June 2023 Grocery Challenge

chirpychick

Good Morning everyone!
Back for another month. 
I am going to be aiming for £70pw 

I did successfully keep up with my £60pw budget last month until a Costco trip which ended up taking me over by £70 for the month taking my weekly average up from £52.50 to £70. I this month have allocated the £70pw for 2 adults and 1 child but this month I also have a £40 budget for Costco. We use there for loo roll, margarine, water, bin bags, cleaning supplies and some other bits. 

The main reason we are surviving on this budget is in thanks to Olio. We are managing to grab some stuff Weds, Thurs, Fri generally each week. My very fussy disabled sons breakfasts notoriously expensive are free! We actually crazily picked up a freezer for £20 and a fridge for £35 because we're getting so much (which we are grateful for and using) but it needs storing properly of course. We concluded the freezer has definitely already paid for itself in a week. I'm not sure how we would cope if we werent getting that free food. I love that we're rescuing it from the bin!

My peas are starting to flower, we're harvesting spinach and have got tomatoes, beans, peppers, chilli and cucumber out in the polytunnel now as well as Garlic and Onions, we have 5 apple trees, pear, peach, plum, 2 cherry, 3 blueberry, about 8 raspberry canes, 50+ strawberry plants, blackcurrant, grape, blackberry and even kiwi in our garden (and shockingly its not acres of land, lol) So i am excited to start getting lots of food from the garden soon as well. 

Anyway, I hope everyone is well and has a great month

Soontobeoap

Hi @Mumtomany 2 years ago I planted a cherry bush, raspberrys and strawberrys. The strawberrys have multiied massively, cherry and raspberry look like they will produce well this year. Also did well with runner beans and cherry tomatoes so growing them again this year. I have planted a mini munch cucumber and peppers at request of grandson and also trying potatoes, swede, carrots, radishes and beetroot. I must admit the fruit appeals the most as it more or less looks after itself.

Have bought 2200 tea bags today from B&M for £21.98 which seemed to good to miss. Wont need any more this year! Have also ordered washing powder and toilet rolls in bulk from Tescos because of offers so I know this month will be a big one.

KajiKita

Aiming to get within £600 in June  (if we can!). 

Reading the opening posts on the thread has reminded me to ferret out the rhubarb and almond cake recipe as we are awash with rhubarb atm.

KK

Suffolk_lass

KajiKita said:

Aiming to get within £600 in June  (if we can!). 

Reading the opening posts on the thread has reminded me to ferret out the rhubarb and almond cake recipe as we are awash with rhubarb atm.

KK

Rhubarb goes well with strawberries too - in jam and bottled to use over winter, and of course, rhubarb freezes really well, just chopped up into zip lock bags

Soontobeoap

Taking forward things that I learned in May. 
1) you can freeze ginger and grate it from frozen without peeling.
2)you can buy frozen chopped garlic
3)There is always a meal left in freezer even when you think you have nothing.
4) There is more room in my garden for growing veg than I thought.
5)After a shop from cupboards and freezer month you will need to have a bigger budget the next month.

Thank you to all who have helped £2.50 spent today when DH went to post office. 🤷‍♀️

elsiepac

Budgets updated to here

@Soontobeoap I must confess to buying both frozen chopped garlic AND ginger - Mr T does them both.  I also do buy fresh garlic, and also sometimes do a big prep of peeling and chopping (in the food processor) and freeze it myself, but most of the time the frozen stuff is an absolute godsend.  It's having things like that in to make cooking a quicker task that is making a big difference for me

Ginmonster

I'm going for £250 again this month please.

Ooh, thanks for the reminder that rhubarb and strawberries go so well together @Suffolk_lass. I was planning a crumble to use our rhubarb but it feels too hot for that. I think making a rhubarb compote and then having it with fresh strawberries and maybe some vanilla ice cream would be spot on!

gill5blue

Hi All,

aiming for £300 in June

2 adults 2 labradors and 1 tortoise
good luck all
gill5blue

Suffolk_lass

I am aiming to be under 50% of my annual budget of £3000 by the end of June. I have done a big shop in the June column already, as most was stores and I have spent just a smidge under £1200 (£1199.10) or 40% (39.97%) so far this year. So far, so good!

KajiKita

@Suffolk_lass - we are about to be overrun with strawberries so I might try @Ginmonster’s suggestion of serving with a rhubarb compote - I can see that working very well. And no, I didn’t know that you can freeze rhubarb. Another job to add to the list for my week off! 😊

KK