January 2017 Grocery Challenge. NEW BEGINNINGS!

foxyloxy11

well done to everyone , I still have a week to go as my dh gets paid weekly and it is a 5 week month for us but pleased to stay that I'll be under budget too.
when I've felt like not been as organised this thread has kept me on the straight and narrow. here's to an under budget Feb for all

sitesafe

Good evening all and well done to everyone.


I've been very committed and this week made some Fritatta (it was nice but I'm trying to avoid frying), Veggie Burgers (they were quite grime tbh) and yesterday some Vegetable Broth (which will last me 3 lunches (repetitive menu again but I may throw some meat in one day to change it a bit) to use up all the bits and bobs left over at the end of the challenge.....


However, I'm afraid I've FAILED my first month of the grocery challenge....
Shame on me.... But I failed because I bought things I didn't need so if I hadn't I would have passed.... At least I know it can be done.


I'm going to subtract what I overspent from next month's budget - I allow myself £130 a month and whilst I know it's a 28 day month in February I'm going to aim not to spend that extra £10 so really aiming for £120 less what I overspent, but will keep the figure as £130 less what I overspent (I know what I mean even if I make it sound complicated!)...


New total spends balance £133.01/£130.00
(Includes £34.27 unnecessary overspends out of which £27.83 were indulgences - 3.55 cakes/biscuits; 20.64 wine; 3.64 choc
Wasted spoiled new balance - £5.15 (£3 fish; 50p stir fry; 50p milk; 65p aubergine; 50p celery)

£133.01/£130.00 (£3.01 overspent to take off next month's budget)

FurryBeastOz

Another NSD:D

sitesafe

Florence_J wrote: »

Hi, not sure if this would help or not. In Jack Monroe's second cookbook she has a recipe for instant porridge which is essentially any porridge oats and milk powder, which you mix together in a big tupperware and then just fill a bowl with what you want and pour boiling water on it.

I used to swear by this for work. I used one of those soup mug tupperware things, filled it up to about half way (I am very hungry in the morning) and then pour the water on top from the kettle at work. You only need a small bit of water, when using milk I would normally put in enough to cover the porridge but with water that would be far too much and would be more water than anything.

I don't do any specific measurements, just one tub of Mr T skimmed milk powder mixed with 1kg bag of Mr T basic oats.

I say I used to swear by this as I recently did it again and I think Mr T may have changed the recipe for the milk powder as it was unbearably sweet. If you have a sweet tooth you may be ok with it

Thank you so much for this - such a good idea and ideal for if you are on the move or taking it to work...I suppose you could also add some drinking chocolate or cocoa if you are a chocoholic like me!

Caterina

NSD, they just roll in naturally now, I just go out to do this and that and don't bother shopping in the stores because I can shop from my fridge and larder! Updating sig.

medsdemon

NSD yesterday, but the puss needed cat food and the OH needed gf oats for his porridge so had to shop today. Total spend £14.20.

Had our Haggis Neeps and Tatties today ( day late��) and the GF Haggis was delish. leftovers for a fry up with eggs for OH.

DD comes home tomorrow so will need to buy rice milk for her and change my menu plan a bit to accommodate her vegan diet.

5 days to go.

Franalamadingdong

Thanks Suffolk. Well, there might be something promising coming up in the future thanks to an opportune phone call.

Sitesafe, I'd be wary of penalising the following month by the current month's failings, just in case it leads to a sense of shame and increased overspend or a "!!!!!! it I've failed before I've started" feeling. Obviously you know you best, and should always do what is right for you. I factor in a buffer spend across my budget based on the previous month's under spend, and this buffer rolls month on month.

This month we probably won't touch the eat out budget because we had a take away from mum and dad, but I have overspent on fuel, which isn't in routine spends (like rent and utilities), at the end of the month I work out my non- routine spend total (school, discretionary, grocery, birthdays etc) against the total budget for non-routine spends. Any left over goes into the buffer float for next month, or I dip into it. That way there's no guilt. I should say this is from a position of not being in debt and this is just what works for us. I just worry when you call buying things that are just for enjoyment, e.g. wine as unnecessary overspend and indulgences. For me budgeting without elements allowed for enjoyment will spell doom. But I am a very different creature I am sure!

purpleybat

done my last shop for the month (thanks to my sister changing her mind on what she wants to eat while staying at the weekend!) so would like to submit my total of.... drum roll please.... £148.59!!


considering I thought I was going to be about £15 over I'm really pleased. have totted up and I had 21 no shopping days too

thriftwizard

Sigh... gone over again, with £4 spent at Wednesday's market & £10 at the supermarket today (some of which will go halfway into next month) and there will be more spent at the market tomorrow, BUT I have now managed to work out what actually works for us. With 4 adults, 2 of whom have special dietary needs (as advised by doctors) 2 elderly cats (one of whom also has special dietary needs, as advised by the vet, thanks to a urinary tract problem) 2 cockatiels and 11 assorted chickens, £400 per month is easily achievable and affordable as things stand. So for the next 3 months, that's what I will aim for. It probably seems a lot - well, it does to me - but it's what I need to spend if I'm to provide OH and DD2 with food that doesn't damage their digestive systems & state of mind.

So, savings will have to be be made in other areas instead, to build up reserves. Luckily, that's entirely do-able!

lynnejk

Evening folks

Well done those coming in under or on budget and commiserations to those who didn't.

RANT ALERT !
I do wish peoples wouldn't use that horrible 'F' word on here - it's a learning curve for us all, especially when you're in the first few months. It's meant to be helpful, showing you where you can maybe make better planning, budgeting and shopping choices and set a realistic level for you.

It's not an exam or a competition - please try to look at it more constructively and don't decry yourselves. Just by taking the challenge on you're doing something positive and definitely not 'F' if you didn't get it quite right. Just add a few tweaks
SORRY - RANT OVER !

Another NSD here and think I will manage to get to the end of the month with just one more shop at the week-end for usual weeklies.

The February thread is up and running for those wishing to sign up for another month

Hope you all have a frugal Friday
Lx