September 2024 Grocery Challenge

diminua

First shop of the month in liddlys - the one in hackbridge as that's where this afternoon's wander ended up and it looked relatively empty, which I knew my local stores wouldn't be (it's at the bottom of a block of shiny new retirement flats, so I guess the nearest future customers mostly haven't moved in yet). Managed to get quite a few things on my list but a few gaps (marmite being the most urgent. I've been having jam for breakfast, which I don't mind for a change but it's not my favourite). Also bought some lettuces with the rootball still attached which I've popped in a cup of water in the hope they'll last better that way. 
I'm another one on holiday for a week this month, but will use the extra cash (if any) to stock up a bit on larder stuff - tins, spices, soy sauce, lemon juice and so on.  

Edit: forgot to say how much I spent! £13.69

JingsMyBucket

Hi returners and new folks. I’m catching up on threads after being away for the summer. @thriftwizard, I was so shocked to read about your husband. Glad to see he was lucky and had immediate help. 

@elsiepac thank you again for running this thread. I’ll definitely need it this month because we’re really tight this month yet need to restock after returning from the US mid-August. I spent about £300 partially refilling stocks, toilet paper, laundry, etc. I’m going to start my September budget from yesterday. Please put us down for:

£350 + £36 in I Love to Shop vouchers = £386, covering 8/30 - 9/30

We’ll spend the vouchers at M & S to stock up on longer shelf items like compost bags, rice, lentils, etc. Here are our spends so far.

£14.29 at Farmfoods Friday for 100 dishwasher tablets and a box of fruit splits

£2.78 at Savers yesterday for Fairy dish soap and Dove hand soap refill

£36.49 at Lidl yesterday where I took advantage of Italian week. I bonded with an old Italian man about the deliciousness of guanciale. I bought red peppers and avocados from their pick of the week; strawberries, bananas, cherry tomatoes, a big block of Wyke mature cheddar, and a can of beans. Italian-wise: sausages, ham, sliced salamis, and cheese.

£1.00 yesterday at Poundland for paper towels

£24.40 at the farmers market today on mutton pies, scones, hummus, babaganoush, and cheese. 

£78.96 / £386.00 spent. £307.04 remaining

We’ll planning to hit M & S on Monday to spend some of the LTS vouchers. Their chicken drumsticks are quite affordable too so we’ll likely get some for the freezer. 

LOOSE COOKING PLAN FOR THE WEEK

• Italian meat sauce with YS meatballs and some of the fennel sausage from Lidl 
• Baked pasta with half the meat sauce. The rest into the freezer
• Chicken and yellow lentil curry
• Small pork roast with roasted vegetables 
• Canned tuna and cannellini bean salad
• Vegetable quinoa salad 

Have a good evening everyone and a good week too. 

weenancyinAmerica

Ended up last month with $20 left in my budget for food. The month before I had 13cents left. It helped to pay attention and tell myself I didn't need the pain du chocolats at Aldi's. 

PipneyJane

Good morning all, and welcome to the new starters.  There’s a wealth of information in the links at the start of this thread.  Please do read them.

@elsiepac, as predicted, we had money left over in August: £22.60.  Therefore,

please change my September budget to £182.60.

Many thanks. 

I’ve already spent £4.60 of it in L!dl.  On the weekend in L!dl+, we got a “My Store” offer for 20% off free range eggs, so I popped in this morning, buying a dozen medium eggs - no large were in stock - plus two YS packs of mussels (dated 4/9j/24), and picked up another free doughnut.

The above brings our September GC spend to £4.60/£182.60 leaving £178 for the rest of the month.

Meal planning-wise, for this week I haven’t a clue.  I’m being admitted to hospital again today for another round of prophylactic chemotherapy, and expect to be an inpatient for 5 days.  DH will have to fend for himself.  He can cook; he can cope. There’s bread, cheese, eggs, leftovers (in both the fridge and freezer), leftover pizza (from his mum), and multiple tins of fish, etc, in the cupboard. 

- Pip

Elisheba

Hi all.  I need to keep myself accountable with shopping this month so - 

September - £100 for food and groceries for one

This shouldn't be a huge problem as I have lots in the house that needs using up.  I just need to be careful not to fritter it all away on little milk shops!

Nelliegrace

I am doing quite well with the grocery budget of £40 a week. I haven’t had much energy so it has been a short trip to Aldi, just for the basics, checking the red stickers for plain meat and fish, and the super six fruit and vegetables. We have plenty in the freezer and pantry. DH gets more milk later in the week. 

We are harvesting apples, I have a useful apple picker on a telescopic handle. Most years we store enough in the garage to last until April. They are in stacking, plastic mushroom trays, (free from the market,) so it is easy to go through and check them regularly. 

The new hens are £20 each, up from £17 last year, and we have to register them now. They earn their keep, laying around 300 eggs each in the first year. 

We have our 45th wedding anniversary coming up. I don’t want a fuss, so DH has booked a table for lunch for the two of us at the local college, where a three course, silver service, very fine meal with fancy trimmings, cooked and served by the lovely students, will cost us £16.50 each. 

JingsMyBucket

@Nelliegrace thanks for mentioning the meal at college and happy anniversary! It’s my birthday this week and maybe I’ll see if the local college has a similar program. 

£33.99 spent online this evening with H & B on two giant 30% off tubs of peanut butter and loads of 2 for 1 snack bars. The latter will come in handy because both of us have long distance trips this month and will need them for train snacks. I’m attending a 3-day conference and will keep some in my bag. The 2kgs of peanut butter should last us a few months. 

£112.95 / £386.00 spent. £273.05 remaining

Frugalistamama

Just a quick one to report that I'm at £157.81/£500

Cricketmum22

My first time posting £600 per month please
2 adults plus 2 21yr olds mostly raiding my fridge 

TravelCrystal

Good afternoon everyone.

A bit late with my post today but decided after my weekly shop to Lidell's I needed to plant the spring bulbs I bought last week (gardening budget)

I spent £30.22 today on fruit and veg including money off the fun sized fruit, Y.S on cooked chicken tikka slices and app deals on Granola, cheese slices, tortilla wraps and Demi baguettes.
Also bought milk and kitchen towels.

Earlier this week I bought a jar of honey for £4.75 from a lady whom I go to choir with ( her husband is Mr. Bee)
Had some on a bit of baguette for lunch it was absolutely gorgeous.

Bought some more strawberries for the freezer as they were still a good price ( not el santa thank goodness, as I personally find they taste of nothing)

Last of the Chicken stew from the freezer for tea tonight, enough room now for the strawberries.
I keep emptying the freezer and it keeps filling up again

Have a good rest of the day folks.

T.C

Total so far this month £34.97/£300