May 2017 Grocery Challenge

Suffolk_lass

armchairexpert wrote: »

Elsie this was so pleasant to read! And if it makes you feel better, this is how my kids are growing up. The cinema is twice a year and then there's often a cinema party thrown by a friend so 3. Our parties are all at home. Last year we got out a plastic waterslide, the kind you squirt washing up liquid on and then set the hose going, and the kids slid down it in their swimsuits and then ate crisps and sandwiches and a token fruit platter and there was lemonade and a Victoria sponge.

When our Son was three we had a picnic planned and on the day the weather was bad, so we moved the furniture out of the sitting room and put down some of that paper tablecloth on a roll and had our picnic in the sitting room on the floor with paper plates and cups. We gave out paper placemats and about 3 coloured crayons for each child so they coloured them in before eating their picnic off them. After that we played pass-the-parcel (with a tiny treat in each layer so each child won something) and then sent them all home with a satsuma and a balloon each. Clearing up involved folding everything up in the tablecloth and binning it and a quick wipe of some sticky finger marks on the toilet door-handle - it was the most stress-free party we've ever had and these memories jogged mine. Thank you for sharing

Cappella

Goodness, lots of birthday party memories surfacing here. Lovely posts

Spent an eye watering £45 yesterday online on a huge bulk buy of tinned dog food. Free delivery though and enough to last for several months. We have a good storage space under the bottom pantry shelf luckily.
Have rounded up my signature and updated it.

[Deleted User]

£63.61 / £230 so far this month. Treated myself to a couple of bottles of the old vino collapso. :beer:
Meal planning and internet shopping is really cutting down the need for impulse buys. Hoping to keep on target this month

Lauralozzle

Just done big shop, house-hold stuff from Home Bargains, food stuff from Aldi and Asda.

I'm now at £125.25/£250 but I would really like to hit £180 this month to make up for unexpected spends from last month.

kscour

£89.08/£100 for this week - so chuffed with myself as I really thought I'd struggle to keep to the £100. Only week 1 though so I'm not going to count my chickens yet

Wysiwyg49

Stuck closely to list and had £10 to take off in Sainsb "nectar" points (which just shows how much I spend in the place!!) So my food shop today was an amazing £47.66.

Running total is £151.22, hope we won't need anything much until next weekend now.

thriftwizard

A massive £120.50 spent over the last week, and more to come tomorrow when I go down to L!DLs. Why on earth is it so hard to find tinned chickpeas all of a sudden? Anyone know?

YorksLass

thriftwizard wrote: »

Why on earth is it so hard to find tinned chickpeas all of a sudden? Anyone know?

If you have a Sainsbobs near you, (KTC) chickpeas are on offer at 35p for a 400g can until 27 June as are the same brand and size cans of blackeye beans, white kidney beans, tomatoes (chopped and peeled plum) and kala chana (brown chickpeas). Usually found in the World Foods aisle/Asian section. I often shop in that aisle as I find the products are cheaper than the sm's own brands. Plus my DDiL who is Polish has introduced me to some very tasty Polish foods - I just need her to translate for me!

Wysiwyg49 wrote: »

Stuck closely to list and had £10 to take off in Sainsb "nectar" points (which just shows how much I spend in the place!!) So my food shop today was an amazing £47.66

I'm going to start spending my points there on groceries too. I've earmarked some for a replacement wheeled suitcase (DH is getting too old to be lugging our current one around ) but I'll still have around £80-worth left to spend. Tbh, there's not much we need/want from the places where you can redeem them so spends on groceries will suit me just fine.

XSpender

70's party tea was a success and my Mum and I had a good time reminiscing about my childhood parties. I haven't managed to fathom out how to load the photo but will have another go.

There are lots of party left overs, enough for DH and I to have some supper tonight and for lunch tomorrow. The biscuits and cakes will last all week!

DH has spent all day clearing the garden including 6 or 7 tip runs and lots of manual labour so have bought him some beers at £5.40 as he is worn out.

My aim this week is to stick to the meal plan, not waste any food, not to do any top shops and to spend less than £40 on my internet shop on Friday (excluding beer).

Finishing this week on £278.62/£400

mcculloch29

So pleased that the party went well. I would like to get a few non-food items from town in the next day or two, but try and avoid a grocery spend if possible. Will have to discipline myself!