November 2021 Grocery Challenge

diganddog

£48.42 spent at MrT’s this week this included; stain remover, jam roll poly (Sunday night treat), custard, Yorkshire puddings, carrots, roast potatoes, chicken gravy, a whole chicken, 24 toilet rolls, wipes, crisps, fusilli x2, tinned chilli, tinned ravioli, chocolate, donuts, spinach and ricotta tortellini, cheddar, eggs, double cream, peppers, broccoli, bananas, meatless sausages mini rolls, bacon x2, tomato and marscapone sauce, sliced roast Turkey and a pack of asparagus.

I feel like we have loads of processed foods this week which we wouldn’t normally have - if I’m honest, I wanted to cook Sunday dinner but didn’t really have the time to fit it in so I bought quite a few things for convenience for that where I would normally cook from scratch.

On the menu for the week:

Monday - something with the leftover chicken - not too sure what yet, maybe a chicken and leek pie with potato topping?
Tuesday - Mash-up (see previous posts about this)
Wednesday - Chicken and Broccoli in lemon cream sauce with rice/pasta
Thursday - Chilli and Rice
Friday - Pasta Bake 

Saturdays we have a takeaway as a treat but I have a separate budget for that. OH and I were talking about scrapping this in favour of healthy Fakeaways at home.

This concludes my spends for this month and came in to a total of;

£201.56 / £320

cornishchick

cornishchick said:

cornishchick said:

£16,27  spent in Iceland, met a friend for a costa lot, ( separate budget lol ) so popped in to get a couple of things, including some chocolate treats as my partner is down for a couple of days. 
He then arrived with a bag of delicious party foods and specials from his work ( Marks) SO I have a fridge full of lush foods I don't normally get lol which should last me till the end of the month. 

£57.37/£100

ops. had to pop into my GPs surgery and Aldi is next door, popped in for some Washing up liquid, and picked up some bits for the freezer on 30% off, so spent £10.23 but, there's some nice steak, and asparagus in my freezer lol 

£67.23/£100 

still doing ok, and plenty of fresh and frozen in for the next two weeks... 

small top up over the weekend. 
£5.97 on some cheese, ham and some tonic water for my gin, lol 

£73.20/£100. 

I am hoping to not spend the last £20 odd and carry it over to next month. I have been invited out to Christmas dinner and only need to take a couple of bottles of wine with me.( already bought on offer) I am lucky in that I sometimes get a meal at work depending on shift, which means I don't need a main meal in the evening, this helps me save money.

Doom_and_Gloom

So A&C delievery was £13.42. £1.23 was also spent in Mr S for a few bits. So a total of £14.65 spent since last post.

I'm having vegan sausage casserole with baked sweet potato tonight.
OH will be having chicken soup and toast.

£208.19/£240.
£31.81 left.

So we are going to L!do tomorrow to use our £10 off a £40 shop. We have a list of needed items (our fridge looks rather sparse right now which is very odd for us) but we will be going round with a calculator. We don't really want to go over budget this month, and if we do not by much, as we know next month will be pricey with Yule.
After our shop tomorrow I will do a meal plan for the rest of the month based on what I can get. Although most things are still available, last time OH went to L!do he did say some items were unavailable so I'd rather do it this way round. OH prefers to have a basic idea of what he wants unlike me, he tried the meal plan thing but it didn't last long, oh well. 

pamsdish

Suffolk_lass said:

@pamsdish that sounds a bit as though you are uncomfortable with that arrangement. I hope you are OK.

I am VERY uncomfortable, but  I have said I will stay with her for 3 months, and will, I also keep my word, I lost my husband, her brother, nearly 10 years ago, didn`t hear from them for 3 years, then only because I rang her daughter, long story short, she has in the last 4 years lost her husband and daughter, she does not cope on her own and is looking for a companion, I am a cheap option, no wages to pay, I am currently spending Fri-Sun with her, once we get to March, Spring, lighter nights etc I will start dropping a weekend off, I have already told her I have friends and my family I want to visit next year, I have encouraged her to do more with her circle of friends, but she wants everyone else to make the effort.

Smoosh

34p on some YS flatbreads the other day. 

And last weekly shop of the month done today for £15.91 on 6 pints of milk, 2 bottles of shower gel, bag of apples, bag of onions, pack of rice, sausage casserole mix, Thai curry meal kit, bag of grated mozzarella, 2 noodle pots, yoghurt, pepperoni, pack of dried noodles, 1 kitchen roll, 3 bananas, 9 toilet rolls.

Meal plan:
1. Make your own flatbread pizzas
2. Veggie sausage casserole with mash
3. Sweet and sour Quorn nuggets with rice
4. Spaghetti and meatballs
5. Quorn fish fingers, chips and peas
6. Thai red curry with noodles and spring rolls
7. Veggie sloppy joes with HM wedges

Breakfasts for OH will be yoghurt and banana. I'll be having porridge with stewed apples.

Lunches for OH will be HM pumpkin soup with bread. I've got rice or noodles, maybe some leftovers too. 

We have biscuits, crisps and usual snacks in. 

Think we might have actually done it! Utilising the freezer stock a lot this week!

£197.61/£200.

Suffolk_lass

@pamsdish worse than I imagined. I could understand if she had just lost her husband because Christmas and the dark months are really hard but it sounds as though she is looking for more than company. Perhaps she should be encouraged to look into a retirement community (thinking Thursday Murder Club rather than sheltered) and some new hobbies, or supporting a student in return for some company and a bit of household work in lieu of rent.

pamsdish

Suffolk_lass said:

@pamsdish worse than I imagined. I could understand if she had just lost her husband because Christmas and the dark months are really hard but it sounds as though she is looking for more than company. Perhaps she should be encouraged to look into a retirement community (thinking Thursday Murder Club rather than sheltered) and some new hobbies, or supporting a student in return for some company and a bit of household work in lieu of rent.

Tried it, she wants 24hr a day, and has asked me to move in with her, I have declined. I may message you privately, if I may ?, as don`t want some details on an open forum.
Spent £7.35 on odds and ends as in town to return a parcel, used up £3 coupon from H&B.

Blackcats

digangdog - we have been making some fakeaways instead of takeaways.  We've made an effort to make it a special occasion by cooking together with a nice glass of wine.  We bought the simplycook trial box with spice mixes for 4 meals in it and were very pleased. We've also bought from the local butcher and fishmonger to create a special meal.  Still works out cheaper than a takeaway.  

Doom_and_Gloom

Did our L!do shop and spent more than planned, £37.80 and that was after the £10 off £40.
Got a lot for that, including 1.2kg of coffee beans - we go through a lot of coffee but I'm hoping that will see us through the rest of the year.

£245.99/£240.
£5.99 over.

Hoping that is it but I won't declare until the end of the month.

Suffolk_lass

pamsdish said:

Suffolk_lass said:

@pamsdish worse than I imagined. I could understand if she had just lost her husband because Christmas and the dark months are really hard but it sounds as though she is looking for more than company. Perhaps she should be encouraged to look into a retirement community (thinking Thursday Murder Club rather than sheltered) and some new hobbies, or supporting a student in return for some company and a bit of household work in lieu of rent.

Tried it, she wants 24hr a day, and has asked me to move in with her, I have declined. I may message you privately, if I may ?, as don`t want some details on an open forum.
Spent £7.35 on odds and ends as in town to return a parcel, used up £3 coupon from H&B.

Understood. Of course you can