January 2008 Grocery Challenge

shelovestobuystuff

Hubby came home from work yesterday via tesco with 3 bags of definately not needed stuff including more crisps(whats wrong with the ones in the cupboard),twix,expensive cheese,dog treats(nearly £4 for 2 chewy bones which only last them half an hour),and stuff for a burns supper that we usually hold every year but I hadn,t planned on doing this year at all.Another £26 onto the already overbudget spend for Jan.
I will try to make up for this overspend next month and ask hubby to leave his wallet at home in future,taking just what he knows he needs for the day.I don,t take my bag or purse with me anywhere now and that habit is really helping me in not buying what I dont need.Today I needed 2 new dog brushes and a shammy leather,I put £3 in my coat pocket and went to Poundland after I dropped the little one off at school.If I dont have it with me I cant spend it.

Frugaldom

Hello again, sorry, I just can't help myself - I have to tell EVERYONE about the grocery challenge because I think it's great. Up until venturing into the MSE forums I never had 'fellow challengers' to compare notes with on my grocery challenge, so it is making 2008 even more exciting and interesting! I've had quite a bit of practice over the past 9 years but I am still learning new ideas, hints, tips fantastic advice etc almost every day on here. It's even better this year having a garden big enough to attempt homegrown!

Thank you to everyone here - you have all made me, and the other frugalites from my 4k challenge, feel very welcome :j :T

JoJoB

Well today is payday, so I've decided to start February's challenge today. My month is going to run from the 24th to the 24th. January's bill was around £190 and I was aiming for £150 for the two of us. Should have been do-able but have realised where my downfalls lie (beer and cake).

I started off this months challenge with a great buy at work - staff shop had milk for 1p for a 2 pint carton, so I bought 12. Found out on here you could freeze milk so worth a go!

Got home and OH had been to do the weekly shop at aldis, spending £25.45. He's done very well bless him. I made a big chilli yesterday and froze it, enough for 4 meals for 2 people so I am fully prepared for the coming month.

Just have to keep me off the cake and OH off the booze and we might be within a chance of coming under budget!

BlushingRose

belfastgirl23 wrote: »

Hi BlushingRose, just wondering, it might be worth posting a list of the kinds of things you tend to buy and eat in your grocery budget. £400 a month is a lot if you aren't overbuying so I suppose I'm thinking it might be *what* you're buying that's the issue, not waste etc. There are cheaper and more expensive meals. I know when I was spending way way too much it was all about Marks & Spencer basically, not even ready meals but nice snacks, salads, pastas etc. But I also definitely wasted a lot and binned stuff etc as well. So I suppose what I'm saying is to try to do a grocery SOA type thing and see if people have comments?

That's a very good idea, and one I've thought of doing before on the 'debt free wannabe' forum, it's just i can't remember what we buy!
We tend(ed) to go to local shops for fruit, veg and meat and then to Asda for the rest of the shopping. This week, we're planning to go to Aldi instead and see how much more cheaply we can do things.
It's clear from this thread that our spend of £100 is week is a lot when others seem to be able to spend £200 for a month!

shelovestobuystuff

BlushingRose,
Keep all the receipts for the next month so you can see what you buy and work from there.You cant start saving money until you know where its going.Analyse your spending habits and see what you can substitute or cut out.
When I first ventured onto the forums of MSE just 10 months ago I was spending well over £100 a week on grocery shopping too and wasn,t really sure where the money was going:o .By popping on here and reading about other peoples budgets,brilliant recipe ideas and money saving tips I now have a whole different mindset:T and am reducing the amount I spend.Trying to live within my means and getting there bit by bit.£200 a month is what I am aiming for and gradually I will get there.
The difference between what you want and what you need is vast.

nopot2pin

MRSMCAWBER wrote: »

Im going to have a go at super soft rolls at the weekend (as i sometimes like them)..will let you know how they go and post the recipe if it works;) .
Did pitta breads yesterday and hubby whent mad about them :T -so flour wraps are the next experiment;)

MrsMc... could you post your recipes for the pitta and wraps too please ?
And do you make these by hand also ??

Thanks

doraexplorer

hello people. have been reading this thread and have decided to try and get our food budget in control. its currently about £400 :eek: pounds a months. not including takeaways and wine and beer. we both work him f/t and me p/t and both do shopping think this is where the problems start. we dont know what the other one is buying . i tend to do most of the food shopping and oh the treat shopping.

planning on aiming for £200 a month 24th to the 24th. going to put it in a jar in the kitchen and try only to use this money for food.

i have spent all afternoon sorting out freezer and cupboards. wrote down all the food we have and wrote a 2 week meal plan..... mostly using freezer food. i batch cook and try to use only fresh meat and veg.

2 adults and 2 kids ds 8 and dd3.

have also wrote a shopping list for tomorrow and will stick to it . well try hard to do this. will go to butchers then morrisons.

so here i am february challenge here i come !!!! trying to keep oh on track will be really hard.

lil_me

Just a little ask, could people when they are finished their challenge post the total to add to the list on the first page in a different colour, I don't have time to read all the threads at the mo and this will help.

Example lil_me spent £2000000

If you don't know how, click the A with the line under it where you type, choose a colour (preferably red as for some reason I notice it more) then type your total on your post

Oh I spent £17 in Lidl, remind me not to take my 9 year old next time please....... my month ends on Sunday and this time I am not going to add up until the Monday morning as I always end up spending more when I say 'that's all I am spending!'

Welcome to all the new people, the February challenge thread will likely be started over the next week or so, so when it does you can post your targets in there. This thread is removed of 'sticky' (kept at the top of the page) when the February one is posted.

charleybabes

just did my asda shop and it came to £26.92, i had four pounds pampers coupons aswell so it only came to £22.92!!!!

i now only have to spend 79p on toilet roll and 99p on baked beans offer from two shops near me and im sorted

thats not bad going that is it for a weeks shopping for 2 adults and a toddler !!

vanoonoo

great going!