October 2013 Grocery Challenge

RomanyLass

Hello all, I've just joined the MSE forums today

I am a British Romanichal Gypsy, born in a caravan in the New Forest and now living in one. My Husband and I sold our house last Month and purchased a touring van. We currently live on farmland in Somerset. We have 3 doggies and a 20 year old Daughter who is a second year Undergraduate at Brighton University. Hubby is a Master Barber and works part time as I am disabled and have certain caring needs. Before I became ill, I was a Secretary to a member of the Royal Family. I am 40 and Hubby is 43

Hubby and I are hoping to save enough money to be able to purchase a small property without a Mortgage. We have given ourselves 5 - 7 years.

Being frugal is not going to come easy to us. Before I was ill, we never had to worry about money and were quite lavish in our purchases. We have always found it difficult to say no to our Daughter when she asks for things.

This is going to be a hard task but, we have our goal in sight and so we need to start somewhere. I have chosen groceries because it is where we spend the most money - food.

I want to aim for £30.00 a week for the 2 of us and £40.00 a week when my Daughter is home (not till Christmas now).

I have a few issues, unfortunately. Our Caravan oven has broken and it may be a while before we can have it fixed. We have a slow cooker, 4 gas hobs, a grill and a microwave. We do not have a freezer, just a full size fridge and storage space is limited so, any helpful suggestions appreciated

One thing I have noticed, which may help, is that there really is an abundance of wild food here in Somerset. Just along the path from us are blackberries, apples, pears, walnuts, hazelnuts, rowan berries, elderberries, sloes, mushrooms, rose hips, sweet chestnuts, greens, herbs etc.... all going begging. My Grandfather was a traditional Romany and he taught me a lot about foraging and basket making.

Oh, neither of us are vegetarian, however, Hubby won't eat fish, of any kind.

strandedinaber

I'm in for £180 for October, please! I got just over £200 (by 46p) and I can see a lot of ways in which that can be cut down with no hardship at all. If I'd managed to resist those multiple cups of tea from Costa Coffee while working away from the office this week, I'd have come in £10 under budget.

I have decided - reluctantly - to stop going for weekly organic veg boxes. I love the idea of supporting local and organic stores, but the food just goes off too quickly and it meant having to do a second supermarket shop halfway through the week, kind of defeating the purpose. I can bulk cook and freeze the veg as soon as I get it (although I'd prefer not to because I don't like the texture when it's been frozen and defrosted) but there's not much I can do about the fruit. And I eat a lot of fruit...

robberbutton

Hi, I'm going to try this again. Please put me down for £450 for the month please - that's to feed two adults and four children age 7 and under.

I do ok on the weekly shops, but it's the veg box/corner shop/top up shops that are killing the budget! Our grocery spend varies between £314-£640 month by month. Not good!

How do you reconcile wanting to be healthy, caring about plant and animal welfare (organic/free range etc), and knowing that if I bought the value version of everything our finances would improve significantly? (We have loans to pay off too.)

applecrumble24

Hi,
Please can I join this month and aim for £350.
Thats for 2 adults a toddler and a baby both in nappies and the babies having formula.
My local children's centres just started a fruit and veg coop so i'm hoping that will help me get my bills down (i got a 2kg bag of pots for 65p there yesterday!)

Nicki_Sue

Hello! Can I start again from Thurs 3rd Oct with £80 a week (£320 a month) for 4 of us, a hamster and including all cleaning/food and some stockpiling!

K9sandFelines

My order has just come from Mr A and there were that many substitutions that I got in a right muddle and forgot to hand some back, which I was charged more for as the multibuy offer didn't apply to that offer. Does anybody know if it is still meant to apply, should I ring CS. I wont add my spends til any money has been refunded. Its now put me off signing up for the three month Mr A delivery saver for £15 tbh. As parts of my shopping have now cost more than I intended. I might just stick to Mr T as 10-11 pm midweek is only a £1.

iammumtoone

K9sandFelines wrote: »

I might just stick to Mr T as 10-11 pm midweek is only a £1.

What a bargain just checked and not around here its not (£3) I would have thought their delivery charges would have been the same wherever you are.

K9sandFelines

iammumtoone wrote: »

What a bargain just checked and not around here its not (£3) I would have thought their delivery charges would have been the same wherever you are.

I did think that too. Can't get cheaper than a £1 other than free.

K9sandFelines

MrsCautious wrote: »

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.

Thanks Mrs C. I think i stockpile as my Mum was never very elaborate with the shopping and food was very basic. So I love to experiment and be able to buy nice things for me and the kids, which doesn't always equate to expensive things, just alot. I am guessing in her own way she was trying to budget aswell. I never really remember what we had in but knew I weren't allowed to eat anything in between meals from the kitchen. I think something needs to click in my head and then I will get to grips with a different way of the thinking and have a bit more restraint. Aside from that, I'm pretty good at meal planning and shopping around though I am a bit restricted with only one SM on the doorstep and two local smaller grocery shops which are both not always cheap. We have a market and butchers but they don't work out anyway cheaper and I dont really eat meat anymore. I only have access to Ald* and HB/B and M when with my Dad really. Just need to keep trying I guess!

meg72

K9sandFelines wrote: »

My order has just come from Mr A and there were that many substitutions that I got in a right muddle and forgot to hand some back, which I was charged more for as the multibuy offer didn't apply to that offer. Does anybody know if it is still meant to apply, should I ring CS. I wont add my spends til any money has been refunded. Its now put me off signing up for the three month Mr A delivery saver for £15 tbh. As parts of my shopping have now cost more than I intended. I might just stick to Mr T as 10-11 pm midweek is only a £1.

I would ring CS, as they state if they substitute you dont pay anymore.