April 2024 Grocery Challenge

Mrs_Cheshire

So relieved to hear your good news Pip. 

thriftwizard

Adding my cheers, @PipneyJane! Just added my £25 spent on fruit & veg yesterday; it's been a blisteringly busy couple of days with 2 more yet to come, so although that was a little more than I'd hoped to spend, I'm not despairing - yet! Next weekend will be an odd one on the budgetary front, with the whole horde gathering (11 of us on Saturday night) but some of it will come from the entertainments budget, as it's a birthday celebration.

NeverendingDMP

That's brilliant news pipneyjane. I'm very impressed that you chose chippy chips too to make it a proper treat tea. Good idea!!

CRANKY40

I'm so pleased for you @PipneyJane, that's great news 😊

Soontobeoap

£20.00 spent today at Aldi. Hoping that will be our big shop this week. We are still both fancying treats after illness so ice lollies are included in that. Will be cutting back next month to try to get back to averaging £200 a month by July. 

Pennypincin

I've somehow spent £38 on odds and sods, including £8 on sushi yesterday, from Lidl though.
It's s a rare treat and was really craving it.
Managed to spend less than £1.50 in Morrisons on some reduced fruit veg.
63p on reduced raspberries, yum. They didn't make it home as I was peckish after tai chi.

PipneyJane

Thanks everyone for your support.

PipneyJane said:

Good morning All

I have several shops to declare from earlier this week.  First, though, some good news!  I had a PET scan on Monday and got the results on Thursday: only a couple of traces left of my lymphoma. Everything else is clear.  We celebrated with rump steak from the butcher . £20.67 spent by the Meat Fund. 

We also went to L!dl (£13.31 spent), and Sainsbugs (£8.41 spent mainly on loose fresh veg).  Throw in £3.50 spent on chips from the local chip shop (because you have to have chips with your steak), plus £3.77 of shrapnel accumulated over the course of the month and …

The above brings our total GC spend to £98.96/£140 leaving £33.50 for the rest of the month.

- Pip

Ahem… Did anyone notice that my maths were off? For some reason, I’d deducted the shrapnel from my total spend instead of just adding it. I only noticed when I went to add in some shopping from Sunday and Monday. The balance remaining (£33.50) is what we had left in the GC Purse… Ahem…

 Anyway, I have two shops to declare. On Sunday, we went to MrT’s to take advantage of a Clubcard offer on Yeo Valley’s Greek Style Yorghurt With Honey (450ml tubs down to £1.50 each). A total of £11.70 spent, which included 3 tubs of that yoghurt plus a YS tub of their Lemon Curd flavour (£1.06), a bag of frozen potato croquettes (£1.20), 600ml of crème fraiche (£1.70), baked beans (3x28p) and YS cheddar & bacon rolls (£1.74) to snack on. Monday, after chemo, we went to L!dl. £13.08 spent on a YS Chorizo quiche £1.14, lactose free skimmed milk 3x99p, 12 FR large eggs £2.69, butter 2x£1.69, chocolate Oaties 3x77p plus 1 free pack with voucher.

The above brings our total GC Spend to £130.62/£140 leaving £9.38 for the rest of the month.

 Yes, it’s going to be tight. It’s been tight for several months.  A couple of months ago, I raised the idea with DH of increasing the GC budget to £160.  He’s finally agreed, so we’ll increase it next month.  (It’s been £140 since 2020.).

- Pip

Soontobeoap

DH does love his kenko coffee. With food we can reach a compromise but with drinks it is a different matter. I have tried diluting with another coffee, other makes etc but he knows what he likes. 😊. He doesnt drink or smoke so it is his little pleasure. With Kenko going up to £7.00 for a 200g jar some serious research was needed. Eventually discovered it in poundland for £6.00.DH trotted into town and got 1 jar. I told him he should have got 2 whilst we could find it. 🤦‍♀️. Poor bloke cant win. Anyway we are quite pleased with the £1.00 we saved. Have just arranged to go and visit DS and family for the last weekend in April so will finish month spends on 26th which will be a relief. This month has really run away with me. 🙁. New oven arriving and being fitted today so I can start working through the freezer properly. 

C_J

@Soontobeoap I sometimes find things which seem a bargain in £Land aren't quite what they seem, as their 'comparable' items are often slightly smaller than the ones you find in other stores. I think someone on here once said that some manufacturers do make smaller versions of their products specifically for discount stores.  If you got the same size Kenco for a pound less than normal though, that is brilliant and definitely a win!

Soontobeoap

@C_J definitely the same size, I checked. B and M have it for that price too but we would have to drive there and then it wouldnt be a saving.