December 2007 Grocery Challenge

Moniker

Hi everyone and good luck for December. I must say I agree with Mike D - some of you seem to be setting your budgets so low I will be seriously impressed if you manage it given the time of year! Don't be too hard on yourselves!

With this in mind I have set my December budget at £500 for everything including booze and entertaining from 29th November to 2nd January when we go away for a couple of days. This includes feeding DDs for a week and a family party on New Year's Day. I have already spent around £175 -this includes a case of wine which worked out at about £4 a bottle, all the bulky dry goods and cleaning stuff for the month and food for the week ahead.

I managed to come in just under budget last month but it could easily have gone the other way. I would have liked to have reduced it further but think it would be very hard. I will make it my new year's resolution to bring it down further - but I am not going to run before I can walk!

Off to update my sig!

CRANKY40

Mmmm, my budget is low, but I have most of the Christmas stuff in already due to a lot of advance planning. The freezer is full, there is a frozen turkey already in it. I have done menu plans and shopping lists, and all the alcohol is here already (thanks to Mr T and the £15 off £50 wine voucher). I took fair advantage of some of the offers that Asda had during November, and I reckon £30 a week is do-able.

There is only me and dh (who isn't home until the middle of next week) and a 3 year old that doesn't like food (I mean that, he doesn't eat sweets and cakes either). My christmas cake is made, my christmas pudding is in the cupboard thanks to MIL, so there's only fresh stuff and bread and milk to buy. Dh doesn't eat sweets either.

debbiedeejay

However I think that some of you are being a bit ambitious! Remember that what is desirable is not always feasible.

However I think that some of you are being a bit ambitious! Remember that what is desirable is not always feasible.

Mike D,Moniker Have you thought that maybe some peoples budgets seem quiet low because their income already may be low and that they may be just skimming maybe just a few pounds off anyway?

For that reason maybe those already on a tight budget may already be good at GC but without knowing it and are just "tidying" up the edges?



(Sorry,hope I didn't step out of line and just made myself look silly:o,if I have then I shall go to the back of the queue....)

egon

Just spend £8.25 in Waitrose! I have to stop impulse buying!

Off to do a big Mr T shop tomorrow. Have lots of vouchers, which I can't use online, so decided to make a trip. DH has to look after the boys!

I'll update my sinature now......

lil_me

Monthly
egon £240 spent £339.94
Moniker £500 spent £497.90
tattycath £200 spent £192.95
mikeD £340 spent £330
MERFE £200
frankerooney £220 spent £180.77
redmel1621 £300
MoneyGypsy £120
TheDoolallyDilly £315 spent £298.39
brummiebabe £400 spent £437.59
rosieben £100 spent £75.52
Doom_and_Gloom £50 spent £47.59
newlywed £225
angeladavis £160
bobbadog £75
belfastgirl23 £200 spent £220
Patches41048 £350 spent £225
Blairweech £140
Jacks xxx £455 spent £440.32
specialhat £130
Skint_Catt £225
irishwexford £160
atypicalblonde £120 spent £150.34
ShirleyPark £60
High Peak Lass £200
lil_me £350 spent £279.50
razra £80 spent £78.99
gunsandbanjos £275
shian £240
toria27 £160
saverram £120
Angelraesunshine £330 spent £317.70
cheerfulness £175
meanmarie €350 spent €350
MRSMCAWBER €360 spent £210
sweetpea03 £250 spent £243.45
the_cat £300 spent £272.40
JAMIEDODGER £400 spent £319.11
rachelmk £75
nopot2pin £150 spent £160ish
Bobbykins £275 spent £300
TheBees £425 spent £402
CRANKY40 -£120 spent £119.47
Brassic £350
flossyblog €250 spent €198.83
Mooloo £360 spent £334.60

Weekly
dont want to be in debt £70
elly2 £60
debbiedeejay £75
chewy2 £90 Average spend per week=£107.26


Phew that took a while! Ok I think I have everyone who has joined so far and their planned budget on this list. If I have got them wrong anywhere please let me know and I will edit it. I have put those who set weekly amounts seperate because I didn't know how many weeks you were using for the December challenge, if you want to let me know then I will change it round. I will add those who join as we go. I will edit the list with everyones totals at the end of the month. Good luck everyone

Bobbykins

Hi lil-me

you've done a great job there........I haven't posted on this month's challenge yet, so here is my budget for the month......

£275

(I had originally planned on £250 but have just re-jigged it as we are having even more people over at Christmas now )

TheBees

lil_me wrote: »

I think I have everyone who has joined so far and their planned budget on this list. If I have got them wrong anywhere please let me know and I will edit it. I will add those who join as we go. I will edit the list with everyones totals at the end of the month. Good luck everyone

Hi Lil_Me can you add us to the monthly list please. We are budgeting for £425 for December. This includes EVERYTHING over the festive period!!

Many thanks,

TheBees.

chewy62

Thanks Lil-me! you've encouraged me to stick to my budget now!

nopot2pin

chewy62 wrote: »

Thanks Lil-me! you've encouraged me to stick to my budget now!

And me !!!

Thanks Lil-me............ cant wait to see the results

CRANKY40

Thanks lil_me. December is 4 weeks for me, so you can make my monthly total £120 and take me off the weekly thanks. I did wonder if it would be easier to do monthly, as I can see myself having money left over weeks 1 and 2, but probably going over slightly week 3.