August 2013 Grocery Challenge

angelatgraceland

Peggybabcot wrote: »

Oh dear is all I have to say! This is my first grocery challenge and already we've gone over by about £50 with still one shop to do before pay day. I think I made the mistake of cutting our budget from £170 pw to £100 pw in one go and I suppose that was never going to happen was it? On the plus side though we should be massively under our usual spends so it's all good. If OH and kids will let me/not complain, I'm hoping to live out of the cupboards and freezer until pay day other than fresh stuff like bread, milk, fruit & veg etc. There's money in the bank for another full weeks shop but it's more about the challenge lol! I'll update signature when I've added the receipts up tomorrow x

Yes you did try a rather big leap! On the plus side you must have been spending a lot before and you are sure to have done somewhat better! How many of there are you? £170 sounds a lot to me? If you just tried £150 per weeks it would give you chance to adjust and then maybe knock off another £10 per week until you feel you are comfortable with the result. You may have to be extra firm with OH and the kids on your spending if you want to reduce it. I would introduce the 8 day week if you can-that is, say you shop on a Friday-wait until Saturday-or make your weeks shopping money last 8 days instead of 7. The NSDs(no spending days)are essential for success I think-they teach self control. you may have 3 or 4 things on your list but ask yourself-do I really need these today or could I wait until tomorrow? This will also save time and fuel as you will be doing less journeys. It helps to stop impulse buying-if you hold back a day you may not buy some of the items.
If you can plan 2 days of meals from your stock cupboards and make them NSds you will saved £28.50 on a £100 pw budget or £48.60 on a budget of £170.

kjgkgj

We are about £8 over budget now, need to update sig, but hoping we can last pretty much till the end of the month now.

OHs cousin, hubby and little girl staying this weekend so made a hm vege quiche (they are all veggies), it turned out quite well but the filling soaked into base a bit.

Bought some wine and beer for weekend but paid from our own budget as luxury stuff.

Billie-jo

Spent £11.71 today on apples, bananas, plums, strawberries, peaches, tomatoes, leeks, mushrooms, onions, sweet corn and a cauliflower.
Made some French onion soup this afternoon, we have had two bowls full and have enough left for at least two more.

Florenceem

For dinner we had roast potatoes/parsnip + DGD's HM Egg/Bacon Pie + brocolli/carrots.

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angelatgraceland

:beer:Florenceem-we all want to come to tea at yours!:beer::j
You always have such lovely photos of your meals. I am planning Saag aloo for tomorrow as I bought 2 packs of reduced spinach in Mr T the other day. We have an abundance of apples so I will be making apple crumbles and apple fritters and trying to find a little space in the freezer to freeze some! Our plums are ripening nicely so are now edible. I did a good job with DS lunches last week as some of the lads he works with are now talking about the lovely lunches his mum sends him in with-especially the basil pesto pasta, and remark that everything he brings in in homemade! They want to adopt me I think(or date me was his words):rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
Not very organised today as I was kept awake with backache the last 2 nights so was awake half the night, got up at about 6 for the dog and a drink, went back to bed and resurfaced just before 11 am. Thats bad for me!!!

Florenceem

My DGD 12 years old made the following yesterday. I was just telling her what to do and how to.
All in one cake.

Buttery Ginger Biscuits,

JJ's Herby Cheese Bread.

Egg/Bacon Pie - her first time making pastry.

Carrot Cake Muffins.

DGD's first time using a piping bag. ( I had the Buttercream made in fridge. )

Coconut Pyramids - DGD insisted on making a little one out of the left over mix.

kjgkgj

Well they all look awesome Florenceem, want a hand to eat them up lol! Tell her she has done really well, much better than I could.

What are the coconut pyramids? I am intruigued!

Florenceem

DGD took most of the baking home with her.
Daddy had said to her as she left home that morning - bring me back something nice.
The Coconut Pyramids recipe was written on a piece of paper by DGD's Mum when she was 12 years old. It was one of the first things DD made at school. I kept the piece of paper - bit tatty now - DD will be 40 next month.
The pyramids are made of egg white, sugar and desiccated coconut with a piece of Glace Cherry on top. I didn't have any but - rice paper is lovely on the bottom of the pyramids.

angelatgraceland

Florenceem wrote: »

DGD took most of the baking home with her.
Daddy had said to her as she left home that morning - bring me back something nice.
The Coconut Pyramids recipe was written on a piece of paper by DGD's Mum when she was 12 years old. It was one of the first things DD made at school. I kept the piece of paper - bit tatty now - DD will be 40 next month.
The pyramids are made of egg white, sugar and desiccated coconut with a piece of Glace Cherry on top. I didn't have any but - rice paper is lovely on the bottom of the pyramids.

Your DGD takes after you!!! I must make a cake come to think of it! I must also put the breadmaker on as we have no bread for tomorrow. Lots of must do's but darned if I feel like it! DD got DS his dinner today of egg on toast as that is what he asked for. She feeds herself-I went to work which is unusual on a Saturday but the family I help were away til Monday so I gave the place a cleanup and bought them some shopping ready for their return.
Somehow or other my electricity consumption has reduced in the last 2 years running! My efforts are paying off. DS is almost as cautious as his Dad was with it. Funny really as I've used the dryer and the iron more so it was obviously being wasted on lights TV and computers! DD however thinks we are running Blackpool illuminations. If I feel up to it tomorrow will be a cooking and baking day-after seeing all thos photos of Florenceems I now have an urge!:rotfl:

Florenceem

I will do some testing out of new recipes so DGD can have another baking day with Nannie.
I wouldn't want DGD to bake something that I have not tried out first - she may be discouraged if result not good. :eek:
Must encourage young cooks.
I would like to teach her how to make Pizza dough and Pizzas + a special cake suitable for Birthdays.
In fact - there are lots of recipes DGD could do. DGD loved her day with Nannie - Nannie loved it too.