November 2024 Grocery Challenge

Suffolk_lass

zafiro1984 said:

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.

I do mine slightly differently to Pip and you @zafiro1984 - I have a produce freezer for my homegrown veg and premium fruits like gooseberries, blackcurrants, rhubarb, and another freezer for meat, ready-made pizza-bases and bread, and ice-cream. I bulk buy some meat (half a lamb). Like you, I can't resist stuff not on my list in the SM so I minimise my visits by having milk and eggs (and subscription things) delivered. I try to shop once a month, occasionally twice.

I try to think of my excesses as paying the SM to store their stuff for them. 

Yesterday I bought veg, bowl fruit, dairy (cheese, butter, cream) and storecupboard biscuits, crackers and malt bread, along with cat litter (a separate pet and livestock budget). Apart from bleach, and scrubby things, I don't use the SM for cleaning, preferring to buy on subscription, with 15% off. The same for coffee, toiletries and laundry and DW things. Again, it keeps me out of the way of temptation.

We have a generous £3000 annual budget and I aim for under £200 for at least 3 months so there is some for festive extravagance in that. Two plus visitors, and gifts to DS&P who are getting better at budgeting. I also bottle produce; plums, apples, tomatoes, so that there are instant jars of loveliness when only something with custard will do (not tomatoes, obv, these are passata instead of buying them). I do the latter so I am not paying for electricity to store everything!

Suffolk_lass

BudgetingBelinda said:

£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. 

@BudgetingBelinda - maybe you could do a bit of buy-some-make-some with your sleepovers and guests? try things like "twinks hobnobs" for kids, or cooking your own rice or vegetable side with a takeaway. It really helps keep the costs in check. If (like us) you like curry, I recommend simple HM flatbreads - both recipes are on page one of the challenge, along with myriad other economical recipes to help you.

Techniques like adding grated carrot and/or red lentils to mince dishes and upping the veg help enormously to keep the costs down. I was spending close to £800 some months when I started here. No shame in taking it slowly and shaving a little bit more off once you have made one change. Best of luck!

BudgetingBelinda

@Suffolk_lass thank you! How much are you spending now? I definitely will check out the recipes 👌🏼 also love the bulking ideas
and snacks baking! 💯🤩 

TravelCrystal

Good morning all

Always grateful for the tips on here!
Have so far since I started on here  (4 months ago)  reduced my total spend compared to last year by £690.26
It really helps me to stick close to my budget then I can spend my left over money on other things.

When you are retired your money is pretty much finite so always helps to have a little extra for the odd treat

Went to Lidl's today for first November shop, picked up a £1.50 box of F/V containing oranges, limes, leeks, loads of grapes and onions, what a bargain.

Needed to do the first shop this month in October so I could get my free hair conditioner!

Also bought a couple of tubs of Quality Street £3.89 each 600 gms. ( on another budget) as they were on offer and will help to fill the hampers I am making for three sets of family members.

Y.S on chicken slices £1.59 ( will make a salad at lunch time)
Muffins 55 pence
Money off garlic and caster sugar.

Unfortunately we have now run out of the Farm Foods loo rolls so had to purchase these today as well.
Waiting for the vouchers to drop through the door so I can do a bit of a bulk order.
The prawns are going down a bit in the freezer so will need to restock on these when I can, but only if they are a good price.

Most other shopping was fruit and veg, baked beans, olive oil, milk and cheese.

Lidl spend £31.29

Wine arrived last night £131.88
It is nice but may have to revert back to the cheaper Lidl versions.

Total so far £163.17/£400

Have a good day all

T.C

Suffolk_lass

BudgetingBelinda said:

@Suffolk_lass thank you! How much are you spending now? I definitely will check out the recipes 👌🏼 also love the bulking ideas
and snacks baking! 💯🤩 

I average £200-250 most months but trying to cut out waste is the biggest thing. When I clean out my larder, I shame myself by putting old-dated stuff on the kitchen windowsill so I remember the things I bought that we have not used. Some get used in meal-plans. Some don't (and I eventually chuck them).

The biggest thing is working out your personal impediments to reducing. I still recount the tale of the person who could not resist a bogof. Her loft floor had toilet roll insulation, she had so many. At least she knew. Mine is not being able to stick to my list. So I don't go so often. Once a month, I aim for, with local shop top up of milk and veg, if I run out

BudgetingBelinda

@Suffolk_lass great advice! Thanks!

ej22

250 for the month please for 3 people together plus 30 a month for toiletries and cleaning 

Please can you add me. Thanks

Please can you add me

ej22

Sorry I don’t know what that spoiler is and couldn’t get rid of it

diminua

Hi Elsiepac,

Could you put me down for £230 please?

I've been about £5 over the 220 for the last three months so this will be a test of whether that means it 'needs' to go up, or if I'm just naturally inclined to be a bit over whatever I set.  

Thank you.

thriftwizard

£45.29 is the first "weekend" spend of November; DD2 & I won't be here, as we're heading up to sunny Pembrokeshire tomorrow to help DS1 & DDiL finish painting the kitchen before the baby arrives. It's an odd month; looks like 5 weeks but the last Friday is payday, so actually 4, leaving December as a 5-weeker - as if there wasn't enough expense going on then anyway! (Though - leftovers...) DS3 returns to the fold FT on 21st; he'll actually be here this weekend as well, to make sure OH doesn't spend too much time up his ladder or hauling stuff around whilst we're away. I've cooked & shopped ahead, so am leaving them with plenty to eat, but will also tuck £20 in the spice rack in case of emergencies like running out of sliced bread, sausage rolls or cheddar!

I'm back on Monday & will assess resources ready to make Christmas cake and puddings. There'll have to be a non-perishables run too, though supplies are currently holding out well. I'm keeping an eye on flour supplies; I've invested in one of the new smaller bread machines as our beloved Panny finally died, & OH is really enjoying the products so I may yet be able to wean him off the supermarket stuff. However I didn't realise that Panasonic have also come out with a smaller model now, and I'm wishing I'd gone for that instead, as the one I did buy doesn't do a sugar-free option, although it's splendidly dinky.