September 2022 Grocery Challenge

MissRikkiC

Thanks as always for this thread. I’m sometimes better than usual but have been consistently here for a long time. I’m so pleased I’ve found my kinda people here 🥰 

First of all, this months budget isn’t there to cover a load of other stuff that isn’t otherwise budgeted for. It’s not for luxury things (like port and cheese nights!) but I’ve also found that I much prefer (and am fortunate to be able to afford!) to spend a little more and really enjoy it than spend less and not be happy at all. 

Sticking to a similar budget but buying mostly, better quality items as a test whilst I can. 

Spends so far are a mixture of Aldii Liddl and M&S. £107 so far but of that £70 was in M&S and included treat items which I need to take from a separate budget. At least £10 for pizzas and £7 for Chinese sides. Much cheaper than take away items.  

Tiddlyteddy

London_1 said:

Hi @elsiepac          

                          Thanks for the compilation,

Can you put me down for £60.00 for 1st-30th September please

 

Can't change the colour or size via my laptop unfortunately, can only do bold in one size, 

JackieO xx

Hi, impressive amount. Any tips or ideas of what you eat such as recipes or meal plan for that amount. I struggle to get a weeks shopping below that for the two of us.  Thanks 🙏 

Soontobeoap

@Tiddlyteddy and @London_1. I am buying for 2 and can manage to get it down to £50 a week when it is just the 2 of us. I would also love to know how you plan to manage on £60 for the month! We are meat eaters which pushes the price up but do try to have 2 meat free meals a week. Eg, omelette, pizza or pasta meal. Would love to get it lower but fear with rising prices that it is impossible! 

MSE_ForumTeam5

Hi @coffeequeen8054 we've merged your posts into this thread

leftatthetrafficlights

Well another £89 spent yesterday 🤦‍♀️ £31 of that was alcohol for the damson gin & raspberry vodka that I'm making but even so....😳 I'm pretty sure I've got no chance of coming in on budget considering we're not even in September yet and I've already gone over the 2/3rds mark! 🙈 £216/£300

atrixa

Up to £74.74/£155 now. Had a trip to A!di today and was pleasantly surprised to see that some of the price hikes of my regularly bought items haven't hit them yet. Tonic water was 70p in Mr T, but A!di still have it for 49p. I'm starting to make sure I've got a well stocked store cupboard now at all times, as I normally let it run down toward the end of the month. I picked up a few extra tins while I was in there.

QueenJess

Count me in for this month as I need to get costs under control. I’ll go for £400 for the month for 2 adults and 2 very hungry children, but hope I’ll come in way under that as I’ve got a fair bit of food in already (hoping for £300).

Can you put me down for £400 please

LittleGem

leftatthetrafficlights said:

Well another £89 spent yesterday 🤦‍♀️ £31 of that was alcohol for the damson gin & raspberry vodka that I'm making but even so....😳 I'm pretty sure I've got no chance of coming in on budget considering we're not even in September yet and I've already gone over the 2/3rds mark! 🙈 £216/£300

Could you not shift the £31 into a different category? Is it for Christmas/gifting?

London_1

Okies well, there is only me at home now sadly ,but I budget as well as I can . I shop, as a rule around twice a month. I do eat meat ,but nowhere near as much as I used to .
Most breakfasts (I'm not a great breakfast eater) ,easpecially in the summer is normally a cuppa and maybe a couple of ginger nuts to have with my medications that I have to take daily.
In the winter when the mornings are chilly I have porridge as I have made it for over the past 65 plus years, the way my late Mum made it.
I have a small cup of oats, and a cup and a half of water, I usually put it overnight in a lidded saucepan, so by the morning it takes me around two to three minutes to cook. I sprinkle some salt over the top and pour a little milk around the edges  when dished up. Cost is minimal, and a warming bowl of hot porridge keeps you going until lunchtime. I'm not mad keen on cereals so only have them now and again.

Lunch normally is home made soup, which I make a large potful weekly, and portion and freeze if too much is made.
This is made with veg thats getting past its best, or reduced when bought on my shopping trips, or what every is on offer, or in season at the time
Last week I had spicy celery made from left over celery my DD gave me from a buffet she had made for a family gathering as my eldest grandson was home on a visit from the USA.I waste absolutely nothing as she knows.

