January 2008 Grocery Challenge

frankerooney

Sunnyday wrote: »

Hi Frankerooney
thats made my mouth water just thinking about it.
I`d bung it in the SC with lots of chopped onions some hot water (a couple of inches) some red lentils and some dried sage, you can blitz the liquid afterwards to make thick sage and onion gravy.
YUM!!!
SD

Thank you Sunnyday, just the job. :T I've got all those ingredients so I'll get that going this morning.

BigMummaF

Just read the bit about Ireland being more expensive than anywhere else, but I bet the "elite" south of England is a very close second! I swear people think we all commute into "town" & earn a king's ransom for a three day week, whilst sitting in our indoor heated olympic-sized pool at the weekend hawse in the coun-tree shmoozing on three lap-tops!

In reality I have a big puddle outside the back door & work my way between day-light & dark, taking any over-time offered:o

Still, that's another story.....groc challenge update:-
Went to Iceland for their marmite that has been £2, only to find it's now gone up 18p:( so perhaps won't be going there too many more times....except their meat-balls at a pound a go are very scrummy:p I must have a go at the recipe I've seen on here somewhere, & make my own tho. Any chance of a heads up on the HM sausages MrsM?


A total of £54:92 this week, which means I have £120:39 left till pay day on 25th, but I need to get dog food @£7 a pop, & some cold cuts for lunch boxes at least.

On the whole I'm pleased with the way I've been on my first challenge, but I've not had to get laundry stuff yet...& as we can only use Fairy I know that will take a huge bite when it comes. I'm also still working thru a sack of spuds I bought just on xmas, & a lot of store cupboard items, so I'm not under any illusions that this is an easy thing to do.

As for any money left, I think I'll use that to go towards the next month's challenge, for my 'gifts' contingency fund:o

JoJoB

Another £9 went in tescos yesterday. I was so mad, there was loads of bread waiting to go on reduced but they couldn't get their sticker guns to work! I lurked for about 20 minutes but they said they wouldn't get new guns till later in the afternoon, so i had to leave all the lovely bargains behind. Woe is me!

Way over budget now. Have decided it makes more sense for me to run my month from the 24th to the 24th as that's when OH gets paid, so that's what I will do for the feb challenge, start a week early. I have £20 worth of pigsback waitrose vouchers so that might help me get off to a good start next month!

the_cat

Hi everyone:hello:

Time for an update again and I'm over budget:eek:

Funnily enough though I'm quite pleased about that as I have stocked up on meat and basics that I usually buy that were all on special offer and would have ended before next months challenge. So the cupboards are full and hopefully I should see the benefit next month. Won't have to spend any more now as payday is Friday

So lil-me my spend is £207.91 this month

Keiss_21

Hya folks,

Have updated my sig, went to Co-op this mornings for some fruit and veggies...probably should have gone to greengrocers, but was at dentists next to Coop this morning (a filling...aargh!). So saved petrol money by not going anywhere else.

As it was, I got bananas, apples, lemons and oranges all whoopsed but still looking good...fruit never lasts long enough in this house to go off! The only things I didn't get reduced or on Bogoff (Sharwoods 6 person noodle packs) was the cherry toms(99p) and the TV guide (38p). The total came to £8.61, leaving me £3.79 for the rest of the week to keep in budget!

I was wondering whether we should run from DH's payday, in which case it is today! I will give this some thought.

Although I am probably spending this month, I have certainly spent much less than I would have done without the GC. I am amazed how little everyone seems to survive on, perhaps I'll reduce my spending even more once I become more experienced at this. We have decided that we do like getting our meat from the butcher...perhaps we will stock up on bulk buying part animals, which should save us quite a bit, even if the outlay is large at the outset.

Back to the grindstone of college work...but must hang out the washing..what a lovely day it is...just like spring (well here anyway!).:T Not going into the garden though until this work is done!

