March 2014 Grocery Challenge

joedenise

Went to Mr Ts after I'd been to the hospital for more blood tests - 40 minute drive each way as my local hospital is unable to do the particular test I needed having done! I was in and out of the hospital fairly quickly, in fact record time I think, just 21 minutes and they had the cheek to charge me £2 to park:mad:.

Spent £22.32 on some fresh fruit and veg plus needed some more porridge oats as just put the spare into the plastic container. Don't like running out as I often have porridge for breakfast and also use it for baking.

Also needed to buy some peanut butter & honey, again used for breakfasts and baking.

The only thing I bought which wasn't on my list was some duck sushi because I was hungry as didn't have time for a proper breakfast before I left for the hospital - only had a banana and it just wasn't enough.

Total spend for month so far is £118.46, so pretty much on track (had allowed £50 pw and are nearly 3 weeks into my month).

Denise

Kayalana99

Ok;

2 Orange Sqaush £2.50
1 Baby Milk £7.99
1 Flash Cleaner £1.00
2 8 Packs of Mini chedders £2
1 Shampoo & 1 Cond £8 ( I forgot about erm....so anyway! )
1 2L Milk £0.84
2 Baby Food £2.00
2 4 packs of choclate £1
2 Chicken slices pack £2.50
1 Ham for sandwichs £2
1 36 pack of Chicken dippers £3
1 Wraps £1
1 pack of 12 sausages £1.75
1 Rice £1.09
1 Para £0.21
1 Mashed Potatoes £1.00
1 Pack of 12 fish fingers £2.00
1 pack of two pork steaks £1.78
1 pack of kids youguts £1
1 Nan bread £1
3 Veg for £1.50 (2x Carrots 1xpotatotes)
1 Onion 0.69
1 Red pepper £.79p
2 Bread £2.00

Meal plan was;

Chicken Wraps
Chicken Curry
Pork Steak
Toad in the hole
Pizza and chips
Fish and chips
Eating out

I suppose it's not as bad as I first thought as that was £51 and after discount was just over £46 but I did get £8 worth of shampoo and cond... so I suppose we only spent £38 on food that week...it sounds a lot better to me now. (Sorry I know my meals aren't exactly healthy or OS...will start to improve that ><)

cw18

I don't think the meal plan looks too bad (as long as there's veg served alongside it), but I've never understood the need for chips alongside pizza. I used to hate when my kids came home from school saying they'd had it for lunch, and don't understand why my DD serves up that (or pizza and garlic bread) to my GDs.

Kayalana99

cw18 wrote: »

I don't think the meal plan looks too bad (as long as there's veg served alongside it), but I've never understood the need for chips alongside pizza. I used to hate when my kids came home from school saying they'd had it for lunch, and don't understand why my DD serves up that (or pizza and garlic bread) to my GDs.

To be fair they are the small chicago town ones so really does need a side...not necessary chips though :-)

newthrift

My final food shop of the March GC will be Thursday. Going to sit and do my meal planning tonight and then can start making my list all ready. I know I won't be in budget this time as I only have £25.00 left but will see how far out I am. First time doing this so once I have completed this month will go through my receipts and spend book see where I can cut back/save. Done a little better with making meals spread further (one chicken from Sunday has done 3 days meals for me and OH) and a lasagne has done 2 days meals.

Going to have a read back through here and also look at batch cooking/freezing a little more - seen a thread or two somewhere I think.

Luiem

Okay, so I spent £16.55 in total:
£9.67 in Mr. T on bread, fruit, potatoes and turkey.
£1.92 in Superd on hand soap....planned to buy from T, but was 8p cheaper in S!
£4.96 in wilko on cleaning supplies and toilet roll...again, items were on the Tesco list, but found cheaper in W.

cinnamonpie

NSD for me today except for that handbag I ordered online. Ooops! I won't count that as it's not grocery and I need a black handbag for my interview on Friday! So excited! Have been out of work since Christmas and finally things are starting to happen...

Had HM pizza last night, which was delicious (chorizo, sweetcorn and green peppers). Bf and I had leftovers for lunch today. Tonight we are having YS sausages with mash and mixed veggies. When I make sausages I always keep some and make sausage strew the next day to stretch the packet for another meal.

I don't normally meal plan but made a list of meals I can make with the things I have got in the fridge, cupboard and freezer. I just wanted to see how many dinners I could serve and I was SHOCKED to see how many meals I can make! It took me almost up to the end of March. I have written out a loose plan for the rest of the month. Hope to stay within budget!

SarahB1989_2

Kayalana99 wrote: »

Ok;

2 Orange Sqaush £2.50
1 Baby Milk £7.99
1 Flash Cleaner £1.00
2 8 Packs of Mini chedders £2
1 Shampoo & 1 Cond £8 ( I forgot about erm....so anyway! )
1 2L Milk £0.84
2 Baby Food £2.00
2 4 packs of choclate £1
2 Chicken slices pack £2.50
1 Ham for sandwichs £2
1 36 pack of Chicken dippers £3
1 Wraps £1
1 pack of 12 sausages £1.75
1 Rice £1.09
1 Para £0.21
1 Mashed Potatoes £1.00
1 Pack of 12 fish fingers £2.00
1 pack of two pork steaks £1.78
1 pack of kids youguts £1
1 Nan bread £1
3 Veg for £1.50 (2x Carrots 1xpotatotes)
1 Onion 0.69
1 Red pepper £.79p
2 Bread £2.00

I suppose it's not as bad as I first thought as that was £51 and after discount was just over £46 but I did get £8 worth of shampoo and cond... so I suppose we only spent £38 on food that week...it sounds a lot better to me now. (Sorry I know my meals aren't exactly healthy or OS...will start to improve that ><)

That's a great start! Even just knowing exactly what you spent can be really helpful. Can I make some suggestions? Feel free to ignore them, its just what I've picked up from this board over the last few months You could downshift some brands - orange squash could cost you about 30p/bottle instead of £1.25, and you could start by mixing value squash into the branded one so the kids don't notice the gradual change. Branded hair stuff is on offer every so many weeks like clockwork, so if you find out when the brand you like is on offer then you could always buy it at BOGOF even if you don't immediately need it that week. Vegetables you can definitely get cheaper than that - most SMs do 3 peppers for a £1 in a bag, and you can freeze the extra already chopped up ready for another week, and some do a 'stew pack' of carrots/onion/other root veg for a lot cheaper than buying the veg individually.

Florenceem

Spend of £10 today in £land. Used a coupon - spend £12 and pay £10. :j
Plus they were giving out gifts if you spent £10 - got two free packets of Yorkie chocolate buttons. :money:

craigywv

Good luck with the job cinnamon. Today was in asbos and spent rounded 25 quid on fruit and veg,all lunch stuff ,yogurts, milk etc got plenty for my money. No yes stuff avoided it as eating a freezer down at a time as saving for kitchen to get floor tiled so running down food stock . Will replenish when floors are done.