August 2013 Grocery Challenge

lizziebabe

Hi. Went to a market on Saturday and was around at the end when the veg prices were dropped. Managed to get a punnet of baby courgettes (10) for £1 and a mixture of veg, 3 aubergines, carrots, 2 red peppers and a handful of flat beans for £2.50.

Popped into local Tesco's today and got a tub of reduced fat humous and 2 loaves of seeded bread. The humous was 89p and the bread was 2 loaves for £2. I will freeze most of it as don't eat that much bread.

So, keeping on target and do like a bargain.

Hope everyone's month is going well.

Mrs-s_4

I have had another NSD today. We had pizza and garlic bread for tea seeing as DH is away on business so it was just me and the kids. Me and ds1 are going to have a 'midnight feast' tonight seeing as he's sleeping on my bed and were watching a movie. So will have to see what I can dig out of the cupboards for that. May spend tomorrow as I think we will go to co op and might get a treat for the kids and something for dessert when DH gets home tomorrow.

angelatgraceland

Annie_99 wrote: »

Im struggling... I had a great food budget and now its all gone pear shaped.. Through a family crisis ive had to hand over £200 of my budget and now have £235 until the 27th of the month.. But ive had a weekend away planned with my friend since last year. Which is £85 for dinner, bed and breakfast and £50 spends for lunches and coffee and petrol..
I had literally nothing in the fridge other than margarine and milk, and 2 boxes of chilli and a chicken kiev portion, 4 sausages and some pitta bread in the freezer.. My cupboards however are groaning with stuff but Ive become so overwhelmed at the family situation that ive lost my way to plan meals etc until i get paid..
I cant stop crying as im scared to spend money in case I have to use it and it will have been used for food. So im in the situation of having money but am too scared to spend it... hardly anything in the freezer, nothing in the fridge, and i feel blagh
Shall i make a list of cupboards which are groaning and use a bit of cash or just use cupboards but then have nothing in the fridge.
When im away my DH needs to feed 2 of our children and he has no idea how to cook etc..

Oh Annie-I know where you are! i've been there too but at least you do have the cupboards full! I've just been out for storecupboard items and I think for you the balance is to use mostly from your cupboards but add a little fresh food or whatever you need to make the recipes interesting. It is scary feeling you may need that money and only you know the actual figues involved to work out what is doable. Foodwise though it sounds as if you will have enough with some planning. I would indeed make a list thensort out some recipes to make some nice meals. Maybe you can freeze some? Keep as much spare cash as poss for hubby if he can't cook and leave him a very simple list of meal suggestions-stuff you have prepared/cheap easy things. Never knock the simple things like egg on toast, beans on toast etc. Have you seen weezles site? I use it a lot and there are some great ideas. Ive also found another interesting link tonight.

http://www.cheap-family-recipes.org.uk/
http://agirlcalledjack.com/category/below-the-line-budget-recipes/

Good luck with it all! doing something positive will make you feel a little better I have always found-you are in the right place here with us! Big hugs!

angelatgraceland

Well I made my shopping list for my recipes I intend for the next few days and had to go th 3 shops to get what I wanted! Health food shop did not have dried kidney beans or soya! I got the kidney beans in Waitrose along with some balsamic vinegar,lemon juice, frozen sweetcorn, frozen peas and trifle sponges. Health food shop was cheap on pudding rice and arborio rice. Got more garam masala,cashews,polenta,sun dried tomatoes and peanuts(not salted). In Lidl I got Tomatoes,cherry tomatoes, onions,ham, pepperoni,fread flour, grilled peppers, sliced white loaf. Buying the balsamic vinegar sundried toms and grilled peppers bumped up the bill a bit but having tasty ingredients is essential.Total spend today was £25.82. I treated myself to a rice cooker in A£rgos for £15.99 so I hope that my rice is improved in the future! I thought it may help dd with her cooking also! Well I am pleased with all of that as apart from a topup of bread milk and salad later in the week I should be sorted! Judt made pizza dough so pizzas for supper as DS gets in late from work. He can then have pizza with the salad I did earlier. He will be happy!

scotdebs

Groans........ One look at my sig will tell you all you need to know:( - £60 at the weekend on nonsense stuff :mad: and now just over £106 at sbugs online. - not helped by having the out laws here next weekend although cant really blame them and they almost always treat us to either a dinner out or a takeaway when here......

Anyway budget is bust and pay day next Friday although hoping delivery tomorrow will last at least a week and that ill get away with a Aldi fresh stuff top up before the start of my new month


Damage limitation for the rest of the month

lovefullshelves

Another 24.52 at Mr morrisons on sat (Its always worse when DS comes!) but I hope i don't need too much more this month as the freezer is bulging!

suzybloo

Haven't posted since last week, but been keeping tabs on what I have spent. Mr t on Friday night was a whopping £89, although£5 of that was for socks for dgs starting school today, Sunday saw another trip to tesco for bouquet flowers and get well card which shaved another £10 off the budget, and yesterday I spent £3.50 on a card for dgs first day at school. Saturday was a NSD, which doesn't happen very often! All in all doing not too badly, and the rest of the week is just bread as we get milk delivered. Will budget £10 for the rest of the week.

dylan2011

I have had quite a few NSD days, but had to give in yesterday and buy some milk and baby wipes, so that was £2.50 off the budget. Will update sig now.
Hoping another NSD today, but then need to get some fresh stuff tomorrow - just bread, fruit, veg and also need toothpaste. Hoping to come in under £15, then shouldn't need anything else until next week which I hope for around £30 or so, then prob the same the next week to see us through to the end of the month.

lhead123

meg72 wrote: »

Opps, hope its better soon for you. I have had to give up using my really good knives for a while as really cant see what I am doing and have nicked myself a few times now.

Get my second eye Op on the 20th so hopefully sorted then.

Thank you, I'm avoiding one particular knife now! And also avoiding frozen sausages (I was trying to separate them when I stabbed myself)

Hope the op goes well, I had one on my hand on Sunday.

X

lhead123

mumoftwo wrote: »

ouch, hope your hand gets better soon

Thank you, it's getting there slowly x