April 2014 Grocery Challenge

Sequeena

I'm over budget this week which is a shame but it was one of those weeks where everything ran out at once. I had to buy a sack of dog food, washing powder, meat, nappies etc.

I'm working through some leftover meals in the freezer as we're going on holiday on Monday. We did end up having frozen pizza last night instead of the meal I planned because we had to take our son to A&E (he had a fall from about a metre high and bashed his nose and mouth quite badly) so tonight we're having yesterday's planned meal - pork shank, mustard mash, veg and yorkies.

trina2010

Afternoon everyone.
Day 2 of my first grocery challenge month, day 1 was a NSD, hopefully today should be my 2nd since we've got lots of food in, though I will need to top up my fresh veg in the next few days.
Feeling good for getting under target this month, even with my parents coming to stay with us for about a week next week, nothing like a good challenge!

recovering_spendaholic

First day of my April challenge today - no spend so far, but will have to go to Aldi at some point over the weekend for baking potatoes and a few other bits.

I got my new fridge freezer fitted yesterday and I love it - it's frost free, but I think, although the measurements are the same, it is a little smaller internally. Might just be me though.

I have a piece of gammon on the stove for tonights tea, and I am just about to take it out of the pan and put marmalade glaze on it for the oven.

For lunch I made a bake using high fibre pasta, celery soup, milk, celery, red peppers, onions, leftover peas and a drained tin of tuna, I just mixed it up and topped with cheese and sliced tomato and baked for half an hour. It was really nice and made LOADS!! I only used about 150g of pasta but the vegetables really padded it out.

Do any of you buy meat online? We only have one butcher in our village and I have to say that his meat is not the nicest, and I am increasingly dissapointed with supermarket meat. I would like to try one of the online butchers but am not sure who to use - some seem awfully expensive though.

I have chicken defrosting for tomorrow (making lemon roasted chicken pieces), and a piece of beef for Sunday.

Just going to read through the thread so far now!

EstherH

[QUOTE=jumblejack;65096911

Danger lies in popping in ikea for my free drink whilst I pass through wednesbury this morning......[/QUOTE]

Haha. I lurk on here but couldn't resist replying to this. I'm an expert at popping into ikea for free drinks and not buying anything else. I'm surprised they,don't take our family card off us.

Thanks to everyone for,all your inspiration.

Esther x

babyboysmommy

Can I join in? Please put me down for £200 that's for 2 adults & 2 children.

just_the_two_of_us

Hi all - quick update after early shop for April! Much quicker doing it all with DH and car.

Have spent £108.92 already:eek: - some of that on stock cupboard stuff and wine for this month - which l bought much earlier in the year.

Now have a 12.5 kg sack of potatoes for £3.50 from nearby - ish farm shop. We decided to have a run out for a treat so were passing anyway. Have enough food for 20 main meals at least in freezer and are away 2/30 days in April so need only 8 more to manage for the month.

This month I am determined not to end up with several of the same type of meat left in the last week:rotfl: - it got a little boring!!

Managed to get G Blend decaff 150g refills for 2 for £7 from Mr T - even though shelf didn't show offer, also DH beers and yoghurts reduced and B Eye breaded haddock + other stuff too - receipt said we saved £12.62 but think it was much more! Whilst there we used the money off a litre to top up - so got petrol for £1.209 p/l. We were actually there when lots of meat was reduced, but didn't seem to be much of a saving and not much space in freezer so left them!!!

Does anyone have any recommendations for cheap and cheerful pasta meals - will look through the index too. We have kgs of pasta to use up and have gone off our usual bolognaise.

Now hope for several NSDs in a row. Catch up with you all later xx

BeckyC2be

Hi guys, haven't done the grocery challenge since I think may last year. And I don't think I did very well! Hoping to join again next month, am just going to see how much I spend this month and see where the money is going. I am quite good at hunting out bargains and planning meals around YS stuff. Will just lurk this month and come back with a better idea of a budget and how much I spend next month Good luck everyone xx

Tink_04

Ok i'm off! Did my big shop in Aldi today and spent £47.36! That was using the £5 voucher out of the paper and im going to write my meal plans up for 2 weeks. Need to pop to asda tomorrow to get a few bits that I can't get elsewhere and im good, hoping just to have to get milk, bread & fresh stuff after tomorrow.

recovering_spendaholic

Just the two of us - was the Gold Blend the new ground and instand one, like the Milicano etc?

just_the_two_of_us

recovering_spendaholic wrote: »

Just the two of us - was the Gold Blend the new ground and instand one, like the Milicano etc?

No I don't think so just decaff of ordinary Gold Blend. They also had Nescafe Original - just the 150 g top up packs not jars. The decaff isn't always on offer. Proper price £5.18 per pack so good to get for 2 for £7.

I don't use the one you said so wouldn't know if it was on offer. Lts of the Costa Tasimo things were on offer too but we didn't need any.