August 2024 Grocery Challenge

diminua

I have £6.94 left. Dinners are already planned - half a tin of tinned tomatoes, half a mozzarella ball, herbs, olive oil and pasta tomorrow, then the remains of batch cooked tofu curry on Friday, and after that fish and chips and broccoli from the freezer. I also have an open can of tuna and plenty of salad, which will be a sandwich for tomorrow's lunch and if I can eke it out with enough mayo and tomato, Friday's sandwich too.

That should leave enough for me to get a pint of milk, which I will need, and my usual day-in-the-office treat of pain au chocolat for breakfast and some dark chocolate for a snack of nuts, raisins and four squares of chocolate (again only on office days). If I can't eke the tuna out I'll just have to get up earlier and have coffee and toast before I go in. 

Once we roll over to next month I definitely need coconut milk, vegetable oil, almonds, fruit (frozen and fresh), garam masala, chickpeas, eggs, potatoes, more fresh veg, stock cubes, veg sausages (for toad in the hole as it gets colder) and probably yogurt (to scoff with blackberries while they're still in season). Butter wouldn't hurt either (might make an apple crumble towards the end of September if the temperature drops). 

carboot_karaoke

Evening all, 

I have numerous spends to declare totalling £98.97.

With +£150 due to be spent on fuel in the coming days. 
 
We were away for part of the month, so l took the opportunity to buy quite a few expensive things like olive oil, 10kg of rice, a large fabric conditioner, and a big fairy liquid that will last the next few months. 

We should comfortably come in under budget , however apart from food August has been very "spendy" indeed, school holidays are so expensive and don't get me started on uniforms 😑 

Definitely need to get back on track and reign things in a bit. 

New total £336.30 /£650
Food £291.26/£470
Petrol £45.04/£180

Suffolk_lass

I bought two pints of milk from the local coop but otherwise, sticking to no shopping until September

TravelCrystal

Morning all

Last shopping of the month done today, most of it will be used in September and beyond, but not relevant as I spent the money this month

I have defrosted some of the strawberries I bought last week and added to the free blackberries I keep picking.
Just heat them for a few minutes then refrigerate until needed, nice on the mornings muesli and yoghurt.

Spent £38.55 in Lidl's today.
Had Y.S on ham, Gnocchi, Chorizo Quiche, and coleslaw.
Took advantage of one free cake and free orange juice.
Special offers from my app on baking potatoes and onions.
I also took up the offer of the discounted Free Range eggs as still worked out cheaper than the usual farm ones I get.

Also bought, fruit and veg, bread flour, mayo, tom sauce, decaf tea bags, Marg, cream and horseradish.

Final total for August of £277.60/£300 so just scraped in.

Have a lovely rest of your day

T.C

crazybunnylady4

Good morning all, 

Just finished my sums for the end of August, and taking into account 1 x morning coffee for tomorrow (boo to working on a Saturday!) I am declaring: 

Groceries £403.60/ £400 - annoyingly close, will have to see if I can get it under £400 next month!

Coffee/lunch spends: £221.11/£150 - really need to work on this. Hoping September will not be as chaotic a month as August was. There will definitely be changes in work in the coming weeks so this spending should improve. I will also switch over completely to buying a small coffee in the mornings (occasionally I do opt for the medium) and that will shave off some pennies. 

Pennypincin

Just over £25 left until Sunday night and I start the week again on Monday.
I popped into Lidl earlier and spent £1.88 on a tub of cheap cottage cheese, a reduced salad bowl, plus a bag of reduced spinach and reduced cress/spinach/rocket mix which will do me today.
I will need to pop into the shops tomorrow for food for the weekend, then will need to do a small shop Monday.

LotsOfTea

We've been away from home for most of the second half of this month so I've completely lost the plot as to where I'm up to. I've got a big shop arriving later today as we're back to a house with nothing fresh in it but I'm calling it a day for August and heading over to September.

diminua

Declaring at £4.91 over. I was doing so well and then I went for a walk up Leith Hill today (circular walk from Ockley Station) and rewarded myself with coffee and chocolate fridge cake at the top. No regrets though, it was rather delicious. 

Blackcats

@diminua - Leith Hill is very beautiful.  Sounds like a good walk and chocolate fridge cake is worth going over budget for!

I'm finishing the month with a small underspend but I think that's a bit flattering because I bought some sausages from the butcher and some strawberries from the greengrocer using cash.

It seems to have worked well doing a big stock up shop to start the month and then smaller, carefully planned shops during the month.

finishing August with a £10 underspend which has been added to Christmas savings.

carboot_karaoke

Evening all, 

l have just refuelled adding another £50 petrol to the months spend. Hubby needs to do the same really but it will come out of Septembers allocation.

The savings will be split between our food/utility back up fund and holiday/entertaining pot. Both have taken a hit recently

New total £386.30 /£650
Food £291.26/£470
Petrol £95.04/£180