October 2018 Grocery Challenge
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I have split different types of spends into categories so I can see where we can cut back.
My budget will run from 1st to 31st of October. We are on holiday for a week and away for a weekend but food spends then are from a different budget.
Meal Plan for this week:
M - HM veggie pasties with wedges and mushy peas
T - Chicken and chorizo spanish rice
W - Cheese and bacon omelette, beans and chips
Th - Pork loin, mash, cabbage, carrots and gravy
F - Vegan chilli and rice
S - Beef/bean burgers and wedges, corn on the cob
Su - Sausage, mash, cabbage, carrots
Pay off £7000 - £1743 - 19.4%
Make £2021 extra income - £99.75
I did a very small shop this morning, but was still using September's cash. There shouldn't be another grocery spend until next Monday.
I did make an impulse purchase on loo roll today, which was on special... I'll say now, that "nice" loo roll is about the only thing I won't compromise on! Life is too short for the horrible, thin stuff! So got 9 rolls of Andrex Quilted for £3.50. I don't normally see it that cheap. And as a singleton, 9 rolls, plus the two I already still have at home, will see me WELL into next year.
I rarely make impulse purchases, or buy something not on my list, but that seemed a good deal.
£0/£70 August GC
£68.35/£70 July GC
January-June 2019 = £356.94/£420
I'm about to buy oats, raisins & cake fruit out of the "bulk-buy" purse, which will hopefully see us through into the New Year, and I can make some mincemeat from our own HG apples. I'll need to order flour as well, but will leave that to next month as stocks aren't that low yet, and I'd prefer to source some sensible-sized storage tins before buying more; we go through 8Kg sacks well-within their BB4 date, so it's large rectangular tins I'm looking for! (ETA: bulk order done, still inside budget with room for flour!)
I also need to order a delivery of logs (which cut down on the household fuel bills - swings & roundabouts really as the CH goes off when the stove's alight) and get the boiler serviced, but if I can keep the grocery bill under control and all three vehicles from dilapidating any further, we should be back under control well before Christmas. Touch wood!
GC April 21 £393.73/£500
2021 Fashion on the Ration Challenge: 5/48
(Money's just a substitute for time & talent...)
First spend of the month on a couple of items that I couldn't get yesterday: £2.90 spent. The bonus was I miraculously had enough Ho11and & [email protected] points (for the 1st time since I got a loyalty card for there several years ago) to get 50p off my tub of Marigold bouillon. Thank you very much!
MFiT-5 no 45
I recently left my job, and just back from holiday, so need to tighten our belts in some areas ( and be healthier 😊).
First big shop done today at A*da of £72.77 leaves £177.23.
Should have plenty in for the week apart from a milk top up.
Grocery challenge November : £291.65/300.00 NSD 10
Grocery challenge December : £0/240.00 NSD
This recipe is from a cooking for 2 book and make 2 pasties but I usually double it to make 1 for me, 2 for my hungry DH and have one for my lunch the next day. They are just as nice warmed up and DH will even eat them cold.
4oz shortcrust pastry (or tortilla wraps which I am using tonight)
3oz frozen mixed veg
1 tbsp baked beans (I always add more)
2oz cheese, diced small
1 tblsp chutney (I use sandwich pickle for a bit of bite)
Salt and pepper
1 egg yolk (you can leave this out if you want)
Milk to glaze
Preheat oven to 190/375/gas mark 5.
Mix together veg, beans, cheese, chutney and most of the egg yolk. Season to taste.
Divide and roll pastry into 2 6" circles if using. Divide mixture between circles or wraps. Leave a small border around the edge. Add a little milk to the remaining bit of egg yolk and brush pastry edges. Fold pastry or wrap over to enclose filing and crimp the edges.
Place pasties on a baking sheet and make slits in the top and brush tops with any leftover egg/milk mixture.
Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. The wraps cook quicker.
It works with gluten free wraps too but they don't seal, taste good though.
Pay off £7000 - £1743 - 19.4%
Make £2021 extra income - £99.75
Still working my budget across the month but monitoring weekly. Spends so far this week is 53.90 when it's delivered later on. X
Good luck all
Mortgage Jan 2018 =77224, 68178 remaining
EF = 513
Does anyone have an good treat recipes that can be frozen, thinking cookies, cupcakes etc!
Jan £377.98/£380, Feb £417.83/£370 March /£400