January 2019 Grocery Challenge

thriftwizard

£48.15 gone this morning, £28 at the market, where a little more will vanish tomorrow or Sunday, and £20.15 at the butchers, for two biggish free-range chickens from a known & trusted source. I wrestled with myself for a bit as I know I could have bought the chickens much cheaper at the supermarket, but as a poultry-keeper on a tiny scale myself I know how most meat birds, even free-range ones, are kept and I don't really want to be a part of that. So I'll have to cut back on something else. I'd also prefer to help keep the very good local butcher's shop in business, rather than have that turn into yet another patisserie.

To be fair, the chickens will feed 4 of us for Sunday lunch, then 2 of us for a curry with at least 2 more portions to freeze for next week, and do at least another main meal (stir-fry, pie or similar) for 2, so 10 main meal dishes for £20, plus the carcasses to make a good stock & pick over for soup-scraps/kitty treats, doesn't work out too shabby.

I will also be doing salmon steaks (at £10 for 4 portions, expensive, but I have to get some protein into my pescatarian daughters & we've "done" fish pie, kedgeree, trout & mackerel in rotation, it's salmon's turn!) and a venison chasseur with venison from the freezer. Half of which will probably be frozen for next week's meal, or go into a pie. Thursday night is always our eat-it-up night, when we eat up anything that's lurking in the fridge, in pies, stir-fry or baked potatoes, depending on resources, before re-stocking on Friday.

lantanna

Setting Febs budget at £170 includes alcohol, cleaning products and toiletries. Half at least will go out tomorrow on click and collect. Payday today.

YorksLass

MadamMim2013 wrote: »

Did note in my local small Sainsbobs they were selling off both the Suet & Vegi version under the “when it’s gone “ shelves.. can’t believe they won’t be stocking either again?
The packs had a 2020 date on them so bought one.

Thanks for the reminder about suet, I've added it to my list!

A total of £19.12 spent this week on milk, potatoes, sprouts, broccoli, 2 growlers (pork pies ), sandwich meats and a half leg of lamb for Sunday dinner. We've had a few snow flurries today with more to come over the weekend so it's a nice feeling to know we don't need to venture out in the cold.

YorksLass wrote: »

Next month I'll be looking at stocking up on toilet rolls, tissues and teabags and then I think I'll be OK for quite some time to come. Everything's long dated (2021/2) and it will all get used over the course of time.

I've decided to bring this forward to next week as I still have £66.42 left in this month's budget. OK, it's a 5-week month for us but we've already got next week's stores in (and beyond ), so essentially I'll only have one week left to cater for. Also, as MadamMim2013 mentioned, prices seem to be slowly creeping up - the B factor maybe?

I hope everyone's where they want/need to be on the challenge and wish all a good weekend - keep warm.

tighteningthebelt

Hi all,
Got 140 dishwasher tablets and 2 dishwasher cleaning bottles today from aldi while on specialbuys... Dishwasher won't be far behind!
Plus a 68p tub of plain yogurt to convert last nights leftovers into curry for 3, was nice.
I've organised my signature for the totals.
Feel the need to 'confess' that I'm having kitchen alterations done starting 28th, so I'm simultaneously spending and scrimping, feels a bit odd, but that's how it is this month. It's not a full refit but it's going to really improve the function for me. I'm looking forward to it.
Have a good weekend everyone.

Hopeless_Case

£5.35 spend yesterday so £95.39/£200 so far

Lifeisforliving19

£12.45 on fruit/veg and half sack of potatoes, so that brings my month so far up to £135.84/£200. Think we should do it ok, but would really like to do better next month. The only thing that might snooker me soon, is that I will need to buy toilet rolls probably in about a week or so and want to bulk buy as it is a saving in the end, but will be a massive chunk out of one month's budget.

pamsdish

£15.21 in Aldi just in case of promised bad weather next week.
3 celeriac, love it, sprouts, broccoli, 2 1/2 price rib eye steaks, eggs choc, some strong flour, to try making some bread, and denti stix for the dog.

trailingspouse

Second shop of the year just completed. £15.92 (Aldi) for some mince, some chicken thigh fillets, some cheese, bread, milk, and fruit and veg.

We're still finishing up the Christmas food!! Have just about emptied the freezer, but I'm beginning to think I'll never need to buy biscuits or alcohol ever again!
I've got some vouchers via my Asda credit card, so will be spending those on items that I can't get at Aldi - Persil washing powder for starters.

lantanna

Big Tesco click and collect today. £95.83 . Went to M nd S as well and £21.oo there so £119.83 in total.

Fully stocked up now and now intending on bying anymore groceries for 2 weeks.

Esthermate

£5.96 in Tesco on milk and ys bananas
£84.70/£100