December 2013 Grocery Challenge

shiningfaery

Hi all,

Still working on my November budget and will be over here 2nd December. I think I will change over from weekly to monthly and will put in for £300 for the whole month. please. This is to include my Christmas stuff too.

Thanks.

Cheapskate

Evening all

Still on with November, not going well, though, :eek: but can I go down for £300 for December? I know it's a lot less than before, but 2 things: one, we are spending silly money on stuff we don't need, and two, I have nect@r points to spend, and a few pounds in the local butcher's Christmas club, so will balance out!

December starts on 1 December for us, so see you soon.

A xo

JulieGeorgiana

So the budget is £240 (21st November - 13th December) I've crunched the numbers, done the food plan and ordered all but fresh food and we're looking at a £10 overspend before we start. This is mainly due to trying to get our 'stock levels' back up to normal. So fully expect to be on budget again by the next 4 week period.

So my aim is £250 maximum spend

mooomin

£14 spend yesterday on bread, bacon and a HUGE gammon joint which was £20 reduced to £9. It's in the freezer for now, but I'm going to be looking at the recipe index for some ideas on how to make it in to a number of different meals. It weighs 2.35 kilos and there are only two of us :rotfl:

Shortie

Morning all x

The official start of my new grocery month (it's pay day today), and this month's being reduced back down to £200

Urgh

But needs must. The boys want school dinners now the weather's turned cooler and I'm happy for them to have warmer more filling food when it's cooler. But I can't afford to swallow the extra cost this month as there lots going on in the general budget (including hopefully getting a rescue pud on Sunday!) so we're having to take £50 off the grocery shopping to help out with the school dinner costs

We've managed it before but after a while we did feel deprived

Luckily we bought in the Christmas meat last 'gc month' and I'm picking up some salmon tonight for my Mum (she doesn't eat meat). So for Christmas we now just need the trimmings as we have dessert sorted (got the ingredients in to make mince pies, just waiting for a free weekend to make and freeze them) and we're going to ask our folks to bring the snacks with them

Going into town tonight for petrol so will do our first shop while there

just_the_two_of_us

Hi please put me down for December Challenge £300 please. Note to self - must remember to change signature after posting as have just lost everything!!!

I pondered about leaving the budget as normal or upping it - and decided to go with a slightly higher amount. We have DS home for nearly five days (whoopee!:j) so need to feed him "proper" food.

Just off to prepare my shopping list for end of November pay day.

Also plan to work out some good deals for contributing to the FareShare food collection at Mr T*sco for weekend of 29th November. Not sure whether or not I'll be up to doing my big shop after my "shift" so will probably do my shop earlier in the week. DH will love that!!!!

Thanks for the new thread and best of luck to everyone with this month's challenge.

BlueMoo

bexxie90 wrote: »

Want to join this as our spending is simply put stupid. There are 5 of us. One DD 13 and two little ones they all eat like horses. I spend currently £800 then add the £188 CB so am wasting £988 a month!!! :eek:

I do however have to buy dog food which is about £20 something it's purina and cat food James's wellbeloved about £14- a month. He will not eat anything else I've tried and he nearly starved himself so this can't change...

I love Aldi and go Mr T's for stuff like washing powders and fab softener etc. Also Farm Foods for milk and bread which is cheap. I'm also a good cook but anything/help considered. This spending has to be cut down as I can save it for the mortgage as we currently over pay and want to pay more off.

Thanks in advance.
X

Hi bexxie - have you ever kept all your receipts and then worked out exactly how you spend that money - is it mostly on quick trips to the shop, is it on ready meals, is it on toiletries? That might help you understand where your money is going.
I'm only 2 so don't know what would be the 'average' amount for 5 people, but maybe try cutting it by £50 to 948 and seeing how you get on.

DebtFree2012

Hi All

I'd like to join please. My budget for December for 2 adults and 2 kids (6 and 3) is £160. I will do some meal plans and get back to my old ways as I'll never shift this debt if I don't.

My month doesn't start until the 25th (Monday coming) so I'll get some meals plans together and do the pantry inventory. We're out for Christmas lunch so it doesn't include that thankfully.

I am already over this months budget and I need a top up tonight so failed there but here's to November's pay!

Lola76

Hello everyone,

please can i join
£280.00


Month will start 28th of November for me


this is for a family of 3 with Christmas shopping in mind. :eek:

tessie_bear

hi...managed to get some crackers to day to put away for christmas...planning to get the 3 bird roast from aldi next week so beginning to get somewhere with my christmas plans

might make some mince pies to see ifthat helps get me in the christmas spirit tomorrow...might help

take care tess