May Grocery Challenge

angela110660

Lucie wrote:

Don't beat yourself up over it. Between five of you that's only £20 per person per week. I know people who spend that in the staff canteen in a week.

My weekly shop comes to about £50 for 2 of us, so that's £25 each. (Although last week was only £16 because I was "overstocked" from previous weeks)

You might be able to shave a bit off that, but I don't think you're doing too badly at all.

My £20 per person doesn't sound bad at all now that you put it like that and I must be doing things right. I know that when I go to Sainsburys these days I really keep things on track using the FastTrack system they offer. Not only do I spend about half an hour less in that shop but it adds it all up as I go along and I can make sure that I am within my "ideal" budget.
My next problem...eldest son off to Uni and will need his part of the budget to feed himself - bet he can't keep to £20!!!

JCL

Without wishing to sound too harsh if he has to get by on £20 a week for food then he will. I know this from experience.

Lillibet_2

I had anticipated spending £37 in Tesco last night, was unable to get a couple of items so will try & get them elsewhere today so have held back £4.50 for them, other than that I over spent by 24P! Would have been a lot more but I used the self-scan till for the first time & got £5.60 in coupons off which a cashier may or may not have accepted (you can never tell in my branch), thanks to the poster on Shop but don't drop who encouraged me to try the self scan till! I also managed to get a lot of reduced freezer stuff so am a happy in-profit bunny:j

Only one more top up shop to go this month for me. If all goes according to plln I should end the month about £10 up which will go torwards stocking the freezer & pantry for post birth weeks.

spendaholic

As a reminder (and those who remember may skip this part with a free conscience - don't have time right now to go through and find the quote), 2 weeks ago I was spending £65 - £100 per week on the shopping bill (which includes everything, btw), and come Wednesday/Thursday we were chucking stuff out and, lazily, buying takeaways. On Saturday I spent £42.44 and we still expected to be chucking stuff out, but at least it was costing us less.

Quite an achievement ... last night we were checking on the status of food in the fridge/freezer for tonight's meal, and were both incredibly pleased that nothing has been chucked out this week! Nothing at all. We've eaten and cooked what I bought in, frozen what we knew we wouldn't touch after all, defrosted stuff on the meal planner that was taken from the freezer, and kept to taking packed lunches to work/eating sandwiches at my desk.

So thanks, and a toast, to everyone in this thread who showed me it was possible. :beer:

moggins

Halfway through the month for me and I've still got £100 left of my £200 budget. so I'm doing okay, especially considering I have bought enough pullups, wetwipes, washing powder and fabric conditioner to last the next two months.

I managed to get a large chicken and 4 chicken breasts reduced in the Co-op this morning too so they will last for about 4 meals

Rose999

Wow Spendaholic - that really is quite an acheivement! :j
Would you ever have believed it possible? And the feeling of satisfaction knowing that nothing is being wasted is also great, don't you think?
Well done! :beer:

spendaholic

Thanks, Rose - and yes, we do feel good.

Lillibet_2

Well done Spendaholic:beer: , keep it up & treat yourself out of your first months savings to something which will make life easier/more enjoyable for the future so that you can actually feel good about the benefits of it this time around is my advice. Of course, from next month, stash it in savings........Martin will have some good advice here:D

nicki_2

I work a 4-week plan as that maxs out the amount I can withdraw in one go on my switch card (I also withdraw the gas/electric at the same time). I planned £40 a week, bulk bought meat and potatoes at the start leaving me with £25 a week to spend. With a few extras I didn't plan to buy (sympathy card, under estimating milk consumption last week - we went through 20+ pints last week for some reason instead of the usual 10ish!!!) and this weeks big shop and next week still to go I gave £29.70 left but all the slummy (10p>) goes into my PIN money and pays for treats.

This month I have planned an extra £10 (which I withdrew today) for take-away as it's OH and mines 6-year anniversary (we're not married, just been together for 6 very LOOOONNNNNGGGG years) on Saturday and I ain't cooking!!! He's also asked if its okay for him to go and get some Fosters from Asda (20x440ml cans on offer for 2 for£20) so I've said yes as long as he buys some lemonade (also on offer 4x2litres schweppes for £2) so I can share the Fosters. This only happens maybe 3 times a year (our birthdays and our anniversary) so it's not exactly going to break the bank. Besides if we went out like we did for my birthday (just the two of us that time but our daughter would be included this time as we don't have a babysitter) there would be the cost of the meal, taxis (so OH could drink), drinks, burger or other takeaway on the way home and I KNOW I wouldn't enjoy myself with daughter in tow, so staying in for a takeaway and a few drinks is much cheaper.

Lillibet_2

Good for you Nicki, I think anything is allowed but the trick is staying inside your budget. Not sure I could do a special night takeaway on £10, what are you having?