July 2016 Grocery Challenge

pollyanna24

I’m going to join this month. I keep lots of spreadsheets for lots of things, but I seem to have a problem sticking to my budgets. If it was just me, I’d be fine, it’s the two little fussy girls that are the problem!!

I know exactly what I have spent each month, and what on, but still can’t still how to cut it down. It’s the expensive branded stuff that my girls like. More snacky things rather than dinners as my mum cooks for us 4 days a week (sometimes she gives me receipts, sometimes she doesn’t, so thinking about it, if I didn’t have her cooking for me, my grocery bill would be even larger!).

Up to May 2016, my budget for grocery was £150. I have upped it to £200 when my brother moved out as we had a separate pot for anything to do with the house (i.e. bread, washing powder – stuff that we both used).

My grocery budget is for food for me and two young daughters, the dog, the cat (but she is moving out in a couple of weeks), fish, toiletries, medicines, cleaning products – and my girls have packed lunches at school.

How I blew the budget in previous months:-
January – £195.47
February – £241.83
March – £269.16
April – £221.15
May – £365.18
June – £209.12

I could break it down into each category where I’ve spent, but I won’t.

So I’ve never had a month where I stuck to the budget! But I’m counting from when my brother moved out. Last month I think I bulk bought washing powder, toilet roll and the like, so that went way over. This month doesn’t look too bad.

But please stick me in for £200 for July (although we go away at the end of the month, but that’s not till 27th, and then my girls are away for three weeks in August, so hoping August’s budget is well under!).

juspsychojo

A little 95p spend on some milk for the kids! (Cant stop spending! )

How did everyone come up with their budget please..? what do you think would be a fair budget for a family of 5 with 3 kids aged 1,3&5? I think I need to revise my target spend for July and needing a little guidance! thanks x

ChezzaE

juspsychojo wrote: »

A little 95p spend on some milk for the kids! (Cant stop spending! )

How did everyone come up with their budget please..? what do you think would be a fair budget for a family of 5 with 3 kids aged 1,3&5? I think I need to revise my target spend for July and needing a little guidance! thanks x

For my family there are four (hubby and DD aged 4 and DS aged 2 both still in nappies. I worked out £100 pw which includes household and pet supplies would be fine that's £25 a week each which I think is achievable for us . Then my income decreased and now my shopping budget is sitting at £70 per week which I do struggle to keep. So trying really hard to be stricter . This coming month I'm keeping all my receipts including the trips to Starbucks I never count in any budget and the cheeky sweets I buy outta poundland. I didn't just pluck a figure either it seems to be roughly how much I spend in a week so maybe try just tracking your spend this month and then go from there. If your buget is too strict you'll never achieve it. It needs to be realistic for your needs and likes to a certain extent and financial situation .
Hope this helps x

becky2604

I've already spent 160/290!! It's down to boredom being on maternity leave - I browse the shops and make excuses to go out. However, I have had to buy anti-colic bottles this month and have stocked up on nappies

shoei

9.80 today mostly on fruit ��

Frugal_life

Hi all,

Signing in to register NSDs for Monday and Tuesday.

Had a good ol' Tuna Pasta Bake for dinner tonight and have lunches made for tomorrow.

Hoping the weather improves soon so we can get some washing out on the line but don't think we have any decent bouts if sunshine forecast anytime soon. Ahh well, such is life!

Hope you're all having a wonderful week so far. Looking forward to reading about everyone's progress as the month goes on.

FL x

Florence_J

Morrisons deducted 85p off my shopping for handing back the bags, so my food shopping was 85.81 overall.

Spent 7.90 on Milk, fizzy pop and some treats for dinner as my boyfriend is out and I didn't feel like making anything for tea.

Total this month so far 103.56. Have a full cupboard of food and drink though so it should be ok.

lynnejk

Evening everyone and a warm welcome to the new peoples and returners :hello:


Thanks Zippy and Coxy for organising the thread for us every month.


Please put us down for usual £200 for July.

juspsychojo wrote: »

A little 95p spend on some milk for the kids! (Cant stop spending! )

How did everyone come up with their budget please..? what do you think would be a fair budget for a family of 5 with 3 kids aged 1,3&5? I think I need to revise my target spend for July and needing a little guidance! thanks x

My budget is £200 a month for two adults for all food, general toiletries, laundry and cleaning products. We do eat well, including fresh 'butcher' meat and fish and plenty of fresh fruit and veggies.


On the first of January I also start with £100 in a 'bulk buy fund', which I use through out the year - adding any monies left at the end of each month to keep it up. It usually more than pays for Chrissy


It isn't easy to keep to a budget if you are not used to doing it. Remember to keep every receipt (I keep mine on a bulldog) and then add up at the end of the month. I also add my spends to my signature as well as a reminder of where I am each month.


I definitely couldn't make budget without using the discount shops, making a monthly meal plan, batch baking and grabbing discounts and 'specials'.


So good luck everyone with the challenge. Please ask if you have any questions, as there's plenty of people on here that will help. I'm in June until the very end so I'll 'see' you lovely people on the first.
Lx

candygirl

Loving that bulk buy idea Lynnejk , what a fab idea :j

GunShotResidue

Can I join please?


Aiming for £200 in July, £40 a week, for two adults and a toddler. Have a newborn as well but he's breastfed and I bulk bought 1500 nappies when there was a good deal a while ago, so he's not costing anything at the minute! I love the idea of a bulk buy fund and am going to spend all afternoon reading the recipes on the first page!