March 2013 Grocery Challenge

Florenceem

No dinner photo again - more time spent in the front garden - it is now tidy.
Spent £1 on milk today.

[Deleted User]

Another NSD for me so I have stayed away from the shops since the 4th March and hope to do so for at least another week if I can.Nothing to buy at the moment anyway as I have lots of stuff in store.I find that if I feel the urge to go shopping I think of something else to do to take up the time.for example with all the lovely weather although I can't bend very well for gardening anymore I can do some spring cleaning ,you know those little bits that get missed in the winter time.Today I am taking my front window nets down for a wash and will do the inside of my front room windows and the window ledges.I have 6ft x 6ft windows, so that will fill up most of the day as I have the school run first thing, then I'll do the downstairs windows, then I pop around to DDs to let the dogs out for a walk and a widdle, then home for lunch and then the bedroom window and then it will be time to pick up DGS Mikey from school.Yesterday I did the ironing whilst watching some catch-up t.v. I not only have a list for essential shopping bits (I won't go to the shops unless there are at least 6 things on the list I adapt what I have indoors :)) I also have a list of to-do things for the week, that I try to work through a day at a time.owing to my 'bendability' :) and clapped out joints I am not able to whizz through things as I used to so taking my time to do something is a way of putting off shopping IYSWIM plus it does keep me on top of things.

This afternoon I also have the manager of the carpet shop coming at 2.30 to assess the damage that the fitter did to my paintwork the other day.I like the carpet and the firm, just the contract fitter made a total mess of my skirting boards on the top landing. I couldn't see it until after he left as my stair lift chap was refitting my stair lift.I wasn't going to complain but my DD popped in to see my new carpet and said I should, as he had really made a bit of a mess of the paintwork.I have only just had the hall and stairs redecorated so I was a bit miffed to be honest.I'll see what the manager says this afternoon.I want a new carpet for my sitting room but I certainly don't want the same fitter coming to do it.So no time for shopping today at all :)
Reading through the posts I think we are all doing extremely well in our efforts to cut the cost of living,just thinking about what you buy before buying it makes you concentrate on your cash a bit more
Well done chums onwards and upwards
JackieO xx

lushlifesaver

two NSDs in a row for me but I need to go today and buy bread (£1) ham (£2) cheese (£2) and bananas (£1). after that I want to make sure it's the meat from Makro (bf has agreed to pay for the other bits we need as we only go once every 2/3months).

already stressing about money but that's because I had to pay emergency tax from my wages at the end of last month (£98!!!) grr so I have almost £100 less than our budget was based on. looking at similar again thi smonth unless my old casual employer pulls their finger out and sorts my P45 realistically I have enough but only if I'm strict with myself until the 22nd/25th

tessie_bear

hi...last of the rubber chicken for us today...we are having egg fried rice there is also enough for a sarnie for ds packup tomorrow...great value and nice but i cant see myself doing it too often as i think we would all get fed up with chicken
i am off out to look for a nice mum day gift today and buy some school uniform for ds who has had the cheek to grow....again

have a nice day
tess

becsxxx

tessie bear - what's rubber chicken?!?

NSD for me yesterday and feeling pretty positive about the next few days:
Today: brought leftover prawn stiry fry and noodles with me for my lunch (leftovers from last night - did heaps of veg so there was enough for DH's lunch too); dinner is barnsley chops from the freezer, roast butternut squash and peas - yum.
Friday: lunch: ham or chorizo sandwiches for DH, I am out with a friend; we are both out for dinner at another friend's house - already have plenty of alcohol in to take a bottle
Sat: girl's day/night at my friend's house helping her with wedding prep, so should be NSD (again, will take a bottle from stores)
Sun: mother's day lunch at my mum's house and probably a light supper of eggs on toast or fishfingers or something from the freezer

Am trying to not to another main shop until next Thu/Fri when we have guests coming for the weekend. We should manage as long as we get more fruit and probably bread. Finger's crossed...

cw18

Went out to do my first grocery stock-up of the month last Friday - and despite hitting TWO Mr T Extras I couldn't get everything I needed for a recipe OH and I had decided to try on Saturday :mad:

So on Saturday I trotted down to my local A!di and managed to get the rest there

Just entered the damage to my spreadsheet, and can declare that I've managed to spend £32.05 from my £211.50 budget.
Also spent £6 on the 8 Easter Eggs I still needed to get, but that comes from a different budget (presents).

Next grocery shop planned for tomorrow. Just need to spend some time today working out what I'm getting from where (need to check A!di super 6 and see if it's worth me getting anything from there rather than Mr T - the beauty of Mr T being I can get just a couple of carrots instead of a bag I know I won't use up!)

sheeppappar

tessie_bear wrote: »

hi...last of the rubber chicken for us today..

hurrah rubber chicken... someone asked about that..
I think it's a whole chicken which just keeps bouncing back (rubber!) as you use it all up over a number of days/meals

I am proud to report a YS bargain which I have stuck in the freezer for rubber chicken in a week or so (on the meal planner already).. I was in the c0 0p last night to buy aspirin and had a look in the whoopsie fridge.. whole chicken was 6.98 reduced to 3.49.. so i was standing considering what a bargain + became aware of someone lurking beside me.. it was a c0 0p employee holding a sticker gun.. so put the chicken back, walked round the next aisle then came back to find reduced to 1.75 yipee! total bargain:j.

My rubber chicken plan is Sunday - roast chicken / Monday - chick salad + jacket pot / Tuesday - chicken curry. If any more meat left will stick it in a quiche. Slow-cooker the carcass with some veg for stock (just used my last rubber chicken stock today for slow-cooker leek + potato soup to be ready for my tea when i get home)

have a fab weekend x i am away for weekend in hol cottage but have bought M+S meals with vouchers to take away so no evening meal spends there xx

Verityemilia

Strange Week .... Buying as I need it this week

Monday - no spend
Tues - £8 - local shop
Weds - £15 - birthday tea inc cake
Thurs - £8 - local shop
Fri - no spend
Sat - no spend
Sun - chippy tea £3 spend

Remaining change into SPC 6 / 2013 :T

meg72

Still no shopping for me, I cant shake off this lurgy,10 days now and I am still sneezing my head off and have nasty cold sores, never had a coldlast this long.

Still I did want to use up this month but actually am not fancing much to eat just soup and toast mainly. The space I had managed to get in the freezer has now been filled again with meals I have cooked and not then not wanted to eat.

Oh well look on the bright side I should save quite a lot this month so will plan a nice day out in the Spring.

Baileys_Babe

Finally declaring February at £157.73 which is £122.27 under, I find this unbelievable and guess we have forgotten to log a spend or two, but we have searched high and low for missing receipts as well as checking bank statements and have found nothing so it looks as if it is true :j
I'm going to put the £122.27 into my 2nd purse to cover any receipts from February that come to light, an over spends in future months and for bulk buys.

March budget £310 + £122.27 second purse.

Spends so far are £71.82 / £310