July 2016 Grocery Challenge

oceanspirit

NavyFolly wrote: »

Have been using YNAB for the last year, so know where my money goes, just can't seem to stop budgeting more money than I have - far, far too much goes on groceries, on my income (11k) I should be shopping at Aldi rather than Waitrose! There's only myself and one child (with me half the time), so £250 per month should be plenty, yes? Hence me signing up here.

You're well on your way as you know where your money goes. Now to gradually change habits on how you spend it. Keeping out of shops is a good way of stopping the impulse buys. I keep a list beside my computer and add to it when I spot something needs topping up. Depending on how urgent the list items are, I try to only set foot inside shops once or twice a month. Veg is delivered weekly which forces me to use it all as I can't bear waste!

crazy-cat-lady wrote: »

I'd love to join in with this if i can.. I'll have to have a read and catch up on everything as i'm new and clueless and don't have the slightest idea what i spend on food at the moment .

Basically, i start maternity leave next week and our first baby comes soon. So going to be hoping to save some money on shopping and anywhere possible. Plus next week (why i'm starting maternity early), husband goes in for an op to remove a hernia and won't be eating solid foods for a while, so the shopping and budgets will be changing and it seems a perfect time to start looking at something like this.

Going to go have a look through all the recipes at the beginning of the thread and see what quick and cheap meals i can pick up from there as looking after him and soon the baby too, i won't have the time to make anything fancy. I think the slow cooker will finally get some use. I have every kitchen gadget going, so there has to be a few in there i can use.

Keep a note of what you spend from now on and yes, definitely a good idea to look at the recipes on this thread to help with meal planning etc. All the best to DH for his operation.

Florence_J wrote: »

Ok, something is seriously wrong with the food budget in that with 19 days still to go (i do my shopping on the 27th of each month), my partner and I have so far spent £152.79, with an aim of £165/185 for the month.

Our cupboards are full, there is no excuse.

Ok, so maybe £185 a month for two adults is a big tight, but I like setting challenges.

Will continue to post and read and thank people, and am determined to not go over £185 this month!

Good luck, Florence. Maybe make a plan for meals this week based around what is already in your cupboards.

£10.45 spend on vegbox on Friday. Should be able to keep out of shops for at least 2 weeks as there is plenty in.

Scrimps

I can feel it is sliding already. I have been too busy to sort stuff out over the last week and have lost receipts etc....waiting for purchases to appear on my account so I know what ive spent.....never good.

Im looking at my account and i think the unexpected locksmith and vet bill has hammered us and I wont be right until November. Food is the only thing we can cut back on but Im not managing that budget either! Grrrrrr!

ellejaytee

Hopefully it isn't too late for me to join?
going with £110 for the month from the 1st to the 1st (will see whether than needs to change next time around)

So far spent £39

Have done some huge bulk cooking today, getting through lots of veg etc, now have 10 portions of chilli and 10 portions of bolognaise and the ingredients for an 8 portion curry to cook later in the week. should last us some time!

[Deleted User]

Went to a coffee shop and bought some raw vegan chocolate cake - it was to die for, not sure what it was made from, a soy latte and some vegan cheese slices - came to £7, a little treat that will push the budget, but hey. I'm off to another festival on Thursday 'til Sunday, but my food is not included this time, though I believe I do get an allowance, so will keep tabs, but might be an expensive 4 days. I have updated sig.

t14cy_t

nsd yesterday. not spending until wednesday. xx

Florence_J

Grocery budget has come to £166.67 after my top up shop today. But some good has happened. I took out £20 but was determined to spend less than £15 and did. I went to home bargains and only bought the four items that were on my list, despite some colour catchers calling out to me.

I have done an inventory of the cupboards, made a sell by date list of the stuff in the fridge, and am about to do the freezers.

My boyfriend has surprisingly agreed to a mini challenge of only buying milk and bread for the next week. The inventory of the cupboards has shown we have a lot of stuff. We have 8 tins of tuna fish and I'm the only person that eats it, and I eat it infrequently.

During my search of the cupboards I found two packs of part baked rolls with todays expiry date on them. We had one set for lunch and the other are in the freezer.

Done a menu plan for the week.

I have £18.33 left if i want to stay within the original target of £185. Even achieving that will be an achievement after the last two months overspend.

I have spent about £100 more on my half of the shopping than my OH though so will have to have words with him about how the money will come back to me, he has more money than me so it should be fair.

Scrimps

I have updated the spends, I have £77 for the rest of the month. We have this weeks food so the remainder has to last the remaining 2 weeks.

Ive been looking at some very cheap lentil/pearl barley/buckwheat type meals and have done the associated meal planning. It comes in very cheap as already have the expensive additions such as bacon (offcuts are very cheap at our butchers) in the freezer to add some great flavour and will be buying the bags of 20 sausages from the freezer section to make many, many meals. I have learnt how to make shortcrust pastry as if you put anything in a pie, it immediately becomes more filling and delicious:)

Sadly this very cheap menu will just be me, DH does not get on with lentil/beans at all, and has never made it past the 'your body gets used to them phase', for some reason I can tolerate them OK. DH will still be able to eat very cheap also, just not pulses.

t14cy_t

nsd yesterday, yippee!!xx

Smiley87

Just did a quick shop this morning before work - will post latest total when I get 2 mins as I'm finishing my last week at work before I move house and jobs, so everything is a bit mental haha.

GunShotResidue

Spent £33.68 on a big shop yesterday, and a bit over the weekend, so I have £51.16 left. Will do another shop next Wednesday for the rest of the month.
Made soup from the left overs of our roast yesterday, it was lovely and I have a few portions to freeze too.