August 2016 Grocery Challenge

[Deleted User]

tumptyteapot wrote: »

not sure if I should keep my groceries separate from my alcohol/eating out/coffee and cake fund.

Eating out I don't include, as this would be special occasions, birthdays or the odd time with friends, though I do count food/coffee grabbed on the run, or takeaways. I haven't recently included alcohol, but I feel I became a bit extravagent in my choices, so I think I will do a separate fund - so I can keep my eye on it - probably £20 a month and I will try £50 again for food in September - to see how that goes.

tumptyteapot wrote: »

I need to be clearer about my budgets for food v my budget for alcohol.
I've added a 'fun' budget of £160 to cover alcohol, eating out etc.

It's your budget - so it's up to you how much you spend and on what. Lots of people do a separate entertainment budget. I give myself an overall of what I want to spend, I'm going to decide how much of that will be food and how much alcohol.

tumptyteapot

Save_Dosh wrote: »

Eating out I don't include, as this would be special occasions, birthdays or the odd time with friends, though I do count food/coffee grabbed on the run, or takeaways. I haven't recently included alcohol, but I feel I became a bit extravagent in my choices, so I think I will do a separate fund - so I can keep my eye on it - probably £20 a month and I will try £50 again for food in September - to see how that goes.


It's your budget - so it's up to you how much you spend and on what. Lots of people do a separate entertainment budget. I give myself an overall of what I want to spend, I'm going to decide how much of that will be food and how much alcohol.

thank you.
This was my first month so I need to do some tweaking to make it workable without being a punishment :-)

mrs_Badger

Big £30 Lidl shop today, the store cupboard if full of rice, tins and so on now so don't feel so bad still spending! Got loads of fresh veg, meat, dog tins etc etc.

Running total
Pet food £60
House / toiletries £40.30
Food £268.70

£369 / £300

lynnejk

Afternoon all


Spends today of £18.09 at A*di. Hoping that's last of the month but not declaring until the 31st in case I put the 'mockers' on it :rotfl:


Hope you all enjoying the weekend
Lx

Sayschezza

1 small spend since I last posted but I have tomorrow to go so will update then. All the leftover money will be transferred to savings tomorrow evening.

FurryBeastOz

Last shop of the month done. Hopefully. Under for the month, but still way ahead for the year, and I'm going to need a meat delivery in September. I'll keep trying. At least being accountable keeps it down, just not as low as I'd like.

Really want 3 NSD's to finish the month.

DanielleNic87

£67.56 added to my total.... Failing miserably. I need to admit I'm a food hoarder. I never really run down the freezers or cupboards and whilst I've been on maternity I am always at the shops. This needs to stop x

Happytravelling

Oh dear- I've gone nearly £100 over budget this month!! :eek:

I had a £25 gift voucher to use, so the cash dent is £75 but even so, it is a huge proportion over budget

A few things happened:
- I dropped our target by too much, too quickly. It was a busy month and the old target would have been tough enough
- We had family visit for a weekend- 3 extra adults plus a child. We ate in, so the figure could have been much higher, but more people inevitably need more food
- In helping my sis move house, I prepared lunch for 8 adults who pitched in to help out. No one asked me too, but I figured it would save everyone money and time if we had lunch ready to go.
- I've made 2 birthday cakes, so had to buy ingredients for those
- We've hosted a few evenings with friends, so although its just been light snacks and a couple of bottles of wine, it has obviously mounted up.

With such a busy month, I've had less motivation to be OS during the week.... But, September is a new month and I'm ready to give it another shot...

K9sandFelines

Happytravelling wrote: »

Oh dear- I've gone nearly £100 over budget this month!!

I have! £104.04 I've figured summer holidays, and helping daughter and boyfriend out is playing a bigger part than when she was at home.

Payday today so I'll try again. Bigger budget due to Co-op closing and obviously going over this month.

AccyAlly

Finally added my receipts up, the envelope I keep them in was bulging! Not as bad as I thought, just over budget as have been doing more top up shopping and had a staycation this month, I cannot just browse!! Will declare my total spend on Tuesday evening, hopefully will be a couple of NSD's as we have plenty of stock in! Although I may just have tempted fate, we are going to a canal fest today and they will be plenty of homemade type stalls......