December 2024 Grocery Challenge

PipneyJane

@LadyWithAPlan thanks for explaining.  Your methodology makes sense to me now.  I didn’t know that you have your own business.

I have two spends to declare from yesterday,  £7.54 in L!dl and £19.60 in Sainsbugs, both entirely on treats.  We’re at DH’s best mate’s until New Year and, for our contribution to food, stocked up on pate and cheese, including two pâte in Le Parfait style jars (which I will reuse later).

Although I’ve tried to be diligent recording my spending, somewhere I’ve lost track.  £19.83 has gone walkies. I know I’ve had three or four £2 coins, which would account for £8 or so, but no idea what happened to the rest.  It’s recorded as “Shrapnel” on my log.

I’m declaring at £157.70/£160 leaving £2.30 to roll over to January.

- Pip

Pennypincin

Hi everyone.
Sorry to have disappeared again.
I've £15 from the previous week put into the bulk fund.
Starting fresh this week with £40.

JingsMyBucket

Okay, just kidding about declaring already. I went to M & S today because they’ll be closed for the next two days in my part of Scotland. I had to buy a few bits to contribute to a breakfast we’re attending at some friends’ house tomorrow. So, I’ll just split the difference between December and January budgets. I’ll list out the good deals on the January thread. 

£400.00 / £400.00 spent.

Happy new year everyone! 🥳

diminua

diminua said:

Quick trip to JS for eggs, fruit and other basics. I am now up to £221.99 spent. I will be buying a pastry on the way to work tomorrow, making a mackerel salad sandwich for lunch and filling a little pot with nuts and raisins and two chocolate truffles (left over from Christmas) as a snack. I may need coffee and milk before the new year so won't declare just yet. 

As predicted I did need coffee and milk. I also bought some nibbles yesterday so about 90p over in the end. Have veg roasting in the oven to make soup as they need to be used up and my diet the last week or so has been... celebratory. All junk now gone except half a large packet of crisps (will be used for snacks at work) and half a gin and tonic advent calendar one of my aunts kindly bought but never gave me until December 25th. I'll be opening the rest in the days up to 12th night (5th Jan) when the decorations come down. 

Happy New Year  

Doom_and_Gloom

Doom_and_Gloom said:

£159.00/£248.
£89.00 left.

We spent another £2.20 in our December budget before the end of the year.

Declaring the final total for December as the following
£161.20/£248.
£86.80 left.

So between our overspend of £68.94 in November and our under spend of £86.80 in December we have in essence arrived in budget over the two months. Averages do mean something after all so I'm happy with that. Some months you may go over budget but likely this will even out with an under spend the month after I find. 

Hope everyone had a good New Years.

Lets all aspire to a nice budget friendly 2025! Off to the January budget thread now to see what is going on. See you all there I hope along with some new names!

Suffolk_lass

@Doom_and_Gloom I think that is why I changed to an annual budget, within which I track groceries, stores and direct debits/subscriptions. This flexibility lets me stock up when things are on offer, and for non-fresh and cleaning products it works well. For fresh offers (eg YS meat) I do need to manage myself in relation to the freezer space though!