January 2008 Grocery Challenge

CanadaBound

Another NSD which can only be a good thing, but not such a good day for the overall budget... We just found out that waiting times for a decision on immigration to Canada has changed to 2 1/2 years. Now, you would have thought that a reduction in the time taken to get out there would make me happy, but when we applied in the summer we were told the waiting time was 3 1/2 years, though more likely to take 4-4 1/2 years so we budgeted so that we would save enough and pay off enough of the mortgage so that we could buy a house and some land to raise animals outright in 3 1/2 years.

So now to have a year taken away from us is extreamely frustrating, it means an even tighter budget and my poor hubby is going to have to work away from home more often than he already does.

Anyway, enough whining and complaining - only yesterday I was saying that it was frustrating to have to wait so that is lessened by a third, and worst comes to worse, it will just have to be a smaller house! What is more, everytime the mortgage rate goes down, means more captial paid off a month.
Think positive, only 2 years to go! :T

stripey_cheese_skirt

catherineblack wrote: »

. How annoying to find the girl had swiped it twice, it cost me £7.38! This happens to me nearly every week in Tesco or Asda. And I always forget to check my receipt. Do you find you get doublecharged regularly?

All the time in Asda!! I bought a pork pie slice from the deli counter the other day and they input it as a £7ish takeaway meal :mad: Always check my receipts from there now.

izoomzoom

To the posters who have been charged incorrectly / double at Asda, why don't you just phone up and say what happened, and they should give you a refund when you next go back.

If you really throw up a stink, perhaps they will throw something in as a gesture of goodweill

scotrae

Dilemma! Do I buy small packs of pasta, drinks and washing powder to stick to budget or large packs to be economical in the longer run? I'm starting to hear murmurs of discontent from DH about the empty fridge and he is wanting to buy a few things I'd hoped to cut out for the time being, including cans of branded cola ... not cheap when I'm trying to start off on £25 pw for the four of us! I think he'll be glad when we've finished the packs of frozen veg up too!

I'm working tomorrow afternoon so I'll have to drive off to get some groceries after dropping the children at school. Considering I'm feeling pretty rough tonight and it's a 50 mile round trip for work, do I do a tour of 2 or 3 supermarkets to get the best prices or just get to Mr Ts and be ruthless with the budget?

I'll definitely have to review the GC budget for next month but even if I up it by £20 pw we'll still be saving so much on our former spend. And I feel happier now that I've done some work as I know that the hours I'm doing over the two days should cover the month's groceries so long as we don't go far over.

singlemum_4

Thought I'd do an update, should be writting up an assignment but have missed you all the last couple of days (should I be getting withdraw symptoms?) so thought I'd do a quick read and post, it's taken ages!!! Anyway been so busy havn't spent a bean since Sat :j Made HM chicken nuggets for tea kids loved them, also an apple cake (had loads of apples going wrinkly) went down a treat to with custard. Hope not to go shopping for next couple of days so fingers crossed should make this week a really low spending one.

Frugaldom

scotrae wrote: »

Dilemma! Do I buy small packs of pasta, drinks and washing powder to stick to budget or large packs to be economical in the longer run?

Hi Scotrae, I get pasta shapes for 20p per 500g in Somerfield and buy about 5 packs at a time. Supermarket savers are my salvation whilst sticking to a really tight budget If it helps, the Bold 2 in 1 washing powder is 2 boxes for £4 from tomorrow but we're having a go with soapnuts soon to see if they are all they're cracked up to be (pardon the pun). The Coca Cola / Diet Coke is on special for the 2litre bottles - 2 for £2.30.

Hope this helps

arbroath_lass

scotrae wrote: »

Dilemma! Do I buy small packs of pasta, drinks and washing powder to stick to budget or large packs to be economical in the longer run? I'm starting to hear murmurs of discontent from DH about the empty fridge and he is wanting to buy a few things I'd hoped to cut out for the time being, including cans of branded cola

Scotrae when I've bought larger items I've split the cost over the remaining weeks in the month. Or you could try a monthly budget or even a bit of both i.e. a smaller weekly budget using the difference for larger items over the month. If that makes any sense at all.

My DH used to only drink branded cola but now loves Tesco's own (the mid-price one about 37p a bottle). Can you get yours to try the others?

tattycath

Hi everyone. Scotrae, if your OH says he doesn't want to try the cheaper coke, decant some into an original bottle and I bet he won't really be able to tell. Regarding buying in bulk. I normally buy rice, pasta, etc in the larger packs-i think it's more moneysaving. I tend to stagger them though, so if I buy large rice this month I'l get large past next (unless I got it last month) iyswim I get the larger washpowder-til my soapnuts arrive-gotta try them haven't we.
atm I use wash powder with fabric softener in it but I'm seriously thinking of trying vinegar as fabric softener.
I do buy loo rolls in large packs- I don't know how OH and girlies manage to get through them so quick!!! I get large jars of coffee on bogoff or 2 for a set price-if I'm feeling like I will come under budget by alot I add it all into that month, if It's a bit close as to whether I'l be under budget or not, I put one on the following month.
This month I'm doing well -she says confidently, so bragging about it is bound to put the mockers on it-so I'd better shut up!!!!!;)
Anyway I hope some of this helps

kazmeister

Update

Grocery shopping at weekend was only £46.00 and OH has only been in a couple of times for minimal stuff so not doing too bad.

Total spend so far this month £137.00

Mollymop5

Another no spend day for me I sooo want to be under budget this month.Even if it's just by a pound or two.I need to know I can be strict with myself!