October 2014 Grocery Challenge

wannabehermit

Hi all, I'm still sticking in there with my budget, total shopping last month was £439.20 and petrol/diesel was £153.11 making my average spend since January £146.69. During the last pay period while 2 of the weeks I was over, the other 2 weeks I was a long way under leaving me £64.93 under budget for the last 4 weeks. Starts again today. Got a Morrisons petrol voucher that I'm going to fill up with today but that means I shouldn't need petrol for the rest of the month. Also need to do some bits in Iceland, but that won't be very much really as there is plenty in the freezer, it's just top up bits. Feeling positive for the rest of the year to keep it under the £150 per week.

CountingPennies

Update for yesterday. £30 exactly at Ice*and, £3.56 in Super*rug, £2 in £land and £12.50 on takeaway (oopps!). However, plenty in the cupboards now. Was hoping for a NSD today but I gave my brother a 4pt carton of milk so i'll have to buy another as 4 pints left and that won't last me till tomorrow.

Will update sig now from yesterdays spends.

Only working till 4 tomorrow so will sort meal plan for the week tomorrow night. Had plans to go out but i really need to save the cash at the minute so stopping in now.

Right, update sig then work!

CP xx

shoei

£1.60 today on soup and quiche, but I have to go to Ald! later so will go up. However I only really need onions, eggs, bacon and sausage will prob pick up a few more veg bits for the week but will see what is on offer before I meal plan.

Irisis

Still not spent anything on groceries yet this month. We will be hitting up a local market for fruit and veg tomorrow morning, followed by L!dl and Home&Barga!ns for our food and toiletries/ home supplies for the next 7 days. I'm aiming to spend about £65.

joedenise

Another reasonable main shop for me today of just under £27. Spend so far to date is just over £60.

Denise

NewlyFrugalMumof3

Good Afternoon fellow DFWs,


Even though I am bogged down with 'man flu' and being a mere middle aged girl - I am having to just get on with it, today - after a slow start - I have/will:


Walked children/dog to school
Hung out 2 loads of washing
Aired house - although rather chilly today
Cleaned kitchen sink - super shiny now
All beds made
Yesterdays washing put away
Read up on NHS 'Eat4Cheap' Challenge
Confirmed DS1 on Chef course for new year
Reviewed meal plans


Prep tonights dinner
Make flapjacks
Test out pain testers on DS1s bedroom wall
Brush and tease tangles out of dog
Decide on school photos - why are they so expensive?
Check online banking
Update signature
Check out cheap train day out for Sun with fam rail card
Scout around for DS1s youth club money £3.20 + pack snack & drink to take with him
Dig out sweets from cupboard for DS2&3 - Friday is treat day
Print off OU study guide & plans
Read OU print offs


Have lunch now rather than rushed just before school run.


Have a great day everyone.


T x

dingdongsaving

1st big shop of my 4 for the month was today.

This included lots of bits for ds's party tomorrow (food, candles, balloons, a bag of party poppers & a sweetie-mouse for party bags and a few sweets for prizes in the games/pass the parcel/treasure hunt). Also got our baby wipes for the next 2 months (we buy the big box to get em as cheaply as possible).

Should be under budget the rest of the month now. Our meal plan runs to the 31st and we've planned it to use things from the pantry/freezers where possible. Our 31 "main meals" need very little from the shops each week, so we'll just be getting fresh/packed lunch bits for the week and a few tasty additions to keep each day tasty.

Hubby is very happy. This week we have a hunk of roast beef feeding us for 3 days and Mexican meals with the trimmings 2 days in a row. Hehe.

Caterina

Hello,

Not a NSD after all as I had to refuel the car, which was on its last bar. Wannabehermit thank you for mentioning fuel costs, I am going to keep a record of what I spend, never done that before as we don't use the car a lot, but it will be interesting to see. I will get £10 refunded per month by the lady whose kids I look after, as I drive to their school once per week. And DS occasionally gives us betwen £10 and £20 for his drives out with friends. Today I spent £30.05, just missed the £30 mark, then as I paid with 123 card I should be getting 3% cashback. Will enter my fuel spend in the sig.

The other spend was a health one, I am a patient in a student herbal medicine clinic, for hormonal issues and stress. The consultation is very cheap but the medicine adds up. However it is such a benefit that I would have to be on the breadline to let this one go. £33 for the next 4 weeks or so, including consultation. It keeps me afloat and I rarely visit the GP these days because of this clinic.

I found a £1 coin in the street today, so the YS pasty I ate for lunch (52p, down from £1.99) is not being counted in the GC, but covered by the roadkill. The remaining 48p went into the curry and beer pot.

Overall a great day and a GC NSD.

Cottage_Economy

Sorry, I'm a bit late joining the party but could you put me down for £175 this month.

I won't do as well this month as last month, as I did manage to use all of my frozen meat stores last month which really helped keep the costs down, but I'll do the best I can.

Smoosh

89p spent on milk late last night (OH popped out to make sure we had enough for coffee this morning )

£4.90 spent today on Quorn chicken (got 2 packs as it's currently half price), 2 cans of coconut milk (on offer) & some green beans.

Had a voucher for 47p off...not sure whether to minus it from the total...

Off to update sig