March 2022 Grocery Challenge

poppy811

Thank you, not much here because very rural but nice to know someone cares.

QueenJess

A quick check in as am looking after a sick DD so not getting any rest.

£22.45 for my veg box/fruit requirements coming out tomorrow. Also stocked up on deodorant, soap etc which came to £37.63. Difference on new total is another £1 or so on milk as I needed extra.

Still avoiding food shopping (excluding veg box and milkman deliveries) as the freezer and cupboards are rammed full. Will only do a shop when I run out of too many things!

Total spend £161.28 / £390.

goldfinches

@poppy811 - sorry to hear that things are looking so bleak for you. On the offchance that you haven't already read around the other boards on this forum, I think that might be worth your while. I've found one or two useful things for me in odd places when doing that and only you can tell what will be helpful for you. If you've already done some reading I apologise for not knowing that, I'm a bit out of touch but just ignore me.
@QueenJess - sorry to hear you're having such an anxious time and wishing your DD a speedy get well soon.

I made the fatal mistake yesterday of just popping into my local Mr T's for a bread roll as a treat and found myself mysteriously attracted to the reduced to clear shelf where rice wine vinegar, tamari and preserved lemons were on offer and then y/s cherry tomatoes and clubcard price granny smith's joined them in my basket so the damage came to £10.02. Then today I bought f/f greek style yoghurt, 4x organic milk, 2 x savoy cabbage, 3 x sweet potatoes and frozen sweetcorn in M*rks for £7.45. 
That makes my new total for this month £30.57/£124 and my average daily spend £3.82.

_Moving_On_Up_

So much for not needing any more shopping until after Friday  I nipped in to Lidl's with the intention of buying milk, drain unblocker (soda crystals just isn't cutting it!) a bag of salad and some washing up liquid and came away spending £26.73! I did buy self raising and bread flour, lasagne sheets and sunflower oil for my stores I'm building up. Also bought some sirloin steaks (big treat for me and hubby, not very often we have steak these days) and a sourdough pizza that had 30% off and a pack of 4 turkey burgers reduced down to 90p, 2 burgers will be for the boys dinner and the rest has gone in the freezer. Definitely do not need anything else until Sunday now when I'll do my next top up so blinking determined to stay away from the shops until then!

Still sticking to my meal plan mostly, might just be switching round the days we're having things.

Total spends now at £127.42/£460

esjw

Spend of £59.78 to add, gives a running total of £211.57/425.00 with £213.43.

I need a price book or something while I'm out because I can't always get a signal in shops to compare prices and some things I just can't remember - yesterday it was sliced ham. Remember there was a thread about price books on here a 'few' years back before I officially joined instead of lurking so will see if I can find it again. Was very good at walking away from the 2 x lamb shanks in sauce for £5 instead of £8 though as it's still more than I'm happy to pay for them.

Think my little darlings are brewing another growth spurt based on the amount they're putting away and their general temperament. DD2 only has 4 months left at current school so could really do without needing any new uniform for her. If DS outgrows his trousers I'll see about converting them to shorts and pray for warmer weather.

Update from November - Still eating lots of porridge, as well as other cereals. Have tried them a few times with eggs in a morning but they're not convinced and all eat different types. Got a 10kg box of bran flakes last month for £2.99, it came in 2x5kg bags, we're near the end of the first bag and I'm going to need inspiration for how to use the cereal dust/gravel/crumbs/_____(insert appropriate word here). Will probably save it until after Lent and experiment with chocolate or cheesecake type recipes.

esjw

esjw said:

I need a price book or something while I'm out because I can't always get a signal in shops to compare prices and some things I just can't remember - yesterday it was sliced ham. Remember there was a thread about price books on here a 'few' years back before I officially joined instead of lurking so will see if I can find it again.

Found it here

bargainbetty

I did my Lidl shop at the weekend, but have only just got back on here to update. Full freezer inventory done and a meal plan for the week is up on the fridge!

I had to spend out of the gift budget for my brother, but that was planned for, so no shocks there... 

@esjw - does your kids schools have a uniform swap scheme? Some schools offer pre-loved stuff and are willing to do exchanges - your smaller garments for a couple of bigger bits? As you say, it's only for a few months, so definitely worth asking rather than buying new. 

Wraithlady

esjw said:

Got a 10kg box of bran flakes last month for £2.99, it came in 2x5kg bags, we're near the end of the first bag and I'm going to need inspiration for how to use the cereal dust/gravel/crumbs/_____(insert appropriate word here). Will probably save it until after Lent and experiment with chocolate or cheesecake type recipes.

No, I don't know what you call that either - however, I tend to use it up in crumble topping or even in flapjacks - a tablespoon or two in each batch

Greying_Pilgrim

Owning up to a £7.98 spend today.  I had to go to another town in the county, so took the opportunity to pick up several bits that were on my list anyway.  I also got several bits that will go directly into the storecupboard, and will be used, but it's questionable whether I 'needed' to buy them today.  Naturally, if I'm short of money for 'essentials', further into the month, I shall be kicking myself, shan't I?  

Greying X

Elisheba

esjw said:

esjw said:

I need a price book or something while I'm out because I can't always get a signal in shops to compare prices and some things I just can't remember - yesterday it was sliced ham. Remember there was a thread about price books on here a 'few' years back before I officially joined instead of lurking so will see if I can find it again.

Found it here

There is also a free app you can download now - Price reminder.  I find it useful.