August 2021 Grocery Challenge

LadyWithAPlan

Hi I am a single newbie and just started my MFW diary a few days ago.
I cant believe this stat...I think my double grocery only budget is being MSE ... OOPS..

• Average Adult Woman: The average adult female theoretically spends around £25 on groceries, £13 on food out and £37 altogether on food each week.

So can I join this challenge for the half month  please and then will start Sept 1st for the full month. 
I budget for £200 groceries  per month  and have a £30 monthly coffee/restaurant pot as well. (London based)

I have a full half freezer so I really should be able to do this with intention. Lets see what happens..  I will add this to my signature and come back to report.

So my aim for groceries in 16th to 31st August:
Groceries £70.
Coffees out £10
One takeaway only  but I have a £10 uber eats voucher to use by 31/08 so this will cover most.
No dinners out planned but will be a few drinks but that is  entertainment so will keep that within my separate budget. 

pamsdish

Having so much trouble withmy spreadsheet, probably down to new laptop, moving around, different ips, and my stupidity.
Had a spend last Friday Aldi, paid cash so no bank trail but it was around £14, went Asda Sunday topped up tonic waters, and bought a bottle of whisky, paid for sil couple of items, think that was £33 ish. 
Taking friend to dentist this a.m. so will go into Morr1es
£21.64 in M0rr1es, loads of y.s. fishes, and 2 packs of the spicy sausages I like, also y.s. 

Ellie79

Hello! I am a serial lurker, but since my OH had serious health issues and now needs a completely different diet, our food bill is creeping up astronomically. I need some sort of accountability. I need some sort of plan. I probably need more than that but have to start somewhere!

Our month starts on the 25th of August when I get paid but our weekly food shopping is just that, my OH is paid weekly. It just makes sense to me to start my month on the 25th when I try and manage a budget. 

I am going to lurk until then but needed to dip my toe in the water now to get my motivation up. Hope it is ok!

Finstickle

Another spend last night - every time I go to Tesco it seems to be astronomical - £47.04 for one bag of shopping 
£13 on rum. £10 on egg whites and £9 on bin bags - when did bin bags get so expensive?  and why can I never buy the best fit for our bin?

£309.53/£545.00 57% of the budget at 58% of the month

goldfinches

Finstickle said:

Another spend last night - every time I go to Tesco it seems to be astronomical - £47.04 for one bag of shopping 
£13 on rum. £10 on egg whites and £9 on bin bags - when did bin bags get so expensive?  and why can I never buy the best fit for our bin?

£309.53/£545.00 57% of the budget at 58% of the month

If you ever find the answer to this question please don't keep it to yourself, there's at least one other person on the planet who'd like to know too! I can tell you that having different sized bins does not help in the least, it just results in me never being able to remember any of their sizes when I'm standing in front of the shop display shelves plus the moment you find a size that works for you the supermarkets stop selling that roll and now stock summat else. Rant over for today, now. 

I spent £2.35 at M*rks on yoghurt, y/s tarragon and y/s green beans and then £5 on a Too Good to Go bag from Paul just to see what it was like as I've never tried it before. Here's what I got.



It isn't bad for a fiver but to be honest I was expecting a bigger haul of plain bread rather than being given the blueberry tart etc. and the assistants behaved as though I was to be pitied so I don't think I'll do it again.

That brings my total to £83.10/£124 and my average daily spend to £4.15 which is creeping up ominously, thank heavens for lentils in the cupboard. 

Suffolk_lass

Welcome @LadyWithAPlan and @Ellie79. Lots of good ideas and inspiration on here.

Personally I no longer shop to a meal plan properly. I plan meals around what I already have in and usually this means one big shop a month and a couple of small top ups. I get eggs (I'm rural) and milk delivered and can make do with eggs and something rather than be tempted.

Yesterday I went to collect my prescription and buy birthday cards and "popped" into the SM to see if they had what was missing last week. They did. Cat food and litter were the most urgent but I also bought treat stuff and bowl fruit. I will update once I have subtracted the treats (currently in the entertainment budget...little things, as they say) and recorded it in my spreadsheet. I can resist anything except temptation. 

LadyWithAPlan

Suffolk_lass said:

Welcome @LadyWithAPlan and @Ellie79. Lots of good ideas and inspiration on here.

