October 2017 Grocery Challenge

[Deleted User]

XSpender wrote: »

I am still going strong on Go Sober for October!

Well done - me too, though I did stop August 27, but have carried it on because of that - am craving pineapple, weirdly !!!

Had a few mini spends, am concentrating on stores. Bought a ton of Portobello mushrooms (17 in total - yikes !!!!!), absolutely massive ones. Gonna have to turn them into something 'el pronto', soup, tagliatelle, risotto, maybe stuffed. Thinking cap on. Maybe some mushroom pate - never made it before. Just want/need avocado & tomatoes and that's me done this week. Do you know they now have 'low fat' avocado's, whatever next. And for any fellow vegans - Sainsbury's are now stocking Vegenaise - the absolute best egg free mayo - even better than Hellman's. Have a lovely w/e everyone. Have updated sig.

YorksLass

Evening all,

Week 2 saw two more small spends so total for the week was £32.94 and I remembered to use a 25p MOC on the milk.

My Week 3 starts today and have spent £8.28 in the market plus £6.90 on two battered haddock from the chippie (a treat for tonight) with hm mushy peas.

This week's planned dinners are:
Saturday - Curry & rice (probably prawn but could be chicken)
Sunday - Cottage pie, sprouts, carrots (meat base ready in freezer, just need to defrost and add mash)
Monday - Beef & green pepper stir fry in black bean sauce & noodles
Tuesday - Cabbage stew with minced beef
Wednesday - Scampi, chips & peas
Thursday - Meatballs in sauce & pasta

Going well so far, with £127.49/£200 left in this month's budget but won't get complacent just yet as this is a 5-week month for us.

thriftwizard

An unexpected NSD today, which may cost me dear! My 91 y.o. Mum was rushed to hospital this morning - she's OK, not too bad - so I spent the day at her bedside instead of doing my usual weekly shop at the local market. Not begrudged at all, but it may mean a trip to the supermarket... Luckily there's lots in the freezer, and DD2 made a lovely lentil dahl for OH & I to come home to. There are plenty of veg still at the allotment, but fruit, cheese & bread will all be needed at some stage soon.

Need2bthrifty

Hi Folks,

Intended going to Lid! for a quick 4 item shop but a traffic re-route made it more convenient to stop in at @ldi and although some of the items on my list were on offer I did pick up more than I intended especially some of the super six, but in saying that they will all be used - chicken breasts, eggs, greek yoghurt, soft cheese, carrots, parsnips, onions, field mushrooms and a cheap bottle of diet lemonade = £7.85, taking total to £32.69 so far.

Menu for the week has been quickly drawn up but may change depending on how well the vegetables are keeping -

Fri - Pork Chop Hotpot
Sat - Smoked Haddock.......something
Sun - Chicken, chickpea and mixed veg curry
Mon - Macaroni Cheese
Tues - BLT & Portobello mushroom stack
Wed - Baked Potato with tuna mayo salad
Thurs - Chicken goujons, dipping sauce, side salad

BrassicWoman

£12, lots of fruit, hummus, some vegan burgers, and ingredients for emergency cake as I keep having cravings and then popping out and buying too much.....

YORKSHIRELASS

CattyCat I always feel really self conscious when my brother and family come to stay because they buy everything organic, branded, top of the range and they just dont understand keeping to a budget. Even though they would never complain I find it hard not to rush out and restock my cupboards.

Feels like it has been a disastrous week food wise. DS and DH are both poorly with sickness bugs so not eating which in theory should have made things simple but twice I have cooked meals which havent been eaten and its been hard to keep to the mealplan.

So tomorrow I will do a complete stock take and make the plan for next week!

elsiepac

chocoholic_chick wrote: »

How ungrateful of your friend! If my friend had offered to put me up and I happened not to like the food in, I'd certainly not make a fuss and I'd certainly wouldn't expect them to buy new food just for me! If I really didn't like it and couldn't eat it I'd just say I'll treat us and buy a few bits/treat them to a takeaway!

Totally agree! This seems very selfish, but it's probably a lack of awareness... and he definitely should have paid for at least one meal out as a thank you! I feel really sorry for you, it's horrible when budgets get blown because of circumstances you weren't expecting. I'm still annoyed at this person not liking any of the food you had though, that's just beyond fussy and ungrateful!

NewShadow

NewShadow wrote: »

The plan is finished for this week. Now I just need to get my finger out and plan for next week. Never-ending

New total = £93.48 on food/drink + £7.60 for 'Social' stuff.

The Plan keeping it simple.

Bacon and cauliflower pasta bake - Saturday/Sunday
Buffet lunch at an event on Monday lunchtime, so soup and sarnie for Monday dinner if I'm hungry.
I've potatoes to bake for lunches at work this week Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday
Chilli in the slow cooker Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday dinnertime
Friday is always leftover day.

_thriftwizard wrote:

My 91 y.o. Mum was rushed to hospital this morning - she's OK, not too bad - so I spent the day at her bedside instead of doing my usual weekly shop at the local market.

Sorry to hear that thriftwizard. Good she's okay but it must have been a bit of a stressful time

ETA: Today (Saturday) is already a spendy day :eek:

£21.05 spent in the works online - 20% discount from the site, plus potentially 12% cashback (if it tracks) - and five people's christmas gifts sorted:

3*3m of generic non-seasonal wrapping paper, Gesso and iridescent medium for an arty friend, 2018 classic car calendar and diary set for my mum's partner, a 2018 titanic calendar for a friend I'll be visiting for New Year, a book on fishing for a co-worker, and a couple of Cars sticker/activity books for my boss' car obsessed 5 year old.

If the cashback tracks it'll work out as less than £4 each person... could be worse

I've already got my mum's gift stashed and I know my dad wants/needs a new phone (which won't be cheap) so I think it's good I've got these things out of the way now.

New total = £93.48 on food/drink + £28.65 for 'Social' stuff.

CRANKY40

Save_Dosh wrote: »

And for any fellow vegans - Sainsbury's are now stocking Vegenaise - the absolute best egg free mayo - even better than Hellman's. Have a lovely w/e everyone. Have updated sig.

I have an egg allergy so I'm putting this on next weeks shopping list thanks.

El_Debster

Well this hasn't been as easy as I thought!:(. I had my mother here for a visit and that changed my plans but the bottom line is spending since the 1st October: £79.08. That means I have only £20.92 for the rest of the month! :eek:
However I have freezer stock and a quick check reveals
Ratatouille and Linginue parmesan cheese x 2
Bolognaise sauce Linguine etc.x 2
frozen sea bass spinach and ratatouille x 2
Spinach, Lentil and coconut curry and brown rice x2
Egg fried rice x 2
Also I can make yogurt with yogurt maker 900ml
Home made bread
Home made biscuits
Porridge for Breakfast
apart from milk and a possibly a few other bits and pieces I shouldn't need another shop until Saturday:j