November 2024 Grocery Challenge

Soontobeoap

Thanks again @elsiepac for this wonderful. thread that keeps me accountable. Still have lots of meat in freezer and stayed unded budget this month so another month at

£200 PLEASE FOR NOVEMBER. 

carboot_karaoke

Thank you, @elsiepac, for running this thread it's made a real difference the last few months 😊.  

October wasn't the best month spend wise, and we've eaten most of our YS meat reserves.  Having said that I need to make some savings that can be added to December's budget and November does seem a shorter month to work with.  Officially the limit is £650.

But l would like a £600 budget please. This should mean l can add the extra £50 onto December's allowance.  This is for Food, Cleaning and Toiletries products for four adults and two children plus fuel for two vehicles.  

Suffolk_lass

I'm aiming for under £200 this month so that we have some left for a bumper Christmas this year. I know there will be 6 of us during the day, and 7 later, when DS's GF finishes work (bless her, she's a nurse, working Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New year's day this year. Lots of OT but not much fun)

zafiro1984

£225  for November please

That's for 2 adults 4 days a week and 5 adults for 3 days.

Just a query:- Do people have a separate budget for laundry, toiletries and cleaning items or do people include it with the 'grocery challenge' items?
I've included everything bought from the supermarkets and the weekly town market. It would be interesting to see what others do.

Betharooni

Hi,

Please can I join in with this? It will be my first month tracking our grocery spending so I will be keeping the receipts to get a clearer picture of exactly what’s being spent but my guesstimate for November is £300 for two adults. Will be interesting to see what is actually spent.

B x

Nelliegrace

Thank you @elsiepac.



There is still a lot of meat, fish, cheese and butter in the freezer to be eaten. Enough tins that I could be accused of hoarding. The hens are still laying, but they have started to moult so they will stop soon. I must freeze any spare eggs. We have plenty of foraged apples and sweet chestnuts, lots of our own honey left, and homemade jam. The pantry is full, DH makes the bread and I make our cakes so our budget of £5 a day for two pensioners, is mainly for fresh food, and some frozen veg when there is space to fill. I included our meal out as takeaways are now accepted as part of the normal food budget. Usually we take a flask of tea and a packed lunch or snack if we go out anywhere. 

November Budget £150

PipneyJane

zafiro1984 said:

£225  for November please

That's for 2 adults 4 days a week and 5 adults for 3 days.

Just a query:- Do people have a separate budget for laundry, toiletries and cleaning items or do people include it with the 'grocery challenge' items?
I've included everything bought from the supermarkets and the weekly town market. It would be interesting to see what others do.

We don’t have a separate budget for laundry, toiletries and cleaning items, @zafiro1984.  However, we do have a separate Bulk Fund which I can spend instead if, say, L!dl re-introduce their excellent recycled toilet paper and I go mad and buy a year’s supply of it in one go.  (L!dl, if you’re watching… Hint. Hint!). Normally the Bulk Fund is spent when we purchase 10kg sacks of basmati rice and chapatti flour.

We also have a separate Meat Fund of £40/month, which we use when we buy meat from our excellent local butcher.  We don’t shop there every month, normally just to restock the freezer.

HTH

- Pip

zafiro1984

PipneyJane said:

We don’t have a separate budget for laundry, toiletries and cleaning items, @zafiro1984.  However, we do have a separate Bulk Fund which I can spend instead if, say, L!dl re-introduce their excellent recycled toilet paper and I go mad and buy a year’s supply of it in one go.  (L!dl, if you’re watching… Hint. Hint!). Normally the Bulk Fund is spent when we purchase 10kg sacks of basmati rice and chapatti flour.

We also have a separate Meat Fund of £40/month, which we use when we buy meat from our excellent local butcher.  We don’t shop there every month, normally just to restock the freezer.

HTH

- Pip

Thanks PipneyJane I think it may be time for me to change my strategy for next year. Usually, I bulk buy meat, and look online at the supermarkets for 'bargains'  Apart from L!d! I try to shop online as the temptation of walking around the supermarket for just a few items (even with a list) can be a step too far. Fortunately my freezers and cupboards are reasonably full, but even so, I'm sure it's time to rethink what I do and set better limits on what my total spend for the year should be.

Mrs_Cheshire

Could you please put me down for £400 for the month.

I've got loads of meat in the freezer, lots of store cupboard ingredients that need using up and plenty of rice, pasta etc. 
I've just received my christmas savers vouchers for MrT so will be planning what else I need to buy towards my Christmas shop. I've got bread sauce, chocolate tubs, some mixers, advent calendar chocolates and sweets, snack tubs already. 

BudgetingBelinda

£500 for November please

Hi, thanks for doing this. I joined at the beginning of the year and never managed to stay in budget! I’ve become slightly better but a long way to go, 

I’d love to get better at groceries. 

I am going to try and keep eating out/takeaway included in that £500, and as there’s another week of half term, with sleepovers and guests, then school and work lunches, dinners, snacks, I think that’s going to be an achievement. 🫣😳 Sounds like a lot, £500, but it’s under what I have been spending and I must cut back.