March 2019 Grocery Challenge

MadamMim2013

Currently £212.12/£300 so not too bad..
Fridge is bare and in need of a top up.. might do an online to stop extras or head down to Morries and pick up a few bits, shall decide later.

PipneyJane

Suffolk_lass wrote: »

This one is meant to be rather rich - I have made a cake with the same ingredients but not this version of the icing Old fashioned Chocolate Cake

Why, oh why, does she have to use sour cream? (I am not making a special trip to a supermarket tonight to buy any.) Not to worry - there were two other chocolate cake recipes on Nigella's website that might do the trick, both from Feast, both using cocoa powder. I'm 99% sure I have a copy of Feast so I will study it.

Thanks again, Suffolk Lass.

- Pip

tighteningthebelt

Hi All,
Just a quick update for March...
So far I've spent £91.78, updated signature, so I'm within budget. and I've had 15 NSDs which is good.
It's been an unusual month... I've been invited out more than usual, but only been feeding myself at home, so I've spent more socially and less on groceries. I'm out again on Saturday too.
The books still balance though, and I've got stuff in the freezer, so I'm happy.

flubberyzing

I have a snuffle that's been going on nearly a week now, and today I just wanted a pizza, which I picked up from Lidl on the way home from work.

It was 1.79, but I found 20p on the ground in the carpark on the way out, so that took it down to a 1.59 spend!

Ginmonster

I stocked up on fruit, veg, cheese and also decided to buy some cod and salmon fillets to try the 6 year old on some fish that isn't breadcrumbed or from a tin. He used to eat it as a toddler but of course the cod was rejected as yucky and weird tonight Kids! I'm going to try making a fish pie with the rest and see if that goes down any better. If not I'm sure hubby will scoff it at the weekend. £28.88 spent in total.
92.00/120

dollypeeps

shirlgirl2004 wrote: »

It's hard when you start isn't it Dollypeeps?

I'm never sure what I should include. Tonight, for example, I take my DD to play pool and she has a meal. Nothing flash and the meal and drinks come to just under £10. I don't include this is my budget although it looks as though others do. I guess it's just what suits. my biggest waste is buying snacks out but I'm curbing that at the moment. My budget is £85 for 2 adults, 1 adult that buys some meals and eats out a fair bit and then a teen and a tween.

Totally agree with you ...that's why I haven't posted anything as per a goal/ challenge yet..... taking a month or so and doing a 'spend diary'..... Well it started out as noting grocery spends then I added any takeaway spends AND then I added in other spends ...

It's primarily to track grocery/ shopping needs and spends and to set a realistic goal...I seem to have gone off track a bit recently both with spends and stuff in the cupboards ....too much or too little etc...
It certainly is an eye opener as to what you spend especially non essential items and it's turning out to be addictive too!!!! I've noted NSDs in my diary and I'm always really pleased that I can note those in there!!!! Seem to average 1-2 per week for those... So hoping I can increase that.

I think the trick is not put too much on yourself, starting slowly with 1 goal and then build up. My current target is £60 per week for supermarket spends and then £10 per week for local shops for bread milk fresh rolls etc. Usually the supermarket shop goes over into the local shop budget but it's all food shopping. Any leftover cash goes into a tin and saved for a treat usually a meal as we go on holidays like the night before we fly sort of thing.

I'm currently working with the above figure £60-70 for 4 adults for all meals ...breakfast lunch/packed lunch and main meal plus desserts snacks etc.....

thriftwizard

Eeek! A massive £150 (give or take a few pennies, literally) spent yesterday in a re-stocking run to L!dls and the wholesalers. I'm now fairly confident that we'll get through the next few weeks, whatever they may bring on the health front (I'm due to have my reversal operation next week or very soon thereafter) or indeed in the wider world. Plus a "hit" of £40 on the "Entertainments" front - I had some spare room in the van so bought in the Easter supplies of beer, cider & wine.

So I need to go cautiously at the market this weekend, though I have no idea whether I'll be able to go the following week, or whether I'll be admiring the view from my hospital bed again! (Our hospital does in fact have stunning views over the harbour, if you're on the south side; you can watch the ferries and fishing boats, and the birds, and see the sun come up over the hill. Very therapeutic and completely free!)

I still haven't factored in whatever OH has spent, but he says it's really only a couple of loaves of bread and some bananas. I've totally failed to get him to keep track for 30 years & he's not about to start now; the best idea is just to keep him out of the shops but that's not been possible lately!

ma-ri-ella

so week 1 of writing everything down and following a budget , just spent the last of week 2s money --- eeek . I did buy a handbag(charity 8 quid) in that which technically should come out the clothing allowance but i was hoping for an all in budget . Will also get some money back on shopping apps but have decided to count as a spend now then when i use the paypal/amazon see it as a freebie/cheap products

I have plenty in - will possibly need milk (only buy bread when gluten free is going cheap because normal makes me feel ill) just need to stick to the meal prep :P

euronorris

Failed the very next day! Forgot I need top up milk and bread. Also needed more potatoes after using the last of them last night. And was swayed by a pack of bourbon biscuits and a 6 pack of Lilt Zero's I saw in Lidl, as DH loves Lilt and hasn't had it in years:


£5.29 - Lidl


New total £307/£300


Even with best laid plans, I will still need to top up more milk before Tuesday, possibly bread, but definitely some fruit.


Was feeling too rough and tired to make the pizza sauce last night, so will just do beans on toast tonight (with maybe some cheese grated on for DH and DD). Have lifted out the minced beef to defrost, so I have to make cottage pie tonight. One portion of beef and ale stew was saved and frozen last night, and I found another portion in the freezer. Two lots of Bolognese found in there also (each portion I freeze is enough to feed myself, DH and DD), so that's another 3 evenings worth of meals there. The batch of cottage pie I will make should be sufficient to make 6 adult portions and 3/4 toddler portions. So there is still plenty in really. Plus, we are now going to MIL's on Saturday, and she usually feeds us all enough to keep us full until bedtime! lol


Peanut butter sandwich for me at lunchtime, as I have butter in the fridge here and a jar of peanut butter on the side. Brought two slices of bread in with me and have a couple of bananas too.


ETA: Last month I spent at least £399 on groceries. Possibly more as I think I didn't count everything towards the end. So, even though I'm over my target, I must remember that I have made progress. And looking back at September 2018, I spent £492 in one month!!!! EEK!!

[Deleted User]

£28.55 spent this week - bringing total for March to £87.26. I'll be on the April challenge now

Total so far for the year £407.26/£3600