January 2008 Grocery Challenge

singlemum_4

Is it too late to join in? Haven't spent anything this month yet, hoping to keep to £180pm for me, 2 kids and an old cat!! Any advice greatfully recieved as I'm new to all this.

Jacks_xxx

Sassamac wrote: »

Hi Jacks, I may be able to shave a few pennies of there.

Thanks honey, I really appreciate it.

Our Tesco doesn't seem to do 5kg bags of potatoes at all, so I buy the third cheapest 2.5kg ones at 80p /kg. (For any organic fans out there - their Organic Potatoes seem to be on special offer at Tesco at the mo at 63p / kg, or there's White Potatoes at 50p/kg. (but I don't recommend them!)

Might they have been cheaper if I bought them loose?? I didn't check that. (Honestly! Call meself a GC-er! :rolleyes: )

Our Tesco Value Porridge oats are 59p/kg but I will try and check out Lidl at the weekend and se if they have them any cheaper.
Blinding tip on the frozen mince front though! :eek: How did I not know that???! :T

I'm reading everything I can lay my hands on on growing my own veg at the moment so hopefully I can reduce my veg spend amount that way as the year goes on (as cos I can only cook about 9 things I always seem to buy the same old stuff! It would be nice to see something on special offer and know what to cook with it!)

After watching Come Dine With Me last week I'm dying to try cooking something with Fennel and I'm going to try and remember how to cook Goulash. (I used to cook it often when I was a poor student so it can't be that hard - or expensive!)


There was a brazilian chicken recipe on CDWM this week that looked ever so easy so I might look that up as well. (but I'll probably skip the Manioc / cassava acompaniment!)

I really appreciate the help sweetie, :T :A


Love Jacks xxx

littlemissclumsy

another thumbs up for the frozen mince tip!!

can this be cooked from frozen?

ellie2912

Well went and got some stuff last night ~ mainly yoghurts,fruit etc, oh and a new knife. came to £24.66 but on closer inspection i was overcharged by 22p a rollback hadnt gone through :eek:

wasnt having that so rang customer services and they have put me in "the book" does anyone know what you are entitled to claim back from being overcharged....is it just the 22p i will get back?

so moral of the story check your receipts and the prices displayed.
hope everyones doing good. :A

Lizzieanne

littlemissclumsy wrote: »

another thumbs up for the frozen mince tip!!

can this be cooked from frozen?

Hi :wave:

If you buy 'Free Flow' frozen mince, it can usually be poured into the pan and browned from frozen - it should say so on the packet, if you're worried.
Great for when you've forgotten to take something for dinner out the freezer!

lil_me

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=7488003&postcount=11

More members added.

Jacks if you have an Iceland near by someone said they do 4 pinters of milk for £1 on a regular offer. They also do mince, sausages etc cheaper. I do find buying a decent mince more economical because you get less fat. You could bulk mince out with flavoured soya (I like the one from Holland and Barrett, lasts ages) or oats. Mince frozen when bought can usually be used from frozen. Loo rolls, have seen them cheap in Iceland but maybe try Instore/Poundstretcher/Wilkinsons/Home Bargains. Oh and that is one very spoilt cat!

littlemissclumsy

thanks lizzieanne,

this sounds like a godsend! great for those last minute occasions!

i got a tub of mozzarella pearls for 17p reduced in Tesco last night. Any ideas for use? Thought of salads...dont think they freeze?

nopot2pin

Jacks_xxx wrote: »

3kg branflakes 3.40
tuna for the cat 20.25
frozen coley for cat 5.28

I'm posting all this on here to keep me on the straight and narrow!

Jacks,
I bought Tesco value branflakes yesterday... just to try. They are 70p for 750g. I couldn't tell the difference between them and the branded / tescos own. I know its only 60p saving... but thats almost an extra box
How big is this cat that your feeding ??:eek: :rotfl:

I too post to keep me going

lil_me

I find mozzarella cheese freezes well. What about calzone pizzas? Make a pizza dough, fill one side with tomato sauce, cheese and whatever you have lying around and fold in half like a cornish pasty, bake in the oven, yummy!!

Spent in Sainsburys today because I was over that way and wanted some things because weather is changing, I get this stupid idea we'll be snowed in but it's years since that happened. Anyway, spent in now and was only £6.31, including a yule log being sold off which I will decorate for DS1s birthday cake, saves me baking. If anyone wants Christmas goodies they have 75% off a lot of stuff in Sainsburys inc Xmas puds with March 2009 date on.

Jacks_xxx

lil_me wrote: »

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=7488003&postcount=11

More members added.

Jacks if you have an Iceland near by someone said they do 4 pinters of milk for £1 on a regular offer.

I do have an Iceland not too far away honey so that could be a real bonus honey - thank you!

I'm due a visit there anyway for some frozen veg for the nights where if I don't put something on the table in 20 minutes flat my family will start rampaging through the kitchen like a herd of starving wildebeest - and mess up my "system"! (Frozen mushrooms keep better and frozen onions are amazingly quick to use so I always have some in!)

Cheers sweetie!

I'm off down the town for a new casserole dish to replace the one I dropped and broke during the Great Moussaka Crisis.

I've been hanging on and hanging on waiting to see if one would come up in the charity shop but it's a struggle to dow ithout it so I'm going to look round Wilkos and Woolies to see what I can find. I could do with some freezable plastic containers for batch cooking as well.... more£££££ :rolleyes:

Love Jacks xxx