make something. Will update sig with £7.

Just a quick qeustion too, a few of you have mentioned ham stock. When I cook a gammon in the slow cooker I always throw away the juices cos I think they will be too salty for soup etc. Am I wrong, could I have been using this all this time to make stuff? I can make a gammon last for three dinners (gammon and egg, spag carbonara, chicken and ham pie) but if I can make another too that would honestly make my day (shows how bad I am feeling today lol :rotfl:)

Thanks everyone, Jedi x

lottie3000

Suffolk_lass wrote: »

:hello: Hi Coxy and everyone.

I didn't post at all in January and February's looking tough so I thought I should go for an annual budget of £3600 for 2013. This averages out at £300 per month but means a little over or under all comes out in the wash. I spent £269.51 in Jan but I like to have a "13th" month for my stock shops (bargains and bogofs and most store-cupboard stock piles) so need to "save" for these.

Based on January I have spent 7.49% so far (8.33% if I were to flat-line profile the same for every month). I'll stop being sad about spreadsheets now...

Good luck everyone (so many new names)
SL

I got all technical and worked out days on mine so i'm glad i'm not the only spreadsheet addict on here Actually thinking of doing an annual budget and working out the same way. Thanks for idea.

maximus_leeds

jedi82 wrote: »

Just a quick qeustion too, a few of you have mentioned ham stock. When I cook a gammon in the slow cooker I always throw away the juices cos I think they will be too salty for soup etc. Am I wrong, could I have been using this all this time to make stuff? I can make a gammon last for three dinners (gammon and egg, spag carbonara, chicken and ham pie) but if I can make another too that would honestly make my day (shows how bad I am feeling today lol :rotfl:)

Thanks everyone, Jedi x

Sorry to hear about the car Jedi But, on the gammon juices, I absolutely keep them to use as a base for soups (and Gordon Ramsey told me to do that for the Christmas ham I did over the festive period - not personally, I might add, just in his recipe!). Waste not want not hey?! xx

lottie3000

maximus_leeds wrote: »

Looks like I missed the Ald* voucher - - is it a regular thing then? And, just to check, is it in the Mirror? I'm just about to complete my first internet shop for the month, so will come back with figures once it's finalised. Happy Friday GCers

The Ald! voucher is a regular feature, the last Thursday of every month, there's always extra vouchers in there too for money off deals, worth getting if you shop in there. They sell the paper in the store I go to on the Thursday.

Spends of yesterday to report. Sainsblogs £47.04 Mr T £3.38 and Ald! £45.46 A lot for the first week but have stocked up on loads of items

Baileys_Babe

January I'm declaring at £416.37 over by £106.37 :eek:

This month to try and keep to our budget I plan to:

• Menu plan
• do a stock cupboard inventory
• get OH to keep his receipts

Our budget for February is £280
This will be for the calendar month for all food, drinks, OTC medicine,
prescriptions, toiletries, cleaning materials, for a family of 4.

Well done to everybody that was in budget, that is something for me to strive towards.

dreamingofmoney

Good Afternoon.

This is the first day of my feb challenge and i would like to again go for £300 and i am also going to go for 14 nsds. Good luck to all and many thanks for all your inspiration.

Dreamer

Bikingbint

Florenceem wrote: »

Thanks - I am not decided about getting a slicer yet. Case of - do I need it - can I do without it.

I have found that I can get a great deal more from a boneless joint by slicing it on the machine than I could by slicing it 'freehand'. I must admit that I was treating myself when I bought it, but it has definately saved me money and paid for itself.

Florenceem

Bikingbint wrote: »

I have found that I can get a great deal more from a boneless joint by slicing it on the machine than I could by slicing it 'freehand'. I must admit that I was treating myself when I bought it, but it has definately saved me money and paid for itself.

Okay thanks - more food for thought.

forever_saving

Good afternoon all,
Could i be put down for £300 for February please. It's more than i spent last month but i was still using up bits and bobs from Xmas.
Thanks.
Good luck to everyone else.
FS

GlasweJen

Can I join in?

I'm trying to run down my cupboards as landlord is having work done to our kitchen next month and I will be moving back to mums.

I plan on spending £80 and I only feed myself.