Personally I no longer shop to a meal plan properly. I plan meals around what I already have in and usually this means one big shop a month and a couple of small top ups. I get eggs (I'm rural) and milk delivered and can make do with eggs and something rather than be tempted.

Yesterday I went to collect my prescription and buy birthday cards and "popped" into the SM to see if they had what was missing last week. They did. Cat food and litter were the most urgent but I also bought treat stuff and bowl fruit. I will update once I have subtracted the treats (currently in the entertainment budget...little things, as they say) and recorded it in my spreadsheet. I can resist anything except temptation. 

Thanks. You seem to have a great plan in place, local eggs how fabulous! I stopped myself from buying a certain new recipe ingredient yesterday and worked around it - I knew I woud not buy just one thing and I did not want to spoil my 3rd ever planned NSD  

I live surrounded by cafes, shops, supermarkets so it all calls to me. And I love Too Good To Go

I really cut down my grocery and restaurant budget a decade ago when I started budgeting monthly but it seems my idea of a tight budget is impressive to what I did before but  on an MSE scale when I am saving furiously for a bigger house deposit, I have a lot more room.

I have just started at the enf of each month moving excess money from my planned spend on groceries etc into my savings account as then I can  see my focus paying off

There are some things like cheap coffee I can't downgrade to - I tried and yuck... I drink it black with my Aeropress  - which makes indeed the smoothest coffee you can (cos you use cooler water so it does not burn the beans)  - even better than my stove pot and my Nespresso that has now been got rid of.

@gol@goldfinches so sorry you had a unpleasant experience with TOO GOOD TO GO. Please don't give up on it.  That is on the immaturity of the assistants, not the app. I have always had a great experience and it is good for the planet as well as a budget. Maybe try the magic bags from supermarkets  or proper restaurants - had  Nisa and Waitrose ones so far and they always decent, less cake and sandwichy, more actual meals, chicken, prawns, veg and the odd end date ready meal etc - actual cooking ingredients. 

boultdj

And I'm over! Not by much but still got a third of the month left to go.  Now at £152.06/£150.00.

I think I need to rethink the budget with how prices are going up, still being blessed with tomatoes and grapes from the greenhouse, but the grapes will be finished by the weekend.

Ellie79

Suffolk_lass said:

Welcome @LadyWithAPlan and @Ellie79. Lots of good ideas and inspiration on here.

Personally I no longer shop to a meal plan properly. I plan meals around what I already have in and usually this means one big shop a month and a couple of small top ups. I get eggs (I'm rural) and milk delivered and can make do with eggs and something rather than be tempted.

Yesterday I went to collect my prescription and buy birthday cards and "popped" into the SM to see if they had what was missing last week. They did. Cat food and litter were the most urgent but I also bought treat stuff and bowl fruit. I will update once I have subtracted the treats (currently in the entertainment budget...little things, as they say) and recorded it in my spreadsheet. I can resist anything except temptation. 

Thanks and hello! 
Yes, I try to do at least one meal from freezer items but finding it harder with OH's new dietary requirements.  I'm trying to set a budget but it's terrifying me how much we spend (and how my skills are struggling to tackle it with the new dietary stuff tripping me up)! For instance I run with a two week meal plan to try and manage using things up and forecasting what we might need. I used to make a 5 bean chilli, one night with sweet potatoes and 2nd night as enchiladas.  That would be in once a fortnight, and now OH can't eat 5 bean anything and I can't replace it with vegetables as most of what would work he can't eat. I'll get there but it's a lot of trial and a lot more (expensive) error. 

Hoping it all clicks and I can be accountable here. Sorry for the essay!

Wraithlady

Ellie79 said:

Yes, I try to do at least one meal from freezer items but finding it harder with OH's new dietary requirements.  I'm trying to set a budget but it's terrifying me how much we spend (and how my skills are struggling to tackle it with the new dietary stuff tripping me up)! For instance I run with a two week meal plan to try and manage using things up and forecasting what we might need. I used to make a 5 bean chilli, one night with sweet potatoes and 2nd night as enchiladas.  That would be in once a fortnight, and now OH can't eat 5 bean anything and I can't replace it with vegetables as most of what would work he can't eat. I'll get there but it's a lot of trial and a lot more (expensive) error. 

If you feel able, maybe tell us roughly what the dietary requirements are? I'm sure, if we know what we're aiming for, someone may be able to help