December 2015 Grocery Challenge HO HO HO!!!!

DuranGirl

£19.49 in Aldeee and £28.25 in Mr T yesterday. I'm getting a bit twitchy about making it through December on my budget. £43.86 left, but my sis and BIL haven't decided whether they're coming to us or we're going to them for Christmas day, which means I still have to get a turkey (if they come to us) and a few bits such as extra spuds, carrots and cheese. Plus, m'chap is going to be here a bit more than I expected, which is FABULOUS, :jbut means there's another food hoover around, and we'll be having our Christmas dinner on New Year's Eve! I did get some vino yesterday, so only beer/cider to go on the drinkies front. I've never kept a Christmas food budget before, so maybe I should be kind to myself and not stress about going over a smidge, especially as I've been way under for the past two months.

lynnejk

DuranGirl wrote: »

I've never kept a Christmas food budget before, so maybe I should be kind to myself and not stress about going over a smidge, especially as I've been way under for the past two months.

That's exactly the reason I keep a 'bulk buy' fund.


Any monies left over at the end of the month I chuck in there and then, when you get a spendy month like now/ or you see a bargain on something you use a lot of/ need to fill the freezer, etc, you have a little back-up fund so you don't go over target


:mad: DH didn't tell me he was running low on coffee so had to spend £9.80 on four jars of Nesc*fe coffee in S*vers today. Means I lost a potential NSD.


Hope you all have a money-saving Monday
Lx

XSpender

We have been away for the weekend but have a couple of spends to add on for snacks and we gave in to a takeaway last night

Total now stands at £100.49 out of a budget of £350. I am surprised at how little we have spent and we still have quite a bit of the meat I bought at the beginning of the month in the freezer. I will need to do a shop today for this week as we are getting back on the healthy eating band wagon after the weekend and I have eaten almost nothing but hotel food for the last fortnight and need normal food!

We will also have most of our Christmas food shop to do but as we are not entertaining this year we won't spend much but we like M&S food at Christmas as it is gluten free so that isn't the cheapest. I have a £5 voucher though which will help.

I plan to run this budget until the end of the month rather than pay day as DH gets paid a week early but I don't. DH and I are planning an Uber Frugal January challenge so if there is any money left over from this month I will stock up for January on meat and store cupboard items like beans, tomatoes and frozen/tinned veg. I am hoping this way I can avoid the shops in Jan as things always jump into my basket that shouldn't!:eek:

Crowdpleaser

Hi all. Well we're creeping towards chrimbo aren't we? Popped into Mr L this morning on my way to work and got a few bits to get us through the week and a couple of Christmas bits. Then to Mr a on way home to pick up dd2 sone new school trousers. Also got a couple more things for christmas cupboard! So 19.08 in Mr L and 3.97 in Mr a. And I avoided the Xmas cheese!!!!!

candygirl

Went to aldeee today.The car park was rammed, but it was quiet for a change .Got a few bits including all of the super six, n only spent £18

lynnejk

Afternoon all :hello:


Had another NSD here today :j


Had a lovely, slow-roast leg of lamb a la Nigel Slater yesterday. Some gone in the freezer for another roast and some to mince for shepherd spy and moussaka.


About to make French omelettes and salad for tea, with fried pots for DH.


Hope you all have a super Tuesday
Lx

XSpender

Went to Mr T tonight and total now stands at £167.96. Got a months worth of dog food as on offer and some GF treats for Christmas (Christmas cake slices, crackers for cheese) as I had a voucher and some matchmakers as Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without matchmakers

selloptape

Stocked up on Lebkuchen in £land today, so many Christmassy treats about, cannot stop stuffing my face.

Oh well, January is "National Eat Soup and Feel Guilty About Eating so Much in 2015 month" so am sure it will be even out in the end. If I can still fit in my clothes by then...

xxx

dingdongsaving

Hello everyone!
I've not posted on here for a while but have been lurking from time to time as it keeps me motivated and we always track our spending. Old habits die hard.
We had an amazingly thrifty year last year as I was on maternity leave, but this year I've returned to work full time and it seems that because we're both back to earning a solid amount again we're letting bad habits creep in.
In January we're not cutting back to maternity leave budget as we don't need to and we like some treats, but we'd like to find a happy medium as we both hate waste and enjoy time at home over eating out too often.
Keep up the good work everyone!

lynnejk

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