January 2008 Grocery Challenge

halia

oh dear - today was not good! (especially combined with last night)

had an incredibly horrid week, I was starting a f/t teacher training course and DS (2) got violently ill meaning I was juggling an ill child/2-4 hrs sleep a night with new course and bike rides in the pouring rain to get to uni every day.

thats my excuses over with. I was good all week, mrT order for the fortnight on monday came to £105 (inc nappies and special milk for DS who has allergies)
other grocery shopping totaled £15 and my spending at uni was only £4.50 for the week as I took pack ups so only bought cups of tea.

HOWEVER, last night I was feeling rotton and DS was threatening another cold so I gave in and got us all Fish and chops for tea at £10, then this morning some friends offered to take him out (gave me chance to nap) but that ended up being £9 (£6 on CBBC magazine/drink/ride and £3 on lunch)

Although I did make sure I bought smoothie drink, muesli bar and cheese slices for his lunch so actually I have half the smoothie and 6 cheese slices left.

I need to go shopping today as well, just fruit, milk and some liver for liver and onion later this week but its mounting up!

in good news however DH has made two alrge fishermans pies from freezer/store supplies and I've meal planned for the next 28 days!

singlemum_4

Hi there thought I'd update NOT had a good couple of days!!!
Last night popped to pub with a friend in need of a shoulder to cry on and ended up spending £5.50:eek: as she is more skint than me. Then this morning had to pop to town to return a pressie (long story but bought for £10 lost reciept but got £20 of vouchers as that was price in store today, wouldn't give me cash tho hey ho) Used park and ride as cheeper but had 2 pay for 2 out of the 4 kids i had with me as they looked over 16 (only 13 unfortunatly wasn't carrying their birth certs)so that was £6 instesd of £2. Anyway DD and friend went off to cinema (paying for selves thank the lord!!) I ended up with DS and friend who were suddenly starving and I couldn't say no as very rarley take DS out like this (can't be seen dead with mum... you know what they're like) so spent £4.47 in subway then £1.95 on cards I needed. Anyway sorry to rant needed to get it off my chest!!
Have taken £6 bus money out of my petrol pot (£30 a week) and will just have to manage. Will update my sig with the rest. Have to pop to Mr T's later for milk/fruit other than that hope not to spend again this week........

Mollymop5

carolt2 wrote: »

Hi molly,
I make cous cous alot as me other half enjoys it.
Make the cous cous up as mormal (you can use stock instead of water as it adds more flavour)
I cook an assortment of veg, usually onions,carrots,peppers,peas and sweetcorn----plenty of colour) i then mix the cous cous with these vegetables. Add garlic powder, a little olive oil and some grated cheese. I then get some large mushrooms and steam until nearly cooked then fill the inside of the mushroom with cous cous filling, sprinkle with grated cheese and bake in oven.

mmmm these sound lovely.Thank you:T

irishwexford

On Thursday I bought a roll of Saxby fresh pastry reduced to 50p and a savoy cabbage 59p, defrosted some of the beef left over from Christmas, found two carrots and a parsnip and made pie, baked the carrots and parsnip and steamed the cabbage and it was perfect, had rest of pie on Friday with mash and peas. Two meals and just spent £1.09. Friday evening found large cooked chickens reduced to £1.09 at end of evening (RSPCA approved). We will have chicken salad tonight with jacket potato and curry tomorrow. Outlay just £1.09 for chicken, 85p mushrooms and 39p cucumber. There is just the two of us to feed but am enjoying eating so cheap;)

Sassamac

well my 'need to pop out for milk' turned into a £5 spend, but it bought us two packs of half price sausages, one for tonight and one for the freezer, yogurts which DS reminded me he had run out of, as well as reduced bread and cat food. Still under budget so cant complain. Unfortunately I was hoping to make sausage casserole or pasta bake with them (which will make enough for leftovers for the freezer) but DH wants sausage mash and beans which doesnt stretch very well. DS (3) just asked for pasta and tomato but thats his standard request at home. oddly enough his standard request whenever we're out is sausage, mash and beans.

singlemum_4

Mollymop i know Im thread jumpng but how did the new job go this week?
Seeing you on here reminded me!!:o

EagerLearner

My spending so far not too bad... but not sure I will make the £130 this month. Got 2 x packs of 400g lean mince in Sommerfield for £1.50 each special offer. Then paid £3.00 for veg. Will freeze one pack and with the other, make some Cottage Pie and freeze portions... maybe that will get us closer to the goal for this month! Good luck everyone!

Aril

Week 2 down and been a good girlie again- my sig is updated. This week's spend is £21.04. For any of you buying Christmas presents to put away I bought a Chocolate recipe book for £1 from my local Tesco.They had other titles aswell so may be worth a look.
Aril

In_Search_Of_Me

hi all, Well like many I've had a dilemma after seeing the chicken run progs...I cannot, in good conscience buy cheap meat anymore, despite the fact that it will cost more. If I do I will be contributing to the suffering that these animals go through & I dont want to do that so have decided to go free range. Its more expensive & will, I suspect, mean that I take longer to pay my debts off but I dont mind - would rather that than the alternative. I already had free range eggs but have just done a shop at a local farm shop which is free range/organic but does cost more. I dont mind re the veg but the meat must be free range from now on & I'll swap over to organic milk when the stuff I have is gone. Re the budget I'll play it by ear as still have money left but will struggle on my current budget but we'll see!! Hope people are Ok with this? I'm definately seeing a differerence in my shopping habits using cash & am much more aware of what I put in the trolley so result on that score even if I dont manage to keep within the amount this month, although am still ging try try! The meat I got today came in at probably double what I would normally pay but worth the price & the ham is DELICIOUS! Esp with my homemade chutney!!

windowshopper100

ooops... well after a couple of NSDs (not on groceries anyway) the credit card took a £46 hit today (sig updated)..... and I'm not telling you what on as I'm far too ashamed.:o ...

WS100:o

Back to 2 chooks for a fiver...