May 2023 Grocery Challenge

Gettingmyshiztogether

Saver-upper said:

I did my first shop for May yesterday evening, and I felt so disappointed by the end of it. It had me rattled for the rest of the day 
I have tried so hard cutting our budget over the last 6 months. Have cut the budget for everything: groceries, phone plans, socialising, Amazon etc. I do all the research before shopping, go out with my list, add up prices of what goes in trolley as I'm walking around......at the end of the day/month I can tell you where every single penny has been spent.......

Like chirpychick, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed at the supermarket anyway. Couldn't get my head into it. While I was shopping, 16yo daughter messaged me, asking for a lift. I explained I was doing the grocery shop, so couldn't help, and (to soften the blow a bit), asked what she fancied for tea. Thinking she would choose a home-cooked meal, since she knew I was in the supermarket buying ingredients. She chose Indian ready- meal    I didn't really fancy this, it would normally be an end of week treat, every few weeks, and when I'm too lazy/busy to cook. But since I had asked, what could I do?

So I was looking at the Indian ready meals. For the 4 of us who would eat Indian (14yo DD won't), was trying to work out cheapest way to buy. Not a lot of options because there was only 1 "combo- box", so had to buy that, plus 2 individual meals (£4 each, and they still didn't come with rice, so had to buy 2x those on top......plus non-curry meal for 14yo. ) £26.00 out of my £300 monthly budget, gone just like that!!

A couple of things made me sad about this: the price, the fact I didn't really fancy it, and the fact that when said 16yo daughter got home, she was in a mood anyway, couldn't speak civilly to anyone, so tea was a quiet, sombre affair.

I am lucky- we have enough money to buy these treats. It is hard to explain how I feel- we have the money for it, but the fact I have set myself a challenge (£300/ month for 2 adults, 3 teens, and a visiting 21yo on many weekends and most holidays), and then suddenly budget is "blown" unexpectedly like that. I just felt really guilty buying it. And then we didn't have a particularly pleasant meal anyway 

I think I am also sad because I have become like this. If the money is in the bank, why do I feel bad when I ask "what do you want for tea?" and the answer is "oooh- an expensive, not very nutritious ready meal for me please, Mum!"  A few months ago I wouldn't have thought twice about buying it.

For some reason the whole episode just made me really sad.

I completely understand. Sending love and empathy your way. I have a teenage daughter too, 13 not 16 but sounds similar xxx

chirpychick

Hi, just popping on to add a 26p spend on 2 baguettes yellow sticker.
My husband managed to get loads from Olio last night which was great. Mostly things i'd not eat at all but grabbed some soya milk for our expected visitor and some houmous totally free. But this morning my little angel started off with a sore throat, developed a temperature and then started vomiting absolutely devastated the sleepover has been cancelled. So if anyone knows what i can do with some soya milk let me know! 
Im so sad for my little one, he has it really tough generally with his disabilities and he's just totally heartbroken. He's currently in bed asleep which is unheard of even when poorly. So I have parked myself in the study near his bedroom so I can keep close by. 
Yesterday my husbands car failed it's MOT it was not a good day, it was the rear suspension and as we have a big car (it is 15 years old) its £810 to repair. He now therefore needs to use mine, which today doesn't seem a big deal because we will probably be home for the week now anyway and to repay my kindness of letting him have mine (he's also disabled and works almost an hour away so car is essential) he brought me some cola, the angel some gentle tummy foods and so I've not had any further spends yet. 
The car is a big deal, I cried, we have to put it on the credit card and pay it off over the year, we have no choice. So again I am going to have to rehash the budget and make even more savings wherever possible which feels almost impossible right now!
Anyway I have £36.77 until Thursday and with being housebound and no car hopefully i can save that!

Blackcats

Commiserations @chirpychick - hope your little one perks up soon and boo to the car problems.

have had a few spends already this month including our once a month trip to our local butchers.  We are making progress on using up freezer stocks and store cupboard ingredients to create meals and I've been making a cake a week which we have with our post dinner cuppa.

we have a week away this month which is self catering but comes from another budget so it will be tight but I think it's doable.

SPENDS £107/£250. Balance £143 

KajiKita

@chirpychick you have been having a rough time, sending you a hug 🤗 Hoping your little one recovers swiftly and the car bill is not as bad as predicted. 

KK

Saver-upper

Gettingmyshiztogether said:

Saver-upper said:

I did my first shop for May yesterday evening, and I felt so disappointed by the end of it. It had me rattled for the rest of the day 
I have tried so hard cutting our budget over the last 6 months. Have cut the budget for everything: groceries, phone plans, socialising, Amazon etc. I do all the research before shopping, go out with my list, add up prices of what goes in trolley as I'm walking around......at the end of the day/month I can tell you where every single penny has been spent.......

