September 2014 Grocery Challenge

XSpender

NSD on food or anything else, 2nd in a row, can I go for a hat trick?:D


I have made a pasta sauce tonight loosely based on the recipe in the Good and Cheap booklet by Leanne Brown that Greying Pilgrim posted but I used a chunk of chorizo and some smoky bacon I had lurking in the bottom of the fridge as well as the aubergine. Will make some GF garlic bread to go with it for me and aldee garlic bread for DH.


I had planned to make some muffin/cupcakes but dozy mare that I am had not realised I hardly had any butter or GF flour mix left so I made a batch of peanut butter and choc chip cookies instead which need neither:)


Finally I made a small crumble with a handful of frozen mixed berries and 2 eating apples. I haven't made one this size before but it is perfect for the 3 of us and will save me having to chuck out leftovers that never get finished off.


Meals planned for the rest of the week are:


Th - Cheese omelette and either jackets or SW chips
F - Pork Kokkinisto rice and green beans or pork shepherds pie (don't eat beef)
Sa - Chicken and bean enchiladas and spicy wedges
Su - Gammon, potato bake, cabbage, carrots and cauli

craigywv

Nsd for me today, well done your all doing brilliantly xxx

Billie-jo

Spent £13.83 yesterday at Morry's - salad items and some crab meat to make crab cakes. Expensive but lovely and not had any for ages.
Had a nice letter from the gas/electric supplier today saying they were going to reduce our monthly payments by £19 however I phoned them up and asked them to keep the payments as they were but to put me the credit amount back into the bank. They agreed so looking forwards to £220 soon. Decided to do it this way with winter coming as I don't really think the DD amount they were asking for would cover the hike we will have once winter sets in. Naturally we were well pleased with the letter as it isn't that long ago that they reduced the payments by a similar amount. :money:

CountingPennies

Today would have been a NSD but forgot to take food to work tonight so ended up spending £2.50 on some chicken and fries. Annoyed with myself because its weigh day tomorrow plus i've spent money i couldn't really afford. And i couldn't have waited till i got home, because its 11.25pm and i've only just got home now! :-(

Saver-upper

I really need to sit down and do a meal-plan.Was planning no spending today,but then found needed some eggs and bacon to go with jacket potatos tonight.While I was at it,bought milk.It was from the corner store,so more expensive than I would have liked :mad:.
Now I find we are running out of fruit......
Might get a list together and do abit of a shop tomorrow.
Spend today was £7.38.Total for the month is £155.37/300

lynnejk

Hiya everyone :hello:


Sorry not been about but was gallivanting on my holidays in Ibiza - absolutely super time


Back with a vengeance and working on saving some £ss

CountingPennies wrote: »

Hi everyone! I used to take part in this challenge but haven't been online for 6 months

Hi CP. Good to see you back

Caterina wrote: »

Can you advise me please :
I have realised that in the current kitchenless circumstances I have set the budget too low, realistically....
I know that it is up to me, but it would really appreciate your wise comments, thank you.

Think I would just carry on trying to keep in budget but not beat myself up if I didn't. It's surprising what you can do short term when the pennies aren't there

meg72 wrote: »

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.

Meg - do you find your hydrator really saves pennies ? What do you use it for ? Any pointers to buying one please - thanks


I'm on reduced budget because reduced days due to hols :rotfl:
but need to get freezers sorted and ready for the looong winter


Exciting times here with the referendum vote tomorrow :eek:


Hope you all have a tremendous Thursday
Lx

craigywv

deffo a nsd for me as I not going out. dinner is sausages and cheesy onion mash and gravy and veg . still rummaging in freezers for food as so much in there . good luck all.xxx

CountingPennies

No way will i manage a NSD today. Need milk, bread, fruit and veg.... And possibly a joint of meat as I think the kids want a dinner tonight. Actually, might have pack of mince in freezer *rushes off to check, fingers crossed*

CP xx

piglet27

Hi all, you are all doing sooo well.

I have finally got a move date now for the 3rd October, so a spend of £31.48 this week from Aldee. Milk, yog, cheese, eggs, veg, salad, fruit and toilet rolls and toothpaste. I have a meal plan but it is very complicated as i am emptying the freezer and all having separate proteins with veg and potatoes, noodles etc. 6 items out of freezer yesterday, only 3 today but also finished off our rice, and using up all our leftovers from the fridge, whoop whoop. No waste!!!

Unfortunately BF spent £2.19 on icecream yesterday to go with our rhubarb, blackberry and apple crumble.

Kids and i are going blackberry picking this afternoon so I will be making some more jam and some blackberry flapjacks. Which means nsd today/tomorrow, 2 afternoon activities and family snacks.

meg72

lynnejk wrote: »

Hiya everyone :hello:


Sorry not been about but was gallivanting on my holidays in Ibiza - absolutely super time


Back with a vengeance and working on saving some £ss



Hi CP. Good to see you back


Think I would just carry on trying to keep in budget but not beat myself up if I didn't. It's surprising what you can do short term when the pennies aren't there


Meg - do you find your hydrator really saves pennies ? What do you use it for ? Any pointers to buying one please - thanks


I'm on reduced budget because reduced days due to hols :rotfl:
but need to get freezers sorted and ready for the looong winter


Exciting times here with the referendum vote tomorrow :eek:


Hope you all have a tremendous Thursday
Lx

The dehydrator has saved me quite a lot this year as had a really good harvest of raspberries and strawberries. and I am currently drying orange slices and Ivy flowers to make bags of Pot pouri
for a Christmas fair.

I hate peeling and preparing onions so I find a stash of dried is great for winter, I just throw a handful into stews, casserolles etc
also mushroom but only when these are reduced. Got a box for £1 last year on market weighed about 3lb.

All of these do of course freeze but I prefer to keep freezer space for reduced meat and fish.

Sorry cant really advise on buying mine was a cheapie off ebay,
and I have no experience of other makes.