November 2014 Grocery Challenge

meg72

lushlifesaver wrote: »

The price of meat doesn't half depress me I was hoping a butcher in the city centre might have some better deals but they only work out better on small joints for roasting and even then that's only due to the better quality.


If I wasn't trying to following Slimming World again it would be much easier as I wouldn't be accounting for far leaner meats or particular sausages etc but that's a choice I've made to shift this baby weight!


Anyone know anywhere online with reasonable prices? I could stock up on enough meat for a while if it's worth it

Over the years I have tried proper butchers online butchers and farm shops for meat, but by far the best method of keeping costs down I have found is to look out for special offers and stock up.


I am very lucky in that I have access to good reductions and the time to shop around. I am doing slimming world too but avoid expensive cuts of meat. Chicken is a good buy usually and I saw last week that Heron Foods had 2 kg chicken legs for 2.50 and morrisons had really lean joints of leg of pork at 2.99 kg, didn't buy any as I already have enough in but that's the kind of thing I look for My comfort zone for meat used to be £5 a killo but it is much less than that now.

piglet27

Meal plan today is: Lunch-potato and beans for me and Bf, lo bolognaise for dd and ds.
Dinner-ys kfc style chicken, wedges and salad.
31st-B'fast-Scrambled eggs and bagel, Lunch-Out, Bf jacket potato and salad
Dinner-Hotdogs, Chilli, Spooky pizza, Salad, Wormy brain jelly and sticky caramel pumpkin cake. Yum!!!

lushlifesaver

Thanks meg72; we used to go to Makro and buy 5kg of chicken breasts (about 25+ massive pieces) and get a meal each out of just one breast but it's not economical to drive there just for that PLUS I finally have bf eating a wider variety of meats (chicken, lean mince, beef roasts and casseroles, gammon) I'd rather try and stock the freezer up with different choices.


I am finding the supermarket 3 for £10 a bit lame though when it comes to chicken as you only get 2/3 breasts and they let out a lot of water/shrink terribly.


I'm wanting to try a local farm shop but have to go and check out prices first. I am off to Bookers (wholesalers) this weekend with my friend who runs our playgroup so going to see if their prices compare to Makro's at all (can't see their prices online) for chicken and mince - and also bacon I think. I've found Crawshaws butchers in town do a decent price for a nice bit of beef to roast but their chicken seems pricey

sushistar

Whoever was asking about using cash - YES, we withdraw a 'budget' for the week. It covers food, entertainment, and the childminder (who we pay in cash). Everything else comes out on direct debits, or if we buy something on a card it's planned expenditure.

Having a weekly cash budget is brilliant - makes it very 'real' when you've spent too much! You can see exactly how much you've got left too. Our 'system' is based on the CAP Money course - you can go on one for free and it was what started us using cash not debit cards. Made a huge difference to our spending.

january_23

beth2242 wrote: »

How do people find best to manage their budget? Do you use an app, notepad or spreadsheet?

I note it all in a notepad but also keep the receipts on the fridge or freezer to keep an eye on it.

WantToBeSE wrote: »

Do you do this every month? Do you find it helps to have the cash instead of using a debit card?
I am thinking about withdrawing cash for everything I need during the month (only the food, elec and gas) so that I wont have to touch my bank account until the next month.
I think this would work out better for me than using a debit card, as it'll seem more 'real'.


What does everyone else do?

We used to take money out but that doesn't work anymore as we shifted the way we shop to suit us better.
We now get a weekly shop from A&C (fruit, vegetables, milk etc) and we top up using Mr A, Mr S or Mr W deliveries for heavy/frozen/deals etc. On the rare occasion we go to the store we still usually our debit cards. It's easier to note how much we are spending and where for us.

However withdrawing money can work if you shop in the stores and note everything you spend down/keep every receipt.

