September 2022 Grocery Challenge

EssexHebridean

bupster said:

Checking in with £230.04 out of a budget of £200, so still not managing to hit it. Most of this month's overspend was because I was away for a wedding; I bought food to make lunch for myself and the friend I was staying with, and stopped at an M&S on the way home.

I say that, but actually a large chunk of it is buying cake and chocolate from the pound shop and the Co-op because I don't add those to the big supermarket orders as I'm on a permanent bid to lose weight. This plan is clearly not working and I need to revisit: either I actually need to stick to the cutting down sugar thing, or I need to accept that I want to have sugar in the house and buy it cheaply as part of a plan. Not sure I have the brain space to decide! Has anyone else got strategies they use for sweet stuff in the house?

The thing I found was key for me was to stop making stuff “forbidden” - with me it was  peanut butter. I wouldn’t “let” myself have it, so ended up craving it, so when I eventually caved and bought a jar I’d eat the whole thing in the space of days, and so decide it must be in the house any more. And so it went on. When I finally made the connection I worked on reminding myself that it wasn’t banned, so I didn’t need to eat loads in one gym I could have a little, then have a little more the following day if I wanted. Remember sugar is brain-food too - it is literally the brain’s chosen source of fuel, so it’s not exactly surprising that if we try to cut it out our brains rebel! (Now I buy peanut butter in kilo tins, the really decent quality 100% peanut type, and one of those tins lasts me AGES!) 

With chocolate we usually have some pretty good quality stuff around - the sort of thing you genuinely find you do only end up eating in small quantities. It doesn’t have to be massively pricey either - Ald1 do some pretty good stuff, and I imagine L1dl do as well. 

EssexHebridean

I’m still going - got one more week to go yet. This week’s shop came to £28.40 and included some storecupboard stuff so I’m fairly pleased with that - that leaves me on £106.40 / £200

JingsMyBucket

Hey @SausageDogSandwich I think you accidentally posted this on the September challenge instead of the October challenge.  

EssexHebridean

I'm done and declaring at £138.29/£200 for the month. As I said before it's a bit of a cheaty month really as we were away for the first week of it, but I'll take the small win anyway. The excess that builds up in the grocery account will be left there to use next time we want to bulk-buy meat, or possibly to pay for the turkey at Christmas as we've said we'll get that this year. 

Right - I'm off to the October thread - I'll switch off the lights as I leave, shall I?! 

K9sandFelines

EssexHebridean said:

I'm done and declaring at £138.29/£200 for the month. As I said before it's a bit of a cheaty month really as we were away for the first week of it, but I'll take the small win anyway. The excess that builds up in the grocery account will be left there to use next time we want to bulk-buy meat, or possibly to pay for the turkey at Christmas as we've said we'll get that this year. 

Right - I'm off to the October thread - I'll switch off the lights as I leave, shall I?! 

No im still here, just been M. I. A. 🤣
My challenge finishes today, but I do have to go Ald1 in a mo. 
My total is on about £98 of about £120 currently. I don't think i can get it lower than that; when you are wanting to stock up on something or there's a birthday in the month, and of course price rises 🙄

K9sandFelines

I'm turning the lights off now in here at £29.94 under budget 🤑. Probably one of few times! 

Soontobeoap

Well done @K9sandFelines i would have said that was almost impossible in the current climate. See you on Octoner thread. 

EssexHebridean

K9sandFelines said:

EssexHebridean said:

I'm done and declaring at £138.29/£200 for the month. As I said before it's a bit of a cheaty month really as we were away for the first week of it, but I'll take the small win anyway. The excess that builds up in the grocery account will be left there to use next time we want to bulk-buy meat, or possibly to pay for the turkey at Christmas as we've said we'll get that this year. 

Right - I'm off to the October thread - I'll switch off the lights as I leave, shall I?! 

No im still here, just been M. I. A. 🤣
My challenge finishes today, but I do have to go Ald1 in a mo. 
My total is on about £98 of about £120 currently. I don't think i can get it lower than that; when you are wanting to stock up on something or there's a birthday in the month, and of course price rises 🙄

I did wonder whether you were still in - glad you’ve wrapped up now and so far under a really low budget too, that’s brilliant! 

PipneyJane

K9sandFelines said:

I'm turning the lights off now in here at £29.94 under budget 🤑. Probably one of few times! 

Well done @K9sandFelines !  Nearly £30 under budget is not to be sneezed at.

- Pip

K9sandFelines

PipneyJane said:

K9sandFelines said:

I'm turning the lights off now in here at £29.94 under budget 🤑. Probably one of few times! 

Well done @K9sandFelines !  Nearly £30 under budget is not to be sneezed at.

- Pip

Thanks. 
It's about the one and only time, but I'll take it 💪🏻