December 2014 Grocery Challenge

Happygreen

I managed another NSD yesterday because I felt lousy, grumpy and was running late. Every coin has 2 sides, lol.
Signature udated for the week. Will go into Big Town on Sunday to visit pooor student DD1, table is booked on a better than half price deal I bought months ago. I don't think I will want to carry many groceries home on the train, maybe some bits from the Halal shop I can't get up here.

bmma

spends today£2,70p
total spends£54.40./£100.00p
opened one of the bottles of ginger cordial-just to try -oh very moreish! x

WantToBeSE

Hi


Went to the farmer and spent £4.60. For that I got:


2KG Onions
2KG clementine's
2KG Carrots
A dozen eggs


Picked up a week 1 Morrisons Christmas Bonus voucher from a lovely lady, I am collecting them so that I can do a big food shop when I am up at my Mums over Christmas.

[Deleted User]

I'm not yet a challenger but read the thread avidly and might make a New Year resolution to join in from January. Well done to all of you who do wonders on very tight budgets:T

Meantime I've a question although this thread might not be the place to ask it. I thought if anyone would have some advice it would be you inventive people.

I'm a tea addict! I economise in so many ways but just can't forgo my cups of tea even if I manage to go without meals occasionally to eke out the budget:o. I drink it with just a splash of milk and no sugar (always have, it's not a skint thing) but find the really cheapo teabags taste awful. Have been using Tetley (there's always an offer on somewhere:rotfl:) but lately they seem to have a really strong/stewed taste (and I like it strong and to actually taste the tea ). I use one for more than one cup/mug, I get my moneysworth per bag, but they just taste funny somehow.

So, any advice about which cheap teabags taste good please?

peaceandfreedom

lynnejk wrote: »

Today we had hm cheese, onion and potato pie, baked beans and grilled toms and DH had some sausages with his. Just for a change I put a layer of sweet potato in the middle and it was really tasty plus upped the veggies :j

Thanks for the welcome - and that pie sounds amazing!

YNAB is a piece of software called You Need A Budget. It is really a glorified spreadsheet but it seems to make me much disciplined about recording and monitoring spending. I have been traditionally been rubbish with money, just spending it and hoping for the best - YNAB has
changed my thinking completely because it is much so much clearer to me if I am spending money I don't have. It also helps so much to know exactly where each penny is going.

I've used it up to now to monitor all my own spending which is allocated to budgets. I give myself a small 'free spending' budget a month which I can spend on whatever I like - it ends up being toiletries or a coffee-shop coffee - and I can spend this without guilt. The rest is allocated to other budgets.

Once Christmas is over, I intend to allocate funds to budgets in advance so that I have expenses covered before they arrive. This of course is what any sensible person is already doing but I have never been sensible when it comes to money.

YNAB's aim is for you to have saved up a month's salary so you are always working one month in advance and you are not waiting desperately for that pay cheque to arrive. More info on their website:
http://www.youneedabudget.com/

Also there have been a few MSE threads about it - there's a good one here:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5070791

The software costs money but you can often find it on special offer if you scout around. I think it's worth the small outlay because it is so good - it will earn its keep in no time. Particularly for people like me.

I have now created a new budget on YNAB just to record the finer details of my grocery spending, probably won't do it for too long because it's such hard work to go through the receipt and record all the spending in detail. But already it's been an eye-opener.

WantToBeSE

carbootcrazy wrote: »

I'm not yet a challenger but read the thread avidly and might make a New Year resolution to join in from January. Well done to all of you who do wonders on very tight budgets:T

Meantime I've a question although this thread might not be the place to ask it. I thought if anyone would have some advice it would be you inventive people.

I'm a tea addict! I economise in so many ways but just can't forgo my cups of tea even if I manage to go without meals occasionally to eke out the budget:o. I drink it with just a splash of milk and no sugar (always have, it's not a skint thing) but find the really cheapo teabags taste awful. Have been using Tetley (there's always an offer on somewhere:rotfl:) but lately they seem to have a really strong/stewed taste (and I like it strong and to actually taste the tea ). I use one for more than one cup/mug, I get my moneysworth per bag, but they just taste funny somehow.

So, any advice about which cheap teabags taste good please?

I feel your pain! I love love tea bags and pretty much only drink Twinings Everyday tea, with a splash of milk. Or Pukka tea bags for herbal tea.


I have to say that Aldi tea bags are the closest I have found that are very similar to Twinings. And much cheaper too. The ones you want are in the yellow-ish packet with gold foil.


Either that or do what I do and stock up when the expensive ones are on offer.


I hope that helps

peaceandfreedom

carbootcrazy wrote: »

I'm a tea addict! I economise in so many ways but just can't forgo my cups of tea even if I manage to go without meals occasionally to eke out the budget:o. I drink it with just a splash of milk and no sugar (always have, it's not a skint thing) but find the really cheapo teabags taste awful. Have been using Tetley (there's always an offer on somewhere:rotfl:) but lately they seem to have a really strong/stewed taste (and I like it strong and to actually taste the tea ). I use one for more than one cup/mug, I get my moneysworth per bag, but they just taste funny somehow.

So, any advice about which cheap teabags taste good please?

I wouldn't say I'm a tea addict but I like a nice cup of tea. I go for Yorkshire Tea but I always buy it when it's on special offer somewhere and then buy BIG. Like when the 240-bag box is on offer for 3 quid.

WantToBeSE

peaceandfreedom wrote: »

I wouldn't say I'm a tea addict but I like a nice cup of tea. I go for Yorkshire Tea but I always buy it when it's on special offer somewhere and then buy BIG. Like when the 240-bag box is on offer for 3 quid.

I did that recently too. Havent opened it yet, as the Twinings haven't been used up, but I hope the YT is good tea, never tried it before.

Billie-jo

Another one here who stocks up on Yorkshire teabags when they are on offer but have heard some good feedback on Morrys own brand which are a lot less however never personally never tried them.

Spends are now at £32.43 and some of this was on Christmas food. This year we are having a joint of beef as a change from the traditional turkey and this was brought last week, we also have a ham joint, the mincemeat ready to put into the pies, some crisps and some crackers both savoury and pulling ones for the grand children, plus the usual tin of sweets. Mainly fresh to get now.
Most of the presents are brought just stocking fillers and gift vouchers to get and we also have some alcohol in - we don't buy much of this but do get a bottle of decent whisky and a few cans for visitors.

miss_try_to_save

hi all yesterday was a spend of £58 leaving a total of £325 for the month today is a nsd so 5 for Dec so far which im happy with hopefully only bits needed for the rest of the week will need to get dd2 some lactose free milk soon and some normal milk and eggs so will probably send ds down sains tomorrow for those so im not tempted to spend more