July 2013 Grocery Challenge

CountingPennies

Nicky_Noo_Na wrote: »

raggy doll - just wondered if you have asked your doctor about getting gluten free food on prescription? I'm not too sure on the rules but I thought you could get some sort of allowance.......might be worth looking into? (would certainly help with that massive grocery bill!)

My daughter was treated on a wheat/gluten free diet for around 18 months and we got bread, pasta and biscuits on prescription. It was a pain waiting as the chemist could never get the full orders in and sometimes we couldn't get the bread we wanted (some of that stuff is like rubber!!) BUT when we did get it it saved us a fortune. My daughter used to LOVE the animal shaped pasta we got

I'm sure we got some other bits on prescription too, but i can't remember what. If it comes back to me 'll let you know

WantToBeSE

fivemoreminutes wrote: »

I would like to join my first ever grocery challenge! Please put me down for £350 for the whole of July. This is for two adults, a toddler and newborn, and includes nappies, wipes etc plus food and bedding for a rabbit. Ready!

Welcome, fiveminutesmore! I am sure you'll find it just as addictive as i do!

Needhelpsaving

Hi,

Could I join the challenge this month please? I am setting a budget of £200 for 2 adults and a newborn. This will include all nappies/food/toiletries/cleaning stuff

Thanks

sheeppappar

Hello all and hope you had a great weekend.

Just updated signature - I've already spent £59 of my £200 budget but that was £49 in aldi using my voucher.. got 6 chick breasts and some mince in the freezer which aren't needed for this week's meal plan and should make 6 meals for 2 between them..

Got my slow cooker back after the move!! I'd left it behind but we've only moved 5 mins walk from our old house and the new people were kind enough to drop it in last week.. so made a big batch of chilli on sat - ended up not eating it though as we did a sportive bike ride on sat and were able to swap our car park tickets for food ... so 2 chilli meals for 2 also into the freezer - having the 3rd portion for tea tonight with wedges to use up the sprouty spuds that are in the cupboard...

also got 2 breaded fish portions for 50p (co-op YS) last week so they are in the freezer for later in the month too.

I need to combine weight loss with moneysaving too .. just thinking I might put my tracker (weightwatchers) up in the kitchen to try and keep me on the straight and narrow.. i've put the meal plan up to try and make us stick to it too. .. there's only me, mr sheep and the dog to see it but worth a try

Florenceem - sprats!! where did you get them / how did you cook them? they looked lovely! Also..I was wondering if you made your own sausage rolls - they always look very nice too

Moodymare - this is prob too late but I was in aldi too at the weekend and diet cokes were 2.19 for 6 cans.. might not be cheaper than morrisons as i know the big supermarkets do have good deals but worth looking out for...

Flat eric - did you know you can freeze ham/sandwich meat - I have about 4 packets in the freezer just now as my mam went a bit bananas bringing provisions during the house move. You can just defrost the night before if they are for sandwiches xx

Raggydoll - hello! every little helps so it's a brill idea to take baby steps.. see how you get on this month

Good luck all - sorry for such a long post!! XX

CountingPennies

sheeppappar wrote: »

Moodymare - this is prob too late but I was in aldi too at the weekend and diet cokes were 2.19 for 6 cans.. might not be cheaper than morrisons as i know the big supermarkets do have good deals but worth looking out for...

I was in Lidl at the weekend and they had 6 cans of Diet Pepsi for £1.49 if thats any help. I get them for work.

Anyway.... gone through my receipts for 1st week on this challenge and have so far spent a massive £157.03/£500. I always knew my first week was gonna be big as mentioned in my original sign up post as I was run low on pretty much everything!

This spend was spent a variety of shops including card factory for this months birthdays (i usually just end up picking a card up at Mr T's last minute but buying them in advance has saved me a fortune!), wilkinsons for big pack of toilet rolls and some toiletries, tescos, iceland and Greggs! Yep, DH wanted a pie in town and I told him it had to come out of the budget so we can see just how much we waste on stuff like that! :cool: We didn't get a receipt from there but I wrote it down on my list I have. Can't believe how organised I have been this week, and how conscious I have been of how much money i'm spending!

