April 2014 Grocery Challenge

K9sandFelines

Mrs_T_M wrote: »

£5.11 spend to report here today. Hopefully containing our last ever bought pack of tortilla wraps! Used gift cards earned online to buy an 8 inch tortilla press. I've made them by hand before, but rolling them out leaves me aching for days, so wasn't worth the hassle. Having the press will more than pay for itself in a few months.

Having chicken fajitas tonight, and I am really looking forward to it.

Wow, didn't know such a thing existed and my two DDs love wraps.

Mrs_T_M

K9sandFelines wrote: »

Wow, didn't know such a thing existed and my two DDs love wraps.

I'll test this one out and if it works well, I'll recommend it. I don't want to recommend something for it not to work. It's the only 8 inch (approx) press I could find though, most all of the others are 6 inch or less. In my mind, who really wants a 6 inch wrap? That's teeny!

Sequeena

I came in over £70 under budget this month which I'm really pleased with

I've cut my budget by £20 for May. Our eldest dog passed away on Thursday so I won't need to buy her food anymore.

It's my birthday tomorrow and my OH is cooking a lovely dinner See you in the May thread!

lovefullshelves

£1 on milk as OH paid for the top up groceries

PennyGrabber

Mrs_T_M wrote: »

I'll test this one out and if it works well, I'll recommend it. I don't want to recommend something for it not to work. It's the only 8 inch (approx) press I could find though, most all of the others are 6 inch or less. In my mind, who really wants a 6 inch wrap? That's teeny!

Ooh, that would be lovely, thanks for sharing that with us. Even if it's rubbish, it's good to know!!

Would you please share your recipe? I've never made them before, so don't really know where to start. Are they easy? Cheap?! TIA

Mrs_T_M

PennyGrabber wrote: »

Ooh, that would be lovely, thanks for sharing that with us. Even if it's rubbish, it's good to know!!

Would you please share your recipe? I've never made them before, so don't really know where to start. Are they easy? Cheap?! TIA

I don't even measure any more, just plain flour, a pinch of salt, some lard, and enough hot water to form a dough. I'll try to find the original recipe I used to begin with, but it makes a ton of wraps, and rolling them all out by hand is horrid!

Ok, found it. Be forewarned, this recipe makes 40 wraps approximately, and it really does hurt to roll them out. Then again, you can get your minions to help.
http://penniesandpancakes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/simple-flour-tortillas-003-each.html#.U1LlUlfEGCc

K9sandFelines

Mrs_T_M wrote: »

I'll test this one out and if it works well, I'll recommend it. I don't want to recommend something for it not to work. It's the only 8 inch (approx) press I could find though, most all of the others are 6 inch or less. In my mind, who really wants a 6 inch wrap? That's teeny!

That's true,the bigger the wrap the better or there'll barely be room for much filling. Look forward to your update

K9sandFelines

Sequeena wrote: »

I came in over £70 under budget this month which I'm really pleased with

I've cut my budget by £20 for May. Our eldest dog passed away on Thursday so I won't need to buy her food anymore.

It's my birthday tomorrow and my OH is cooking a lovely dinner See you in the May thread!

So sorry to hear about your dog. Mine passed in June last year age 15. I'd had her since a puppy,so know how you must be feeling.

Happy Birthday for tomorrow. It's mine too,so we are birthday twins. Hope you have nice day and everybody has a nice Easter. I'm in work 3-10, so will be just another day for me really.

Sequeena

Thanks k9 and happy birthday to you too

It will be another day here too I don't really feel up to celebrating. Candy's passing is still raw and was traumatic as I had to make the decision to have her put to sleep by myself. My poor OH couldn't get out of work. She was more his dog really.

lynnejk

Billie-jo wrote: »

Sorry not been on a lot lately but DH still in hospital and no date for coming home yet.
.

Sorry to hear your DH still in horse pittal. Hope he's recovering and back with you soon (hugs)

recovering_spendaholic wrote: »

Have gone over this month's target again:o

I don't know how you all do it - there are three of us and two dogs and I can't seem to get our monthly spend down below £350.

I include dog food, cleaning materials and toiletries in the total and from this last month's receipts I have worked out that we spend on average (monthly bill divided by 4)

£12 on milk (we get through LOADS of the stuff and DD's wont have anything other than Cravendale - I know it is more expensive but the row if I buy other stuff is too much.

£6 on dog food
£4 on laundry/dishwashing stuff
£7 on feminine hygiene stuff
£10 on fruit and veg
£20 on meat/fish
£2 on cheese, butter
£3 on Philadlephia type cheese (kids eat loads of it)
£2 on eggs
£5 on flour, rice, cous cous, sugar/sweetner, pasta etc
£5 on bread/rolls etc
£4 on toilet rolls (don't even ask.. we get through loads of the stuff as one DD has an obsession with using loads and loads - I am always unblocking the loo, particularly if I use the cheaper ones - I get Asda Shades)
£6 on ketchup, stock cubes, seasonings, mayonnaise, jam etc.
£3.50 on tinned stuff
£2 on yoghurts
£3 on tea/coffee/squash/juice
£3 on shampoo, handwash, deodorant toothpaste
£2 on breakfast cereal (porridge and weetabix type)
Total = £99.50
That's just for April. There are other bits which I have missed I'm sure.

I do a meal plan but can't seem to get it down below that - I shop in Aldi, and in Tesco, Asda and Sainsburys if they have stuff on offer. I cook mostly from scratch too, and bake cakes and biscuits rather than buying them.

I don't think I am extravagant and we don't waste much, if anything.

Both teenagers have HUGE appetites!

I would be interested in seeing how other peoples budgets broke down.

I will try again for £300 for May.

Have you tried looking on mysupermarket to see where cheapest is for Craven stuff. Shame you can't get them to change.

I get all our toiletries, laundry stuff, T/rolls, hand wash etc from £shops, F.Foods and Sav*ers. Used to work for uniliv*r and basically all have same contents anyway - most people just paying for the brand name. You have to hunt about a bit for best bargains - eg I buy hand wash £1 for 2 in Sav*rs.



Have you tried all the sauces etc in Al*i or F.Foods if you have one ?


Also was wondering if DDs would change if you got them involved in the budget-making and made it a kind of game finding bargains. Got my DSs on board that way.

Sequeena wrote: »

I came in over £70 under budget this month which I'm really pleased with

I've cut my budget by £20 for May. Our eldest dog passed away on Thursday so I won't need to buy her food anymore.

It's my birthday tomorrow and my OH is cooking a lovely dinner See you in the May thread!

Sorry about your dog but
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY :bdaycake:


Spent £14.06 today in Morrys, mainly on YS and offers. We had HM chilli wraps, salad and garlic bread slices followed by YS raspberry ripple cheesecake. Very yum


Sorry such a long post. Hope you all have a Super Easter Sunday
Lx