August 2007 Grocery Challenge

cymrubaby

Well I did my main shop today and instead of spending £90 (per week) for five of us I managed to spend £78 (I was limiting myself to £85 per week). I bought quite a few BOGOF's and also picked up some offers such as 3 for £1 etc and bought a larger bottle of squash than usual instead of picking up two smaller ones. Not bad so far.

hypno06

I was in another town today, and passed an ALDI so thought I would do my weekly shop in there instead of my usual supermarkets.

I spent £44.01, but bought some "different" things, so not sure how much it compares with a usual shop really, but that will become clear by the end of the week, I expect.

I also spent £4 on coffee and cake in a cafe with DS - having a little bit of mother/son bonding, which has come out of the grocery budget. A little extravegant but, what the heck!!

So that leaves £101.99 for the rest of the month. Here's hoping!!

Moniker

Well I am pleased with myself today as I got to the checkout at Sainsbury's clutching my £60 cash and the bill came to - £58.98! I did spend £3.77 at Somerfield on Monday taking me over to £62.75 - but as technically that was still July I think I should be let off! And I resisted the tempatation to buy a dress in Oxfam which my MIL saw and said I would like (I didn't like it enough even though it was a bargain!)

Some of the stuff I bought in Sainsbury's wasn't on my list but can be stored in the freezer for meals later in the month (mince and chops and some fish), so I don't think I did too badly really. I didn't buy any wine though and we are eating out on Sunday so I mustn't get too complacent!

I meant to take my calculator with me to check the total as I went along, but I forgot - I must remember next week.

I have now got 6000+ Nectar points. I am going to save them for the rest of the year and then in the week after New Year pay for a whole week's shop with just points! I've done this before and it feels really good - especially as like most people things are a bit tight after Christmas and January is a five week month.

I am enjoying this challenge a lot - I just hope I can keep it up - I have plenty of time for cooking and planning at the moment as I am not at work. it might be more difficult when I am back full-time after the summer holidays - but I am determined to do it! Good luck everyone.

kj*daisy

I've spent too much in Asda today (and went to the cafe) but have guests this weekend so have bought wine and beer and fancy elderflower presse (reduced). Also went shopping with children - bad idea - got Magazines, crisps and a coconut (!!) at their request. I resisted on the frosties, sweets and ice lollies though. So spent about £110 and I'm only on day 4 of a five week month!!

Margaret54

Yes i too am enjoying the challenge, :j and there are great tips on here too. Good luck to everyone and keep the tips coming Tine must remember to say a big thank you for your help yesterday about the free knitting patterns on the Prima site. I logged on and was able to print out 6 lovely patterns and will look forward to knitting them. There is also a lovely pattern for a teddy bear which is really cute;) which i think i will do for my wee grandson for Christmas. There were other patterns too but i was happy enough with the 6 i got. Patterns are expensive when you are looking to buy them i think. They seem to cost more these days. I have often found a pattern that i like but it has been in a book of patterns and i only wanted the one pattern and would end up buying a book i did not want just to get the one pattern, not very clever that move:money: I cannot believe how the hours fly by when i am on this site as it is so interesting:T

arthur_dent_2

Ok I officially start this challenge tomorrow. £35 a week as set by hubby (4 people 2 cats) I am really not sure this is possible as I am now down to nothing in the fridge and 2 drawers of my 6 drawer freezer are empty. On the plus side we have quite a lot of instant mash, pasta, dried spaghetti and rice. We also have 13.5 tins of spaghetti hoops

Daisydoll

Well I'm doing well at the mo have not spent a penny yet! But I have cheated a bit cos I my weekyl asda delivery was sunday lol! Need to go get some soy sauce and fresh ginger to go with my meal plan for tommorow. Have been good this week though and made my lunch as I normally buy sandwiches out of laziness!:o

miss_empty_piggy

Gosh, it sounds like everyone is doing really well. It is so inspiring to read how everyone is doing.

I had forgotten that I had to do school uniform shopping - normally I get the lot at this time of year, masses of new pants, vests, socks, tights, shirts, trousers, PE kit, new bag, new packed lunch (heaven forbid she should have the same one as last year!!), new shoes, you name it! However, I have pushed this motherly snobbery aside in place of plain common sense. What was I thinking??? There is no wonder I am in so much debt. Was very proud of myself when I walked out of Woolies with 2 polo shirts and 2 skirts totalling approximately £11.00 with little ones pic&mix! (3 for 2) Eldest has approximately 10 shirts now! I know, but some of them really need throwing (hence the 2 polo shirts). skirts were falling apart at the seams and have been thrown, and I bought trousers in M&S sale donkies ago for £3.00 a pair. Shoes from last year (cost me £30.00!!!) she can wear them until they fall off, or her toes start poking out the end, despite the fact that she hates them (although begged me to buy them when we shopped for them last christmas.) I will buy her new shoes, but not until she needs them. Oh got her trainers for £3.00 in Woolies aswell, and she thinks they are fantastic! So did not feel too bad after all. I think I will haveto add it to my grocery budget as there is no money anywhere else. Also, had forgotten (think am brain dead this month) that I have two birthdays this month (one being a 21st) so that will probably have to come out of the grocery budget too. Is that allowed? Or should I reduce the grocery challenge and assign that money to birthday/uniforms?

dlb

Mrs empty piggy, i have 6 seperate pots for-
1- clothes including school uniforms( big w clearance is fantastic for uniforms dirt cheap ladybird old stock)
2-entertainment this includes alcohol,dvd rentals,odd take away, and bbqs
3-Hoildays days out.
4-School fund, to cover school trips
5-emergency- for car repairs and anything else.
6-Xmas

Even if you only put £1 a week in them it soon builds up, the entertainment one is great, as some times it doesnt get touched for ages then we have a huge bbq and money doesnt have to come out of food budget, it means we have a great time lots of food and dont feel the pinch on the food money.

Hope this helps a bit, everyone has there only ways of doing things but i find this really works.

As for birthdays i do piggypoints to get boots vouchers than i then use in jan sale, i buy all birthday gifts for the whole year for family and friends and 10 girls gifts and 10 boys gifts which then covers the kids gettin invited to partys.

miss_empty_piggy

Thanks DLB, that is really useful advice. You are so organised. Being new to all of this is quite daunting. I love the January sale idea. That is brilliant. Don't usually have a penny to scratch my bum with in January, but hopefully this year will be different eh? I think that I will revisit the budget I have made (first one ever- pretty sad seeing as how I will be 36 (Gulp) next birthday) and add these pots into it. Thanks once again. All advice is greatly appreciate.
I do have one question though - what are piggypoints? Are they boots points?

Thanks once again.