March 2013 Grocery Challenge

Florenceem

Having a NSD here,
This MSE must be getting to me :eek: - I dreamt that one of my Son's was in the kitchen cooking my last 4 rashers of bacon and tomatoes. :rotfl: The dream was so vivid.
I was NOT happy - they were on my meal plan for lunch plus I was only using 2 rashers per meal for two of us.
Said Son has not been in the nest for 14 years.

Coxy11

Morning everyone (just!),

Thank you Flo, Maximus_Leeds and JIL for your advice re. getting more iron into my diet. I will revise my shopping list for next week accordingly! Had a well-woman check last month and although my BMI is a fraction over the healthy range, everything else is okay, so that's good news

Popped into MrS after swimming lessons as I had a £1.54 price match coupon expiring today. Also used 250 points off my bill, so 73p spend for 2 tins He!nz soup, TTD large bloomer and 3 x sweet treats for the children. Need to update total.

Will be going to T's later (probably when the rugby is on) to get f&v as we only have 2 onions and a garlic bulb in the fridge and the fruit bowl is empty Will report back later.

Hope you all have a good day.
Coxy

ipie

Did a huge shop last weekend last Saturday
Asda £46.61
Aldi £54.48
Iceland £48.25
total £149.34
Filled up my chest freezer bought nappies, formula and Easter eggs so hopefully no more big spends this month. The £50 a week top up shop idea didn't go as well as it should of done spent £36.59 on just bits and pieces. Did manage to get a few ys loaves though no other bargains this week to report. Will need bread, fruit , milk, eggs and soap powder today. Could really do with some more cereal but the kids will just have to make do with toast, fruit and porridge till wens day when i pop to Aldi.

Spent so far £277.91/ £550

Plan for this week
1) update budget each time i spend instead of having to find and add up all the receipts
2) continue to use cash only for groceries this really makes me stop and think.
3) get a bit more inventive with the lunch boxes there just so boring and could be slightly more nutritious
4) Hope to do a some more baking later and having a treat tea tonight with homemade wedges , ribs, sweetcorn and spicy chicken strips for Dd1.

Really pleased with myself so far more than likely to come in under budget long may it continue. may be a little more difficult next month when i start my new job but I am determined to do this and put the difference towards my debts( so i can get in with saving for my house deposit.

cattysmum

Good afternoon all just updating my siggy and have realised I only have about £30 left in my GC for March!!!! Dont know if I will make it this month as I have bought easter eggs in my GC budget which I maybe should have taken out another budget and also got 3 lots of DW tablets as they were on an offer. That is usually why my monthly budget fails, I see a good offer for a bulk buy and take it from my GC budget. Iv read about folks using second pursesnie buying back from themselves when they take stuff out of their stock cupboard but I never have enough money to buy back stuff!! Oh well dont need anything else now till probably next weekend so will try to be extra frugal!!

tessie_bear

hi...been shopping with dh for his clothes today and planned to have a look at the fruit market and m and s food hall...didnt manage either so in the end walked to the local farm shop and got a cabbage ( for St Patricks Day ) and a nice looking head of broccoli...off out for tea so thats nice

added up spends last night and i have spent more in march's 2 weeks than i did for the whole of jan....very bad but shall keep going

have a great weekend
tess

WelshWoofer

Done a whizz round Mr S this mornng and mananaged to spend £34 but it did include two lots of special medicated shampoo at £3 a go.
I'm up to around £98 now with one more main shop for March to go. Fingers crossed.

K9sandFelines

£3.79 spend on market and in C*-*p. Went on the market as my Dad's g/f has a stall, and whilst i let her go for a loo break, i spotted shower gel that i hadn't got in HB, so bought that. So decided being as i had already spent £1, may aswell go and get the milk, as she mentioned that she didn't know whether my Dad was going to Al*is tomorrow or not, so i haven't enough to last til next online shop delivered if not. Also got YS buns for DD's tea, as she said she didn't want my HM ones in freezer (so they are still in the freezer, along with these ones now too). Also, forgot to take chicken out of freezer last night to make Jerk something off meal plan, so now having Monday's tea tonight, with YS beansprouts ( which is good as would have got these on the online shop anyway). Finally, was YS Quorn Deli chicken for sandwiches for DD next week but she has already eaten half the pack

Guineapigsqueaks

Afternoon All

Sailing a bit close to the wind with GC now :eek:.

Did weekly shop at Mr T today (manic), was a bigger one as wanted to replenish stocks so that as good at end of month as they were at the beginning. So £75.75 spent and that's after using a load of bonus clubcard coupons and my £6 off £40 spend voucher. Never mind, got plenty of good deals for my money I think.

So £260.52/£300 spent with one weekly shop to go and the inevitable milk and possibly bread mid-week first. So all to play for with £39.48 left to spend. Mr T gave me a £5 off £40 voucher today, so might do my final shop there next week instead of Ald*. Will wait and see. Whichever, I will be going around with my calculator .

Love to all x

pinkypig

Had to spend today as we were out some essentials. Got 2 x 18 loo rolls from £stretcher for £5, Savers yogurts and squash from M's and coffee, cheese, bread, sparkling water and loads of Super 6 fruit from Aldi. Should be OK for the rest of the week and but will need a top up of fresh stuff next week. This will be our last shop of the March GC and it is going to be tight:eek: Total spend today was £17.04.

My whole month has been a bit of a challenge as I did a big AF order and two large Aldi shops to use two Mirror vouchers early in the month. I was also tempted by Mr M's half price chickens last week:o

However, we will still be well stocked going into April and the kids feel like they have had lots of treats (M&S golden syrup porridge pots 99p for 8, £1.99 for a big pack of 350ml bottles of Appletiser and microwave pop corn were 4 for a £1 at AF) which is good because I do worry that they feel a bit deprived compared to their friends.

Have a good weekend

PPxx

Bluegreen143

Some small spends to report:

Milk 2 pints - 89p
Tampons - £1
Bread rolls - 47p
Coffee - £1.85
Cola - 62p
Tomatoes x3 - 97p

Made an awesome dinner last night of chicken & pinto bean chimichangas (fried burritos) with stir-fried cabbage and leek (YS). Really enjoyed it so will be making it again! (the picture is of OH's, I only had one plus a sliver off his second one).