May 2022 Grocery Challenge

Greying_Pilgrim

K9sandFelines said:

....... I can't cope with these price increases at the mo. There's only so much you can stretch the budget....... 

Too true hun, I don't know where anyone is supposed to magic up all this extra cash, whether you are on a fixed income, a salaried position or waged.  

Keep on keeping on tho.  We'll support each other thru! 😊

Greying X

Hummingbird0_12

Checking out for May at £157.12/150.00 
Delighted to have come in so close especially as prices are rising so much
Best wishes for June budgets everyone x

gill5blue

Updating -I was aiming for £50 per week, 2 adults , 2 dogs and a tortoise

week 1 £41.13
week 2 £59.59
week 3 £65.21
week 4 £49.96.
average £53.97.. Happy with that as I have bulk bought some items and also learning to reduce my costs.
gill5blue

Greying_Pilgrim

Hummingbird0_12 and gill5blue - congratulations to you both for such a fantastic achievement.  I'm sure there's alot of hard work, focus and considered purchasing gone on to achieve such good figures.  Onwards to June!

Greying X

PipneyJane

Greying_Pilgrim said:

ragz_2 said:

Greying just want to say a huge well done to you, you're a massive inspiration here and I know it's been a really tough few months but you've tackled the challenge with grace and humour, while taking the time to help/advise and share recipes. Hugely appreciated. 
Hope you have some less tight months to come. 

Aww, thanks ragz - that is such a kind and supportive comment.  But I literally could not have got through the 3 months without having the thread to vent, celebrate and cheerlead on.  Either everyone in my RL at the mo is fairing mucho better than our family, or they are keeping schtum about shrinking budgets, because the type of convos we have on here are not being replicated in RL.  Don't get me wrong - i don't want others to struggle, but if you only have your experience to go by, you tend to think it's something that you're getting completely wrong budget wise.  At least on here we can be honest when we find things tough, suggest work arounds and celebrate when one of us hits the YS'd motherload 🤣

Tea this evening was not quite as slated, but kept within the spirit of using up what was in stock, and I didn't dip into June's 'bounty'.  We had tinned potatoes (warm - haven't had them like that for an age), with an omlette, baked beans and steamed carrots.  The carrots were from my 20p YS shop last week, the beans and potatoes were storecupboard essentials and I had bought the eggs in last week's 'main' shop.  I have 6 eggs left - and hopefully can make something cakey with them for any BH meanderings that may occur.

Greying X

Firstly, @Greying_Pilgrim, I want to echo what @ragz_2 said.  You’ve done amazingly well on a very tight budget, over the last three months.  

Also, thank you for your honesty in sharing the how and why you ended up in such straightened circumstances.  The bit I’ve highlighted in bold, above, is why I’m on these boards.  You are not alone.  There is nowhere else I can go to discuss money saving and frugal ideas.  Thank you - and all the Forumites - for being here.

- Pip

K9sandFelines

Greying_Pilgrim said:

K9sandFelines said:

....... I can't cope with these price increases at the mo. There's only so much you can stretch the budget....... 

Too true hun, I don't know where anyone is supposed to magic up all this extra cash, whether you are on a fixed income, a salaried position or waged.  

Keep on keeping on tho.  We'll support each other thru! 😊

Greying X

Check your receipts people. Over charged twice yesterday in A1di. One item voided, the other wasn't. Money I could have put towards something else as I've got 11 days left 😬. Guess as I didn't check before leaving the store, there is nothing I can do!?

Thanks @Greying_Pilgrim you're a little love 🤗. Have you ever thought about blogging? You've got such a natural and engaging flow with words

Greying_Pilgrim

Aw PipneyJane  - you are so kind.  In my heart of heart of hearts I know people are in similar boats to us; any reduction in household prosperity - whether due to stagnant income or rising prices - is going to have an impact.  I live in an area that has always been very keen to keep up with the Jones', and it seems as true today as it ever was.  I've released the Jones' to 'do their own thing' a long time since, so I feel the isolation a bit more keenly I think.  I've never minded being a lower income household - it's pretty much all I've known - and it's the way of the world to have different wealth levels, but I find it frustrating that people aren't willing to factor in that you may not be able to do X, Y and Z, simple because you haven't got funding to 'do it all'.  Irrespective of whether you'd like to or not.  

K9sandFelines said:

Check your receipts people. Over charged twice yesterday in A1di. One item voided, the other wasn't. Money I could have put towards something else as I've got 11 days left 😬. Guess as I didn't check before leaving the store, there is nothing I can do!?

Thanks @Greying_Pilgrim you're a little love 🤗. Have you ever thought about blogging? You've got such a natural and engaging flow with words

K9sandFelines - I got overcharged for a YS'd item in MrL this morning.  I did ask for the refund, and whilst it was made - no bother - it does make me feel awful holding up the queue to get my money back.  But that is always how I see it - it's money that I actually need to buy other things. 

Ha ha - that is kind, but I think if I had to type a blog, I would probably be touted as an insomnia 'cure' 🤣

Greying X

K9sandFelines

Greying_Pilgrim said:

Aw PipneyJane  - you are so kind.  In my heart of heart of hearts I know people are in similar boats to us; any reduction in household prosperity - whether due to stagnant income or rising prices - is going to have an impact.  I live in an area that has always been very keen to keep up with the Jones', and it seems as true today as it ever was.  I've released the Jones' to 'do their own thing' a long time since, so I feel the isolation a bit more keenly I think.  I've never minded being a lower income household - it's pretty much all I've known - and it's the way of the world to have different wealth levels, but I find it frustrating that people aren't willing to factor in that you may not be able to do X, Y and Z, simple because you haven't got funding to 'do it all'.  Irrespective of whether you'd like to or not.  

K9sandFelines said:

Check your receipts people. Over charged twice yesterday in A1di. One item voided, the other wasn't. Money I could have put towards something else as I've got 11 days left 😬. Guess as I didn't check before leaving the store, there is nothing I can do!?

Thanks @Greying_Pilgrim you're a little love 🤗. Have you ever thought about blogging? You've got such a natural and engaging flow with words

K9sandFelines - I got overcharged for a YS'd item in MrL this morning.  I did ask for the refund, and whilst it was made - no bother - it does make me feel awful holding up the queue to get my money back.  But that is always how I see it - it's money that I actually need to buy other things. 

Ha ha - that is kind, but I think if I had to type a blog, I would probably be touted as an insomnia 'cure' 🤣

Greying X

I wish I had spotted it whilst still in store, or at least have the item I was charged for 🙄.
I would definitely read. I love your writing style. 

JingsMyBucket

I'm declaring at £239.48 / £250.00. That means we came in under by £10.52! This is such a big deal for us because at one point last year we were at £600.00 a month. I'll catch up with the rest of the thread later and will start posting on the June thread now. Congrats to @MissRikkiC as well!

EssexHebridean

Well done to all those who've already declared on, around or under budget! I'm still here for another few days yet - although so far this week aside from the planned veg box which was on the doorstep when we got home on Saturday night, and 30p on YS'd bakery goods, I've resisted any supermarket visits this week so far. No idea if we actually CAN get through to the end of the week without a shop, but in theory I think we ought to be able to as long as I can get inventive enough with the things we do have to avoid needing to buy those that we don't!  Watch this space!