Like chirpychick, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed at the supermarket anyway. Couldn't get my head into it. While I was shopping, 16yo daughter messaged me, asking for a lift. I explained I was doing the grocery shop, so couldn't help, and (to soften the blow a bit), asked what she fancied for tea. Thinking she would choose a home-cooked meal, since she knew I was in the supermarket buying ingredients. She chose Indian ready- meal    I didn't really fancy this, it would normally be an end of week treat, every few weeks, and when I'm too lazy/busy to cook. But since I had asked, what could I do?

So I was looking at the Indian ready meals. For the 4 of us who would eat Indian (14yo DD won't), was trying to work out cheapest way to buy. Not a lot of options because there was only 1 "combo- box", so had to buy that, plus 2 individual meals (£4 each, and they still didn't come with rice, so had to buy 2x those on top......plus non-curry meal for 14yo. ) £26.00 out of my £300 monthly budget, gone just like that!!

A couple of things made me sad about this: the price, the fact I didn't really fancy it, and the fact that when said 16yo daughter got home, she was in a mood anyway, couldn't speak civilly to anyone, so tea was a quiet, sombre affair.

I am lucky- we have enough money to buy these treats. It is hard to explain how I feel- we have the money for it, but the fact I have set myself a challenge (£300/ month for 2 adults, 3 teens, and a visiting 21yo on many weekends and most holidays), and then suddenly budget is "blown" unexpectedly like that. I just felt really guilty buying it. And then we didn't have a particularly pleasant meal anyway 

I think I am also sad because I have become like this. If the money is in the bank, why do I feel bad when I ask "what do you want for tea?" and the answer is "oooh- an expensive, not very nutritious ready meal for me please, Mum!"  A few months ago I wouldn't have thought twice about buying it.

For some reason the whole episode just made me really sad.

I completely understand. Sending love and empathy your way. I have a teenage daughter too, 13 not 16 but sounds similar xxx

Thank you Gettingmyshiztogether. It's hard, isn't it?

Suffolk_lass

Hmm, I can see it was £4.80. I think it was for Tea and a scone, while waiting for DH to have his hospital procedure in the garden centre... in which case it can go to treats and entertainment

sarahj1986

sarahj1986 said:

£81.25 spent

big Tesco shop as we were running low on many things

£168.75 left

£117.40

a big big shop from Tesco however there are reasons 

1, fizzy drinks (Diet Coke) is on offer 2 x 18 cans for £12 so ordered 2 but they subbed it for 4 x 10 so I’ve got like 40 cans plus some already in the cupboard! I won’t need any fizzy drinks till June now 

2, the growers harvest orange juice has gone up in price. I worked out buying 4 cartons of Tesco own is cheaper 4 for £3.50 so that will do us a good 2-3 weeks as my daughter drinks it diluted with water 

3, I’m 15 weeks pregnant so I’ve treated myself to smoked salmon on offer to get the good fats in my diet. 

4, stocked up on chocolates, crisps, other store cupboard essentials 

The following week won’t need to be a big one. My sister gifted me some meet so the freezer is quite full 

£51.35 left

SausageDogSandwich

Hi everyone, late to join this month for a few reasons. First my youngest having chicken pox, finally coming out the other side of it. Been ill myself and then having an internal fight with myself about what I should set as my budget for this month. Don’t like spending more money but know I have to increase the budget. Luckily have got some extra money coming in now which enables us to up the budget without too much worry. So my budget for this month is 

£400 for may please @elsiepac& thank you for the may challenge.

As normal this is for 2 adults & 3 kids that eat more than me and includes toiletries, cleaning, alcohol etc. Hoping to be able to buy a bigger variety of fruit and veg for the kids and also have one “nice meal” a week such as fresh fish, steak, fajitas with all the trimmings for example.

have already spent £13 exactly in Aldi on some of the coronation stuff and rounded Tesco up to £93 including delivery which was for 10 days ish shopping, afternoon tea food and bottle of wine. Unsure when next shop will be as cant get out until next Sunday so may have it delivered if needed before then. 

£106/400 spent.

elsiepac

@Saver-upper what a shame to have such a flat experience with a big chunk of the budget gone too.  Some fab suggestions from others on here with experience though so hopefully that may help going forward.
@chirpychick your poor child and then on top of that the car - what a time of it.  Sending you good thoughts

Chickpea and Aubergine Stew recipe I tried - so simplen and so delicious - I replaced the Ras el Hanout with Harissa paste as that's what I had in, and I didn't bother with the extra water or sugar to keep it thick - highly recommend

Nelliegrace

May budget £150, £47.62 spent, £102.38 left.

It was worth a quick look in at Sainsbury’s.
Satsumas 25p, beans, mangetout and broccoli mix 10p, red pepper humous 34p, 2 packs of turkey sausages at 69p, plaice fillets £2.09.
DH chose a lemon cheesecake reduced to £3.39.

£7.55 spent for £17.63 of groceries. 

My Victoria sponge was a bit sunk in the middle, but tasted better than anything made in a factory, especially with homemade jam.