December 2007 Grocery Challenge

azjh77

Can I register my interest for January? our monthly budget will be 70 - as that is literaly all we have. Luckily we received a few food parcels for Christmas and that should keep us going for a while...

And hello to all those I seem to be following around - especially NYKmedia. Everytime I see that piggy avatar I usally end up reading and joining the thread!

Bobbykins

Well, I have totally lost it this month......what with extra visitors and my "have to be the perfect hostess" panic moment, the resulting quick dash to Sainsbury's ('cos it's nearest!) etc, etc.

I haven't had the heart to do a full total I'm afraid, but I've certainly exceeded budget by at least £30 on top of the "extra" £75 I'd budgeted for Xmas (hangs head in shame!)

So, I'm guestimating my total spend at £300 and maybe sometime I'll have the courage to do a proper total for this month - like maybe in about June!! :rotfl: :rotfl:

Roll on January, New Year, New Start and all the usual old cliches....I WILL get back on track with my GC!

L'il-me....put me down for budget £275, spend £300 please :eek: :eek:

Thanks

nopot2pin

I also kinda lost it...:o

I had hoped to keep to £150, but I have spent approx £160 ish.
Cant wait for the Jan GC to start.
I am so gonna try and stay focused

JoJoB

Might have to rethink my target for January. Was aiming for £180 but after remembering various new monthly bills coming in the NY my budget is squeezed even more.

Have £400 on average clear a month. Up to £180 of this may be going in trravel expenses, leaving £220.

So I'm going to see if i can do £30 per week on groceries - £120 per month. Will be tight compared to our somewhat thoughtless spending before, but looking forward to the challenge!

Thank god for aldis.

fallen_angel_shelley

Hi, can i join the jan GC. at a rough guess i would say im spending £200+ a month right now:eek: , im going to start with a budget of £175, this is for me and one very hungry teenage son. i don't own a frezzer yet but am on the look out for one, i know that will cut my shopping budget down once i get one.

nopot2pin

Hi to all, that wish to join the Jan GC.
The more the merrier.
The Jan GC thread will hopefully be started soon for all to post their budgets:D

lil_me

Just updated the ones who have posted totals so far, my month ends on Sunday and I don't dare post until then as I have once before then ended up over budget

I'm not doing too bad, I have put some massive orders of toiletries, cleaning stuff etc from Wilkinsons in, it's all been delivered, I am not adding the lot to my total as most will probably last a year but what I am going to do is everytime I open something put the money for it from my GC challenge budget into a pot, which I will then as I did last year save until I stock up and use it to restock everything, I have this sort of issue with liking overful cupboards inc cleaning and toiletries stuff.

January Challenge hasn't been posted just yet.

Frugaldom

azjh77 wrote: »

Can I register my interest for January? our monthly budget will be 70 - as that is literaly all we have. Luckily we received a few food parcels for Christmas and that should keep us going for a while...

And hello to all those I seem to be following around - especially NYKmedia. Everytime I see that piggy avatar I usally end up reading and joining the thread!

'Phil the Pig' is becoming quite a star, but he's going to have a lean year. If I can't keep to this particular challenge it'll impact on all my others! I know my actual budget is £30 a week but if I make it £120 a month and try to get it down from there, Phil may one day be filled

This is a great thread. I'm discovering more and more on this site, especially whilst reading the MSE books I got for Christmas. Good luck to all and yes, I'm qute excited at finding so many people who agree to living what they call, 'old style'. What a cheek - I'm not that old and I have always lived this way, even when I did have twice as much income :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

(I've tidied up my avatar before New Year - cleared all the mess away from round about Phil the Pig)

Jacks_xxx

:wave: :wave: :wave: Ooh I see we've got lots of newbies - how exciting! :dance: :dance: :dance:

I'm just adding in the last few receipts now as January starts here in our house, and thinking about how good the GC has been for us.

In August I spent as usual but kept all receipts - and they came to over £650. :eek:

Assuming I spend a similar amount every month. (There's no reason to suppose August was anything out of the ordinary sadly.) I have saved loads of money since then, as I have been spending significantly less than £650 each month I've been doing the GC.

How cool is that?! :eek: :dance: :beer: :money: :j :shocked:

Here's a quick rundown:


September: Not £650... Not the £500 I budgetted... but £311.43!!!

October: Not £650... Not the £400 I budgetted... but £361.69!!!

November: Not £650...Not the £350 I budgetted... but £244.94!!!

December: Not £650...Not the £455 I budgetted but £440.32!!! (LOTS of Christmas "unnecessaries" included!)

£650 x 4 months would have been £2600 and we spent £1358. 38!!!

I can't tell you how chuffed I am with that. :dance: :shocked: :beer: :j

So thank you all SO-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O much everybody for all the tips - and even more than that, the camaraderie - and roll on January!

I'm champing at the bit!

Love Jacks xxx

JAMIEDODGER

hi all.

have managed to keep well within budget so far. my month ends 6th january so i still have 9 days to go. I will need to get some fresh fruit and veggies, but thats about it:)