July 2007 Grocery Challenge

Shortie

My Mum and Dad wouldn't take aqny money for the food they bought so nothing spent there (though that feels like cheating).

Oh, just remembered OH bought some food stuffs for lunch. Must ask for the reciept so I can update the spends...

Ches

Bogof wrote: »

I have recently been awarded £50 in M & S vouchers as an incentive at work, and as I never buy much new in the way of clothes, and have sufficient underwear for the next year or so, can anyone advise me as to how would be the most cost-effective way of using these? I was intending to use them in their food department but nearly DROPPED when I saw the prices. I reckon if I spend them on food I will only be getting half their cash value!

Can you buy clothes or anything to the value and then take them back for a refund or will they give you vouchers back. Worth investigating.

Shortie

Ches wrote: »

Can you buy clothes or anything to the value and then take them back for a refund or will they give you vouchers back. Worth investigating.

Hiya, it's likely they'll give you the value back in vouchers :cool:

irishwexford

I am still on target. Allowed £160 for food instead of £200+ and only spent £7 at weekend on fruit and veggies at Lydl as they have 70% off at present. Still have £60 to last the month for milk and veggies etc. Have LOADS of food in freezer still and we are eating good healthy meals each day. I am so organised at last with money. I now have to try and cut down my personal spending but have made a start by buying cheaper make up etc instead of getting waylaid by advertisements for all these expensive face creames. I now think 'do I really need it' before I buy and usually find the answer is no.Lydl have Herbal Essences BOGOF starting today. I tried their own shampoo but not so good will stock up on this.

Shortie

IrishWexford - for personal spending, you might want to pop onto the DFW board and check out the Unneccessary Challenge thread. I'm trying to stick to it (though not very well admittedly at the mo) but like the Grocery Challenge, it might of interest

[Deleted User]

I want to play! My months run 20th-19th of the month cos that's when our paydays are. We used to spend £250 per month on food (there is only me and my OH!) but we decreased that to £200 a few months ago and spent the other £50 on pretty things for the house. Seems to be working OK so far but we ideally would like to decrease it a bit more and put the extra into savings.

So Jun 20th - July 19th I have spent £169/£200 on target as I have tons of stuff in the freezer.

Nix143

Week 1 over - £16.44 spent :T - however this is because I don't get paid until the 10th of the month so have been living frugally to say the least - and I could have cut that by half but I bought some baking supplies.

Shopping list done for tomorrow and am having to replenish my storecupboards a bit as have been running them down but I'm looking at about £60-70 depending on last minute tweaking tonight. I'm away at OH this weekend so in theory could put off shopping til next week and have another cheapie week but have funny feeling I need the money out of the bank ASAP

Carry on the good work everyone :T

gertie

Just wanted to post regarding Old Style attitudes. My mum was a really spick and span person but tempered it with common sense. One saying was you have to eat a bit of dirt before you die.

This is where we are going wrong with our ultra clean hygiene perspective on life. Our children do not have the chance to build up there immunities and so are constantly ill with colds, tummy upsets etc. Yes to a clean house but not to obsession.

Let our children be children I say, so what if there toys are strewn every where, easily put away for bed time and if the children do it, it gives them responsibility. If people don;t like your house being a home and not a palace that's their problem, time enough when they are grown up and flown the nest to have a place for everything and everything in its place.

Believe me I have been there done it and worn the T shire but I wish I could have that time back.

We have great discussions on all of these topics and plenty more in the Good Enough Club, can I tempt you to have a luck.

Thanks for reading and listening

Gertie

mikeD

gertie wrote: »

Just wanted to post regarding Old Style attitudes. My mum was a really spick and span person but tempered it with common sense. One saying was you have to eat a bit of dirt before you die.

This is where we are going wrong with our ultra clean hygiene perspective on life. Our children do not have the chance to build up there immunities and so are constantly ill with colds, tummy upsets etc. Yes to a clean house but not to obsession.

Let our children be children I say, so what if there toys are strewn every where, easily put away for bed time and if the children do it, it gives them responsibility. If people don;t like your house being a home and not a palace that's their problem, time enough when they are grown up and flown the nest to have a place for everything and everything in its place.

Believe me I have been there done it and worn the T shire but I wish I could have that time back.

We have great discussions on all of these topics and plenty more in the Good Enough Club, can I tempt you to have a luck.

Thanks for reading and listening

Gertie

Hi Gertie, I read about this some years ago. I don't know if it has any basic scientifical analysis. My DW always kept a clean and tidy home for our 4 kids and myself. She was down to earth just like her mother and was never obsessed about the cleaning. She couldn't be with a job, 4 kids and yours truly to look after. We allowed our kids to enjoy their childhood and we enjoyed it with them. When we went for picnics in the summer we all ate a bit of the local vegetation as well as the sanwiches, probably a few insects as well, (meat and 2 veg :rotfl:). A lot of the problem these days I feel lies with health and safety fascists who constantly want to take over our lives.

End of rant.

mikeD

Spent almost haf my budget in the first week :eek:, ah but the freezer, the fridge and all the food cupboards are full to bursting :T. We are away for 3 days next week so should not have to spend too much. Food away from home comes under my Holiday Budget which is separate.