January Grocery Challenge 2015

kersplatt

Hi

I'm currently trying to stick to using what is left in the fridge from Christmas. DP is hopeless with money so I am putting him on a sharp learning curve this year with regard to saving and being frugal. I have a well stocked store cupboard and I've stuck a list to the fridge door of all the things I plan to cook in the coming weeks.

Small spend in S'bugs yesterday on reduced mushrooms - homemade pizzas last night, risotto and quiche for the coming days. And a loaf of reduced bread.

I will get our spending under control this year!

Snottycat

I caved and got T£sco to deliver a small order £25.29 I know I am going to give up the delivery pass but it really can be quite useful Stocked up on specials and the little bits I cannot get at A1di. Still on track for the month thankfully.
Last day of the Christmas break today and if I can keep my two girls entertained enough I plan to batch cook today for a few evening meals and make sure I have stuff prepped for lunches.

I so want to take my Christmas tree down but have this silly superstition about 12th night - sick of the sight of it!

lotti379

I'm a bit late but may I join please?

I'll start with a target of £100 but would like to come closer to £80 if I'm honest! This is for 1.5 adults (OH is away M-F).

buddiebabe

Went to morrisons last night and spent £12.00 first grocery spend of the year so am quite happy.

Bought carrots, potatoes, milk, yogurts, apples, garlic bread, bread, kitchen foil and some throw away trays for the freezer (not exactly money saving but know I can get non throw away ones during the week cheaper than morrisons wanted for them). And didn't want to jot make extra portions of dinner tonight.

Hubby is away to shop today to get mince as the pack I had left out to defrost is off I think I may have to throw out the rest of the mince I had bought that's in the freezer this is the fourth pack that has been off when taken out :eek: feel really bad throwing it out but it's disgusting.

Will update spend once hubby returns let's hope he doesn't pick up any added extras on his way!

Oh quick question am going to make chicken and rice soup today can this be frozen?

Buddiebabe x

cw18

Reporting first spend in shops yesterday - £2.77 on milk and veg in A!di.

Signature shows more than that as I'm also deducting the replacement value of anything I use from my huge stockpile from my budget. I'm doing this to try and get a better idea of what I'd need to set my budget as if I didn't have the stockpiles. I amassed my stocks over several years when I had the money to stockpile, but a lot of the stuff is now past it's best before date so clearly bought and ignored instead of being stock rotated (or bought because it was a bargain with no thought as to when I'd use it)!! I plan to rely heavily on these items this year, releasing money from my grocery budget for other things (such as the replacement of my fridge/freezer and sofa covers - both desperately overdue) and releasing space around the house. I'll then work on compiling a much smaller stockpile while rotating things properly (so if I buy a bag of pasta I'll put that into the stockpile and take one out of it to use). I already know I don't need any cereal (even if I have it for supper most nights as well as for breakfast). And as for teabags, well I can have 2 herbals, 2 normal and 1 early grey a day without needing to buy any more until early December at the earliest - and I doubt I'll have that many as I also have flavoured water, cordial and fruit juices that need using :eek: Soup is another thing I'm going to be forcing myself to have most lunch times (if not every one) this year..... at least I've got at least 6 flavours of packet soups to ring the changes a bit

scotmumof3

Bobarella wrote: »

Hi Mezcal & Lynne
Thank you that is so helpful. Honestly I am glad I asked as Mr T's I would never have gotten and have genuinely been thinking it's a shop for the last 2 years!


Bob

:rotfl: it took me a while to catch on too.
I'm hoping for a NSD today fingers crossed

Kahra

CherryPie wrote: »

Welcome to the thread Kahra!!


Don't worry about what you spend vs other people, just aim for less than last month. That's what I do anyway.

Thanks for the welcome, CherryPie! I haven't been paying much attention to my grocery spends, so hopefully a bit of planning will go a long way. However, I'm inspired by the amounts others have budgeted - I can do this!

I'm still standing at £10.88 for the month so far, with a good amount of staples on hand. I signed up for MySupermarket, and can see that there are some good prices for things I usually buy. I'm torn between picking a few things up today or going for a couple of NSDs. We cook quite often and rarely eat out, but usually stop at the SM every day to pick up ingredients. I think I'm in withdrawal! I have a meal plan for the next few days based on what we have at hand, so shouldn't need to spend much.

Bobarella

Ha ha Scotsmum there should be an MSE translation guide

Logging a spend of £7.47 which was depressingly just on essentials. 2 lurpack for £4 instead of £3.41 each so it's a no brainer. A loaf at 75p, 4 pints for £1, 6 apples & some YS cherry tomatoes. I uploaded my reciept on Shoptize and claimed the 25p back for buying the milk. And loaded my reciept into Check outsmart for the 1p credit and entry into the £100 prize draw. I used 3p roadkill when paying to get the bill down a little.
I have the depressing feeling I'm not going to make it this month but when I look at the fact they've moved my husbands pay day back by 5 days under this new initiative to move to last day of the month pay we are being forced into a 38 day month which isn't great. But doing my best.
Onwards!

clare33

29.92 in Ald* today. Also got 2 plastic boxes for loft organisation, 5.99 each but from a different budget.

My shop included foil, cling film (both running low), olive oil (had completely run out), washing liquid, loo cleaner, cleaning cloths as well as usual weekly groceries bought as per the meal plan so not bad at all.

I am back to work tomorrow so no extra time to 'pop' into shops thankfully. My usual routine is to only shop on Sunday mornings. Occasionally me or OH have to pick up a forgotten or run out item but hopefully with better planning I can reduce that. I use a mixture of Ald*, Tesc*, Sainos or even Waits depending what I need, try to just go to one of these per week but occasionally two if can get most things in Also but need something specific from another.

CherryPie

scotmumof3 wrote: »

cherrypie the words "accident prone" and "bubblewrap".:D springs to mind

Sounds about right! I'm not normally like that either? I'm about to attempt to build a new TV unit I've just purchased, should maybe wait for someone to help.


Not the planned NSD for me, decided to pop to T@sc0 as I was out anyway. £7.29 spent on loo rolls, veg, yogurt, margarine and a cake (which must have put itself in my basket as I'm on a diet!?!) And a packet of crayons for reduced from £2 to 50p for the present cupboard.


I am a grocery shopping addict, so only plan to go this week if I absolutely need anything! (I'll be surprised if I last 24 hours tbh) Day 4 of Dryathlon and not even noticing it!