January 2024 Grocery Challenge

CoffeeSonata

@Suffolk_lass I have been considering doing similar.  My not very organised method was basically a food budget/12 and rolling over.  This means to take advantage of offers I have to make sure I have budget rolling over/under the monthly spend. I think a more formal sort of way of categorising might be better, and separate budget lines. I really like your set up. 
I think having a set aside 'bulk' might help me feel happier buying bulk things soon when on offer, and knowing I can. I do a little now but sometimes it's still a bit tight, or I get it wrong. 
I don't include most household cleaning things in the grocery challenge, as that comes out of a separate bulk budget already. 

Finishing up Jan pretty pleased. 
I was away the first week of Jan, and sent back from various family with food. 

I have spent £301/360.

This was also helped by spending £25 ish of my membership rewards on the co-op card.
I should also have nearly £10 worth of cashback from shopping, as I had an offer for morrisons on my bank account cashback offers. So I made sure to mainly shop there this month. I've not counted that as a reduction in the grocery budget spent amount though as it's not really mine or guaranteed until it's actually paid out in Feb - although the bank cashback is normally fine.  

The £301 has also included some shopping this week of things on offer that we were out of  (including tins of tomatoes on offer and bulk tea bags and baked beans, cheese, tofu - I forget what else) that will not be used until Feb.  

Feb the plan is to reduce budget gradually and try to eat from the freezer/storecupboard first and shop the store cupboard first to use things up, waste nothing and stay as low as actually possible. 

I'm trying to get a month ahead with my grocery budget to ease out cash flow and allow for offers/bigger stock ups and shops.  
Also need to reduce the monthly grocery spend to a more doable amount for us still. 

So focusing on eating well, managing to plan and cook without tiring myself out and planning for high pain/no cooking days without breaking budget or wasting food and using up what we have here to really reduce spending, eat the freezer and to give me some room to get a month ahead on the grocery budget which will simplify my life and planning a lot. 

I'm still in awe of all of you who manage to spend so much less! 

StickyTheStickInsect

Last top up shop today for school lunch bits in the Co Op £12.65

£501.22/£7,200
(January : Groceries £424.10  School Dinners £77.12)

JingsMyBucket

PipneyJane said:

Good evening All

Apologies for being MIA for much of the month, I have been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and have been in hospital for the last two weeks.  Gradually having my first round of chemotherapy drugs, this week, and already feel much more human.  I was a zombie from the start of the year.

- Pip

@PipneyJane oh my word, I’m so sorry to read this. What a terrible experience for you and I hope you’re able to weather chemo with the least amount of illness and fogginess possible. Sending ease and light your way x

pastmysellby

My final total for Jan is 

£287.21 / £350

My budget is split between groceries for the two of us (£300) and entertaining (£50). Sometimes they overlap.  I've got separate budgets for cleaning / toiletries etc.  Any booze comes out of our own personal spends, unless we have family and friends coming and then it comes from the entertaining budget.  

I'll be rolling over what is left from this month but reducing the £300 to £290 in Feb.   I'll carry on reducing each month until I get to the lowest sustainable amount.  Hoping to have built up a nice little leftovers pot for Christmas.

Suffolk_lass

I'm over on February now but I just wanted to pass on my best withes to Pip. Stay positive @PipneyJane, we are all rooting for you. Like others, sending positive thoughts to you and your family. I think we have been here about the same amount of time; 13 or 14 years and you are one of the consistent performers, full of wisdom, if others take note x

charlies_tribe

Good afternoon.
Final amount for January was...

£849.18/£762.60

We did go way over as I hadn't realised the 5 weeks and I couldn't get the delivery last Sunday so DH was picking up things (plus extras) through the week. I will try better next month!

diminua

Declaring for January with £3.03 over. Wiping the slate clean and heading over to February. 

lianne1984

My final total for January was £293 / £250.
Lets see how February goes!

PipneyJane

Declaring for January at

£117.30/£142.30 leaving £25 to roll over to February.

Thank you all for your good wishes, etc.  I’m still in the hospital but it’s Chemo Day 10 and I’ve been told this is the rock-bottom day.  They are keeping me in until early next week, I think.

- Pip

NeverendingDMP

Hope it gets better from day ten pipney Jane. Send best wishes