April 2013 Grocery Challenge

[Deleted User]

Thanks getting-sorted-sarah, ile have a look at that website to. I also struggle with spending £40 when these vouchers are around. So i combine it with other things i need. I had money from my birthday so i bought some work underwear and a top for going out which was £25, so i combined the £5 off £40 with the £5 off £25 clothing and lots of coupons and managed to save a whopping £21. Took a lot of to-ing and fro-ing in the supermarket, up and down the isles and luckily that day they had everything in stock i needed (i went early in the morning to avoid the half term chaos lol. Edited to say and used all my coupons that i had too.

Bluegreen143

MrsCautious - get well soon!

Spent £59 odd on Mr T delivery, so much! Only £25 left to do til the 25th so will need to keep a tight rein on things during next Sunday's shop.

Delivery cost £5, also used £2 voucher:
Whole cauliflower £1.98
750g beef mince £3.50
Tesco Mixed leaf salad x2 £2
Tesco Ham 115g £1
Whole milk 4 pints £1.29
Goats cheese 125g £1.35
Fresh greens sliced 300g £1.20
E'day Value unsalted butter 98p
E'day Value mushrooms 75p
Bacon 16 rashers £3.50
Creamfields single cream 300ml 69p
Red cabbage £1.10
Baking potatoes x4 £1.00
Discos 6pk x2 £2.50
Salad tomatoes 6pk £1.00
E'day Value plain flour 1.5kg 45p
Tesco toothpaste 100ml 40p
Chinese 5 spice £1.19
E'day Value bran flakes 750g 88p
Tesco dried cat food 1kg £1.39
Red chillies 60g 60p
E'day Value tuna in brine x2 £1.50
E'day Value penne 500g 30p
E'day Value chopped tomatoes x3 93p
Wheatfield Bakery giant baps 4pk x2 £1.40
Green beans 220g £1
Tesco cola x8 £4
E'day Value mayonnaise 500ml 42p
Imperial Leather shower gel x2 £1.89
E'day Value pears 4pk 90p
E'day Value carrots 1.5kg 69p
E'day Value garlic 3pk 69p
Gilette blue disposable razors x4 £8*
Alberto balsam shampoo & conditioner £1.80
Blue Dragon creamed coconut 200g £1
E'day Value vegetable oil 1lt £1.45
Bananas x6 57p
Courgettes x2 75p

Meal plan for the week:

• Sun 14th – chicken & mushroom pie, veg and potatoes
  
• Mon 15th – goat’s cheese pasta with salad
  
• Tues 16th – vegetable korma with chapattis
  
• Wed 17th – baked potatoes with tuna and salad
  
• Thurs 18th – thai-style stir-fry
  
• Fri 19th – burger night!
  
• Sat 20th – a steak meal from Jamie’s 15 Minute Meals

Made goats cheese & spring veg spaghetti for dinner, yum

prettyplease

Hi guys - you are all very inspirational, I've been browsing this thread for about half an hour and will hopefully join you next month!
I was thinking of trying aldi for basics - there is one a couple of miles from me so will try in next couple of weeks when cupboards running lower.

cw18

prettyplease wrote: »

I was thinking of trying aldi for basics - there is one a couple of miles from me so will try in next couple of weeks when cupboards running lower.

They're not just for basics. I have some lovely mince and chops from there, and I know at least one person on here who gets their sausages. I find the f&V doesn't always last as long as that from Mr T (and you can't buy the couple of carrots you need for one person), but the prices are generally good especially on the Super 6 which is when I treat myself to the luxuries like pineapple.

Wentthedaywell?

prettyplease wrote: »

I was thinking of trying aldi for basics - there is one a couple of miles from me so will try in next couple of weeks when cupboards running lower.

I've only just discovered Aldi - I usually go to Lidl if I'm after a cheap shop as it's nearer. But I think Aldi is really good and on the basis of my couple of visits so far, I think I will drive there when I need a big stock up.

I've also started buying my meat from the weekly market (it's a proper butcher's stall, not a horsemeat emporium ). I used to be a bit sniffy about it, but I've found it's far better quality than most supermarkets. If I time it to go as they are beginning to shut, I get some great bargains too.

mothershipton

can you put me down for £350. bit late this month as we were awat. so far spent about £180

madmary_2

prettyplease wrote: »

Hi guys - you are all very inspirational, I've been browsing this thread for about half an hour and will hopefully join you next month!
I was thinking of trying aldi for basics - there is one a couple of miles from me so will try in next couple of weeks when cupboards running lower.

I started using Aldi nearly two years ago when one opened near me. I now use them as my main supermarket. I have gradually stopped using the main supermarkets except for cat food and one or two things I can't get in Aldi. I don't get distracted by hundreds of branded goods and lots of things that look nice but end up at the back of a cupboard till it's time to throw them out.

I find the veg lasts well if kept in the salad drawer of my fridge and if it looks like going off I freeze it or make something with it.

I have halved my shopping bills.

Mary

Wentthedaywell?

madmary wrote: »

I don't get distracted by hundreds of branded goods and lots of things that look nice but end up at the back of a cupboard till it's time to throw them out.

I totally agree madmary; i go to Lida or Aldi and there are 4 mayonnaises -2 branded, 2 own label; low fat and normal. That's plenty enough choice for me, I don't need the literally dozens of different flavours/sizes/packaging that you get in Mr T's. Too much spurious choice of basics (I don't mean cheese or meat etc) just makes the task longer.

meanmarie

Spent €11 today, need to be careful as can not afford to go over.

I now do most of my shopping in Aldi and Lidl, I find the quality of the food very good and also like that much of their food is local...I need to go somewhere else when I need bread flour as they don't stock it here and buy most of my meat from butchers.

Marie

Nicki_Sue

Kids wanted a quick and easy tea as were shattered after school / childcare so I made spiders....

(There were more nutritional aspects to the meal lol - they both wanted bread, yogurt and fruit with it and were stuffed after. Lots of fun!)

In other news...
I made my first online meat order from ClareBarry last night and it comes tomorrow. 20 butcher's pork loin steak, 20 butcher's chicken breasts (large and don't shrink!) and a load of butcher's mince for £53 (bear in mind that will do us all a month when made into burgers, diced, separated off etc). The first time I've used an online butcher so I'll let you all know re quality and cost effectiveness.