August 2007 Grocery Challenge

Kerfuffle

Hello everybody

Have seriously gone over budget, forgot to include the fruit box that I get every week until somebody else mentioned it so have now included it in this weeks calculations. Taking it into consideration for next week also then I have already blown next weeks allowance already before this week has even finished!! Am going to rejiggle the numbers cos I've been including everything that I've bought this week when I know for definate that some of it won't get used this week or even next week. Have also bought a gift, a magazine (which I think somebody puts down to entertainment which I think is a great idea) and some flowers cos my house is on the market (!). I know I'm grasping at straws but I'm trying to keep my chin up!

Does anybody know of an easy chart that I could copy to help with keeping a tally of the breakdown of the expenditure. I looked on the MSE site sometime ago and found something of sorts but couldn't download it. Have typed in spreadsheets but didn't find anything. A quick n easy one would be great. I tend to go round and round in circles getting distracted with other topics. Plus I'm not totally computer literate so some things can be a bit scary.

Cheers-me-dears.

Toodles.

Kerfuffle

P.S I feel a store-cupboard challenge coming on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

mikeD

Bobbykins wrote: »

Mike - you are SUCH a good egg! I'm sure Mrs Mike appreciates it.

Thanks Bobbykins. I can do boiled, fried, coddled, baked and many other variations. However my DW likes her good eggs "Subservient" :rotfl:

Bobbykins

mikeD wrote: »

Thanks Bobbykins. I can do boiled, fried, coddled, baked and many other variations. However my DW likes her good eggs "Subservient" :rotfl:

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:
cheers! Made my day!

Moniker

I got myself in a bit of a muddle as eldest daughter came over to lunch and wanted bacon sarnies which I hadn't planned to do, so I popped over to the next village to the nice butcher and bought some bacon. To be fair I only bought enough for two rashers each (6) which cost £1.83. I would have bought a packet of 8 rashers minimum which would have cost about £2.49 at the supermarket so I actually saved money! (Who am I kidding!) I also bought some bread so ended up spending £2.92 in total.

Now, does that go on last week's total or this coming week? I started the challenge on 30th July, so I suppose my week should run from Monday to Monday (sigh!) but it is more encouraging to add it to next week's as I was a teeny bit over last week! I suppose that as long as I keep in my overall budget by the end of August it doesn't really matter. What do you think?

By the way, is there a forum somewhere which explains all the abrreviations people use here? I don't do much texting so find some messages difficult to decipher - I need a glossary! Cheers!

orchid-96

Just nipped to Morrisons as I needed a few bits (spent nearly £30 :eek: ) have updated my spend so looking a lot for this week, but I have got my milk for the week now in the freezer and have done a meal plan so should be no more shopping for me till next Friday...I am new to this budgeting stuff so I guess it will take me a bit to get out of some of my habits - tonights shop did include some booze as well for this evening and some extra bits to go with out hm curry (well it is Saturday)

Anyway thanks to you all for your tips/experiences they are really helping me..

x

Kerfuffle

Hello everybody

Have spent all afternoon logging everything that I've got in the freezer and cupboards and have done a meal plan upto the 4th September!! Main meals of the day listed for everyday except one day in each of week 3, 4 and 5, this is to allow for manoeuvreability and on those days we'll have something cheap'n'cheerfull involving most probably bread, eggs and beans. Have done a shopping list of what I need to buy to see me to the end of next week which should come to approx £15.00 so hopefully I won't be too far off my budget. Have even counted my dishwasher tablets and teabags to make sure I won't run out!! Extreme I know but I was so disappointed with the ongoing calculations that I had to do something. Anyway am feeling quite optimistic for next week.

Thanks to all those sharing their thoughts and progress.

Toodles.

rosieben

Moniker wrote: »

... By the way, is there a forum somewhere which explains all the abrreviations people use here? I don't do much texting so find some messages difficult to decipher - I need a glossary! Cheers!

You'll find a list of abbreviations here - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=397751&postcount=18


I wouldnt stress too much about your weekly totals, its the monthly total which counts. I generally have a heavier spend for one or two weeks of the month.

JillD_2

Cheers miss empty piggy - and you are so right, lovely way to spend money :j
Had a picnic today for lunch but a bit of a luxury one as we bought the stuff in M&S in town - was lovely though. Spent £6 on lunch boxes for kids and £6 on sarnies and crisps for us. Cheaper than Pizza Hut which was the alternative! And the kids had a reat time in the park. They've done up the park area in the centre of Reading and it really is lovely to sit in now.

Anyway another £12 on the grocery budget (in one meal. Groan).

I need to update sig, and do a meal plan for next few days. Hoping to eke food out til Thursday/Friday, then do a big shop, and then make that last for 10 days during which time hubby is away for 4 days so that shoulod be easy!

lil_me

Monkier wouldn't worry about the weeks, depends what works for you, some go mid month to mid month as it depends on pay days etc. Challenge isn't keeping up with the rest but making changes that make YOU happy

Spent again, don't know exactly how much yet as a lot of the spending was on uniforms and other non grocery things, but needed pasta etc, bought loads of it however, will add to total tomorrow after I've worked through the receipt tonight.