M

MRSMCAWBER

Hello again folks

Nipped out as i realised i was down to one apple :eek: and thats just not the done thing in this house -i eat loads of them

Took the long way to burn some "wobble"(1hr of walking ..it all helps:p )..... anyhow I picked up :-

• 2kg apples -€1.49
• 300g cream cheese with herbs -i use quite a bit of this and now hubby has got a taste for it too:rolleyes: €0.99
• 700g fresh tomatoes -that smell like "proper greenhouse" tomatoes mmmmm - €1.10
• and a tube of tomato puree €0.45

A grand total of €4.03..which i though was great until i got home and realised that i gave them a €5 note and they gave me change for €10 :j so they paid me to take the shopping away :rotfl: :rotfl: oohhhhh I like days like today -and it means i don't have to alter my signature....although i have added it to my "spreadsheet"

Have boiled a gammon and have a lovely pan of soup cooling in tubs -1X1pt for tomorrow and 2X1pt to freeze for hubbies flask...just

• 2 1/2pt stock from cooking gammon
• 10 oz dried peas -soaked in boiling water for an hour then drained and rinsed. you can add more if you like it really thick.
• 2 carrots -cut into chunks
• and 1 onion chopped

Drop everything into the stock and cook gently until everything is tender...then blitz with a stick blender..and done all but a grind of pepper

BigMummaF - what do you want to know about the sausages? Is it the recipes you want?..let me know and i will type some up .

right off to have a nosey..
keep up the good work everyone -nearly at the end of the month :j

cheerfulness4

I was interested in the HM sausages, too. Is it necessary to buy one of those machines or do you make skinless ones.

I found a couple of threads on here, mainly carrying links to websites that sell the skins but I'd have been interested to hear how you make yours.
Trying to find some economical recipes as the family love sausages but I gringe at the cheap ones.

Just got back from the newsagents, needed the exercise, and spent another 43p on my TV mag. Resisted the sweets and crisps.

I'm astounded at how little I'm spending this month in comparison to the last few when I've blown my budget even when setting it at £170 for the month. Actually finding it fun. :rolleyes:

Frugaldom

Did a £10.00 shop today at Co - it came to £9.55 and leaves me 45p for my potatoes.

Milk has been reduced!! It was down to £1.35 per carton.
I also managed to get a half price mince round
Pk of 4 Scotch pies for £1.09 (DS eats them at lunchtime with beans)
400g mature cheddar still half price plus I had the 30p off voucher, now got another one as they are attached to the half price cheese :rotfl: - £1.69 total cost for that
Braising steak meant to be 2 for £5, there was only one left and they had half-priced it, result - £1.49 and now in the freezer along with the mince round.
Lge carton of fresh cream reduced to 39p - can't decide if I should make creamy soup or be rash and just pour it over some hot mince pies that are still in the freezer from New Year

I love playing the £10 shopping trip games, especially when they come in bang on target. I'll buy 45p worth of potatoes (local) and that's the cottage pie completed for this evening's meal and my freezer is filling rather than emptying, which can only be good news for frugalites :T

mikeD

Sorry BG23, sorry Bobbykins for getting you mixed up. I knew it began with "B" but there are so many posts on here recently that by the time I'd read 'em all I couldn't remember which "B" it was. Note to self: "Must get the right bee in my bonnet" .

Only spent £1.38 today on 2Lts of milk as we were right out, but have a delivery from Mr T tomorrow at around £65 inc. delivery. DS3 is away to Chicago for 3 weeks, blooming cold there at the moment, but I expect he'll shuffle off to Mexico or somewhere warmer.

Lunchtime again so goodbye everyone, have a nice day!

Love the FM

theamazinggem

just spent a massive £6.50 on dried mushrooms, apple juice, paprika and cereal bars. BUT mushrooms and paprika will last ages, and the others were reduced.
besides I HAVE A NEW JOB!!!!! :T :j :beer:

so i'm very happy. it doesn't mean i don't have to keep MSEing, but it's a nice £5k pa more than i have been getting, and it's a contract rather than a temp number. am well pleased. will definitely help with the house buying savings.

also think i should be able to just about last until the end of the month in the GC budget left. got quite a bit of meat in the freezer so only need some veggies and bread really.

yay.