March 2017 Grocery Challenge

armchairexpert

Bluegreen you could, arguably, count the truffle ingredients towards a 'gifts' budget and not the groceries budget - it just happened that you were buying your gift in a supermarket, and it's edible!

I'm at $41 left for the month with a week's shopping to do on Saturday, and there is no earthly way I am going to manage that even if I slash to the bone. I do have a freezer full of meat, and a few vegetables left over, but no milk, nothing for lunches, snacks, the things that keep my family happy! I'm still going to see how cheap I can make it, and I think I've set myself up for success next month, but this one will be a fai...I mean, a roaring success in the learning department!

ancientmum

Well, I have still a week to go and only £2.50 left in the kitty. I have been thinking this over and realise that I may have set my target too low, as I am in the fortunate position of being able to afford to spend a bit more, just naturally tight! I think I need to be kinder to myself and DS3, so I am not constantly thinking about how I am going to manage. I have also decided that there are some things (like toilet rolls) that I would rather spend a bit more on. I have found that the cheap Aldi ones do not last as long as the Sains own brand, and the latter are softer too!
As someone else on here has said, there is no failure, we are all facing different challenges in real life. So I will continue with this month and then reassess for April. Good luck to everyone.

XSpender

Lunch money for DH and 2 pots of skyr for £2.50 as the greek yogurt was too expensive put me on £445.14/£400.

ancientmum

meg72 wrote: »

Sorry but did have a giggle at the small child as I well remember those days when had little people thought it strange that what used to have me tearing my hair out now makes me giggle LOL the joys of old age eh.

Me too meg. I sympathise with DS1 and DDIL, when they complain how fussy the children are, but am secretly thinking "payback time"!:rotfl:

Ginmonster

Bluegreen - don't beat yourself up about missing your target. It's a bit of a learning curve working out what the right level is for your household and that includes what you can afford, what meals you eat, what stores you have etc. You might need to keep adjusting it as you go along. Of course if you can't afford to set it any higher then you need to have a look at how to make the meals you eat cheaper - there are lots of links to recipes at the start of this thread which could give you some ideas and the people here are so great for giving suggestions and help if you need it.

oceanspirit

Vegbox and extras £18.20 which takes me over to £96.94. There'll be another box next Friday however it will be less than the last two weeks as OH and I will share the cost of a bigger box.

[Deleted User]

Bluegreen143 I wouldn't personally count presents. It's a one off. Like someone else said, if you bought flowers you probably wouldn't put it on the grocery budget.

Armchair I have put things on next months budget. If i'm in a shop and know that its definately for then and its easier to stock then go back, then I think that's fine, as long as it's being billed somewhere.

I haven't spent since last Sunday, apart from some toilet rolls. My fridge is looking a little bare, but still have salad stuff and veggies. With £17.62 in the budget and a week to go, its really doable. Gonna make soup and coleslaw with stores for the weeks lunches and have a real splurge on wants rather than needs - dairy free cheese, spreadable & block, some rolls to go with veggie burgers in n maybe some fruit for smoothies for breakfast. I also have a few cooked meals, which i've frozen. Going to do a meal plan, to make the most of my 'splurge'. Hopefully I will stay in budget. Have updated sig.

elsiepac

Save_Dosh wrote: »

I haven't spent since last Sunday, apart from some toilet rolls. My fridge is looking a little bare, but still have salad stuff and veggies. With £17.62 in the budget and a week to go, its really doable. Gonna make soup and coleslaw with stores for the weeks lunches and have a real splurge on wants rather than needs - dairy free cheese, spreadable & block, some rolls to go with veggie burgers in n maybe some fruit for smoothies for breakfast. I also have a few cooked meals, which i've frozen. Going to do a meal plan, to make the most of my 'splurge'. Hopefully I will stay in budget. Have updated sig.

One of my favourite "splurgey" treats is v10life spreadable mixed well with some Sac1a free from pesto... as a sandwich spread it's very irresistable!!

I'd love to see one of your meal plans for a few days if you'd share?

Ginmonster

A few more spends today with a pint of milk and some dried fruit for work (for tea and porridge purposes), a pack of peppers as I really fancied some nice fresh pepper with my leftover pasta lunch and a bag of small chocolate eggs to put away for an egg hunt for my boy at Easter. It feels like the end of the month (especially since it's payday for me) but I have to remember that there's another week to go!


£4.09 spent so up to £88.94/£100

elsiepac

Hi all

No more grocery spends for me this week. I had a couple of "extras" but I took them from spending money.

Declaring at £170.47 / £120

This week has been horrendous in terms of organisation but also not very pleasant in general.

Saturday I was out all day for a lovely country walk with friends and dinner at theirs. Nothing got done at home.
Sunday I was all day helping at an open day at the poultry rescue I help at then straight back to my friend's after as she's just split up with her partner so a bit lonely. there till late again.
Monday I hadbooked off work for haircut at 11 at mum and dads, then lunch out and cinema with mum. Again not home till nearly 9 so nothing "extra" got done.
Work from Tue onwards, early shift so starting at 7 - finish at 3.30. I thought great, I'll get out dead on time Tuesday, get stuff done for a couple of hours, then do the overtime I had planned for. Well I didn't get out till half 4, had less than an hour at home then back to work, work till nearly 9.
Wednesday I have mum over, nothing extra done.
thursday - again finished an hour late at work, had agreed to help my friend move some of her ex's stuff out, didn't get home till half 8 then had to work again and finished at 23.30!
As I was leaving for work this morning, I opened the door of my animal room as alwasy and found my rat (who lost her sister a few weeks ago and has been declining in health ever since even though I've been spoiling her), huddled on the floor of her cage. I thought she was dead then realised she wasn't so got her quickly in the pet carrier and snuggled up and brought her into the office with me, with a vet appt in an hours time (as I wasn't allowed to leave the office as there's only a couple of us on that early). Well, she died in the meantime so I'm gutted and have been sat in work all day trying not to cry.
I love all animals but ratties I bond with so much, it kills me when they die. I won't take in any more rescue rats unless it's life or death as I can't deal with the upset! I'm also really horrendously allergic but I would never have given these two girls up.

Feel like I haven't stopped all week. My house needs a clean as I haven't even had time hoover and I am busy this weekend again. BUT it's payday today and so I'm going to plan out my month financially and get organised again because I can't deal with life when I am only treading water!!!