Lemonbee

Hello I would like to join starting 1/11, put me in for £250 please


I've spent £54.84 so far as I had a voucher for 25% off a first online shop. I ordered my usual weekly stuff for my menu plan plus a few extras due to offers on meat so I'm really pleased. The £18 I saved with the voucher will be going into the fund for my new oven which still sits at zero despite starting it in July!

physicsgirl

Could you put me down for £130 this month please?

I'm determined to use the slow cooker more and thinking of using it to make ham instead of buying ham trimmings, but I'm not really sure what to buy I think it's gammon I need, does Aldi sell these? What about pork leg/shoulder joint? Then I'm guessing 6-8 hours in the SC on low? Or will that turn it into pulled pork?? Will this all end up being more expensive than ham trimmings (£3.90/kg I think)?

WantToBeSE

lushlifesaver wrote: »

The price of meat doesn't half depress me I was hoping a butcher in the city centre might have some better deals but they only work out better on small joints for roasting and even then that's only due to the better quality.


If I wasn't trying to following Slimming World again it would be much easier as I wouldn't be accounting for far leaner meats or particular sausages etc but that's a choice I've made to shift this baby weight!


Anyone know anywhere online with reasonable prices? I could stock up on enough meat for a while if it's worth it

I am very lucky with my butcher, they do great deals and excellent prices.
A few example:


24 chicken thighs £7.99
48 Meatballs £1.99
8 'finest' burgers (normal and caramelised onion) 99p
16 Lamb kebabs (the ones on skewers) 99p
Pack of 2 HUGE lamb shanks £4.50


Online, I have heard about musclefood.com and have heard good reviews about it. Never used it myself though. Here is the link: http://www.musclefood.com/
They have new customer offers plus free delivery on orders over £75.

sushistar wrote: »

Whoever was asking about using cash - YES, we withdraw a 'budget' for the week. It covers food, entertainment, and the childminder (who we pay in cash). Everything else comes out on direct debits, or if we buy something on a card it's planned expenditure.

Having a weekly cash budget is brilliant - makes it very 'real' when you've spent too much! You can see exactly how much you've got left too. Our 'system' is based on the CAP Money course - you can go on one for free and it was what started us using cash not debit cards. Made a huge difference to our spending.

january_23 wrote: »

I note it all in a notepad but also keep the receipts on the fridge or freezer to keep an eye on it.

We used to take money out but that doesn't work anymore as we shifted the way we shop to suit us better.
We now get a weekly shop from A&C (fruit, vegetables, milk etc) and we top up using Mr A, Mr S or Mr W deliveries for heavy/frozen/deals etc. On the rare occasion we go to the store we still usually our debit cards. It's easier to note how much we are spending and where for us.

However withdrawing money can work if you shop in the stores and note everything you spend down/keep every receipt.

I definitely think that for me, cash is the way forward.
I am going to do 1 big online shop for the month (about £150), then save £50 for my monthly butcher shop (that amount normally fills my freezer) and then withdraw the rest in cash. I am hoping it'll help to make the money spent seem more real and therefore stop me spending so much.

XSpender

Back from Alddeee and Mr T and a total of £43.68 spent. £27.58 on food, £5.27 on toiletries and cleaning and £10.83 on enough dog food for the month.


I couldn't get any GF soy sauce in Mr T so will have to go to Mr S. I also need GF stuffing so will take advantage of their 4 for 5 offer and stock up on GF SR flour and a cheeky GF beer. I should spend £8 ish in there.


I will then only need fruit, milk and bread next week which will take me up to 13th Nov, half way through my month:D

joedenise

I've spent slightly more than I had hoped today but I bought a couple of things which weren't on my list:( - I was hungry when I was shopping but usually manage not to buy extras. I bought a gammon joint which I've put in the freezer so that'll be one joint I won't need to buy later.

I spent just over £26 today between Mr Ts, Ald! & Icel*nd. Icel*nd was only £2 for 2 loaves of Kingsmill Great White, which was cheaper than Mr Ts!

Total spend to date for month is £50.92/£250 so I'm still on track but would like to spend a bit less over the rest of the month so that I have extra for C!

Denise