I'm back! Trying to spend less on food!

Elisheba

Interesting you mention the cash and carry, @mumtoomany . The article on MSE recently seemed to indicate that they only really save you money on brand name goods. Have you found that to not be the case?

I ask because I now have access to one through work I do with the Scouts, although it a half hours drive away, and I was wondering if there was any point in giving it a go. I have a whole garage I can store things in so bulk buying isn't a major issue for me.

Duchess2

Yes @Elisheba I find with Costco that very often you can get some items cheaper. There are bits that I buy from there that are good value, but if not I’ll get them elsewhere. Look after the pennies as they say. In any retail site you have to be aware of value for money and shop around. I take photos to remind me. Currently making my list for shopping this week and really going over and over to see if there’s anything I can cross off. I’m determined to cut our food bills considerably this year.

mumtoomany

Hi, @Elisheba. The cash and carry near us is a small local business, they have only one store. I tend to call in around once a month, but only buy reductions. They have a butchery department, often find reduced sausages, meatballs, gammon steaks etc. Fresh food depth, before Christmas had double cream, £2 for 2 litres, 3 litres of Greek yogurt £3, nearly 2 kilos of butter portions £6. Also freezers with frozen bread, pizza bases, rolls, etc. Sometimes other frozen stuff, meat, vegetables, etc, in broken packaging. Every few months they have dented tins, huge ones normally 40-60p, small ones 20p, tins without labels 10p. Always pot luck what they will have in, but usually worth a look.

Breakfast was porridge. Lunch, the other half of the pizza. Tea, home made lamb burgers (mutton really), leftover broccoli in cheese sauce, sprouts for OH last few peas for me, and boiled potatoes. Snacks/desert, mince pies, shortbread biscuits and peanut m and m s. I'm defrosting a piece of pork to cook tomorrow.

Despite the freezing weather, we managed to get four more sheets of tin up on the wall of the barn. The wall blew down when the roof came off. We had managed to get enough on to keep the chickens in before we went away. Now need to get the top row on. Not easy when the tin is covered in ice, chickens and dog are running around your feet. The tin is being reused for at least the fourth time. The barn is mostly made of rust! 

Hugs to all, mumtoomany.xx

Duchess2

Wow @mumtoomany your cash & carry sounds fab. Nothing like that here unfortunately. Have trimmed shopping list down as much as I can. Going to Aldi and Morries so trying to spend as little as possible. Breakfast was porridge & blueberries. Lunch was salad and leftover veggie sausage. Dinner was fish fingers hm chips and mushy peas. Trying to run the freezer down. Had a hm veg and pearl barley soup with hm bread which lasted us three days earlier in the week, so had quite a frugal week so far. Most of the Xmas goodies have gone now, so trying to snack on fruit. As well as saving money we are trying to declutter some weight. Keep up the good work

mumtoomany

Posted earlier, but it seems to have vanished into the either! 

Shopped on Tuesday. Thought the vegetable shop wouldn't have any £1 boxes, they close from Christmas eve until 5th January. I was wrong, they had around a hundred! I spent £14, I total. I bought 10 boxes, a bunch of bananas and 4kg bag of onions. Also went to Tesco for other bits, spent £2.98 plus £10 in vouchers, on food. Another £1.68 on non food. Most of the veg is now in the freezers. 

Pictures to show you all what I got, hugs, mumtoomany.xxx

JingsMyBucket

@mumtoomany wow! How are you freezer preserving those and which ones are going in the freezer versus just a cold storage room? I’m guessing cabbages and lettuces in the cold storage? 

thriftwizard

Oh gosh, I'm green with envy at those red cabbages - which I'd ferment into a kind of sauerkraut - I think I'll have to ask DS1 & DDiL to pop in & see what's there when they come down at the end of the month!

Duchess2

Well done @mumtoomany. What a haul. Managed to keep last week’s shopping bill for everything below £65, which is brilliant for us. Going to a local market for salad and fruit today and a small shop at Sainsbury’s. Still got some Xmas veg in the garage, so hoping to do even better this week. Take care all

mumtoomany

Hi all. @JingsMyBucket, I've frozen the broccoli and most of the cauliflower, some was for tea last night. Most of the peppers have been frozen,  few in the fridge for salad. Frozen the cranberries too, till I get round to making cranberry sauce, or something. Tom's, lettuce, spring onions and radish in the   fridge. Will cook some of the plums tomorrow as one or two of them are on the turn. @thriftwizard, I hope your son is as lucky as I was, let me know how he goes on. @Duchess2, I've still got shallots, carrots, swede, and a few sprouts, from before Christmas.  They are all in the spare fridge.

Lunch today was salad on sandwiches. Tea was bolognese with spaghetti. Down to fewer than two dozen mince pies. Only one small Christmas cake left. Box of Roses, and box of chocolates. A few biscuits and still have some peanut m and m's. 

Hugs to all, mumtoomany.xxx

kayannie

I add a few cranberries when I make an apple crumble.
KA