September 2014 Grocery Challenge

Caterina

Can you advise me please :

I have realised that in the current kitchenless circumstances I have set the budget too low, realistically. So many things I cannot make from scratch, so many times we are all too stressed by the restrictions of cooking on a tiny two ring cooker in the living room, then occasionally, like today, we just need a celebratory takeaway to celebrate one of the builders finishing his part.

£300 is just not going to happen.

Should I just change the goalpost say to £400, should I drop out until I have my kitchen back (not long now) or should I just keep counting so I can see how much I go over budget, which is a given, and adjust the target accordingly next month?

I know that it is up to me, but it would really appreciate your wise comments, thank you.

cw18

I've recently had a number of weeks of enforced ready meals which I suspected would push me over budget, but I somehow managed to scrape in under. And one of those months even included catering for 3 youngsters for a week that I didn't add any extra on for!

But if I knew for sure that circumstances meant I needed a bigger budget then I'd increase it (as long as I had the money to allow me to do so).

If I stopped keeping track I suspect I'd go well of the rails, so that would be a very last resort

CountingPennies

Caterina wrote: »

Should I just change the goalpost say to £400, should I drop out until I have my kitchen back (not long now) or should I just keep counting so I can see how much I go over budget, which is a given, and adjust the target accordingly next month?

I know that it is up to me, but it would really appreciate your wise comments, thank you.

If it was me, i would do as the last poster said and see how much you can do it on. If i stopped keeping track, i would be going off the rails! :rotfl::rotfl:

CountingPennies

Had a spend tonight of £12.70 at home b's. This included guinea pig food and bedding which I had run out of completely so I needed it. Also got beans, stock cubes, a couple of packets of silver foil trays, a pack of re-usable tubs, 4 bottles of water (pack lunches), some stewing steak, a bottle of pepsi max.... all things that i had run out of.

Just made a load of beef casseroles so thats tea for tomorrow sorted. Got 3 to put in the freezer once they have cooled off. Might bake in the morning, got plenty stuff in to bake with and will save me buying cakes ect.

Well off to update sig....

CP xx

angelatgraceland

Caterina wrote: »

Can you advise me please :

I have realised that in the current kitchenless circumstances I have set the budget too low, realistically. So many things I cannot make from scratch, so many times we are all too stressed by the restrictions of cooking on a tiny two ring cooker in the living room, then occasionally, like today, we just need a celebratory takeaway to celebrate one of the builders finishing his part.

£300 is just not going to happen.

Should I just change the goalpost say to £400, should I drop out until I have my kitchen back (not long now) or should I just keep counting so I can see how much I go over budget, which is a given, and adjust the target accordingly next month?

I know that it is up to me, but it would really appreciate your wise comments, thank you.

Keep counting and keep aiming for the £300. Ok so you know it isn't going to happen but with that goal in mind you will work hard. However-don't beat yourself up about it if you go over-it will not be a failure as you have good reasons. Can you use a slowcooker for some meals and a micro? Between all of those you may manage? Best of luck-it is hard-I've been there!

Caterina

Thank you all for your kind words. My instinct is to go with your advice, to keep counting. We have £50 for 2 weeks and lots of food in the house. 4 of these days are not being counted because we are away but need to leave something for DS.

It is feasible, even if hard, it will require lots of discipline. But in any case I shall keep counting.

Two planned meals out are coming out of entertainment budget, one this Friday, relative is visiting and we are having a takeaway, the other is a meet up with an old friend in a restaurant on 30th September.

But for the shopping on a daily basis I shall make sure I keep counting.

Thank you for confirming what I thought would be the right way to go.

MrsSave

£26.36 spent on mr T home delivery today, which takes September up to £87.54. Just over £72 left for the rest of the month. :money:

Saver-upper

Oh,Lord.I really need to stop spending now :eek:.
The budget I set for the month is reasonable(family of 2 adults,4 children),and ontrack.It just seems I have done nothing but spend lately (with my son and I both having birthdays over the last couple of days,meals out,present-buying......).Definitely time to give the purse a rest for a few days.There is plenty of food in the house,I really just need to sit down and do a bit of planning.

So,since I last posted,I did a top-up shop in ALDI last night £4.97,today shopped in Sainsbury's £9.90,and ASDA £9.00(including a birthday cake for son-£7.00).
So,total of £23.87.
Total spend for September so far is £147.99/£300

CH27

I'm struggling this week as son goes back to uni on friday.
Hopefully I can claw it back next week.

meg72

Have just used the last of my dried onions and it was a shock, I have got so used to just having them in stock.

So time to do some more, I think Asda still have 5kg sacks for £1.67
if so I can use a £2 gift card I got earlier in the year for being overcharged.

I will have a look later, if I need anything fro Asda I try to not go until its reducing time as usually manage to pick up a bargain as well as the items needed.