Last Tuesday when I had been to my weekly coffee morning at Dobbies (they have a deli part there with a Sainsburys branch attached) and I spotted 500 gms of carrots reduced to 12p. Nothing wrong with them just over stocked , so I snaffled a bag which came home with me . Some of which I used on Friday and Saturday night with my main meals .The rest has been turned yesterday into carrot and coriander soup for this weeks lunches.I add lentils and a couple of diced potatoes to the soup pot so it thickens it a little, (Campbells condensed soup consistancy, which if too thick when served up I can add a little water to it )
I have a large potful in a tupperware tub in the fridge which will do at least three to four lunchtime meals this week (I even had a portion left over that's gone into a soup pouch in the freezer ). Not bad for just a little bit of work and 12p  

Along with the soup I usually have some crackers and grated cheese, or at a pinch, if a bit peckish will have a sandwich although I don't eat a great deal of bread.If I have fresh fruit I will perhaps have an apple or orange as well .

Tonight, (Tuesday ) from the freezer I have for dinner a cottage pie and from the fridge some steamed cabbage I usually steam enough for two night meals and also from the freezer some sliced green beans. Pudding is some plain low fat greek yogurt with some honey mixed into it.

Mid morning I will have coffee and mid- afternoon perhaps a cuppa or two I am a great tea drinker  
I bake my own cakes scones etc and also like to make biscuits as well I only have my main oven on about twice a month and do a large bake up filling the oven as much as possible with cake, scones etc which once cold will freeze if there is enough room (leaving out enough for a few days  

I buy and use UHT milk as it last a lot longer than fresh stuff. I make rice puddings in my slow cooker which also costs pennies. I forage for blackberries in season, and often get given windfall apples from my neighbour and peel, poach in honey and a little water, and when cold freeze, my freezer is my friend and saves me a fortune so nothing gets binned. 

I eat one main meal a day, and any leftovers get used towards the next meal, I use my steamer a lot as it will cook potatoes, carrots and green veg in tiers.

Tomorrow night (Wednesday) I will have a couple of sausages (I always buy decent sausages and prefer Gloustershire Old Spot ones from my local deli which are a little bit dearer that the rest, but are 97% pork so two are very filling, I will have these with perhaps some mash and baked beans (half a tin is enough for me, and the other half will be left over for the next day)

The next night (Thursday) maybe egg ,chips and beans (the left over ones ) and perhaps some bread and butter and a pudding of perhaps some yogurt and honey  or a chopped apple mixed into it

Friday is usually fish of some sort I have an excellent wet fish shop near to me and i will stock up now and again with what ever is in season and good value .
My fishmonger is a lovely chap who will let you know what's worth buying he is as old fashioned as I am I will either make some fish cakes from the fish and freeze, or a couple of fish pies to freeze or even just cook the fish myself
 This week it will be a fillet of haddock and some chips and perhaps some garden peas .

Saturday this week will be a chicken curry from the freezer with rice. I made a batch of curries from a few ofa pack of chicken thighs that I bought in Adsa's (five for £1.94) I used three in a slow cooker and got an amazing amount of meat from them and made five portions of chicken curry for the freezer. I still have two left in the freezer.

Sunday I will have some bacon from the freezer (I buy and portion bacon and freeze the portions ) and scrambled eggs mid morning Then late afternoon I go to my DDs for Sunday dinner. I usually take a pudding or cake I have made as my contribution.

Monday is usually meat free, and will either be a veggie lasagne, chilli or curry with rice, also from the freezer.

I am very organised, and make sure every penny I spend on food is utilised to the max. I meu plan every sunday morning and have done for well over 60 plus years. bearing in my I use a good deal from the freezer and batch cook and freeze a great deal 
it works for me and has so far pretty well.

This is roughly this weeks menu plan for me and every meal is costed to the nearest penny 

Hope this helps a little it just shows that its possible to eat without spending a huge amount , but then I don't eat ready made or instant meals or take aways Nothing wrong with those who do, but its just not for me. I also don't eat snacks (apart from a ginger nut or two ) and I never eat crisps I just think they're a waste of a quarter of a potato for 45p when I can buy a bag of spuds which do far more.

JackieO xx

pinkypig

Hi @elsiepac can you put me down for 

£150 please😀

That is for two vegetarian adults and a none vegetarian dog!  I also do lunchbox treats for two grown up children.  My budget includes all food (breakfast, lunches, dinners and snacks), toiletries and cleaning products.   I’m a actually hoping for less than this as I’m doing a pantry and freezer challenge to get stuff used up.   

I’m a returning member who has always kept a eye on the boards but who has been a useless contributor of late.  I’m having a complete refresh before the start of the school year after a rather spendy August.  I’m determined to save where I can to put extra aside for what is going to be a very challenging winter.
Thanks for running the thread and to all those who provide such creative ideas.  😀
PP x