December 2016 Grocery Challenge

PennyGrabber

Welcome Snottycat!! Loads of ideas and support here.

I have done some bits of shopping for food along with presents. I reckon I'm up to £70 now, and that's rounding up - I'm sure it's not that much, but I want to round up so I definitely don't go over. Only need to get a few things on Friday, like coleslaw and dips.

I've got about £70 for my ys shopping on Xmas eve. This is 'free' money, as I've been saving my 50p coins all year. This is a bonus, that I won't count in any budget, and I may do this next year as well. The outside freezer is empty, waiting to be cleaned and turned on ready!! Can't wait! We're going to hit a@da, m£s and m0rries.

PG x

freyasmum

meg72 wrote: »

DID IT only bought veg in Aldi, unfortunately no parsnips left but got 3 lots of sprouts,potatoes,brocolli,carrots and Little Gems, total £2.85.

That's it for me until Christmas Eve when I will get some fruit and hopefully some YS.

Sometimes I think it can be more difficult to get in and out of aldi or lidl even though there's less choice - because they have so much other stuff that you never knew you needed :rotfl:

kkffoo

Snottycat wrote: »

I have been stalking for a while now and reading all your inspirational posts. I have attempted this challenge for a few years now and always failed and gave up. I have had my light bulb moment and I must get a handle on my issues (read debt) in 2017. Going away to inlaws for Christmas but will be starting as soon as we get home next week. No more shopping for me! I am looking forward to joining you all properly in the January challenge

Welcome on board! I dipped in and out for a couple of years before posting! I'm finding writing things down here really helps motivation.

Well done everyone. Sounds like a lot of success stories, and those that have missed their targets seem to have some great ideas about what to do next.

Hubby's christmas bonus has arrived, and he's off to fill his basket beyond the recommended handle strain safety limit at Eyesland tomorrow. We anticipate a milk and bits trip to Áldi in a few days (early morning to avoid crush), and a Moreishons final fling come Saturday morning. Son is on alert for a kitchen roll and milk grab after work, should it prove necessary.

Now on £168.24/£273.08

Florence_J

It is the end of my December food budget today as tomorrow is payday.

Final total is £152.26/£153

Also this marks the end of a full year keeping to a food budget as I started on my last payday of the year last year.

I aimed to spend less than £2040 for the full year on food.

I came in at £2039.24/£2040

I have remained in budget by 76p.

I promised my OH that if we could end the year within the food budget target then we can increase the monthly food budget as we would have proven we can be thrifty, can prioritise our purchases and can remain in budget.

Our new monthly budgets will be £185.

I couldn't have achieved this without all of your help, advice, suggestions and comments. Thank you all.

Franalamadingdong

Welcome snottycat. Good luck for your post Christmas budgeting.

I agree freyasmum. Lidl is my favourite, I used to live next door to one. It was effectively my pantry!

Spent 7.94 on grocery today. Just a few bits were needed, so I drove to mum and dad's, then walked into town to drop the boy off at a party (which had super nice things on sale and I didn't buy stuff!) Then walked to the little express Tes, then walked back to my parents'. The fun thing is this journey is uphill both ways. Lol. Saved me spending more on fuel going to a big shop and feeling like I need to do a big shop. I might have to discard the ham and green lentil stew. It's eatable, but unpleasant and given the boy seems to be poorly now it's just going to end up going to waste. I saved chicken from the roast so I can make risotto and soup, and so we'll be fine for meals. I hate waste, but life is too short to force yourself into eating something unpleasant. I bought a magazine for the boy for Thursday as he's got to accompany mum and dad to the hospital while I'm at work, so it should occupy him. It was £3.99!!!! But he had £4.50 left in his fund this month and it's not like he'll want for anything after Sunday!

£125.60/200

freyasmum

Franalamadingdong wrote: »

I agree freyasmum. Lidl is my favourite, I used to live next door to one. It was effectively my pantry!

I bought a magazine for the boy for Thursday as he's got to accompany mum and dad to the hospital while I'm at work, so it should occupy him. It was £3.99!!!! But he had £4.50 left in his fund this month and it's not like he'll want for anything after Sunday!

£125.60/200

That's handy! Aldi is a five minute drive from my house so we tend to use it more than Lidl, but I do like a good mooch around both!

£3.99 for a kids magazine is daylight robbery :eek:

Franalamadingdong

Well done Florence! You did the hard work!

Freyasmum, I'm now an hour's round trip away from one. Boo hoo. £3.99 is bloody disgusting. However he's going to be SO bored in the hospital and will need something to occupy him while mum is having physio etc (this one is apparently going to be nasty). I looked at less expensive ones, but quite frankly, he will love the one I picked, he has his monthly £5 that he has no idea about, and he's only had 50p of it. It's a rarity he gets one, imagine getting each issue! I'm sure this one is normally a cheaper one, bit it has a lot of extra tat with it this time, what with it being Christmas. I could justify it to myself further saying that his progress report was so brilliant he deserves it, but it really is just hospital bribery and is coming out of his fund.

t14cy_t

spends of £3 yesterday on butter!!! still in budget though. xx

StephieWillcox

Florence - what a fantastic achievement! Well done

I have been a failure this month. I have come in at £500, but this was supposed to cover Christmas food, and instead that will be coming out of next month's budget.

I aim to do better in the new year, I have at least started making good use of leftovers and have dramatically cut down on food that is thrown again, so I'm pleased with that. Still need to get on top of bulk cooking, but I have improved there too (making 2 lasagnes/ cottage pies etc in order to eat one and freeze one).

Overall, I have now been tracking my family's spending for over a year (download bank transactions and I built a spreadsheet to separate all the spending into categories), and we are in a much better position than we were a year ago. Still have some CC debt to repay, but that has halved, and our house is on the market with the aim of buying our long term family home sometime soon.

kkffoo

Stephie, seems like an achievement to know how much you've spent. I used to just ignore how much I spent at Christmas and worry about it ineffectually. Data is power!

Hubby eventually returned from trip to Eyesland three hours later than he left. He had also called at Áldi, which explained some of the delay. However, he may, possibly, he said, have picked up some other last minute stocking fillers. He didn't leave all his Christmas shopping to cram into an hour the week before the big day, because he doesn't do that anymore, apparently.

Eyesland (xmas vouchers not on this budget)
Áldi £9.33