February 2017 Grocery Challenge

Winchelsea

Just been out food shopping for the first time for a week. Just got the things I needed - eight items for £4.59 from Liddlies.
Milk, cooking oil, a wholemeal loaf, sultanas, tin of peaches, bananas, tomatoes and celery. With what I have in my cupboards, freezer etc, I have the makings of some tasty nourishing meals. And my total spend for February so far is £27.10. I'm very happy with that!

Hoping to get some money back into my savings soon. My latest great grandson was born on 28th December, and I saw him on January 2nd - in Malaysia! I guess that's what savings are for!

Islandmaid

NSD

Store cupboard curry tonight, tinned toms, potatoes and chickpeas with some fresh spinach chucked in. With Homemade Naan and brown rice

fairy3

Hi all - haven't posted for ages then just lost half a post! Still on target and shopping the freezer.
Thanks for the link to the budget blog have also bookmarked it...
DD gone off for the week skiing in the french alps so just the boy and me - Pie will feature am sure.
8 NSD's and menu planned until end of month (28th) totals up to today are £57.78/95 but will need veggies for the end of the week.
Have a good day everyone

ancientmum

Hi
I have updated my signature, my month does not end until 27th February, so another weekend shop to do before then. I will also need some bread before the weekend.
Good luck to everyone in March.

pinkypig

Hi everyone. I too have been very lax about posting:o. Life is just nuts at the moment, but unlike previous occasions when time has been short, I've kept on top of things at home.
The house isn't spotless but it's ok, the laundry is more or less done and we've eaten really well due to a well stocked freezer and a some good, basic store cupboard ingredients. I've got one more week until pay day and I'm still under a £100:j:j.
Don't know how I'd manage without this thread, it's brilliant.
Good luck for the rest of the month everyone
PP x

Flat_Eric

I set a budget for Feb of £250. As at yesterday, I've spent £381.55 and there is a week of Feb left.

I'm not sure if I was being too optimistic with my budget. I have overspent this month and interesting as and when I visited the shops, I tried (and thought I was being good) buying just what I thought I needed. I'm still buying food and then meal planning... If I can meal plan and then buy food then I'll do better.

I don't really need much this week so trying to stay out of the shops and avoid a home delivery at the weekend. Hoping to meal plan today/tomorrow. Freezer full and lots in fridge too.

elsiepac

Some of you have truly impressive spends (or lack of!) this month! I'm in awe!

I made bread last night - been ages since I did and I was so pleased I did! I just got on with it as soon as I got home from work, then left it to prove whilst I did my Weekly Home Blessing Hour (FlyLady!) and then it was ready to go in the oven! The making of only took 30 or 40 minutes, so it's yet another thing that I need to get my head around doesn't take as long as I think it does in my head!!

I made 2 batches - a wholemeal loaf and 8 wholemeal knot rolls topped with pumpkin seeds!

Amazed they turned out so well but feeling quite chuffed with myself. And it's so cheap!!

£0.007 1 tsp salt
£0.10 2 tbsp olive oil (1 in the mix and 1 for greasing the tray/tin)
£0.33 500g bread flour (unsure how much this cost so estimated £1 for the 1.5kg bag)
£0.10 7g sachet yeast (again can't find price online so estimated 80p for the pack)

This is per batch, so rounding up my loaf cost me 50p total
My rolls were topped with maybe 2 tbsps max of pumpkin seeds which is 26p so they cost 76p total, so they are just under 10p each.
BARGAIN!!

[Deleted User]

I find I do my menu for the week on a sunday morning and pin it up and can see at a glance exactly what I need from the cupboard or freezer and anything I need or have run low/out of I have on a small list by the kettle as I am a total tea or coffee nut :):) so always see it when i stick the kettle on

JensFeet

Flat_Eric wrote: »

I set a budget for Feb of £250. As at yesterday, I've spent £381.55 and there is a week of Feb left.

I'm not sure if I was being too optimistic with my budget. I have overspent this month and interesting as and when I visited the shops, I tried (and thought I was being good) buying just what I thought I needed. I'm still buying food and then meal planning... If I can meal plan and then buy food then I'll do better.

I don't really need much this week so trying to stay out of the shops and avoid a home delivery at the weekend. Hoping to meal plan today/tomorrow. Freezer full and lots in fridge too.

Hi FlatEric

I was wondering what your budget was previously and how many people are in your house - and is this contributing to your 'overspend'? I meal plan weeks in advance but since joining in here have been more determined to make the plans around what is already in the cupboards, fridge and freezers. Sorry - not trying to teach granny to suck eggs (as they say) especially as I can see you are a veteran poster here!! I am attempting to cut my £300 to £260 next month but worried it's not going to be realistic - although no harm done as luckily the money will be there if I do go over.

For me the absolute biggest thing has been to keep out of the shops completely. Doubling up on milk and butter when I'm replenishing and making sure there is enough loo roll, dishwasher stuff, washing liquid, shower gels etc so that I'm not 'forced' to go into a shop for topping up. I simply cannot walk past the 'bargains'.

I hope you manage to get your meal plan done today around what you've got in your well stocked fridge and freezer. Good luck.


I had NSD #13 yesterday and don't need anything today - but my DD may have other plans for us! Will be using up freezer fodder for evening meal today and I need to prep items in the fridge for the freezers (while trying to magic some space in them) so as to avoid wasting items. I will need fresh bread on Thursday I think - probably milk too.

Ginmonster

Elsiepac -I agree with you about the breadmaking. Joining this forum has made me get back into making it and I'd forgotten how much nicer tasting and cheaper it was. I've got loads of dried yeast in stores from an Approved Foods order I did a month or two ago and I'm actually using it now so it's actually a bargain.


I bought some seeds and a little propagator tray to start growing some herbs on the windowsill as I find the potted plant ones from the sm get used up too quickly to have a chance to grow back. Just need to plant them now. Maybe that's something to do with my boy at the weekend.