December 2007 Grocery Challenge

rosieben

belfastgirl23 wrote: »

PS do you think at the end of Dec we could have a 'results of the Grocery Challenge in 2007' type thread? Would love to see how much we've all saved and what we've done with it. We all seem to spend so much time noticing the stuff we haven't done I think a bit of self congratulation might be in order. What do you guys think??

Excellent idea BF!! I hope that when we see the spends over a longer period we'll all realise how good we're doing, we shouldnt beat ourselves up for small failures! :T

Welcome to the GC, newbies!! great to have you here :j

I'm setting my December budget at £100 for the month and my month runs 1st to 31st.

Good luck everyone!!

tattycath

Hi Everyone. Sorry not been around-been laid up in bed for 4 days wasn't well at all!!! I'm still trying to get OH to come clean about how much he has been spending at supermarket so I can update my sig and see what the damage is!!!

If what I am about to post is in the wrong thread please accept my apologies and no doubt a moderator will move it to where it needs to be, and, if you have already read what I am am posting, better to be told twice than not at all. Personally, I think that this kind of warning should be aired to every possible audience of potential victims regardless of what thread it is in. Anyway, my sister has just e.mailed me this and forewarned is forearmed:
Hi
We received this today, PLEASE READ IT NOW
Credit Card Scam Warning
This one is pretty slick since they provide YOU with all the information, except the one piece they want.
Note, the callers do not ask for your card number; they already have it. This information is worth reading. By understanding how the VISA & MasterCard Telephone Credit Card Scam works, you'll be better prepared to protect yourself.

One of our employees was called on Wednesday from 'VISA', and I was called on Thursday from 'MasterCard'.

The scam works like this: Person calling says, 'This is (name), and I'm calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My badge number is 12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I'm calling to verify. This would be on your VISA card which was issued by (name of bank) did you purchase an Anti-Telemarketing Device for £497.99 from a Marketing company based in London?' When you say 'No', the caller continues with, 'Then we will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range from £297 to £497, just under the £500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your address), is that correct?'

You say 'yes'. The caller continues - 'I will be starting a fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 0800 number listed on the back of your card (0800-VISA) and ask for Security.

You will need to refer to this Control Number. The caller then gives you a 6 digit number. 'Do you need me to read it again?'

Here's the IMPORTANT part on how the scam works thecaller then says, 'I need to verify you are in possession of your card.' He'll ask you to 'turn your card over and look for some numbers.' There are 7 numbers; the first 4 are part of your card number, the next 3 are the security numbers that verify you are the possessor of the card. These are the numbers you sometimes use to make Internet purchases to prove you have the card. The caller will ask you to read the 3 numbers to him. After you tell the caller the 3 numbers, he'll say, 'That is correct, I just needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have your card. Do you have any other questions?' After you say, 'No,' the caller then thanks you and states, 'Don't hesitate to call back if you do', and hangs up.

You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the Card number. But after we were called on Wednesday, we called back within 20 minutes to ask a question. Are we glad we did! The REAL VISA Security Department told us it was a scam and in the last 15 minutes a new purchase of £497.99 was charged to our card.

Long story - short - we made a real fraud report and closed the VISA account. VISA is reissuing us a new number. What the scammers want is the 3-digit PIN number on the back of the card.Don't give it to them. Instead, tell them you'll call VISA or MasterCard directly for verification of their conversation. The real VISA told us that they will never ask for anything on the card as they already know the information since they issued the card! If you give the scammers your 3 Digit PIN Number, you think you're receiving a credit. However, by the time you get your statement you'll see charges for purchases you didn't make, and by then it's almost too late and/or more difficult to actually file a fraud report.

What makes this more remarkable is that on Thursday, I got a call from a 'Jason Richardson of MasterCard' with a word-for-word repeat of the VISA scam. This time I didn't let him finish. I hung up! We filed a police report, as instructed by VISA. The police said they are taking several of these reports daily! They also urged us to tell everybody we know that this scam is happening .

Please pass this on to all your family and friends. By informing each other, we protect each other.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.

atypicalblonde

Hi there, thanks tattycath. I have spent £9.42 on bits this week, bringing my total so far to £19.52. Not doing too bad though, we are out for dinner tomorrow and Saturday and Sundays meals are all planned. Hope everyone is well xx

MoneyGypsy

Okay first spend of the month today:

£32.25 - lots of veg but also included staples - tea, marmite, and toothpaste

I have been managing to keep the food bill way down by shopping for fresh food at the end of the day when it is reduced (as outlined in the shopping bit of this website), but the local Sainsburys appears to have changed their system today and the food wasn't in the same place - bah!

Think it might have been something to do with a horrific incident a couple of weeks ago where the poor boy who was labeling the food was surrounded by a gang of crazed women who were just grabbing the food out of his hands. Not only that but they were filling their trolleys with more food than they could possibly eat unless they ran a soup kitchen!

Why do some have to ruin it for the rest of us who are happy simply to buy what we will eat.

Lol.

cheerfulness4

Have spent £117.26 so far this month, a hefty part of my budget but what a lot I got!

The new chest freezer is full of food, particularly meat, which is fantastic because I never really had the storage space to bulk buy before. It has also meant that I've been able to take advantage of reduced milk, bread, pies (:rolleyes: ) etc. Love my new freezer. :T

Have batched cooked lasagne, spag bog and pizza doughs so far. Am planning to do casseroles and shepherds pies next week.

Love the fact that the results will go up at the end. Really adds incentive to be careful with my money this time.

Jacks_xxx

Gah!

I made moussaka last night and managed to drop it on its way out of the oven! :eek:

So not only did we NOT have a lovely dinner I need a new pyrex dish now as well.



Love Jacks xxx

meanmarie

Oh dear Jacks...so sorry to hear about your dinner and dish....

Spent €10 yesterday, not sure where I am, which I don't like as that's the kind of thing which leads to overspends!

Marie

chewy62

I don't know whether to do a Mr. T order or not, as I have been paid today and it would save me having to queue, but I always seem to spend quite a bit when I get one and think I spot more bargains when I'm actually in the shop?:rolleyes: It would also mess up my weekly budget, and I do quite like going shopping, but it would stop the temptation. Any advice gratefuuly received!:o Cheerio!:A

toria27

OMG!! went to shops again because I ran out of nappies and just a 2 week supply cost just under £12 (I buy supermarket own), then I needed some yogurts, salt, eggs, deodorant & bananas so £21 spent in total, I could not have got any of this cheaper and felt stressed doing the shopping, I think this was just because of all the Christmas food that was around which I couldn't buy.

Total left is £69.60 until 31st December. At least I don't need any meat or cleaning/washing things, but will need another £8 of nappies, lots of milk and fruit veg & milk.

Hope everyone else is doing well.

mikeD

Jacks_xxx wrote: »

Gah!

I made moussaka last night and managed to drop it on its way out of the oven! :eek:

So not only did we NOT have a lovely dinner I need a new pyrex dish now as well.



Love Jacks xxx

Aw! Poor Jacks! Well you know what they say "take more water with it" :rotfl:.