January 2008 Grocery Challenge

G-G_4

Great Thread! :T

After years of us spending £100 a month, I decided I would buy the shopping from now on and spend £50 or less each week. This is for 2 adults, 2 dogs, 2 rabbits and 2 guinea pigs (yes, it's Noah's Ark! )

Just done my 1st shop of the year online with Tescos. Cost £45.90, but I think I will prob have to pop to the Co-Op down the road at least once in the week for an item or two, so i've got £4.10 to do that. I'm taking this very seriously!

I've been making my own dog food from leftovers in bulk. I used old potatoes we havn't used, out of date pasta and stuff that is going to go off before I can use it. They love it, and it's saving about 3 or 4 tins a week, which all helps and gives them something more interesting to eat. Brought a chicken this week and once I had the 'best bits' I took everything off it, apart from the bones, for the dogs dinner. made 4 nights meals! added frozen veg, pasta and gravy

Trying to get other half on board, he loves the idea of saving money, but can't resist temptation sometimes. I however have just been made bankrupt a month ago, so have had a big boot up my botty, so i'm moneysaving mad now! :A

Also, i've done a meal plan for the week, after seeing so many posts about doing them, i decided to do one before my online shop. I think it will help me use up what we already have in the house, which will save money in the long run because we already have it just sitting there!

Also, given boyfriend one takeaway night a week, I think I will insist that is is kebabs, fish and chips or pizza, the first two are about £6, pizza is about £12 but we can have leftovers for lunch the next day as we both work at home. Chinese is far too expensive! So i'm gonna have to say no to that!

Happy Shopping people! & don't forget to check the Tesco vouchers board as I just saved £4 off my online shopping, means I got delivery for 75p :rotfl:

Sorry for the long post

Gem

FunBrum

My BF has decided to put some money in my food kitty as he eats here too. So I'm uping my budget to £120 pm instead of £100:D
Thats for 2 adults and my 15 year old:A
So far this week I've spent £10.98 of the budget money:T

Keiss_21

Did a shop at Mr M today, not too bad, a trolley load and spent £45, that's after savings of just over £10...pretty good! Still trying to persuade DS2 that he prefers HM yog to bought...but when Muller lights are 10 for £2.50, it's not too horrendous money wise (he eats 3 to 4 a day :eek:better than sweets and crisps though!).

Still considering whether to get a Slow cooker with some of my Christmas money...any thoughts?

Talk later, off to do some baking, make soup and souffl! for tea...yumm!

M

tranquil_2

Just remembered something else I hadn't taken into account in Decembers budget- school dinners!
DD1 varies between school dinners and sandwiches, and for most of December was school dinners. That's £1.75 a day. Will need to remember to take this into account during January.

Keiss - I love my slow cooker, once you have the hang of it most things can go in. It's good for cheap cuts of meat (cooks slowly over long period of time so ends up very tender) and also for when you get in at the end of the day (stops snacking when you can eat instantly). There are lots of threads on here with meal ideas for it. I wouldn't be without mine!

dlb

Another here who wouldnt be without my slow cooker, have cook a chicken in it today to make chicken wraps, and now have the bones of the chicken in it making stock ready to use in a stew later in month.
I cook all my joints in it, and make rice pudding in it which is so yummy.
Why not try to get one from freecycle they often pop up on there and try it before you spend your xmas money on one?

lil_me

Whoever asked about Aldi frozen ranges
http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/product_range/productrange_frozen_food.htm
If you buy breads, bakery stuff etc rather than make it I much prefer their stuff to other supermarkets. My kids love the teacakes & scones from there, they are huge. Chilled cooked meats are usually very nice. Fruit & veg does tend to last well. They have offers which change all the time. I was in there today and bought cooked meats, dishwasher cleaner (half the price of Tesco/Asda) cucumber, milk & teacakes.

I tend to shop a bit from several shops, much less from Tesco than I used to as I'm getting a bit sick of them never having in what I buy. I much prefer the delivery people from Asda than the ignorant ones Tesco have sent so far. I also like Asda's substitutions policy as I buy mainly 'value/smart price' stuff I tend to win on that, they sent 8 bottles of Pantene instead of value shampoo, I'm not going to refuse a £2 a bottle saving!

I get most of my fresh meat from one farm shop I use, to be honest I was shocked when I worked out the sirloin steaks from him are cheaper than Tesco Value! So much nicer quality, I just couldn't go back to eating supermarket beef

Right then, spent a little today but realised I messed up on the adding up on New Years Eve, added £7 too much :rotfl: included my sisters shopping, so will adjust that lot now.

mumzyof2

i have spent £2.28 in aldi... on potatoes and some cordial..do you think that was expensive???? i did! i was so shocked! If i had walked a bit fufrther id of gone morrisons and got potatoes for 89p instead of £1.49 at aldi and cordial for about 60p instead of 75p at aldi...but i would of prob spent more
whats everyone think/

tattycath

I love my slow cooker too and wouldn't want to be without it. I've had mine for about 10 years now. It's a godsend when you're busy!!! so I think it would be a wise investment Keiss

tattycath

Finally done freezer inventory:
3 beefburgers
2 slices gammon
11 sausages
1 fish pizza
3 bratwurst
minced beef casserole
1 joint lamb
12 vegetarian sausages
prawns
vegetarian stuffed jacket potatoes
chicken pie
minced beef
7 fish steaks
10 fishcakes
apple & cranberry stuffing
tortillas
loads of veg.
So I should not need to go shopping for anything for a while-just got to check other cupboards now.
If anyone has any ideas for a quick dish with bananas I would very much appreciate it.
Thanks in anticipation.

Disdisbiff

Count me in too for the January grocery Challenge My aim is to spend no more than £170 as i have a full fridge,freezer and cupboards packed with stuff from the massive shop before christmas.

Lets keep it low folks

Biff