November 2007 Grocery Challenge

hollyh

Hi all

I haven't updated much this month, I've just done what i hope will be my last shop of the month and i have £7.37 left of my budget:j

Hopefully i wont need to buy anything more;)

Liberty9515

My budget has gone a bit to pot this month.
My dad had a heart attack and I spent a week going up and down the M5 between him in hospital,and my kids who were staying at their dads for that week , as my house was upside down as i was having central heating fitted and work! My Dad is stable and back home awaiting a triple bypass as his arteries are totally knackered!
Then my PC decided to go and die on me! So a fab friend came down for a few hours from London today, I live in the south west, and give me a laptop and set it up for me. They are also going to get me a super dooper PC in the New Year, they work in computing and often get decomissioned ones through work! I am so lucky to have such good friends!
So everything has been chaos for a few weeks and I must admit I have lost track of things!
i hope things have been going well for you all.

brummiebabe

Well I've gone over budget (yet again!!) Don't know the final total, but probably around £460 instead of £400. Did have to cater for DD's bday tea aswell though!

Having said that...I have bought nappies on 3 for 2 & a box of 6pkts of pampers wipes..which should last me through December...let's just hope December's a little better (though probably won't be!!!!!:rotfl: )

rosieben

brummiebabe wrote: »

Well I've gone over budget (yet again!!) Don't know the final total, but probably around £460 instead of £400. Did have to cater for DD's bday tea aswell though!

Having said that...I have bought nappies on 3 for 2 & a box of 6pkts of pampers wipes..which should last me through December...let's just hope December's a little better (though probably won't be!!!!!:rotfl: )

I've had a few months over and a few under so will probably balance out, just as yours probably will.

If you've catered for a birthday party and bought extras then you've done well to come in so close to target :T

I've checking my gc spends over 3 months, 6 months and 12 months, to see what my average spend is. I think that be a truer picture of how I'm doing

lil_me

brummiebabe if I get bulk buys which will last well until the next month I split what I add to that month and the following ones target. When you have things like parties etc on it might be an idea to have a seperate budget for things like that. Setting yourself up thinking you have failed is not good for confidence when you've actually done very well.

Liberty, my thoughts are with you and your Dad, what a worry that must be. I think you are more than entitled given what has been happening to loose track, will be thinking of you all and fingers crossed his operation goes well.

Meal plan is done, today is tackle sorting what we have and what I need, then write shopping list. Tempted to do an online shop, shopping is annoying me lately, might look and see what codes are around as I don't want to spend more just to get a good code, would rather wait I think. I need to go to the bigger Tesco a fair distance away when my sons glasses come in anyway. Might ring them as it's been over a week.

brummiebabe

rosieben wrote: »

I've had a few months over and a few under so will probably balance out, just as yours probably will.

If you've catered for a birthday party and bought extras then you've done well to come in so close to target :T

I've checking my gc spends over 3 months, 6 months and 12 months, to see what my average spend is. I think that be a truer picture of how I'm doing

Thanks for the encouragement rosieben & lil_me - the problem is I've been over budget EVERY month so far this year!!!!:rotfl:

mikeD

brummiebabe wrote: »

Thanks for the encouragement rosieben & lil_me - the problem is I've been over budget EVERY month so far this year!!!!:rotfl:

This is a difficult one to advise on as I know nothing about your spending habits or how you as a person live your life. If I were in the same situation I would look at what I am buying and where I am buying it from. I would make sure in myself that I was doing all the things that people like Lil_me and Rosieben have been advocating. I would also look at what I am including in my GC budget, maybe there are things in there that belong to a different budget. If at the end of the day there are no further alternatives or savings to be made, then I might feel that my budget is too low, and maybe that I have to accept that is the lowest that I can reach.

However I would consider this to be a defeatist attitude and would increase my budget to a comfortable level and resolve not to go over and to gradually reduce it come what may.

I'm sorry that I cannot be more helpful but I really feel your frustration at not being able to meet your targets. Keep trying and I'm sure you will find a way. Good luck - Mike

mikeD

Well folks we're getting near to the end of the month and I have just more one big internet shop to do on the 28th. This will only relate to 2 days in this month so I am hopeful of coming in under budget :j

Liberty, I'm so sorry about your Dad. I've been through this sort of thing and I know how painful and difficult it can be. Look on the bright side, it's amazing what they can do today and if successful the heart operation may give him a complete new lease of life.


Have updated my siggy and I must leave you as Mummy is calling me down for tea :rotfl:. Good luck everybody.

belfastgirl23

Hey this thread has been busy since I last looked.

Liberty I guess your news helps us all to see that worrying about money is not always the most important thing in life...good luck, hope the op goes well for your Dad.

Brummiebabe I've been overbudget every month too despite setting fairly generous targets for just two of us. When I get a bit fed up with myself I go back and look at my records for last year (last November £500 in supermarkets :eek: and this cheers me up at least a bit.What I'm saying is find a balance between accepting responsibility for what went wrong and also seeing the things you've got right. In your shoes I would have bought the 3 for 2s as well if it's stuff you needed. Just DON'T GIVE UP!!! :T you're doing better all the time.

Well done Hollyh and tattycath you can be examples to me

And finally Egon I would def not count the nappies as part of the grocery budget. They are a one-off special expense. Also if this month has taught you that you have to stay out of supermarkets then maybe it wasn't too expensive a lesson (as a comparison I learned this lesson in M&S rather than Lidl )

As for me, another £2.88 today but THAT IS IT for this month I am not stepping foot in another shop. Which leaves me marginally over for the month.

Need to do a list tonight to figure out if it's worth doing an online Tesco shop this week although I have a slot booked just in case. I'm figuring I might try going more to Lidl for December just to see how it works out, although it is frankly a pain in the behind getting there.

Nearly there now!

LouiseJ

I now know where my money is going and its not on food!

This month I decided to take out any alcholic drinks from the food budget. My OH likes a couple of cans every night and more on a weekend. I like a glass of wine once or twice a week but thats it for me.

I am totally shocked that when I have added up my spending diary for the month so far we have spent £35.22 on just drinks in the house. This total is with buying good deals at Lidl as well, wouldnt like to think what we have spent in previous months.

OH is on a bit of a fitness drive at the moment, I think I will point out to him how many calories are in a can of Carlsberg!!

On a positive note I am well under the food budget for the month and have been sticking to my meal plans and home baking.