January 2016 Grocery Challenge

mummyjane

Hi,
Can I join please, really need to sort out our spending. I've been through the cupboards and sorted everything out before ordering a big shop with lots of store cupboard essentials that should last a while (hoping to save us from having to do lots of little sm shops). I am going to see how we go this month and then set a budget for February based on that. Feels good to be back - it's been a while!

mummyroysof3

Would like to join please. Will be realistic and say £120 per week please for 2 adults, 3 kids and 3 cats x

[Deleted User]

Hi folks, I'd like to join this month please. My grocery spend has been hovering at around £120 - £130 per month for a while now. So this month I want to challenge myself to £100 for food/grocery shopping. My month started on 25th when OH gets paid. This is for 2 adults.

Today I did an inventory of the fridge, freezer and cupboards. We actually have plenty of things to use up so the food plan for this week makes a start using up things we already have. Today's dinner will be potato soup which uses up onions, potatoes, barley and lentils - I did need to buy carrots to add to this.

Food shop today - £15.05. This included some non-food items; mouth wash and dishwasher tabs as well as chicken which we will make into a slow cooker chicken curry for our New Year meal (planning to climb a hill as a NY challenge so want something easy to come back to).

Off to catch up on your posts now for more inspiration.

HornetSaver

My first spend was unplanned - 16 tins of tuna in spring water from Costco totalling £11.98 - but I did redeem myself by joining my parents for shopping at Sainsbury and doing some economising. They got 4kg potatoes for £1.90 and I took a kilo pro rata (48p), same deal with 5 free range eggs for 66p and 500g onions for 30p. The rest of my shopping for advertised meals was £10.90 (pork and cheese the big hitters), plus £1 for milk, £1.20 for muesli and £2.50 for squash.

That makes my running total £29.02, but that tuna will be there for me in future weeks when I want to compensate for a high spend. Hedging my bets on whether to buy bread for now, because I'll have 4 pitta and two tortillas spare from my main meals.

stardrops42

Hi can I re-join yet again please:o Hubby got made redundant but luckily got a new job but on less pay so I need to budget. We also get paid weekly instead of monthly so can you put me down for £75.00 per week Thanks

petsitter2000

Hi, this will be my 2nd GC. Amazed myself in the December one.
Can you put me down for £108 for the month.
This is for 1 adult and a cat.
This includes all groceries/washing powder etc but not wine. I will tackle the wine issue once I've mastered the groceries. I used to spend about £350 just on me prior to finding MSE.

blue_eyes_2

First shop of the grocery challenge, £34.06 at Aldi, just buying fresh bits and bobs as the freezer is stocked full of meats for January.

Will try to come under on the £250 this month as the freezer is full but I am planning on using a local farm for all of our meat in the future,we have been using it lately and it is a great price,cheaper than the supermarket, but it is bulk instead of one pack of mince,one stew. The farm sells 5 packs of mince or 5 packs of stew etc which I can freeze and use over the month.

I have decided to save whatever we don't spend on groceries and put it towards the Christmas shop next year or maybe dinner out at some point.now to stop going to supermarket in between the weekly shop!

mumblingtaff

All going well so far! Have been through the fridge and cupboards to try to inventory things that need using up before the next shop on the weekend and have been ploughing through leftovers, cooking things that are almost out of date and freezing them or using them up and started a shopping list for the weekend.
I have plenty of household goods in stock except washing up liquid (which will last the week but no longer) and so won't need to buy anything that's not edible this week

I'm starting a bit of a healthier eating campaign when I'm back in work next week so will have to get some F&V to encourage me to eat better.
The only toiletries I'll need for the next week or two are toothpaste and deodorant - was lucky enough to get lots of shampoo, shower gel, moisturisers, make up etc as gifts for Christmas.
The dog has also received some edible presents so I'll just need to buy basic dog food to tide him over.

The plan is to use up a £6 off £30 sainsburys voucher by the 2nd Jan - I don't need much but will use up the voucher on store cupboard bits to make it up to the £30.
Am tootling off to try to write a meal plan for next week.....

Savvy_sewing

A no spend day for me, using up the whoopsie purchase from last night, 2 keivs and a tilda rice from AF. Not very healthy as no veg. But filled a gap after my first day back at work.
I have taken some diced beef out to defrost and that will be made into a one pot meal in the thermal bag tomorrow before I go to work.

DottyBearP

Please can I join for £200