November 2021 Grocery Challenge

Disney_Princess85

Can you put me down for £250 please.

I normally give myself a budget of £250 but never actually stick to it. So this month will be a bit of trial and error but also I want to stick with doing a full weeks shop at a time. I am really guilty of popping to the shop as and when which mounts up really quickly. So the plan it to make a meal plan and then do a shop and then avoid the shops until the following week. 

thriftwizard

Thank you for the shiny new thread, @elsiepac! I'll stick to £550 for November, please, which starts this Friday, 29th, for us and contains 5 Fridays, which are my main shopping days. That's to feed, wash & clean up after 5 adults (3 omnivores and 2 pescatarians) plus visiting family or friends most weekends. 

We've had confirmation that our market is closing on 19th December, which is very sad & will impact my food budget quite heavily - though not as heavily as the poor traders who are losing their living. There'll be a cut-down version elsewhere, but there won't be any electric supply so the deli stall & some of the others just won't be able to trade. We'll see how it goes, but there's no way I'll get the same quality for a price I'm willing & able to pay, from people I've known for nearly 30 years. Sad days... :'(

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Read the article & it is a crying shame 😭

K9sandFelines

Thank you for the new thread @elsiepac
I wanted to reduce my monthly amount; but I am going to wait til 2022, as things are all over the place at the moment.
So, I'm sticking reluctantly to £250. Thank you. 

diminua

Thank you for the new thread. Could you put me down for the same again?

£200

MissRikkiC

Already off with spends so far however haven’t yet made a trip to even the local shop so happy about that. Granted it’s only day 3! But still, small wins. 

Anyway, with Mabel and Vole plus my Smasda delivery and a trip to the butcher, weve racked up just shy of £80/£250. Bulk items came from bulk fund which is now otherwise budgeted for and grocery spends include a lovely veg box, a few dairy products including some delicious salted butter 😍 and some beef cuts from the butcher for making go a long way! 

I don’t expect to spend £80 a week as that would take us over budget but happy with the first week so far!

Disney_Princess85

Payday today so the first day of our November challenge.

I ordered a click and collect from Mr T in the bid to not be tempted by extras that we don't need or that end up going to waste.

£44.50 spent and I'm hoping that I don't end up buying more during the week.

Suffolk_lass

Disney_Princess85 said:

Payday today so the first day of our November challenge.

I ordered a click and collect from Mr T in the bid to not be tempted by extras that we don't need or that end up going to waste.

£44.50 spent and I'm hoping that I don't end up buying more during the week.

It's a good idea to do this if your weakness is picking up stuff that is not on your list. I do the opposite and write "meat" on my list and pick up whatever is on offer or yellow stickered!).

Not this month though. I am aiming for minimum spends with my freezer offers providing the meat in our diet. With having cut right down it just sits there, with me paying (cost and electricity) to store the supermarket's food. Hmm!

thriftwizard

First November spend for us; £60 at the market this morning on fish, cheese, fruit, veg & bacon to last for the week, plus some cake for a cuppa with my friends this morning, which is a regular "thing". I did buy some meat at the butchers yesterday, but that was definitely from October's money, although I was probably already overspent! However things should be calmer this month, although for us it's a 5-week month from payday to payday. Aiming to be rather better organised...

Hettyhound

Been to Aldee and As4a this morning for first shop of November.  Spent £27.68 and £38.82.  Been pondering setting up a bulk buy budget as I have started to buy more things online.  Just ordered 24 loo rolls and set up a subscription for dishwasher tablets.  I also buy my coffee online and use an online whole foods place for dry goods such as pulses and loose leaf tea.  I’ll try and do a bit of an “annual” calculation and maybe set up a bulk budget separately for the new year and reduce the monthly one a tad 🤔