January 2023 Grocery Challenge

CRANKY40

No top up shop needed in the Cranky household this week. I took my best friend shopping for some garden bird stuff to H0me Barga1ns and he insisted on paying for the few bits that I'd put in the trolley. I take him a packed lunch three times a week and he has more money than me so I let him pay. 

I've also acquired from his kitchen cupboards 3 small boxes of celebrations chcocolates (extra to the sweets he gave me on Tuesday) which I've put away until the next teenage onslaught. They've all been more or less grounded by parents for the next two weeks due to mock exams so we're only seeing one every now and then rather than the whole gang appearing. 

I often do the grocery shop online - we live a five minute drive from a small Asd@ but the online shop comes from the bigger one further away. This means that I can order from the one with more choice and if something doesn't turn up I can try the smaller closer shop to see if they have it. I've also discovered that mid week shopping has a better chance of items arriving as it takes a while to restock the shelves on a Monday after the weekend rush. I went on a Sunday afternooon for something the HT fancied once (and only the once). The place looked like it had been ransacked 😂

We're still eating a lot from the freezer. I asked the HT what he wanted for tonight's dinner this morning on the way to his work placement but apparently he can't deal with that kind of thing so early (it was 9:30am) so I made what I fancied which was sausage, toast and beans with mini potato waffles for him and hash browns for me. I was gardening at friend's house until 4:30pm so it was a quick and easy meal.

I've added making raspberry jam to my list of things to do next week. I keep forgetting but I spotted some raspberries when I was digging for hash browns and it'll make a bit more space in the freezer using them for jam. 

snowbird20

yikes.  We are at $621.70 and another week to go in the month.   I did buy some good deals on meat that my House Troll will most likely devour over the next few months.  So now I'll be happy if I can stay at $700.

cherry_22

adding £80.32 onto my total for the month, which leaves me around £70 for the last week in Jan

Total £230.80 out of £300 .. going to try and get this down slowly month by month if I can

FoxFace

Grocery money picked up, kitty now stands at £142.50p, although I am still aiming for less than £100, the rest will be put aside at the end of the month.

I had brunch with my eldest today, but that was paid for from my personal account so does not come off my total.

I’m going to take a look through the G0usto app in a bit, make a shopping plan for next week… I might not be paying for the boxes anymore, but the free recipes are useful

Have a great day everyone

diminua

Pastries for breakfast on my days in work and milk and orange juice in the local shop (it’s a false economy to get a bus fare to go to the supermarket for those things). Supermarket buys were coffee (on offer so bought 2) bread including French bread, green and red pesto, margarine, salad veg and carrots, shortbread and a can of G&T (Ldl and JS again). Feeling quite comfortable with £81.92 left.

SausageDogSandwich

Husband has spent 2.39 while at work not sure what on the other day. Just been to spar to get something easy for kids tea, got the £5 fish deal, two packs of pud chocolate and daughter wanted a paw patrol lolly thing so that came to £9.82. Should of picked up milk but forgot, so will have to open the emergency milk now   

£79.70/250

Chelleybee

This week has been difficult after I've been diagnosed with a stress fracture in my right foot. I'm on crutches for at least 4 weeks so it's tough at work even in an office based job.

Someone asked how the Crockpot Cashew chicken recipe turned out. It was really tasty and we would make it again. It's from a FB slow cooker group. 

2lbs chicken thighs chopped

1/4 cup plain flour 

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup soy

2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar 

2 tablespoons of ketchup 

1 tablespoon of brown sugar (used demerara)

1 minced garlic clove

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes.

1/2 cup cashew nuts

1. Mix flour with pepper and coat the chopped chicken in it. Brown in a pan.

2. Mix all the other ingredients in a bowlm (EXCEPT THE CASHEWS).

3. Bung the chicken and the contents of your bowl ingredients into the slow cooker. Mix well.

4. Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours.

5. Just before serving stir through the cashews

6. Serve with noodles or rice. 

Hubby went to Tesco armed with a menu plan and list and spent £61.95 so we have £33 left for the last few days of January if we need it next weekend.

SUNDAY - Home made pasties

MONDAY - stir fry

TUES - Tortellini and sauce and garlic bread 

WED - fish fingers, mash, beans

THURS- jacket potatoes and tuna mayo

FRI - leftover stew and dumplings 

SAT- Meatballs and pasta 

Have a good week everyone. 

herebeme

Ok. So the good news. Did the S’bury shop. £40.75 and it should be enough for 2 week easily.
Then the not so good news. Went to the local farmers market and spent £26.80 just on olives, hummus, bread, cheese, and fish. Really did not need to do that. 
So basically have enough left for emergency milk and bread the rest of the month. 
Looking at my S’bury’s receipts, if I cut the small amount of junk/puddings I could easily get everything I need for £100 a month. Might try £120 in Feb and avoid tempting fate at markets. 

Now at £146.67/£150.

MissRikkiC

Small spend today of £8.51 at Lidddddl on bread, milk, blueberries, eggs, condensed milk and glacier cherries. The blueberries at almost gone, some of the condensed milk is in a fridge bake of 15s as are the cherries. 

This is me done for the month I think. I actually can’t believe after months of spending £350-£400 that for this month we will come in under £150. Now we run 25th-24th so I might even try and make things run on slightly longer to account for the fact that the first week of the month was still December and Christmas so likely came from a different budget. But I can’t even see how it’s been done either which doesn’t help. Olio MUST have helped although pretty certain most stuff Is still in the freezer that we acquired. 

Anyway, I’ll take the win (next week) and see how next week goes!

£143/150 

SecondStar

I get paid on the last working day of the month, and I do a weekly shop on a Saturday.

That means I got paid on December 30th, and have 5 Saturdays till next payday for weekly shops - it’s been a squeeze!

So far I’ve spent £145.01 / £200 budgeted.

So I’ve £54.99 left.

I’m confident I’ll come in under budget this month, though it might not be by much.