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August 2007 Grocery Challenge

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  • FBThree
    FBThree Posts: 346 Forumite
    Hello,

    I've been lurking for a while and really need to join this challenge. We're spending an obscene amount on nothing major. We're lucky not to be pushed with our spending since OH very well paid but we're in the wrong and if disaster hit in his job-world, we'd be stuffed. I've tried to cut back waste, (she says with a 2-person lasagne going off in the fridge) but just can't seem to meal-plan since I hate cooking and the time it takes.

    My main problem is that I'm not working the moment and have few outside-of-house activities, so grocery shopping seems a "justifiable" expense. Hence I'm in Mr T or other once a week, and we're in another shop together at the weekend. We also have a Co-op in FAR too easy reach. (We don't spend much on clothes, household goods, books or other items - just groceries.) We have a sort of store-cupboard full and our freezer is stocked so I will be trying a store-cupboard challenge this month.

    So I'm in for August. And I think I'll probably try to do this by logging the number of days I DIDN'T spend shopping! My month will start on 1st August (and I will sooo try not to spend tomorrow).

    Bearing in mind we're 2 adults, 4 adult cats, 1 kitten, and not including OH lunches (he pays at work), this year we've averaged per month
    - £340 on groceries,
    - £118 on cats (includes new kitten arrival, weaning milk, costly kitten food & jabs. No new toys since still have some from other cats babyhood)
    - £62 on eating out, pub visits or take-aways.

    Ouch. :eek: So trying to cut back on that despite bank-hol weekend expected.

    On a plus point, limited gas spend this week - we're in a no-water zone in Glos, so no hot-water for baths. :rotfl: Haven't used any washing powder either, but that'll change soon - I hope!
  • dawnylou
    dawnylou Posts: 3,135 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker Name Dropper
    Oh my goodness I can't see me ever getting my spend down!

    First spend for the month was £45.25
    I never bought any meat at all. Didn't get any cans of pop or crisps or biscuits.
    In fact I pretty much bought nothing but fruit and veg!! Help! Why is it so expensive? :(:(:(
    Dream of being mortgage free....
    APR 2007 - £109,825 FEB 2012 - £98,664.53:beer:

  • orchid-96
    orchid-96 Posts: 686 Forumite
    Can I join you all, this is such a good idea, I have a rough idea of what I spend per month (not including take aways etc. although we don't go too mad with these) I am going to aim this month for £300.00 (excluding 17th-26th as we are away on holiday in the UK and I have saved my spending money for that) It is for 2 adults (very fussy dh) and 3 kids 16month twins and 5yr old .so this needs to include nappies, formula etc as well as stuff to keep him going over the holidays :eek:

    I have a Tesco delivery coming tomorrow (approx £60) so that will be my staret - and I will sort out my signature (if I can :confused: ) to keep updated.

    Looking forward to the challenge and for some reason I am quite looking forward to seeing what we really spend...
    Jun GC £250.00/£12.40 NSD 3 / 30

    January 200/198.91 February 200/239.28 March 200/230
    April 250/no idea May 250/265.95

    Sealed pot challenge number 648
  • teedy23
    teedy23 Posts: 2,090 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    well I,m off to a blinking great start, as I had a lovely chicken for dinner yesterday, I decided , as I was getting my waste under control, to strip the carcase for sandwiches for work and wee treat bits for cat. I made chicken stock with the bones today, then I carefully drained the bones from stock into sieve. What did I forget to do........... go on guess
    :T:jDabbler in all things moneysaving.Master of none:o

    Well except mastered my mortgage 5 yrs early :T:j
    Street finds for 2018 £26:49.
  • Moniker
    Moniker Posts: 626 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker Mortgage-free Glee!
    I am so excited because I made an extra meal with something I would have thrown away before the Grocery challenge. I had a leg of lamb at the weekend (special dinner for OH's birthday) which fed 4 adults. There was a lot of meat still on the bone but awkward to get off, so I put the bone in my pressure cooker(I had to break it in half to fit it in) with:
    2 small carrots
    2 sticks of celery
    bayleaf
    1 onion
    salt and pepper
    1 litre of water

    Cooked this for about 20 mins and the result was lots of lovely meat which just fell off the bone. I put the meat and the veg into a dish with about half the stock (skimmed first to take off the fat). I will cook some potatoes and slice them tomorrow and put on top then pop in the oven to brown. (Isn't this a version of Lancashire hotpot?) I still have about half a pint of stock to freeze for soups etc. I reckon I have got 6 hearty meals for about £2 a head. My mum would be proud of me! (If you don't have a pressure cooker you can do this in a large saucepan but it takes about an hour to cook). Sorry veggies this isn't for you - but it smells wonderful!
  • what teedy? tell em I'm rubbish at guessing
    5 Year plan. April 2020 to June 2025- CC and mortgage free by time I'm 60
    Currently CC £23,674.36 /£14,895.41/£14315.42
    Mortgage £28,214.65/ £26,254.71/ £25,746.43
    By end 2020 I want CC at £ 19,000.00.
    By end 2021 I want CC at £10,000.00
  • dlb
    dlb Posts: 2,488 Forumite
    Hiya everyone.
    Havent done the challenge before but i am going to give it a go in Aug.

    There are 6 of us, made up of 2 adults, 4 kids (4,9,10,11) and a cat.

    I am aimming to come in at no more than £280 (£70 a week), i do already meal plan and have managed to feed us all on £35 a week before when money is tight.
    So wish me luck as hope if i can do this i am going to knock it down by £40 in Sept.
    Donna
    Proud to be DEBT FREE AT LAST
  • newlywed
    newlywed Posts: 8,255 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    teedy23 wrote: »
    well I,m off to a blinking great start, as I had a lovely chicken for dinner yesterday, I decided , as I was getting my waste under control, to strip the carcase for sandwiches for work and wee treat bits for cat. I made chicken stock with the bones today, then I carefully drained the bones from stock into sieve. What did I forget to do........... go on guess

    Erm... did you drain the stock away? ;)
    working on clearing the clutterDo I want the stuff or the space?
  • Disdisbiff
    Disdisbiff Posts: 123 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    Count me in aiming for £230 for the month 1st-31st August this is for 5 of us 2 adults 3 kids (10,10,3)

    Wish me luck

    Gonna need it

    Biff
    Debt free since September 2018 :j:j:j
  • rosieben
    rosieben Posts: 5,010 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    teedy23 wrote: »
    well I,m off to a blinking great start, as I had a lovely chicken for dinner yesterday, I decided , as I was getting my waste under control, to strip the carcase for sandwiches for work and wee treat bits for cat. I made chicken stock with the bones today, then I carefully drained the bones from stock into sieve. What did I forget to do........... go on guess


    Teedy, repeat after me - 'I must put a basin underneath'. 'I must put a basin underneath', 'I must put a basin underneath' .... :D

    Been there, done that...... (not got the stock!!) :rotfl:
    ... don't throw the string away. You always need string! :D

    C.R.A.P.R.O.L.L.Z Head Sharpener
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