November 2013 Grocery Challenge

meg72

Cwtchie wrote: »

Hello, I don't think I did too well last Month . Well actually I was rubbish! So I am going to try again as my last week or so of October turned out to be quite good:) so maybe I just need more practise. £280 . for me please this month and I will try to be good!

Good for you in trying again, it does take some practise to get it right but you will get there I am sure,

laura_hoggle

Hi, I'd like to stick to the same budget as last month, £200. This is to go from 29th October to 29th November, as this is when my money goes into the joint account! Although this is the same as October, we were away for a few days in October so didn't need to buy groceries, so hoping we can stick to the same budget!!

This is for 2 adults. Last month we had a greedy guinea pig staying with us, but he has gone back to his other mum again (my old housemate!) so won't need to buy as much fresh stuff.

I need to do another freezer stocktake (haven't updated it as much as I should!) and meal plan to see what we can eat and what needs to be bought.

Good luck to everyone this month!

mooomin

I've spent £11.57 out of my budget so far. £5 of that was on Weight Watchers bars (easy snacking!) and the rest on a couple of essentials - margarine, bread, fruit etc.

Tomorrow I'm going to do a meal plan and try and shop around that for the week.

toddles*

Need to make a stock list of everything I have in the chest freezer and store cupboards. Then make some menus from them. Hopefully if I do that I can be well within my target for the month.

there is some rather questionable random non labelled items at the bottom of the freezer though. Exciting!

gayleygoo

Well, I messed up October by not keeping track of anything and spending was high. Oh well, try again this month! I'm setting a budget for £240 for the next 4 weeks of groceries and toiletries (2 adults, 2 kids). I'm also allowing another £60 that goes towards Christmas food and baking the Christmas cake, in the hope that I won't panic buy quite so much in December!

Coxy11

Hi everyone,

Budgets done to here

Welcome/welcome back to:
moomin, just the two of us, toddles*, fairy3, Bubbletea, kimthomasandaimee, saving4life, nearlytherenow, poppycracker, Gonzo1987, First_Trouble, Nelly11 and tryingagainandagain

Good luck for November everyone
Coxy

poppycracker

thankyou for the welcome and thankyou to the people who keep this thread organised .

I am starting my month on the 31st, as DH gets paid then (monthly payment) so we can do a bulk shop that day and then see how much is left for the rest of the month. It's a big deal for us because he has recently swapped jobs and this is the first time he has been monthly paid since we met. It's not easy adjusting to not having money coming in every week. (I get paid fortnightly).

meg72

First spend of the month for me 60p on a 40p reduced loaf and 20p reduced 6 pack of rolls.

Usually I just stick them in the freezer and take out as needed but I am trying a new way this month, and actually making a batch of sandwiches for lunch. It is really no more trouble to make up half a dozen than it is to make one at a time, and theres less clearing up to do.

So I have 4 chicken sandwiches, 6 ham rolls and 4 cheese sandwiches I can eat these as they are or toast. the last couple of slices, crusts have been frozen as they are for toast. So that's the basis of 16 lunches prepared.

poppycracker

good idea meg72, I might try this for DH's pieces for work. Will save having to get fresh sandwich stuff every week as well. Just get some cooked chicken, season, make sandwiches and freeze.

sachatith

Hi all

First spend of the month for me - I had an email saying if I spent £40 this weekend on a Mr T's delivery I would get £5 off the following week, I normally do one big shop (delivered) and the smaller ones I top up when I need, but as my delivery saver runs out this week I thought I may as well save a fiver. Was pleased as I thought I may as well try to get it only just over £40 - managed £40.85

Had a cooking day yesterday, made four portions of leek and potato soup for lunches, about 30 gingerbread cookies, roast dinner and bread and butter pudding using up the frozen crusts and a pot of jam that ha been in the fridge a while.

Tonight I am having fajitas using the tortilla and fajita seasoning recipes I found on here last week, and OH is having tinned hot dogs with HM chips (tinned hot dogs were 49p and will last at least two nights, he loves them I can't bear them!)

Did realise that I forgot to get teabags and pork pies (for his lunch) so will need to nip to Mr T's after work quickly but will go in and out. Off to update siggy

Love to all x