May 2007 Grocery Challenge

lil_me

a66y31 wrote: »

and lil_me I know u...Im darryls lass..:p

:hello: Hello trouble, welcome £100 a month, blimey whats the secret?!

gems2381

Just got back from Tesco, spent 27.72 (stupid keyboard won't do pound signs!), hoping i'll just need fresh stuff for my final week.

grannieannie_2

Elfinwings wrote: »

Bit late, but first update for me - I'm on £64.52 out of my budget of £80 so far this month. I'm still hoping to stay within budget, as that did include one meal out and quite a bit to stock up the cupboards. I'm starting on a healthy eating plan this week though, so I may need to buy some different bits and pieces. Hmm.

Grannieannie - your rhubarb ideas have really inspired me, I'm going to have a go at some stewed rhubarb to store too! Yum yum...

Elfinwings, I don't know how long the stewed rhubarb will keep in jars, as it has a lower sugar content than the jam and conserves, but we can keep an eye on the jars can't we? or even keep them in fridge, but I have mine in cupboard at the moment to see how it goes. Mind you, the 2003 rhubarb and ginger jam is still fine!!!!!

a66y31

lil_me wrote: »

:hello: Hello trouble, welcome £100 a month, blimey whats the secret?!

also helps when partner is away all week and comes bk on weekends..kids on pack lunches...home cook meals..started shopping on main street instead of supermarket..was going to asda spending £30-£40 every week ..not now tho..going to keep an eye on my shopping next mth see wat happens...will let you know...:rotfl:

JustKeepSwimming_2

Hi All

Guess the title says it all! My week 1 spend was utterly ridiculous! And that really is just food, not cleaning stuff as well! Although I did forget to factor in that my daughter is on a milk-free, wheat-free & gluten-free diet, & buying anything form a "Free-From" range is extortionate! :mad:

MUST TRY HARDER! But delighted to report that Tesco took a £4 book voucher from the Daily Mail (see daily newspaper thread on discount codes & vouchers) in exchange for groceries! Is that cheating? :rotfl:

Unnecessary challenge is going better - finally appeared to have knocked my daily coffee habit on the head! :T

lil_me

http://www.purr.demon.co.uk/Food/Wheatfree.html

http://www.dovesfarm-glutenfree.co.uk/recipes-largecakes.htm

http://www.allergy-details.com/recipe/milk-free

Couple of links for you JustKeepSwimming with recipes on for a few ideas for those with intolerances. The free from type ranges can be extremely expensive.

http://www.allergybaking.co.uk/Sample%20Recipes.htm the book advertised on there is mean't to be very good, not seen it myself yet, some libraries have a selection of cookery books for those with intolerances to certain foods.

Shortie

Solwaykid wrote: »

The only bug bear shopping-wise is still cat food. I think I was spending £40 a month at the start of the year, a third of my monthly budget! I've managed to get Fatcat onto Tesco tins (2 a day) but Skinnycat is still on pricey Felix pouches. I suppose that's some progress.

Hi Solwaykid

I know it's horses for courses and my situation will be different to yours but...

I always figure that if a pet is hungry enough they'll eat what they get given (gosh that sounds like I'm cruel to my cats doesn't it?) but then when we got our cats from Battersea they were on dried and are fairly unfussy anyway...

I feed my cats a tin per day between them, in the evenings. Tesco's own, under £4 for a tray of 12 tins. Then they get a big bowl of complete meal biscuit down for them in the morning to last them the day and plenty of water. I give them Tesco Value cat crunchies at about £1.20 a bag. I haven't got my shopping list spread sheet here as I'm on my Mum's computer at the mo, but I recon costs me about £15 a month to feed my cats (2.5 trays ~ £10, 2 bags of value cat crunchies ~ £3). There's always a bit of biscuit left at the end of the day (i.e. I know they're not still hungry) and they're definately not overfed fat cats either.

As I say, it might not work out like that with your cats, but just thought I'd let you know what a meanie I am to my cats :rotfl:

.....Mind you I call myself a meanie.... I've lost count of the times they've had some rubber chicken scraps in a bowl as I'm stripping the carcass, or I've put meaty gravy on their biscuits for a treat, or even the raw fat off cuts of meat and they look at me gone off like I'm trying to poison them! But the odd tin of Tesco Value tuna (that won't touch other fish) and they're in heaven

Solwaykid

Shortie, thanks for the tips! Fatcat was a stray and will eat and eat and eat absolutely anything I put down. He's cheap to keep. Skinnycat I worry about 'cos she's so fussy but I plan to stop indulging her slowly. There's a bit of a power struggle going on and I'd hate her to leave home. Bit of cat psychology needed!
Thanks though, I'm sure they don't care one way or another and I don't think you're a meanie!

Hapless_2

Well our shopping day is tomorrow and I have got to write a list. Since hubby is going from 39hrs to 15 hrs a week workwise, cutting back is essential, although financially there is not a lot of difference cutting back is always a ood thing. I am emptying the freezer out to defrost it so I won't need to go meat shopping for a while, that really cuts the cost down, so any money saved goes in the pot until the freezer is defrosted and cleaned and ready to be refilled.

mikeD

Doom_and_Gloom wrote: »

OKay so 4 items on my list did not come in my Tesco online order when I recieved it on Wednesday .

4 Items out of stock!!! Good heavens that is really not good enough. I usually forgive one item but any more and they get a very stiff email from me telling them that Sainsbury, ASDA and Waitrose also deliver in my area, and if they don't do better they will not get my custom in the future. I think it works as I very rarely get more than one 'Out of stock' item, :cool: in fact I usually get all my products except for a few alternatives. The alternative to out of stock items is acceptable provided it has been allowed by the purchaser.

However this may depend on how picky you are on the selection criteria and I find that if you select 'No alternative' on the majority then the higher the non-delivery rate will be. But give it a go and if ASDA delivers in your area use them for a few months to teach Tesco a lesson.:beer: