March 2016 Grocery Challenge

lynnejk

Mrs_Cheshire wrote: »

Just typed up a long post and lost it.

I've done a freezer inventory this morning, and planned my meals until 31st march.I need to buy meat and fish for 9 days. My budget runs for 4 weeks from the 25th Feb to 23rd March, and most of those days that need things buying for are after 23rd. So this month I should definitely be able to stay in budget.
I have seen a really good meat deal at a nearby butchers, but trying to sit on my hands as I need to use some more out of the freezer as I would struggle to get it all in. Will have to hope they have a similar deal in the middle of the month.

Just wondering how well you know the butcher ??


Might be worth an ask if you can buy the offer now but get him to keep it in his freezers for you for a couple of weeks.
Lx

Mrs_Cheshire

lynnejk wrote: »

Just wondering how well you know the butcher ??


Might be worth an ask if you can buy the offer now but get him to keep it in his freezers for you for a couple of weeks.
Lx

I don't know them, not actually used them yet. Have used one of their competitors, who are good but the new one seems to have better deals and more 5* reviews so going to give them a go. The meat comes in trays which I then break down into the relevent portion sizes for our family, so I wouldn't want it freezing by them as it would be more difficult to portion up if pre frozen.
They do have daily deals, but this one suits us the most as we would eat every item in it. I will have to ask when I need a deal if I can swap out anything I don't like.
They seem to have a thing for salt & pepper ribs/chicken here in the north, but I don't eat anything with salt on except chips and don't like pepper. They sometimes also add hot wings to the deal but again we don't eat those, so this was the best value for money as everything in it we eat.

Thank you for your suggestion though.

Mrs_Cheshire

wiggly wrote: »

I'm back in. My biggest overspend in our monthly budget is food. There are me, my OH, my DD and DS (and the DS has a massive appetite). This month it is nearly £600 but that does include a big celebration cook-up for friends one weekend but still, it's always over £500.

I'd like to get it under £500, but with March being a 5 week month, and it's also my birthday, I'd like to try to just stick to £550 please. Then I shall try to knock it down a bit each month.

I'm also doing slimming world and am finding it hard to meal plan and save money AND meet the SW plan aims too but I know it has to be do-able!

Happy to give you some meal ideas, if you post what meats/fish etc you like. I've done the plan loads of times. How old are you children?

Mrs_Cheshire

Bubblesmum wrote: »

Thank you for the inspiring thread - got OH to sign up to challenge us to stay at £280.00starting on payday 26th Feb.

Really liked all your links at the start, I want to be creative, with less meat (and with cheaper cuts), more fish and veg meals.

We have a full freezer, although I think lots of apples from our Bramley tree, who knows I will find out!

Its just the two of us, and I'm trying to loose weight. We are both disabled and have at times go for the easier option of ready made meals etc, although we both love cooking from scratch therefore less labour intensive meals are a must.

I have a slow cooker, and we love a variety of foods - often thats been our downfall expensive ingredients.

Good luck everyone

I would utilise the slow cooker more, make large amounts and freeze for an easy meal on another day.

MoneyMission

Please can I join again with a monthly budget for march of £400?

Thank you. :A

Shortypie

Payday today so, did a small Sains and bigger L!dl shop which, not including cleaning products was £77.21. A few bits I could have got cheaper but wasn't in stock e.g. had to get fancy butter for £1.25 instead of the normal stuff for 85p. Frozen desserts for the kids totalled about £5! Cheese strings £3 for 12 (but it gets calcium into my little underweight, fussy ex-prem). And got doughballs for £1.50, half price, cheeky treat for Saturday night dinner.

This time I got £300 cash out and it's in an envelope, hopefully that will keep me in check.

I'm expecting the food to last til Friday as that's the best time to go food shopping, while the boys are at a club.

[Deleted User]

New month next Tuesday please can you put me down for my regular £60.00 for food budget .very pleased with how february worked out as I am trying to 'eat down' my freezer at the moment residue cash from february will go into my 'holiday fund' on Monday :):)

mildredalien

I'm going for £260 again this month - this includes cat food/litter. We'll start again on 29th Feb as this is payday for the both of us.

I'm also challenging DH to stay under £100 for miscellaneous spends this month as he spent nearly £180 on random stuff in February :eek:

mumto2monkeys_2

It's been ages since I signed up to GC and things have gone awry.

I am back with new motivation.

Please can I be down for £320 for March?

candygirl

Please can you put me down................



for £120 for March Will be back to being my usual spendy self, after this months shocker at coming under budget :eek: