March 2014 Grocery Challenge

MissOrganised1972

So, I did the weekly shop yesterday. Not too bad. Cost it on my Tesco app as £34.22 & managed to buy it all (mainly from Aldi) for £29.92. Would have been £28.62 but I forgot to buy my tomato puree (despite being on my list) & had to dash to village store as it was needed for last night's dinner. £1.65!!! :eek: That'll teach me! In addition, I spent £8.88 on extras.

In theory that leaves me £14.17 for next week's shop which would be pretty tight. However, I have managed, so far, on £10 less petrol than normal. I take out £260 cash per month for £140 food & £120 for fuel. Therefore I actually have £24.17 left in my little money bag. I have been putting leftovers as meals for one in my freezer & DH is off skiing for 4 days during that week and so hoping to manage to do it!

Billie-jo

Mrs. Cautious - sorry to hear your sad news.
NSD again today. Have spent a fortune today from other budgets though as ordered a new front door.
Grandson was here after school and we had hm meat & potato pie from the freezer with broccoli, sweet corn and the last of the carrots. Three portions used tonight and 3 more portions left which mum will get one tomorrow and we will have the others for lunch.
Fruit bowl is looking a little sad - 3 bananas, a few oranges and some rather 'wooly' apples but am going to wait till Friday or Saturday so as these are used up. Just eating an apple now and they are certainly past their best.

dizzy_lizzie

Mrs cautious so so sorry to hear your very sad news. Everything else pales into insignificance at times like these.

recovering_spendaholic

Finally went through the cupboards and freezer and made up a list of lunches and dinners and have at least 17 main meals, but probably more, and 20+ lunches.

So far have spent £160 out of £300 for the month but I had to take £100 to pay an unexpected bill so really only got £40 left.

Main meals:
Spicy chicken and salad pittas
Chilli con carne and rice
Vegetable and bean bake with cheese
Grilled steak, onions and chips
Lamb casserole
Lamb shank with sweet potato mash and veg
Meatballs in tomato sauce with pasta
Spaghetti bolognaise
Vegeburgers, salad and hm onion rings
Chicken tenders, hm coleslaw and jacket potatoes
Bacon and mushroom pasta bake
Turkey stir fry with rice
Hm tomato and bean soup
Roast beef, roast potatoes, veg, Yorkshire pudding
L/O beef made into beef and onion hash
Sausage, bacon, egg, hash browns, beans and mushrooms
I also have several ready meals in the freezer which kids can have if they are late in or don't want what's on offer, plus packets of Linda McCartney sausages and Glamorgan sausages - so loads really!!

I also have lots of baking stuff if we want cake, biscuits or bread. Lots of tinned beans, fresh and frozen cheese, tinned fish, pasta, rice etc.

Loads of oats, cereals, tinned and frozen fruit - so if £40 can't last until the end of the month I should be ashamed!!

Pie looks boss Billie Jo!

Mama10

mrs cautious so sorry for your loss. Hope you and your family are ok.
Take care.

Frizzle_2

3 consecutive NSD and might have one tomorrow too! I need to be careful with the budget for the end of the month as still have three weeks of shopping to do! I hate 5 week months!!

Tomorrow we are having hm spag Bol out of the freezer.

I noticed half a bar of cooking choc in cupboard the other day and have some rice crispies so might make a small batch for the kids.

Going to get some hm leek and potato soup out of the freezer for lunch. I will probably need some milk on Friday!

tattycath

Sorry for your loss MrsCautious. :grouphug:

We have spent another £40 today-this did include DVDs totalling £15!
So we have now spent £200/£400 and it's not even half way yet! :mad:

laura_hoggle

I have spends to declare, although I can't really declare how much :-/

DH did a couple of top up shops last week, annoyingly though he used cash & wasn't sure how much he spent afterwards! Spend 1 he said was about £6 so I'm going to round up to £7... Spend 2 about £9 so I'm rounding up to £10.

Then we had spends at the weekend of £2 at the car boot sale (wasn't expecting a fruit & veg and bakery stall!) on bananas & cakes (Sunday treat) and then £4.51 spends in Morries on milk, yoghurt drinks & chocolate bars - but did earn 45p cashback on that by using my Halifax bank card, which is going towards another challenge!!

So that's £23.51 to declare, going update sig now. We've got the in laws visiting this weekend (first time they've seen our new house!) so not sure what to plan food wise. Also have to buy washing up and washing liquid as we are running low, first time I've bought in a couple of months!

lynnejk

Mrs Cautious - so sorry for your loss and sending a hug (())

recovering_spendaholic wrote: »

In the subject of squash, I took the decision a few months ago to just stop buying it altogether, along with fresh juice. At first everyone moaned but now I honestly don't think they miss it. !

Good thinking - it's worth a slow try with other stuff

just_the_two_of_us wrote: »

PS Have you remembered to stock up on stamps before the price increase?

Thanks for the reminder

cinnamonpie wrote: »

Good afternoon!
Another NSD here in sunny Scotland. I received £80 worth of vouchers for Sainsburys from my credit card company. I have been collecting points for over a year now and finally asked for some vouchers. Looking forward to getting the April budget as low as possible

Well done - what a result eh :j



Had an NSD today and we had HM Shepherd's Pie (freezer) with steamed cabbage and carrots.

Super sunny day so sorted out the balcony and flowerboxes as going to paint the walls this weekend (fingers xd the weather holds). My parsley and mint are sprouting already !!


Hope you all have a thrifty Thursday
Lx

just_the_two_of_us

lushlifesaver wrote: »

On that note tomorrow I am going to visit an aldi whilst bf has his S&C session with a pen and paper and make a note of the prices of bits we would usually buy to see what savings I could make there...time to get the thinking hat on (i knew things had been going too well for too long!)

Am now an Al*i convert - have been rummaging in my bin to give you an idea but can't find the receipt! Anyway yesterday I spent £18.05
for that I got
2 packs of 2 chicken Kievs on offer at 95 p a pack - they are lovely.
No*pack butter £1.69
Block butter for baking 98p
50/50 branded bread 99p
Warb Crumpets 69p
M Piper 2.5kg potatoes 2.09
New Potatoes 89p
Broccoli 49p
4 Bramley apples 99p
Spring onions 49p
Lemonade to try 18p
Milk £1
Lovely yoghuts 49 p each - 4 of
Bananas 1kg 68p
Choc cream bics 29p
Custard cream bics 26p
Pampers wipes 89p (for baby shower box at DH work - not us!!!)
Not sure that totals up as I have £1,19, 45p and 98p written down that I can't remember what they were for!!! I always go round with a notebook and tot up what I have spent so I don''t go over what I have in my purse - and that was about £20 yesterday. Did manage to buy all I needed however.

Anyway - cold meats you can get for 99p ham, 1.49 roast beef and 1.49 corned beef. It is all good. Not really had anything yet we don't like apart from the quiche.

Look on the MSE board about good and bad buys in A*di and L*dl for ideas and advice.

Sure you'll do it and hope this helps.