April 2014 Grocery Challenge

Tink_04

Ok I've been a bit all over the place, but have added my receipts up and after visiting asda 3 times I'm now left with £65.92! And I still need some bits today! What I'm finding hard is I HAVE to go to the SM for baby milk but this week I've just been so unorganised, needed a birthday card and bottle of wine, some socks for dd and although these are all budgeted for separately I'm buying bits of shopping when I'm going round! Will pop back with a meal plan and my plans for the rest of the week.

babes21

Another £42.79 spend for me yesterday, I only popped into the supermarket for a few things too... grrr. I almost had a weeks shop for the price of that last week. This time I really do not have much at all to show for it.

Does anyone know of any grocery discount codes? As I've yet I have used Tesco and Sainsbury's.

Mama10

Forgot to add we had a McD's a couple of days ago. So a further £13.76 added to signature. May have to nip out to Lidllll today so another spend. Total certainly adding up this month already.

Mrs_T_M

MrsCautious wrote: »

Thank you very much Mrs T M and cw18, that's all great to hear, I'm away next week and will try and plan to get going with it when I'm back, 16p a loaf sounds pretty good to me. I also have a slow cooker I have never used, ridiculous I know but so busy with work, children and getting my health sorted x

The only bit of advice I can offer about the slow cooker: the first time you use it, do it when you're home and can check on it. Don't lift the lid, but every slow cooker is slightly different. Some cook a few degrees hotter, some a few degrees cooler, leading to sometimes dried out, or under cooked food. Most are spot on, but it's good to know your slow cooker. I have one that burns 4 degrees hotter than the other, so I know to add a touch more liquid to that one when I use it. Easy fix, but it's still something to learn.

This is my favourite site for using the slow cooker (she's gluten free, but you don't have to use the gluten free ingredients if you don't want/don't need to do so): http://crockpot365.blogspot.co.uk/2007/12/alphabetical-listing-of-recipes.html

Most slow cooker meals can be prepped in medium zip top bags and frozen flat. Then, pull out what you want at dinner the night before (or if you're really in a hurry or forget like I always do, defrost partially in the microwave to get it out of the bag!) then the morning of cooking, dump it in the slow cooker, add anything else that's needed and switch on. I love doing that when I know I'm going to be busy. 1-2 hours on the weekend or one night and my whole week is sorted for healthier dinners!

As for me, another NSD planned here. I need to add them up and fix my signature, I've lost count of them! I'm going to see how long we can go without buying anything. At the moment, I'm out of flour, but I am making a loaf of honey oat bread in the bread machine today and I still have half of a gluten free spiced fruit loaf for breakfasts. I also have about 1/4 bag of self raising flour to use in an emergency. Last day I bought anything was last Saturday, and so far, so good.

Beans on cheese on honey oat bread/toast is what we have planned for dinner tonight.

SarahB1989_2

Thanks for all the bulk buy budget tips I don't bulk buy anything else so no separate budget, but clearly fate thought I needed that gin - just won 2000 nectar points just so that'll nearly cover the cost!

kayester

Been to butchers and greengrocers, got sausages and potatoes.
nipped into sainsburys and got peas, 2 pizzas, 2 lots of butter a treat for DD and some milk....i had a vouchers and a winning euromillions so they ended up paying ME £0.95 so toal soend today is £3.77 not bad!!

I got my £20 morrisons vouchers last week but before i got them i was complaining about not receiving them. they said they were going to send argos instead of morrisons, but i got the morrisons so thought oh ok i got them instead.....and just got ANOTHER £20 morrisons!! so £40 in total

joedenise

cattysmum wrote: »

Sorry, really late to the party this month but would like to show a budget of £200 for the month of April please. Iv had such a busy month and also have birthdays coming up and a holiday over easter with 3 grandkids so going to be quite challenging. Would anyone else consider taking their slow cooker on a caravan holiday? There will be 2 adults and 3 kids and we will probably eat out 3 or 4 times, but it would be good to prepare meal in a morning and go out for the day and have a meal ready and waiting for when we got back for the rest of the week. Thanks

I think it's a great idea to take the slow cooker with you as long as you have the space to take it in the car with you.

We have a motorhome and I am planning on putting mine in when I go away later this year. I also take a pressure cooker which I can use on the gas hob if we don't have an electric supply where we're staying (we move around and only stay a day or two each place and it varies what facilities we have).

Denise

kayester

wanted to share news with you that i have a 2 week trial job (sorry off topic but im over the moon!)

meg72

kayester wrote: »

wanted to share news with you that i have a 2 week trial job (sorry off topic but im over the moon!)

Great news, good luck.

newthrift

Kayester welll done!!! Good luck.
I will be doing my meal plan for Thurs-Wed today and my food shop list for tomorrow. Although I mainly just need the basics this week I am sure I won't be coming in under budget at £11.75 :eek: but hoping I should be not far over and no where near as big a spends as last month!
Tomorrow will be my last shop on my April GC (silly mid-month paying). So I will continue to post in here for my May GC until the next group starts. Will report back tomorrow.
Whoops sorry that post was a touch longer than planned:o