February 2014 Grocery Challenge

LittleBill

Hullo

Quick, easy and cheap recipe ... Have made these twice now and they are great ...

Every Flavour Sponge Puddings .. tried to include a pic, but failed (how do you?)

http://thingswemake.wordpress.com/2013/01/05/every-flavour-puddings/

You make them in cupcake trays/cases and use as you need .. This recipe will make around 8/9 .. As there are only 3 on us, i make up the recipe as 100g of Flour/Butter/Sugar plus 2 Medium Eggs instead of large .. it then makes 6 which is perfect for two puddings with 16p Instant Custard .. Imagine they would freeze well .. We do not have a microwave, but they are teeny and i just reheat in the warmth of a cooling oven after we've cooked tea .. works a treat

I make Syrup ones for the boys .. I've made ones with peach Jam and some with just Blackcurrants in the bottom (Out of the neighbours garden and in the freezer) .. These were lovely

You could use sliced peaches, chopped up a bit, in them ... Marmalade .. Jam .. Rhubarb .. Nutella .. Anything ... and you can make them all different if you wish!

I intend to make some with HM Blackberry Jam and Raspberries next

LittlePuddingTasTicBill

LESLAMP

Well I have completely underestimated how much it costs to feed our household and would like to reset my budget for Feb to £400. I am hoping that it won't come to this but I need a success to help me get this under control.

This will include dog food, toiletries and cleaning stuff.

I have done a four week meal plan for dinners but need to think a little further ahead than tomorrow with regard to lunches as have four adult pack ups to do each day.

I do have some of the stuff in the freezer for Feb dinners so have a head start there. Also need to shop around a bit more as have an Aldi, Asda, Farm Foods and Tesco all within a mile of me. Once the evenings lighten up may even suggest we walk the dog there so have to carry shopping home.

I am also going to make sure I draw the cash out of the bank rather than use my debit card as that way I only need to take into the shop just enough to cover what I need.

Leahray

Hi everyone, I'm new to the boards but have been using it as a resource for years. We're currently at the end of our first month on my husbands salary alone. I am at the end of maternity leave with our second baby and am shutting my company down to be a full time at home mum and start homeschooling our eldest daughter. We are currently only making £12500 per year which has left us a tiny bit short each month our already tight budget, so I'm excited to see all your ideas for cutting back on groceries even further. We're hoping my husband gets a better paying job soon but so far he hasn't got the ones he's been interviewed for so we've got to find a way to make up for the deficit as we're debt free and plan on staying that way!

Last month we ate as much of the cupboards and freezer as possible and used a lot of lentils to bulk food out. Hoping to do a no spend week at the end of each month to use up the left over bits and bobs from throughout the month. I'm going to stick to the £200 for now as we have not much left in freezer or pantry now but hopefully I can shave a bit more off this month.

Looking forward to getting to know you all! Good luck for this month

seemasfriend

A semi lurker coming out of the shadows. Not working at present due to health issues which are still under investigation. My OH is away for two weeks this month so it's down to me to show how well I can do on a budget. Want to keep within £100.

£100

Please add me to the list. Am a keen home cook so happy to share ideas

Ladyluck1

£27 spent in Aldi today. Will update siggy later.
Got ratatouille chicken breast and roasted veggies for dinner

Franigan

Hello everyone! Thank you for this amazing forum! Started to follow properly a few months ago and cannot do without!! It makes me feel like I'm saving by the minute as I read!! (I wish)

Also, I kept myself from writing for a while so now I have too much to say..SORRY IN ADVANCE!

Well, I am finally brave enough to write a post and will ask to be put down for £170.00 for 2 adults + 1 cat this February, please.

My month is a bit random as I had to make it start on 25th Jan to 28th Feb (about 5 weeks). In this way I can start fresh (and properly) on the 1st of March!
The amount includes our food, cat's food, household stuff, toiletries. No booze as that should come out from our personal allowance.

On Saturday I bought a lot of stuff and cooked for 30(ish) dinners so the rest is top ups only.
Total spent on Saturday: £ 96.35
Which is:
Food: £ 68.39
Household/Toiletries: £ 15.85
Cat's food: £ 12.11

Breakfast is minimal (Coffee for bf and Coffee + 0.75£/kg porridge in milk and 0.99£/jar honey for me). Lunch at work is only for me and is mainly whatever I take out from my dinner portion the night before (as I am also trying to lose weight).

I am a bit up against my partner who is not a bit interested in keeping track of what is spent (let alone budgeting!) . I eventually asked him to just get the receipts and hand them to me to write them down but that didn't work either..
I secretly did the GC by myself but always got fed up with not knowing exactly what the other half spends! From this month it has to change!!

Anyway, I wish you all luck!!!
F.

pinkparrott

Hi I'd like to join , I've been off the way on for a year or two. So starting off gently , please put me down for £500 . that's for 2 adults 2 kids age 5 & 8 and 3 cats.
I made husband come with me to do a big shop at Mr t . we did a list and a plan , spent £170=-O but that's all household stuff, loo roll, pet food , tons , dried stuff, some meat and fish for freezer.
Hopefully just top up on fresh stuff now .:-)

Antwerpen

Can I join in please? I would like to spend 100in February. Just me and my daughter. I'm trying to run down my freezers so I can defrost them. I have a meal plan for the next two weeks, need to sit down and plan the rest of the month. Thanks!!

Crowdpleaser

First day of Feb GC for me. Just needed a few bits but one was pricey mouthwash DH wanted. Grrr. Anyway spent £15.84 in Tosco. Sig updated.


Have also decided to try things differently this month by taking my budget out of the bank and hiding it in a separate purse so I know exactly what Im spending. Im too much of a Debit card pusher. Actually my budget is 275 this month but my bank only allows 250 a day withdrawals so I may stick with that and see what happens.


x

downshifted

I am starting my February grocery challenge on Thursday - so I can use the Aldi voucher on basics for the month before it expires. There are two of us and a small dog. We don't need any dog food this month as we bought it last month - so I am aiming at £180, or £45 per week (although I may go over a bit for the first week and catch up later - we shall see) I definitely manage budgeting better by having a weekly limit and by paying in cash - so

£180 for February please