I'm not sure if I will be able to stick to my £500, but I'm gonna try my best! Lots of stuff in to make some decent meals and i'm gonna do some baking at least once a week for cakes, pies and quiches for the kids. Oh, and i also bought a sack of potatoes which i intend to use to fill meals out.

My £500 budget is for 2 adults, 3 kids and a small dog. It is to include all food (including take-outs to give me the incentive to make something when i'm feeling tired instead of ordering a chinese, lol), weekend beer for DH when he isn't on nightshift, toiletries, packed lunches for DH and eldest child 4 days a week (she takes money on a Friday) and the sweets i buy my kids on a friday for the weekend. They rarely get sweets through the week (i'm so cruel, lol).

Sorry for the long post. Just like to air my thoughts as it encourages me to stick to a challenge! :rotfl:

Hoping to also have 3 NSD's this week. Not sure how thats gonna go! Never done that before as i'm terrible for going to the shops for milk and end up spending £10

Anyway, have a good day everyone! :cool:

EDIT: My £500 also includes dog food and treats, but to be honest a box of food and treats last around 4 weeks and comes to around £5 so not an expensive thing. Dog is tiny!

K9sandFelines

First shop arrived, put away and inventoried (is that even a word); and virtually meal planned for the rest of the month.

Mr S total was £50.16, but got a free pack of nappies for spending £50 or over and free delivery for spending same amount. I am passing the nappies on to my Dad's g/f grandson, so that's hopefully saved her son a few bob, as they are worth £4.00

Signature amended and will be back once Mr A has been.

lilian1977

Hi

I recorded my spends yesterday but have forgotten the exact amount. Think it was roughly £103 / £250. That should be it until Friday though, barring anything OH wants for work lunches.

Shortie

Hi all, just moving over from the June thread - my month runs from 20th - 19th each month.

So far we are at £135/£200

That feels pants, seeing as there is so much month left.

We have loads of meat in for the rest of the month (but it might just get a tad boring, whoops), and plenty of store cupboard and fresh stuff to see us through this week.

We should have store cupboard bits for a chunk of next week, but we will definately need fresh fruit and veg, bread & milk and store cupboard bits for the remianing two weeks after this one. This doesn't bode well, I had high hopes too forthis challenge as I thought we were generally doing okay and this would just be a reminder to me that we are doing okay, and a good way to keep on track - oh dear!

joanne109

Hi all

Just reporting a £10.50 spend.
I went into Ic*land in my lunchbreak as I haven't been there for years and it is the nearest thing we have to a cheap supermarket in this town.

Comparing what I bought today with similar items from T3sco last week I suppose I have "saved" around 30%.

I'll reserve judgement though until I've checked out the own brand cheese!

Enjoy Monday - off to update sig

Joanne

K9sandFelines

K9sandFelines wrote: »

First shop arrived, put away and inventoried (is that even a word); and virtually meal planned for the rest of the month.

Mr S total was £50.16, but got a free pack of nappies for spending £50 or over and free delivery for spending same amount. I am passing the nappies on to my Dad's g/f grandson, so that's hopefully saved her son a few bob, as they are worth £4.00

Signature amended and will be back once Mr A has been.

No sooner had i wrote the above, then Mr A turned up. A few subs were no good and one or two things missing; so total was £69.97 in the end, which was great considering it was £75 for free delivery. I don't think i will take advantage again until possibly next month, as it's alot just for a top-up shop, but okay for a beginning of the month shop. Mr S and Mr O only require a £40 spend. I find the variety better at Mr A, but Mr S has some things cheaper that Mr A doesn't and same with Mr O. All swings and roundabouts i suppose.I may stretch Mr O shop out a few more days yet depending on offer dates, as i was mainly shopping to get DD1 the pilates ring for her birthday before she arrives home, so i can hide it in advance.

Sig updated