August 2007 Grocery Challenge

mikeD

Hi folks :hello: I'm in again.

Sticking with £55 per week for the three of us as I managed to get under budget, just, in July.

Wish everybody lots of luck and little spending!!

cheerfulness4

Glad I came in here and saw how determined everyone is, has encouraged me no end.

Spent nearly half my budget in the first couple of days so feeling a tad worried. I was tired of never having people over socially because of our money situation, so had friends to dinner saturday, which took a chunk out of my budget. Actually it was done on the cheap, all from scratch cooking and was such fun that we've friends coming again this saturday and family the saturday after. :eek:

I know I can stick to this budget and have a social life again, I've just got to work out the maths. :rolleyes:

teedy23

crockpot wrote: »

I need to join again.

My month started on 20th July when hubbie got paid, was hoping for £200 for month for 2 adults and 2 children 5 and 8 but just added receipts up and already spent over £150!

So better say £250 plus it`s school hols, although they do normally have a packed lunch.

I have decided that I will only buy wholemeal bread- and they are eating it minus crusts! also I will only cook 1 meal for all of us, working better than I thought.

Trying to eat out of freezer and cupboards as much as pos.

Thinking of doing a small £30 online shop next week so I am not tempted but will have to pay £3.75 delivery. Or would you leave kids at home and take cash only so unable to over spend?

Hi crockpot, do you shop online at Tesco? I would hate to pay delivery and would buy something that you REALLY do use to bring it up to £50. I know this isnt strickly what your supposed to do but I,d have a look at the BOGOFS first , remember bill takes in each item at price so money comes off after total, and have a look at Discount codes and vouchers to see if you can bring that down even more, Think MikeD amongst others could give you some advice there too. Good luck
My challenge this next two weeks will be finding money to spend on groceries. Spent £1.49 so far and that with the aid of a moc, should have been £3.49, also got £4.00 luncheon vouchers from survey so that should take care of bread and milk, trying very hard not to use credit card

arthur_dent_2

Ok I am intending on starting a grocery challenge on 3rd of August. Hubby says that we are allowed £5.00 per day and that is for two adults, a three year old, a five year old and two cats.

Although I know that this is do able, does anyone else think this is a little low?

newlywed

cheerfulness4 wrote: »

Spent nearly half my budget in the first couple of days so feeling a tad worried.

Glad it's not just me then!!

Spent half my budget and am trying very hard to be careful but not entirely convinced it will work out well

rosieben

arthur_dent wrote: »

Ok I am intending on starting a grocery challenge on 3rd of August. Hubby says that we are allowed £5.00 per day and that is for two adults, a three year old, a five year old and two cats.

Although I know that this is do able, does anyone else think this is a little low?

yes I think its too low; are you doing Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for all of you out of that? does it include cleaning stuff, toiletries, cat food etc?

Did you keep a record of what you spent over the last 2 or 3 weeks? Better to do a gradual reduction in spending than a big drop which will be difficult to manage and maintain (unless your circumstances absolutely dictate this of course). Also depends on what stock you have in, are your cupboards and freezer full?

Most of us have a weekly or monthly budget, and work to that and I presume you will do the same. there must be other posters with similar size famlies who will be able to tell you what their budget is.

teedy23

I do think it,s low, but with being VERY careful maybe doable, depends on how much you have stocked already. Pasta dishes are a pretty cheap option, but meat will be scarce on this budget. Mince is very versatile, chilli, cottage pie, bolognese ect. Buying smart price Pasata or toms amongst other things should help, I think your O/H will want to increase this when it comes to toilet paper, soap powder and the like. You can also be on the look out for money off coupons, have a look on Tesco H&B thread for toiletries, you,ll find this on Discount codes and vouchers thread, read the first post on there. There are lots of hints and tips throughout the whole old style thread to help you. Good luck

cheerfulness4

newlywed wrote: »

Spent half my budget and am trying very hard to be careful but not entirely convinced it will work out well

No I've got that Titanic feeling, too. Thing is, if they would just cooperate and eat what I give them there would be no worries but they just look down at their plates bewildered . They'll adjust to the OS cooking soon. I hope.

rosieben

cheerfulness4 wrote: »

No I've got that Titanic feeling, too. Thing is, if they would just cooperate and eat what I give them there would be no worries but they just look down at their plates bewildered . They'll adjust to the OS cooking soon. I hope.

I'm sure they will get used to it soon. Just keep reminding yourself that you are giving them healthy home cooked food and not high-salt, high-sugar, full-of-enumbers-and-heaven-knows-what-else !!!!!!!!

Well done you! :T

arthur_dent_2

Thank you to those who have replied. It is to include everything including toiletries and to be honest although I feel it is low we have cut down in the last few months to around £50 per week already. The way hubby sees it is that if we eat less ( and by my sig you will see that I need to eat less) we can go out for the day more often. I am a bit of a cow if I don't get out at least once a week excluding food shopping.

We are not vegetarian, but we are not big meat eaters either, so generally we do not buy joints or cuts of meat. Also the kids don't know why the packaging on Grandma's food is not white and yellow or white and red etc. They think that everyone buys the smartprice/value stuff.

Food stocks are OK fridge is nigh on permanently empty but the freezer and cupboards have a reasonable amount of stuff in as we stocked up on a lot of these things when Somerfield sold of Kwik Save.

Thanks again, Denty.