June 2022 Grocery Challenge

CynicalPinnacle

3 days to go on my first month of the grocery challenge and we've spent £427.57 out of £600 on groceries, toiletries and household cleaners, £172.43 left in the budget, woo hoo! I've still got to go to A1d1 later but I'm confident the budget will not be blown 😁. Not sure whether to keep the same target for next month or bring it down. We've used up lots of the Brexit / Covid stockpile, and random stuff that lurks at the back of the fridge; the cupboards are starting to look a little bare. OH is a fan of Ottolenghi recipes which aren't the most budget cooking friendly.

I didn't include eating out in the challenge this month, that's been £174 for three of us. A vast improvement on some months but still too high for some very unmemorable meals. But even with eating out, we have shaved over £300 off feeding, and keeping ourselves and the house clean compared to last month, so I'm feeling pretty good about that🥳.

Smoosh

SausageDogSandwich said:

Morning all, I have been spending again 

£1.36 on two rolls of foil and £5.92 at ald1 on olive spread, bananas, toilet roll,  cleaning spray, light sugar and a packet of biscuits. 

I wanted to get a few other things but it was either bare shelves, price increases or the essentials range was not available for everything else. Not sure if it’s just my local ald1s as I did try a different one yesterday but they seem to have stopped the essential range in both of mine, meaning tesc0 is cheaper for most things.   the comparison website I use is also shutting down now, I don’t have a great memory for prices so I was using it a lot before making purchases. 

Total spent £139.11

Found the same thing in ours - either not in stock or not even a space for them on the shelf 😩

I've been comparing prices directly on supermarket websites (which is a lot of effort, but I have the time to kill at the moment!), but even then they don't always seem to match in store prices. 

SausageDogSandwich

Smoosh said:

Found the same thing in ours - either not in stock or not even a space for them on the shelf 😩

I've been comparing prices directly on supermarket websites (which is a lot of effort, but I have the time to kill at the moment!), but even then they don't always seem to match in store prices. 

I’m trying to find a balance of stocking up when I see things cheaper and sticking to a budget so we don’t end up eating the 12 tins of beans I’ve stocked up on all week sort of thing. Ald1 had none of the 30 multipack crisps yesterday which I know are a lot cheaper there which would mean I didn’t have to think about it for a few weeks, so now I’ve just got a 6 pack and they don’t last long. Obviously not an essential item, but the kids enjoy having a pack a few times a week. 

I don’t drive and husband works long hours so don’t want to make him take me here there and everywhere when he is at home, plus fuel costs means not saving money anyway. Wouldn’t be a problem if I felt well enough to walk as we have a few options within a few miles of us, but I just don’t feel like I can do it at the moment. 

Please excuse my rambling  as like plenty of people, having a rough time at the moment x

gill5blue

Hi All,
I am so amazed. I have spent on average £41.67 per week and I had targeted myself to £50 per week.
I can't remember who said I could achieve this but thank you , it did make me believe .
2 adults 2 dogs and 1 tortoise.
regards
Gill5 blue
Can I next month put £250 for the next month (there are 5 Fridays) cheers

joedenise

gill5blue said:

Hi All,
I am so amazed. I have spent on average £41.67 per week and I had targeted myself to £50 per week.
I can't remember who said I could achieve this but thank you , it did make me believe .
2 adults 2 dogs and 1 tortoise.
regards
Gill5 blue
Can I next month put £250 for the next month (there are 5 Fridays) cheers

Well don @gill5blue but you need to post on the July thread with next month's target so that Elsiepac can pick it up to at to the list for the month.

Smoosh

SausageDogSandwich said:

Smoosh said:

Found the same thing in ours - either not in stock or not even a space for them on the shelf 😩

I've been comparing prices directly on supermarket websites (which is a lot of effort, but I have the time to kill at the moment!), but even then they don't always seem to match in store prices. 

I’m trying to find a balance of stocking up when I see things cheaper and sticking to a budget so we don’t end up eating the 12 tins of beans I’ve stocked up on all week sort of thing. Ald1 had none of the 30 multipack crisps yesterday which I know are a lot cheaper there which would mean I didn’t have to think about it for a few weeks, so now I’ve just got a 6 pack and they don’t last long. Obviously not an essential item, but the kids enjoy having a pack a few times a week. 

I don’t drive and husband works long hours so don’t want to make him take me here there and everywhere when he is at home, plus fuel costs means not saving money anyway. Wouldn’t be a problem if I felt well enough to walk as we have a few options within a few miles of us, but I just don’t feel like I can do it at the moment. 

Please excuse my rambling  as like plenty of people, having a rough time at the moment x

So frustrating, isn't it. I tend to buy things as and when we need them rather than stocking up because it suits our budget better and I hate having too much stuff in the cupboards! It is very tempting to stock up with prices going the way they are though. I don't have a car at the moment, so also relying on OH. We usually go to two supermarkets on the same day (as we have to drive past one to get to the other) so that does give us some flexibility.

No need to apologise! Feel free to ramble away! 

Suffolk_lass

Well done @FrugalHedonist for staying inside your budget. I am the same for stores. I always say I am set for the next Suffolk siege here!

ragz_2

After reading back through receipts, I realised I'd included cat food on one of the shops and that's a different budget. So knocked off £14 there. Spent just under £47 online MrA shop yesterday so now a few quid under budget and declaring that complete as I am done shopping for June now.

goldfinches

I popped into M*rks today for a strict list that I'd written out and was dismayed to see that as yesterday their Fresh Market fruit and veg stands were completely empty. I can't help thinking that the supermarkets like to say they have value ranges but aren't good about keeping them in stock for customers to buy.
I spent £11.96 on cucumber, f/f greek style yoghurt, 4x organic milk, 2x YS pomegranates, peanuts, coriander, 2x radishes and garlic which makes my new monthly total £74.61/£120 and my average daily spend £2.66.

Blackcats

Well done to everyone for our June budget management efforts and achievements.  

I've done for the month now and have adjusted grocery spending to achieve a £zero balance - I did this by taking the £11.87 overspend from my entertainment budget.  This is because we had an impromptu family bbq on Saturday which is what pushed the grocery budget over.  Anyway, it makes sense to me 🙃.