February 2017 Grocery Challenge

zafiro1984

JensFeet wrote: »

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'.

Jensfeet:- me too, It's not YS with me as I go at a time when there are very few of them, it's seeing things "I may need" or "like" even though I go with a list I rarely come out with what is just listed. I try hard to beat the supermarkets at their own game so I find online deliveries good as it resists temptation.

[Deleted User]

I have been to the shops once in 9 days, and spent £2. Very happy with that, alas my fridge is looking rather bare, I have free from cheese, mushrooms, some cucumber, and veggies - tons of veggies actually, also egg free mayo, sauces, beetroot, etc. so, going to leave it like that 'till Friday - if I can bare to, as I really want to use up cupboard and freezer stocks. So, breakfasts will be fruit smoothies - I have frozen blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, cherries, kiwi, banana, lunches soup, loads of homemade in freezer and then a freezer/cupboard dive for evening meal, maybe some roast veg. Well that's the plan. Have a lovely day everyone.

Art_Deco

Well I have way overspent again, but Im not seeing it as a failure, just a learning curve. When I think about it , £300 a month for 4 adults, roughly works out at £2.50 a day each for breakfast, dinner tea , snacks, drinks,toiletries , soap powder etc,etc, and not forgetting the fussy cat lol!!. So I will check all my receipts again ,see if I can be more realistic next month, thanks again for all your handy hints and tips.

[Deleted User]

No one fails on here we all do try our best and sometimes things happen unexpectedly,or someone appears and the food vanishes in my case its usually one of my grandsons I swear they have hollow legs:)I find also if I only pay cash and only take just about enough to cover what I am buying then I don't get tempted too much

Flat_Eric

JensFeet wrote: »

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.

I have attempted the Grocery Challenge before but have never stuck to my budget and usually stop counting when I go over.

Its me, my OH and a fussy cat. My spends include everything. Treat spends (chocolate/booze), special meals, toiletries, cat food, stuff that might be on offer that I know my mum can make use of, stuff I buy for a friend (new products etc/stuff only available from a certain store that I shop at) This favour is returned. All adds up.

I tend to eat the same stuff week in week out and really I should be eating up what I have and stop finding stuff to buy. I'm looking forward to meal planning properly and saving money in March

Ginmonster

Flat Eric -Don't forget as well that we all count different things in our spends. I only count food and not any cleaning stuff for instance. And I don't count the fact that my husband buys his lunch at the work canteen every day whereas mine comes out of the groceries because I take in leftovers. I'm sure that I've spent less just by recording everything though because it's making me think about it more and make sure I waste less and that's probably true for all of us.


On a separate note I spent a whole 29p on carrots today as I fancied some just to snack on at my desk and I'd forgotten to bring a couple in from home. I love carrots!

Islandmaid

Another NSD here . Trying to push it a few more days

Tonight's delights are HM Enchiladas - no jars, and uses up some peppers and onions that were starting to look sad

Fruittea

That bread looks gorgeous Elsiepac I wish mine turned out like that.
Ginmonster is right Flat Eric we all count different things - I do just the food but I must admit that the meal planning is working out to be the best thing for me as I'm getting through the freezer stuff. I won't be needing the veg box again this week as most of the veg it will come out of the freezer.
On the home grown front I still have 4 large butter nut squashes and plenty of onions that won't last much longer so I'll be planning them into meals.
The thread has really opened my eyes though.

PipneyJane

Evening All.

We survived the weekend. Just. The hubby wanted to do a "big shop" and got very argumentative when I reminded him of my £50 February challenge. I tried and failed to explain my emotional reasons for doing this, but eventually he gave in and agreed to stick it out for another 9 days (as it was at that point). Anyway....

We didn't quite avoid shopping. Bought two big Yeo Valley yoghurts and four onions in Mr T's, spending £2.65. The onions are relatively large and weren't packed in plastic, but the big incentive was the small saving of 35p over the farm shop which, normally, wouldn't be a consideration.. Also, this meant that I could avoid the temptations of the farm shop, where weird looking broccoli (??Florentina?? It tastes the same as normal) and sprout tops tend to jump into my shopping bag. Re the latter, I dislike brussel sprouts but sprout tops are more like cabbage and cheap, so I find them edible.

As mentioned before, washing powder is running desperately low - we only have one wash-worth left - so we headed off to L*dl to find the mythical 99p washing powder that everyone's been talking about on this thread. I say mythical because I've been to several L*dl and can't even find a price for it on the shelves. You all obviously purchased them :T. Worst case scenario, we'll just have to wash the clothes with the ancient value stuff from under the sink.

With the £2.65 spend above, that brings our total grocery spend to £47.38, leaving £2.62 out of the £50 target. I think we will make it. :beer:

Mrs_Cheshire

PipneyJane wrote: »

Evening All.

We survived the weekend. Just. The hubby wanted to do a "big shop" and got very argumentative when I reminded him of my £50 February challenge. I tried and failed to explain my emotional reasons for doing this, but eventually he gave in and agreed to stick it out for another 9 days (as it was at that point). Anyway....

We didn't quite avoid shopping. Bought two big Yeo Valley yoghurts and four onions in Mr T's, spending £2.65. The onions are relatively large and weren't packed in plastic, but the big incentive was the small saving of 35p over the farm shop which, normally, wouldn't be a consideration.. Also, this meant that I could avoid the temptations of the farm shop, where weird looking broccoli (??Florentina?? It tastes the same as normal) and sprout tops tend to jump into my shopping bag. Re the latter, I dislike brussel sprouts but sprout tops are more like cabbage and cheap, so I find them edible.

As mentioned before, washing powder is running desperately low - we only have one wash-worth left - so we headed off to L*dl to find the mythical 99p washing powder that everyone's been talking about on this thread. I say mythical because I've been to several L*dl and can't even find a price for it on the shelves. You all obviously purchased them :T. Worst case scenario, we'll just have to wash the clothes with the ancient value stuff from under the sink.

With the £2.65 spend above, that brings our total grocery spend to £47.38, leaving £2.62 out of the £50 target. I think we will make it. :beer:

The l*dl wash powder was a weekend special I think, I purchased 3 boxes on saturday, 1 each of bio, non-bio and colour!