January 2008 Grocery Challenge

mumsrus

hi, first of all thanks everyone for the tips, i think il be off in a minute to list all the stuff i already have in the freezer and cupboards and write out some meal plans. I dont really eat junk food as such but i have just realised i do buy things like frozen roast postatoes and chips and i am lazy in that i sometimes give the kids oven food, nuggets, shop made pizza which can cost more, so thats where i am going to start, thanks alot again, and love the cheap meal thread

Skint_Catt

MRSMCAWBER wrote: »

Hi there jackie and skint_catt

This might not be do-able for you both but when i want to shop in a supermarket that i need hubby to drive me to .... i quite often ask him if he wants to go and have a coffee in the cafe with a newspaper .... He used to think I was being lovely as he hates shopping when in actual fact it was just that I prefer shopping on my own... we still do it now and hubby appears at the checkout just in time to load the bags into the trolley :T
Im lucky as my hubby doesn't throw things in the trolley -just scoots along on the trolley like a kid ...
Just thought it might be worth a try for you -with the sounds of it skint_catt-even treating him to a brekkie might work out cheaper, and you might earn brownie points too for not dragging them around the "bad place"

Thansk MrsMacawber but my OH loves shopping - he just doesn't understand the idea of budgeting, saving, or buying whats on the list/bare minimum. He just sees it as a place o buy lots of nice things like treats for the house, toys for him and whisky! :mad:

JoJoB

Another £7 gone today on cleaning stuff and a few veg, eggs etc. Will do my best to have a couple of no spend days now!

Savvy_sewing

Another £17.74 spent yesterday. I am going to struggle to keep within budget this month!!

redsquirrel80

windowshopper100 wrote: »

Don't lose heart Redsquirrel. If you're finding a new enthusiasm for cooking you will end up spending a bit more while you build up a store cupboard of ingredients you won't need to buy again for months e.g. herbs, sauces and stuff.

Don't think just because it's gone a bit awry so far that you've failed - you're making an investment for your cookery future!;) Don't give up on this month, even if you end up being £50 over budget, it's better than thinking 'I've blown it I won't bother again til next month' and then end up £100 over - it's like being on a diet - one day at a time!

Maybe don't be quite so adventurous for the next couple of weeks and keep it simple - see Roseiben's earlier post with cheap meals - there's a couple of posts on there that give an entire cheapy week. I might do that next week.

All the best
WS100

Thanks for the encouraging post WS100, you're right that I have stocked up on lots of things that I won't need to buy for a while - lots of spices and a freezer packed full of veg etc. Although I've gone over budget I did allow myself £100 for two months (due to being paid on funny dates over Christmas), so I suppose £30 extra over two months isn't too bad Luckily I get paid again on 23rd so my new month starts then!

Thankyou again x

Sassamac

I went for a 'Sunday scavenge' yesterday but was disppointed at the lack of reduced items. I did get some mushrooms for 10p that looked like they had a lot more life in them than the date suggested, and some other f&v and bread but no meat. Anyway it was an opportunity to stock up on tins of everything and Im hoping that will last me til the end of the month. Looking at my spreadsheet I have been to Tesco's every day since Weds and need to go today for milk and fish. I mostly spend very little though (under a fiver), but I do wonder if I would spend less if I didnt go as much. So after today I am trying to avoid going til Friday. I am just pennies under budget, based on my daily average, so if I can wait a few days I will have more leeway to spend.

ness_w

Just finished my first week and it came to £207.40 for the eight of us!!! No wonder we never have any money. What on earth can I do now? It's not as if we have ready meals, takeaways, throw away a tonne of leftovers or anything extravagant. I'm going to have to take a close look at where to cut the budget, but really don't know where to.

Ness.

MRSMCAWBER

Skint_Catt

Wait until i tell my hubby i have found a hubby who likes shopping :eek: -he will never believe me :rotfl:
Guess i should be quite glad that my hubby would rather "have his teeth pulled out without anasthetic" than go shopping ... mind -even when he does go its very rare he puts anything in the trolley.. an occasional tin of paenuts or a bottle of wine -but as we can get a really nice bottle of red out here for €1.29..i will let him off :rotfl:
He does like his whisky but again we can get a 1lt bottle of stuff like glenfiddich etc for as little as €15 depending on what offers are on -and that comes from his own spends

i think i will thank my lucky stars i have a hubby who doesn't like "going into the bad places"

Hi there Ness

Perhaps if you started up a thread -listing what you buy and what meals you eat..other posters might be able to see where you could trim back a little -don't know if it would help..or could you give us some idea on here and we can see if we can help..

mother_noah

Trying to keep out of shops to stop me from buying things I dont need.Plenty of de cluttering to do but lacking motition. Budget for January £200 spent so far £57-37,not a bad start for my first challenge.

NEgirl

no reductions today at tescos!! :eek: Means i came in under budget though and didnt spend my contingency fund but did treat myself to the dirty dancing workout dvd (out of another budget) :rotfl: