January Grocery Challenge 2015

lynnejk

CountingPennies wrote: »

Yeah I have white vinegar, but surely that will make it smell of vinegar?? :shocked: Or is this a secret tip I don't know about
CP xx

Glad it worked okay CP. I use it for loads of things

Islandmaid wrote: »

NSD today - feel pants - got the lurgy

Hope you soon feel lots better - sending some get-well vibes

Snottycat wrote: »

Time to fess up...

This is ridiculous to admit but I really think I have a problem with food shopping! I signed up to this challenge to get to grips with the money I am wasting on food and stuck to it for all of a week. Pathetic eh? I had pretty much decided to give up and slink off into the shadows as no one would miss a newbie. But, having been keeping up to date with other peoples posts I have decided to tot up just how much I have spent and try once again to reign it in over the remaining weeks of the month. I will be over spent but i will try again in February, and then again in March and keep on going until I have some control over shopping.

Yay - soo glad you're still going on with the challenge :T You mustn't let yourself get despondent and compare yourself to others that have been doing this for yonks.


The whole idea of being on here is to help, and be helped, by all the wonderful people on here to take control of your budget and get into the position where you are happy with your spends.


Good luck and stay positive


I managed another NSD today :j Hope you all have a terrific Tuesday


Lx

cattysmum

A very early good morning, just popped on to update siggy. Doing well this month, Iv only bought when I actually need instead of storing up on lots of store cupboards staples. I still am buying in bulk when a really good deal comes up, as for NSDs its 6 upto now for January. Changed power supplier over the weekend to the Co op, they reacon they can save me £220 a year... we shall see. Next job is to get broadband bill down, they are my next target, good luck for rest of month everyone.

candylucy

Popped to Mr T on the way home from work as out of bread, managed to get a loaf of wholemeal Warburtons YS for 9p! Whilst I was there I decided to do this week's shop as I had a coupon for £4 off £20 spend.

Bought yoghurts, fruit, salad, freezer bits and some store cupboard bits and bobs, total spend including coupon discount £16.47.

Shouldn't have to buy anything hopefully till next week now

Xx

Tidy_Up_Tash

£9.41 on odd bits for lunch boxes and dinner. Unfortunately I missed all the good YS stuff at Mr T's. Did pick up some plums with a small reduction, and didn't pick up the donuts with a 50% reduction.

HM soup for lunch tonight, so I didn't have to bring cash for the canteen. When I bring money in, it all seems to magically turn into chocolate. That's the last thing I need

Time to update sig...

K9sandFelines

Snottycat wrote: »

Time to fess up...

This is ridiculous to admit but I really think I have a problem with food shopping! I signed up to this challenge to get to grips with the money I am wasting on food and stuck to it for all of a week. Pathetic eh? I had pretty much decided to give up and slink off into the shadows as no one would miss a newbie. But, having been keeping up to date with other peoples posts I have decided to tot up just how much I have spent and try once again to reign it in over the remaining weeks of the month. I will be over spent but i will try again in February, and then again in March and keep on going until I have some control over shopping. I have cupboards, fridge and freezer fit to burst! In fact being snowed in (unlikely on the North West Coast) would be the best thing that could happen to us!

Keep trying. It took me eighteen months before i managed to come under budget, and most months i've been slightly over. I understand that can be offputting in your quest to succeed, but it's a blip. It will click into place, and you will achieve it

Happygreen

Good morning,
I've not been doing badly this month, living mainly off leftovers and what's in the freezers. I had bought so much stuff for Christmas and New Year that I managed with 2 shops so far in January. Poor student DD1 has also left here to go back to Uni which does help with budgeting as I love to spoil her when she's here

plymouthscubagirl

Snottycat I've been the same. This has been my first month trying to do a budget and I'm quite pleased as totalled it up last night for the first time, thinking I would have done very bad as my dates go from payday, so 20th, but its been quite good considering that would have been a xmas and new year shop. I bought fillet steaks too for NYE to do beef wellington. So well done me.

A couple of questions, if someone buys me a meal should I be counting that in? Or not as I didn't pay?

Also I just cannot get my head around NSD. It just doesn't really happen in my world. I haven't given it a really good go I suppose, but even if I go over to the gym, I have to cross the bridge which is a 75p toll. I usually walk each lunchtime to morrisons as its 2mins away so usually get bits from there daily. I do make sure sure this is now only what is required, and is usually less than £5 too, so I guess I should be happy. Maybe I need to plan better?

I did write a list of all freezer/fridge/store cupboard stuff and I think I have enough meat/fish to keep me going for a few months :rotfl:Time to get inventive!!

Already I can feel my mindset changing though, not just with food but toiletries too. Trying to spend as least as possible as before Xmas I was a little out of control x

cw18

plymouthscubagirl wrote: »

A couple of questions, if someone buys me a meal should I be counting that in? Or not as I didn't pay?

Not my money, not out of my purse, so not out of my budget

Also I just cannot get my head around NSD. It just doesn't really happen in my world. I haven't given it a really good go I suppose, but even if I go over to the gym, I have to cross the bridge which is a 75p toll. I usually walk each lunchtime to morrisons as its 2mins away so usually get bits from there daily. I do make sure sure this is now only what is required, and is usually less than £5 too, so I guess I should be happy. Maybe I need to plan better?

If I counted NSDs on here, then I'd only be be looking at grocery spends. I count on the NSD challenge, and on there I don't count groceries as a spend as long as it's not 'junk' food and I've checked my stockpiles carefully first (trying to use up my food mountain!)

The problem with the daily trips is that they add up. If you say 5 working days a week and 4 working weeks in the month, that's 20 shopping days at 'under £5' a time. Call it an average of £3 a visit, and that's £60 gone in 'bits and pieces' Plus you're spending enough each visit to be able to benefit from their price matching scheme.

Already I can feel my mindset changing though, not just with food but toiletries too. Trying to spend as least as possible as before Xmas I was a little out of control x

There's also a thread for a No Buying Unecessary Toiletries challenge. I don't use up nearly as much as anyone else seems to, but it certainly stops me from buying because I like the look (or can't remember if I've got and it's "on a good deal")

girlsmum

Not posted since Friday, maybe because my laptop hardrive has failed and it wont boot up, i have a phone and the kids have tablets, but its a battle to use them sometimes, back at work so i am craftily posting from here, (shh don't tell anyone LOl)
anyway i know i had to go grocery shopping on Saturday went to Aldi, Lidl and Iceland. biggest spend was Aldi at £45, Lidl £5.44 and Iceland £6 - i have now £40 left in my budget to spend 13 days to payday, I can do it on the plus side i have had NSD's since Saturday so that is 3 days and counting.

gayleygoo

I haven't managed no spend day yet! Yesterday was £5.97 on butter and meat. Today I spent nearly £50 but not on food (cheap clothes in a sale, and a breast pump that was half price in mothercare. It was good value so couldn't pass it up!)

The washing powder is running low, so I'm considering making laundry gloop again to avoid buying more washing powder for a while. It means I'd probably have to buy a bucket to store it in though! Wish I hadn't recycled all those laundry liquid bottles and milk bottles last week...