June 2018 Grocery Challenge

elsiepac

JingsMyBucket wrote: »

What I find tends to help me is that I say, "Okay, my total budget for the month is !!!8364;300. There are four weeks. I'm going to trying keeping it to !!!8364;40/week and then I'll have about a !!!8364;140 buffer for the bulk buys and if I go over one week."

Doing it that way helps me push certain large purchases to the following week or re-evaluate if they're really needed at all. I realized that I ended up focusing on just what was needed to make meals and use up what was in the fridge. Also by leaving room to do bulk buys or stock ups, I don't feel immediately hemmed in and eventually rebel against the budget.

Would doing that mental sectioning at the beginning of the month help you instead of spending a lot the first week then having to scrimp for the rest of the month? Or is the impulse to buy about something else? No worries if not and I'll shut my yap.

I think it's taken me a while to get there mentally. By dropping my budget down by another !!!8364;100 this June, I'm testing to see if I feel too constrained or not.

Thanks for the tips Jings, I do a similar thing, usually try and allow about £30 a week and the rest is usually on a big stock up at the beginning of the month, which is why it goes so quick! My issue at the moment is a massive lack of time and therefore mealplanning, I used to be so good at it but am really finding it hard to do at the moment.

FoxFace wrote: »

Hi everyone, I'm back again after a long hiatus. Unfortunately DH's hours have been cut so we need to tighten our belts a LOT.

Nice to see you back, I always enjoyed seeing your meal plans!

FoxFace wrote: »

Just had some lovely HM bean burgers... just a tin of value kidney beans and a grated carrot, with a flax "egg" and some herbs and spices blitzed up in a food processor, breadcrumbed and lightly fried. Had them in some of the YS buns I picked up the other day Actually delish!

They sound fab! I'm no good at homemade bean burgers, I can never get the consistency right and they scare me :rotfl: maybe i should just be braver!! You've inspired me!

mylastpound

Just done my last bit of shopping and spent £8.12 in Home Bargins and FarmFoods
Bringing my spend for Week 1 to £61.59. Hopefully wont need anything until Saturday next week.


£61.59 / £250

pamsdish

First shop of June as needed Argos click and collect, had remains of a friends Argos card I claimed for her £79 she didn`t know she had through her leccy and gas payments, £14.37 left on card I needed a new laundry hamper and shower head, took advantage of 2 for £15 so 63p paid for £23.98 of goods.
Called in Aldi for some salad bits bought a doughnut maker reduced to £8.99, going to experiment with some low carb doughnuts, total grocery spend £16.05

Doom_and_Gloom

beenthere_donethat wrote: »

How often do you have a bulk budget, D&G?

To be honest it's on as and when our stocks are looking very low now. Next month our month budget will likely be lower to counteract the bulk buys.

Spent £3.52 of the month budget; milk, cola, giraffe bread, leeks and bananas.
£1.60 of the bulk on 2 reduced packs of bfree pizza bases, bargain :beer:. These are in the freezer.

June
£36.77/£150
£133.23 left.

Bulk
£50.27/£90
£39.73 left

K9sandFelines

FoxFace wrote: »

Morning all, just here to wish you all a happy weekend and to log myself a NSD

Just had some lovely HM bean burgers... just a tin of value kidney beans and a grated carrot, with a flax "egg" and some herbs and spices blitzed up in a food processor, breadcrumbed and lightly fried. Had them in some of the YS buns I picked up the other day Actually delish!

Hi Foxface, just come to check on the thread. Have you returned back to your vegan meal planning thread? Used to enjoy following that for inspo. Welcome back

K9sandFelines

mylastpound wrote: »

OMG! How come ive only just found out about my supermarket website which is a price comparison!!!. Just put my weekly shop into it and ASDA comes back at £43, id usually go Sainsbury, but they quoted £48!


Printed off my list and il be going Asda tomorrow Morning! i need to get with the times lol


Does anyone else use it?

Hi i use it and you used to be able to get cashback via topcashback aswell, but think that stopped. Don't forget you can set up alerts on things you buy alot, incase they go on offer somewhere. Enjoy

Mrs_Cheshire

Another £27.73 to add to the total, £18.18 in B$M, £8.55 in Icel*nd and £1 in £stretcher. Got snacks, herbs, ice creams, wipes and a few other bits. Should last for a little while!

MadamMim2013

£56.72 on various spends since the 1st..:eek:
Need to have a rummage and meal plan for this week, really want to use up some of the odds in the freezer.

Merlin's_Beard

£48.32 in Tesco this morning, including lots of store items I was running low on and/or were on special offer... That with the Amazon run for my hair stuff (£8.40) and the special trip to the Co-op for the £1.75 Ben and Jerry's (it must be MSE, it was in the email!)... so I'm at £57.97/£100

But on the bright side, between the 10kg bag of rice and the 3kg bag of pasta and the 10L of cat litter and living on the second floor, I must have got a free gym workout included..!

I should be meal planned nearly two weeks ahead as well, with batch cooking.

JingsMyBucket

Hey all. My first spend of June was on Saturday. I used the €5 coupon I got last last week as well as a €1.99 store credit that the store gave me for double charging me last week too. I learned from the customer service person that if I notice an issue, I should immediately call the grocery store next time and then I'll have 3 days to return to get the money back. Because I didn't do that this first time, she only issued me a store credit and not actual money back. Oh well, now I know.

€26.84 at Delhaize: lots of 2 for 1 household products so I got enough detergent to last until the end of summer along with other cleaners. I also picked up some bananas, radishes, and cream cheese to make a dip for eating the radishes.

I sauteed half the radish greens this afternoon along with some mushrooms, garlic and fatty pork for a nice lunch. We have enough Greek yoghurt to last us for a while. There's a head of cauliflower in the fridge that I may turn into mashed cauliflower with a ton of butter and garlic. I think the next grocery shop for vegetables and cream for the mashed cauliflower may be tomorrow morning.

TOTALS SO FAR:
€26.84 / €300.00
3 / 10 NSD

Hopeless_Case wrote: »

That's a really good idea!

I've already gone the online shop to try and buy staples for the month route this month, but I think your way makes more sense and I'll try it next month

You're very welcome @Hopeless Case, glad it was helpful for you.