August 2014 Grocery Challenge

shiningfaery

First spend of Aug £48.49.

Have a batch of basic mince in freezer gonna have that tonight mexican style with some mini tortillas that need using up.

have a big bag of potatoes that need using up too so will probably start making some freezable dishes. Potatoes cakes, potato croquettes, bubble and squeak, and maybe some potatoe soup.

trying to get into a routine as working currently in afternoons and will be starting college in a few weeks so going to be relying heavily on my slow cooker, does anyone else cook with their slow cooker everyday?

atolaas

£8.08 spent today.

shiningfaery I use my slow cooker regularly in the winter...nothing like the smell of a slow cooker bubbling away when you get in from a cold wet miserable day

joedenise

Meezel wrote: »

Anyway I am not going to let this stop me, this is my first month, I am still going to try to keep within my limit or try to beat or meet my budget for this month. Any hints and tips are appreciated.:) Thanks x - signature updated

Hope you'll still be able to come in under budget for the month, even with the "help" of your DH! Only tip I'd give you is to do what you did this week but definitely leave DH at home. I always spend more when mine comes shopping with me, which then means I have to be more careful for the rest of the month. Good luck.

Done a top-up shop today and spent a total of £21.70, which is slightly more than I'd planned (was hoping top up shops would be no more than £20) but needed to buy potatoes again today as used more at the weekend than planned.

Total spend to date is £84.20/£250, so still looking OK.

Denise

ruby_eskimo

Second weekly shop of the month last night and it came in at £46.30, which wasn't too bad considering we got a few household bits and bobs like toilet roll. So we're at £69.07 so far this month. Only 17 days till pay day and still have £131 in the budget, however I have started running down the freezer and the cupboards so we might need to re-stock towards the end of the month.

murmur

I am going to fail in the most spectacular fashion this month. I have already spent £179.84 out of my £330 budget and it's only the 5th!!!:eek:

To be honest, I thought this could possibly happen as I was unsure how best to run the budget - hubs and I get money at different times of the month and I was working this budget on his wages which he recieves on the last friday of the month. I recieve the largest chunk of my money every four weeks so maybe it would be better for me to budget according to this time frame. I will have to sit down with a cuppa when kiddies nap and do some working out.

If I do decide to go four weekly rather than calander monthly can I restart my challenge for the month, please or would it be best to start all over from next month? Sorry to be a pest!

joedenise

murmur wrote: »

I am going to fail in the most spectacular fashion this month. I have already spent £179.84 out of my £330 budget and it's only the 5th!!!:eek:

To be honest, I thought this could possibly happen as I was unsure how best to run the budget - hubs and I get money at different times of the month and I was working this budget on his wages which he recieves on the last friday of the month. I recieve the largest chunk of my money every four weeks so maybe it would be better for me to budget according to this time frame. I will have to sit down with a cuppa when kiddies nap and do some working out.

If I do decide to go four weekly rather than calander monthly can I restart my challenge for the month, please or would it be best to start all over from next month? Sorry to be a pest!

Perhaps it would be easier for you to budget weekly rather than monthly starting when you get your next lot of money?

Denise

bmma

Spends to date £69.58/£160.00p

recovering_spendaholic

Bit of a disastrous day really - spent £2.74 in Mr T this morning on milk and feminine hygiene stuff, and was pleased about it until supper tine and no one wanted the potato and chicken I was offering. After much grumpiness I agreed to go and get fish and chips - I got 2 fish and one portion chips and that did three of us with chips leftover, but it meant that I had a spend of £6.10 that I hadn't planned.

I will use the potatoes and chicken tomorrow, but I have also got some sausages and mince out of the freezer in case they moan again!

I still can't stop thinking about that tuna flatbread thing that Jamie Oliver made!

mobo1980

Hello

I have been lurking on this thread for a while and wondered if i may join you all ?
Only just got my shopping money today from oh and he can get paid upto the tenth on each month , I would like to aim for £180please

Mobo xx

Solstice_3

recovering_spendaholic wrote: »

Haven't yet spent anything out of £350 for August, but will need to get milk soon.

I am going to have a go at making the tuna melt piadina that Jamie Oliver made on money saving meals the other night for lunch, and tonight I am using leftover chicken from Sunday to make curry.

I find that doing an online shop is better for me than doing a "real" shop, as I don't impulse buy, so I am just going to go on mysupermarket and do an order for the weekend.

I always struggle with online shopping as you have to spend a minimum of £25 and I don't like buying fruit and veg too far in advance, plus I get a fruit and veg box every 2 weeks and a meat, fruit and veg box every 2 weeks. It's a pain as I don't drive and I go with a pushchair and 2 children so can't carry much. That means I have to go every other day and keep my willpower strong - not very good at that lol. I do an online order when I need lots of tins, and other heavy stuff.