April 2014 Grocery Challenge

ClaireT13

Hi


Can I join please? Haven't done the grocery challenge for about 12 months but just realised after looking at what we spent last month that is getting a little out of control.


Yesterdays spend just crept into last month, so I think we will have ended at about £480. That is for 2 adults and 2 children (ages 7 and 6!) Over £100 if that was popping to the local Budgens when we run out of stuff, so I am hoping to cut that out this month.


Can I set my budget at £350 please. That will be from 24 March to 23 April.


Thanks
Claire

Mrs_T_M

May I join here as well? Our month doesn't officially start until DH is paid (usually the 25th of the month), but I can go ahead and set a goal.

£160 for the month with 15 NSD's

Last month/March was a bit of an eye opener. Spent over £200 for just the two of us, which needs to come down. We had nectar points and a gift card in March, which we won't have as much of in April, so we really need to curb spending, especially on treats! Chocolate and ice cream are DH's downfall, over £60 spent on just those two alone in March! Once I make enough room in the freezer, I'll be putting the ice cream freezer tub back in there to make homemade ice cream, and I'll be using the ice lolly moulds to make homemade fudgesicles out of chocolate angel delight! Hopefully that will curtail the spending on ice cream and chocolate, as well as trim a few calories.

Winged_one

Hi Zippychick and grocery watchers. Can I pleasure join? My sig shows how bad I've been recently, just totally let things slip with manic life (and net nanny blocked MSN at work too, boo!). But I need to get back on track.

Can you please out me down for €550 for April? I now have a DH, an 8 yr old and an au pair to feed as well as me.

This week, I am working on clearing freezer space, so that I can bulk cook again. And yesterday, dd and I planted a load of veg seeds for this summer- we only have a pocket handkerchief garden as I had to give up the allotment (too far away and not nearly enough time between dd,s SN dx, DH travelling abroad for 2 weeks out of 4, and work just crazy busy). But we have learned a lot from the plot and also how to fit lots more into the garden, so there are spring onions, salad leaves, radishes, peas, broad beans, summer squash and spinach now all sown, and I intend buying a couple of tomato plants (1 grows tall in a tub and the other 2 share a hanging basket) and 2 courgette plants once the season is right for those.

This week's menu is:
Sun roast chick pieces, roast pots, roast butternut squash, carrots and parsnips, with buttered corn for dd (although she tried and liked the roast veg) and pasta for AP (doesn't eat potatoes).
Mon: dh's chilli with rice
Tues HM pizza
We'd chorizo potatoes, pasta for ap
Thurs Gorgonzola pasta
Fri mix of separate dinners from freezer

I just feel that I don't have enough veg in that this week, but I'll take a lot of salads for lunch.

tessie_bear

thankyou very much for setting up the thread im in for april and think it will be a pricey month as i need to stock up the freezer with some meat and need to get a wiggle on with easter preps

good luck tess

dogmom_3

Thanks for the April thread. Please put me down for £250. This will be a five week month for me.

Billie-jo

Lowering my budget by £55 this month as we have so much in.
So can I attempt £165 for April please. Feels daunting just typing such a low amount but in all honesty it should be doable if I am careful and don't get carried away.
I MUST NOT BROWSE COOKERY BOOKS THROUGHOUT APRIL

poppycracker

Mrs_T_M wrote: »

<snip> and I'll be using the ice lolly moulds to make homemade fudgesicles out of chocolate angel delight! Hopefully that will curtail the spending on ice cream and chocolate, as well as trim a few calories.

thanks for that idea! I will definately be trying that out :beer:

Mrs_T_M

poppycracker wrote: »

thanks for that idea! I will definately be trying that out :beer:

Used to make them in the states with chocolate jello pudding. Soooo good on a warm day, usually satisfies a chocolate and ice cream craving in one go, plus I can make it with skimmed or semi skimmed milk to help have fewer calories. Now I just need to buy some larger ice lolly moulds to do smoothie lollies with 100% fruit. Granted, I need a new blender first too... Learn from me, never leave your blender dirty overnight, the blades gum up far too easily!

closemead

I am determined to get back on track after a not so good March
Please can you put me down for £280

closemead

I am determined to get back on track after a not so good March
Please can you put me down for £280