July 2022 Grocery Challenge

leftatthetrafficlights

First spends yesterday- bit more than normal as we had a bbq! 

£39.52/£300

Ginmonster

I'm going for £300 this month please.

We've got several lots of family coming to stay over the month and the start of summer holidays so I know I'm going to need lots of things I don't normally buy so I'm going for a higher amount than normal but still want to keep it sensible.

Good luck everyone!

Smoosh

£13.64 today on cat litter and deodorant.

Then £9.60 on 4 litres of fizzy drink, 6 Mexican koftas (YS - £1 from £4.50), Quorn picnic eggs (YS - 20p from £2.50), pasta, corn flour, Quorn cocktail sausages (YS - 30p from £2.50), 2 Belgian buns (YS - 10p from £1.40), a chicken wrap (YS - 18p from £2.90), a fruit loaf (YS - 10p from £1.65), 3 doughnuts (YS - 10p from £1.65), Quorn korma bites (YS - 20p from £2.50), feta, a muesli bread stick (YS - 10p from 75p) and basil.

Then £27.42 on 12 litres of fizzy drink, squash, 1 litre of juice, bubble bath, kitchen foil, 2 bottles of shower gel, mayonnaise, ketchup, halloumi, 6 pints of milk, 400g Cheddar, 1kg sugar, 5 bananas, a frozen pasta ready meal, 4 ice cream cones, a box of cereal, a pack of wraps, a pack of biscuits, 3 peppers, 1 kitchen roll and 9 toilet rolls.

OH had to do the shopping as I have covid (again 🙄) he did forget a couple of things and spent a bit more than I would've on certain items, but nevermind! He couldn't get jarred olives, laundry detergent or vegetarian parmesan style cheese, so will have to try elsewhere for those and will also pick up the bits he forgot. 

Meal plan:

1. Sesame and soy noodles with runner beans (olio freebie) and broccoli (olio freebie). With teryaki pork belly (YS) for OH and Quorn steak strips for me

2. Chicken Caesar salad using Quorn chicken, croutons made from YS bread and homegrown lettuce

3. Tomato, olive and feta pasta

4. Halloumi for me, kebabs (YS) for OH, Greek flatbreads (YS), hummus, olives and potato wedges

5. Walnut and red pepper pesto pasta

6. OH is working - I'll have a pasta ready meal

7. OH is cooking a birthday meal for his parents, which will come out of his spends

Breakfasts will be cereal, pastries/bread sticks, cereal bars or toast. 

Lunches will be the YS chicken wrap for OH, followed by kofta wraps and leftover pasta. I'll be eating the YS Quorn goodies, leftover pasta and pastries.

YS doughnuts and buns for pudding, or ice cream. We have fruit, crisps and biscuits if snacks are wanted.

A lot of stocking up was done today so I'm not too worried about how much we spent. I am being conscious of using things we already have in the meal plan as I really don't want to go over budget like we did last month! 

£50.66/£230.

goldfinches

newlywed said:

My budget has crept up to an embarrassing amount, we seem to have become particular on quality especially for meat (and Tesc seems to have pretty low quality on their meat). Most meals are cooked from scratch and we mostly eat lower carb, which unfortunately does seem to make it more expensive. Have swapped from roast chicken to pulled pork (cheaper meat and cheaper cooking method). Have planned meals ready for the next supermarket delivery.

struggling between stocking up, and spending less… it’s a tricky to find a balance.

Please put me down for £400 for all groceries, toiletries etc.

Yeah it’s still way too high for two but need to do a gradual reduction.

I noticed this article on the BBC Good Food home page today which might be helpful to those who eat meat The best meat delivery and subscription boxes tried and tested | BBC Good Food

pchoc

Hello
That link to the BBC guide on meat boxes was helpful, thanks. One thing to be aware of when getting chicken from some of the providers is that you may notice a slightly different smell than you are used to. This is because of vacuum packing which prolongs the life of the chicken. HTH

adben12

400.00 again please for July for two adults and two teenagers. (not including takeaways, school dinners or household items like toilet rolls, washing up liquid etc, have a separate budget for those). My eldest has now finished GCSE'S and is home until September! So think budget will be more challenging with him home all the time and eating more, but I will try my best.

LittleGem

Hi all,

im newly back on MSE after probably about 10 years away! 

Currently on maternity leave so am really feeling the pinch so would love to join this months challenge. 

We are a family of two adults, one toddler and a 4mo and would like to aim for:

£150 for the month please.

looking forward to getting started!

MsPennyMinder

Hi, can I join please? 

I'm hoping this will keep me more accountable and reduced overspending. The rise in - well everything - makes me want to try to be aware of where my money is going, since I have less to go around. Unfortunately between my health and my job, meal planning and cooking can sometimes go out the window and I make poor impulse decisions 😅

Hopefully I can learn a lot from you guys!

The budget is 175 for one lady in her 20's with an very active job ( includes food, household/cleaning supplies, booze, eating out, bulk buys) and the remaining 50 is budgeted for my new-ish kitten!!!

I'm still working out a budget but roughly it's 15 eating out, 15 booze, 20 cleaning/house, 10 bulk, 50 cat and remaining for food.... might be a bit optimistic 🤔 

225 for this month please

gill5blue

HI

Can I have £250 for this month please

gill5blue

ragz_2

£500 again for July please Elsiepac