August 2016 Grocery Challenge

thriftwizard

We've just had two NSDs this month, yesterday and - I can't remember when, but there was one! Today another £28.82 has gone west, on laundry stuff, marmite, some things DD1 needed to take to a picnic, and fruit & veg at the market. DD1 only got the invitation late yesterday, or she'd have made stuff to take; however she'd done 8 hours on her feet in a very busy cafe, followed by a hard evening babysitting our neighbour's autistic 10 y.o., who she can generally manage very well, but yesterday he was very upset & wound up. So buying some stuff in isn't begrudged, although I'm now resigned to coming in over budget.

I'm seeing very clearly that discipline & information flow are two of my main problems here. If I don't know we're running out of something, I don't replace it, then have to run out & buy things in a panic at a higher price than I could have paid. Years ago, I tried putting up a chalkboard so people could write things on it, but needless to say some silly comments made their way onto it & it got thrown out. And when people are cooking for themselves, they don't necessarily even notice that, say, the Worcester Sauce or the fabric conditioner are running low. I'd just use vinegar, but the other inhabitants look sternly on that idea!

pamsdish

Asked by a neighbour to get her some Imodium, Wilkos £8-95 spend minus Imodium= £6-45 on freezer bags, did need to replenish my stock, Lidl while I was close £11-33.

ScotinLondon

No spends for us personally since I last posted, however, my parents are staying with me and they have done top up shops of £12.37, which I will include as if I have spent it. They don't repaying, so that money spent will go towards anything that they need from A*zon or anywhere else just for them.

Will update sigs in a mo!
SIL

Edit: Sig updated £38 left till 24/8, that if perfectly do-able, especially with my parents staying with me.

Have a good rest of the weekend everyone!

FurryBeastOz

Great YS haul at Mr T today. £10 spent £20 saved on fresh fish. Sole, cod, smoked cod all portioned up and frozen. Yum.

£190 spent. Way inside budget which is just as well after last month.

lynnejk

thriftwizard wrote: »

......
I'm seeing very clearly that discipline & information flow are two of my main problems here. If I don't know we're running out of something, I don't replace it, then have to run out & buy things in a panic at a higher price than I could have paid......

I wonder if it would help you if you kept a back-up of stuff in a different place, say a cupboard in a spare room, that only you go to. Then when you run out in the normal cupboards you can use your back-up and know to put it on your shopping list. I do this and find it very useful.

Had an NSD yesterday and spent £15.50 in A*di

Hope you all have a super Monday
Lx

t14cy_t

ys spends of £11 in tesco yesterday. lots of smoked salmon, meat and veggies, yipee!! x

Cappella

I am so far behind with my listings here that I feel guilty. It's just been a rather difficult month with many family things happening.
But I have saved money as dealing with things here has meant that shopping trips have been brief, and I've stuck to a list.

Anyway, grand total spent throughout August has been £127.43 out of the £250 original budget. I'm very happy with that, even though it could have been for easier reasons.

Alls well here now though, thank goodness, and I'm looking forward to Septembers challenge. Bring it on!!! I can do this :rotfl:

thriftwizard

I wonder if it would help you if you kept a back-up of stuff in a different place, say a cupboard in a spare room, that only you go to. Then when you run out in the normal cupboards you can use your back-up and know to put it on your shopping list.

Thanks, lynnejk, but I was under the impression that I was already doing this! But they've sussed that one out, and just wander round & hunt until they find it. Unless I check every empty item in the bins, I won't necessarily realise that the first one's gone & we're halfway down the second. Sigh... they can't see what all the fuss is about, we're only 200 yards from the supermarket. But it's W8rose...

tumptyteapot

Goodbudget tells me we are ahead by £25.14 on the groceries budget this month :-)
I need some stuff but not much, olive oil is the most expensive thing.

I saw my elderly favorite great aunty this week - she lives on £30 a week for everything after bills. She doesn't eat a lot!

tumptyteapot

thriftwizard wrote: »

We've just had two NSDs this month, yesterday and - I can't remember when, but there was one! Today another £28.82 has gone west, on laundry stuff, marmite, some things DD1 needed to take to a picnic, and fruit & veg at the market. DD1 only got the invitation late yesterday, or she'd have made stuff to take; however she'd done 8 hours on her feet in a very busy cafe, followed by a hard evening babysitting our neighbour's autistic 10 y.o., who she can generally manage very well, but yesterday he was very upset & wound up. So buying some stuff in isn't begrudged, although I'm now resigned to coming in over budget.

I'm seeing very clearly that discipline & information flow are two of my main problems here. If I don't know we're running out of something, I don't replace it, then have to run out & buy things in a panic at a higher price than I could have paid. Years ago, I tried putting up a chalkboard so people could write things on it, but needless to say some silly comments made their way onto it & it got thrown out. And when people are cooking for themselves, they don't necessarily even notice that, say, the Worcester Sauce or the fabric conditioner are running low. I'd just use vinegar, but the other inhabitants look sternly on that idea!

thriftwizard wrote: »

Thanks, lynnejk, but I was under the impression that I was already doing this! But they've sussed that one out, and just wander round & hunt until they find it. Unless I check every empty item in the bins, I won't necessarily realise that the first one's gone & we're halfway down the second. Sigh... they can't see what all the fuss is about, we're only 200 yards from the supermarket. But it's W8rose...

Is it possible to get them involved in the planning, or have a rule that if there is only a quarter of something left then it needs to be left alone?