January 2021 Grocery Challenge

lynneee

Yesterday was another NSD so that's 5 now, which I'm pleased with. I will have to pop out for milk today but shouldn't need much else. Went through the cupboards yesterday and the freezer, managed to use up some random bits for lunch. I made bread rolls and a fruit loaf and today DS1 wants to make gingerbread so we should have some fun later! 

boultdj

Cat food and basic shop done, £20.35 spent, leaving £63.14 in food purse.

Suffolk_lass

Merlin's_Beard said:

£2.70 from the local shop last night sets me off for this month.
I'm struggling to balance myself with my new area - for the last eight years I've lived within 5 minutes of a large superstore of some description, and now I'm in a village with a medium (expensive) Coop and the nearest superstore ~30 minutes away.

How do people in similar situations organise themselves? I'm used to doing essentially fairly equal weekly shops in which I can pick everything up that I need, and not really doing much in the middle, but it seems to be not working out great for the set up I'm in now?

@Merlin's_Beard we also live in a Village, more than several miles from the biggest supermarkets and with several small Co-op within 3 miles.

I manage by having a stores heading and I keep a list for this on the side of the fridge, with a spare of most things in stock - all of this is dry food or tinned, without the immediate pressure of sell-by dates (have just noticed some on toothpaste so re-stacked my spares accordingly) - and I only top up stores if things are on offer or I have run out, taking my "no spares left" list when I go to the SM (I buy multiples if they are on offer, like toothpaste!). I have done this over time - and by trying to do an extra day of leftovers and make do before I shop again.

We have reduced this to once a fortnight or less now, and have milk and eggs delivered (more expensive but compensated for by no temptation). We have not been since 21st December. There is a market in the nearest town (5 miles away) and on Friday DH will go to replenish our fresh fruit and veg, buy fish and maybe bread, but we also have a sourdough starter and make our own. I grow quite a lot and have a separate freezer for our own produce and we use that through winter. A small extra freezer so you could keep some frozen veg and fruit and take advantage of yellow sticker meat would maybe be a good start for you, and I run a small mini-challenge with myself of "how long can I go?" - I should add that we now also do a click and collect so that DH minimises the amount of time in-store around others and just goes in to check on loose oranges, artisan breads and yellow sticker and other meat offers. I am preferring the quality and longevity of the veg from the market in winter.

Bit of an essay but I hope it helps you - it took me ages to get the hang of things (16 years ago!) and I wish I had been on here then

try_harder

I have had a very good week and kept to my budget ,it has been easier this week of course with so much left over food ,next week will be less easy

mumtoomany

milk, £2.78. Total so far £23.35/£2750. Will be more today, OH's birthday so having fish and chips. mumtoomany

bett_rhy

Hi all😊
spent £41, this should last us a little more than a week 😂
£41/£160
X-x-X

joedenise

Another spend today.  Went to Mr Ts and after I'd taken the non-grocery spends out (new slippers for us both as we didn't get any for Christmas!) we spent just over £20 so now have £154.36/£250 left.

Its_time

First spend of the month in Aldi, lots of usual buys such as butter, bread, potatoes etc. also some healthy things for me to help with the planned weight loss of 4lb for January.  £70.32/£375.00

thriftwizard

£58.22 spent today; I've bought the meat (a chicken & a small gammon joint) for the next week, plus some general bits & bobs that were running low in the stores, like butter, cream, instant coffee, tinned olives, yogurt, veggie sossidges (by special request, they don't often ask for processed food)(and I'm not going to call them sausages, because they're not!) and chorizo. There'll be more tomorrow when I go to the market to pick up cheese, eggs, fruit & veg, but I'm aiming to stay out of the shops & supermarket as far as possible, so that will have to do us for a week! I'm gnashing my teeth a bit because we have no L!dl or Ald! in our little town, so no option but to pay W8rose/Co-op prices, except at the market.

Florenceem

Shopped in Aldi today. Yesterday I made Rex pie and put 2 tubs  into the freezer. Pork mince was reduced price - potatoes were SS so cheap meal. Made a large dish - 6 portions.