May 2007 Grocery Challenge

grannieannie_2

Well, i'm not doing to well either at the moment, see my signature!!! But I do have enough main meal ingredients for another 6 meals, and the other week with Tesco, I have now stocked up on a very large bag of rice and of pasta, and won't have to buy toilet rolls and kitchen towels etc for another few weeks, so fingers crossed that at last I don't go over budget for May!!!

When you all talk about groceries, are you only talking food, or does it include all your shampoos, toilet rolls dog and cat food etc???

shell2001

Hi GrannieAnnie

Mine includes all cleaning stuff, toiletries, prescriptions (DH has ashma), loo rolls etc. It is completely upto you how you do it, I think a lot of people include all household spending. Some people include petrol too.

At the end of the day it is your choice so whatever your happy with. I would find it too confusing having a seperate cleaning budget - it doesnt take much these days:D

Herbaholic

Mine includes all toiletries, cleaning stuff, cat food and loo rolls. Everything else has it's own budget, even the cat gets pocket money to help pay for his vet bills and flea treatments, although those budgets are only 1 month old so hardly anything in them lol! I've done so well this month because of how much excess we have in, it doesn't mean I've been totally frugal this month, it means in the past I've been overly extravagant and bought more than we needed! In the past I've bought so much shower gel and shampoo I now don't have to buy any for months, previous to now I've been guilty of seeing some new pamper product that smelt herby or floral and I 'had' to have it, most of it is still in the bathroom cupboard never been used! I reckon when stocks have dwindled I'll be nearer to my budget or burst it most months! On the occasions that will inevitably happen, I'll try harder for the following month (well that's the theory!).

The thing to do is work with what's best for you and not necessarily what everyone else is doing, in another thread someone said they thought it was a contest to see who could spend the least! I'm not comparing what I spend with others, I'm trying to keep what 'I' spend down, if it's more or less than person a or z it doesn't matter to me, it's my spending I'm bothered about.

Welshlassie

Mine is including all food and cleaning products.

I'm amazed at how well we have done and it has really made me realised how much we have been spending on carp.

We sat down at the beginning of the month to work out how much money we would have to spend once the baby arrived and DH gave up work and realised that we had about £800 going unaccounted for each month, so we made a concerted effort to cut back this month and we are 5 days before we are both paid and have over £700 left in our account and enough food to last us until Friday. Am so chuffed.

We will need to do a Costco shop this weekend for the next few months and then sort out our big shop for next month on the weekend as well, but we have a 2 week meal planner organised already and will expand this by another fortnight so we can rotate it over the coming months. This has been an odd month with several days away from home (paid for by parents) and using up alot of stuff we already had in the freezer so know it won't be this easy every month, but it has been such a boost to our esteem as we didn't think we would be able to do it all month, but we have.

Roll on June

EagerLearner

I am happy as it seems this month we are on track - going shopping today for some extra bits we need and I will update sig then x

ilovecakes

hiya,

I am not doing too badly this month- I haven't had to buy too much as my cupboards were full off dried and tinned stuff. The cupboards are looking a bit bare now so will have to do a big shop this week to stock up. I'll probably use the rest of the months budget doing that. Also i am running very low on toiletries so need to spend there. Hope everyone else is on track.

ilovecakes x

Shortie

Hmmmm.... I bought milk and a half size french stick thingy from Mr Ts on Saturday. Oh, and 2x 4 pack of Branston Baked Beans for DH, 99p each.

I'll update my sig later when I get home as I forgot my wallet this morning. Might have to update tomorrow as our computer is buried in dust sheets following the decorating. With 10 days left to go, I might just make it this month, fingers crossed!

EagerLearner

Just spent £17.86 in Sainsburys, not too bad as got lots of fresh fruit, trout, tinned goods etc. Just over £105 now, so here's to hoping I can just buy under £15 worth on next shop this coming weekend...

poohbear59

mikeD wrote: »

Happilly I'm getting better at this housekeeping, but as the cupboards get barer and barer the DW is starting to look worried :eek:. :

I am confused now because I thought DW was dishwasher!

lil_me

DW is also Dear Wife to some, name means the same in my house :rotfl:

I have spent today, but only just under £20 I think, will check exact in a mo as some spending wasn't for me, then add to the ever growing signature

My spending is for everything, from food to toiletries, animals etc etc. Also includes takeaways and eating out to make me resist that aswell. Doesn't include petrol, clothes etc.