October 2013 Grocery Challenge

K9sandFelines

meg72 wrote: »

Oh Bless dont get despondent, you are feeding an extra person. That cant be done on fresh air.

Thanks, but I know I am still spending way too much. I have the hoarder mentality too for stockpiling ,which doesn't help.

Suffolk_lass

Quick update to confirm a couple of things.

I am still reading and following GC. I am on target for my annual budget despite spending too much in Sept (71/75%) and I paid a lump off my mortgage with some of the money I am confidant enough not to keep stashed. This means I believe I may have cracked my spending obsession but I still wake up too early on Saturdays worrying....
Take care everyone
SL

Suffolk_lass

2childmum wrote: »

Thank you for that info - I shall try it out.


My budget this month is £450.

Let's see if that works.

I had decided, as part of the big plan, to try and eat out of cupboards and freezer the last week of my month. Problem is, I've spent this week stocking up ready for next week! :rotfl: That's not going to work then!

I have a folder of all the recipes we like and I am a bit OCD about trying to eat everything in order. My next plan is to go through it and find the cheaper recipes and only cook those. I'm sure there are enough of them for me not to get bored cooking them and the family not to be bored eating them. I'm going to search out cheaper meat and stuff on special offer to freeze and then the following week find a cheaper recipe and cook it - even if it's not the next one in the folder!! Wish me luck.

And I've downgraded the gerbil food. Needs must

You could try looking in your freezer and cupboards and using what you already have in to drive your menu. Then you only buy the small bits you are missing and the on-offer meat and store cupboard ingredients - I have not paid full price for any of the stuff I have in except fresh stuff and 21 months in my spending levels are a third of when I started the challenge

SL

aliwali

Hi, it's a 5 week month so I'm going to be brave and go for £375 this month. That's a reduction of £5 a week for us. I do like a challenge.

medsdemon

Lost count AGAIN last month. But Octobers budget starts today as we are going shopping after our holidays. Please pop me down for £250.00 as buying bits to help out DD at university too

tatabubbly

5 week october for me as well. I'm getting my engagement ring on monday so we really need to cut down the food bill. Its hard cos I'm getting use to living in a different country! Please put me down for €200 for the two of us. Have a few bits in the house and will be popping to the shops out of septembers budget today so here's to a cheap october!!

peony40

Good Morning,

Had my first spend from October's budget of £25.06. This was buying fresh meat and veg.

After my breakfast I will go and split the meat up into meal size portions and freeze. Also I will update my inventory and I should have enough meat in now to last for the month.

Other jobs for today are to peel and prepare a 5kg bag of potatoes for the freezer, plus a bag of onions.

TataB, how lovely to be getting your engagement ring on Monday, I look forward to hearing all about it.

Wishing you all a nice day.

2childmum

Suffolk_lass wrote: »

You could try looking in your freezer and cupboards and using what you already have in to drive your menu. Then you only buy the small bits you are missing and the on-offer meat and store cupboard ingredients - I have not paid full price for any of the stuff I have in except fresh stuff and 21 months in my spending levels are a third of when I started the challenge

SL

I don't have very much in the cupboards to be honest - except 7 tins of tuna which was on special in Lidl. I have a narrow under the counter freezer in the kitchen which is about 3/4 full and a normal size under the counter freezer in the garage, which has 3 meals I've cooked, a loaf of bread and 4 pints of milk. I usually buy stuff on special or reduced and freeze but then it stays there and I buy more stuff to actually eat. I need to defrost the kitchen freezer so am determined to eat out of it - there is enough meat for about 7 meals (although we do eat veggie sometimes) several bags of frozen veg, and some ice lollies. I'm hoping not to spend much this week (which actually counts as SEptember) but then it means I will have to spend more the first week of October. I need to find cheaper places to shop - I am making a list of Lidl stuff we like and plan to try out their meat, although the last time I went they hand;t finished stocking the fridges so there was hardly any meat there, I think I will have to go later in the morning.

Thanks for your suggestions - lots of good info and support on here.

MrsCautious

Morning all, K9andfelines good luck for this month, you are always so supportive, don't be despondent, I hope you can get to where you want to be with it, I'm wondering what you could do or is there anything we can say to help with what you call your 'hoarder' approach, I don't know why but I'm not someone who has that, I'm happy to have a bare cupboard until I absolutely need to buy something, I've been able to plan much better than I have in the past.

I think people have said on here before how much they feel they need to have in can be connected to how they were brought up, my home life as a child was erratic where money was concerned so one minute it would be cupboards bursting, the next really having to make do, perhaps that's why I'm relaxed about it, sorry I fear I may be rambling.

I think my best working tip for helping me come in at under/around £200 for 3 of us and a dog these last months has been putting stuff back before I go through the till, any sugary impulse buys for example, I've added £30 for this next month as it's a 5 weekender. I'm going to have toast/soup as a main meal regularly, shop more at Asda/Aldi and get something frozen like fish fingers to keep costs and time needed down. I'm pleased I have been buying household stuff as cheap as possible, haven't missed more expensive loo paper or bin bags etc.

I'd like a budget of £230 for October thank you.

Ellie_BB

Brand new CP for new start :j Have got to get a grip on my spending so am aiming for £200 in Oct.