December 2024 Grocery Challenge

carboot_karaoke

That's wonderful news, @thriftwizard 💞

Just one spend to declare fron the weekend of £12.77. This was due to an impromptu play date. I brought pizza, chips, popcorn, chocolate, and fizzy pop. No nutrition, whatsoever. Kids loved it 😆

New totals £99.58 / £550

Food £99.58 / £500
Petrol £0 / £50

In other news, Tesco has just sent me £24 pounds of money off vouchers.  I need to spend £50 in a single shop by the 8th to get my first £7 saving.  Definitely going to take advantage of this.

Nelliegrace

I have become seriously allergic to persimmon, @Doom_and_Gloom, a rare allergy. I was daft enough to try one again some time later to see if it was the cause.

It is difficult to decide what to include in the budget, @Blackcats. Last month we had a lunch out at the college for our 45th Wedding Anniversary, and I left that out of the grocery budget, and we are going there again this month for a Christmas lunch. They are special occasions, something we plan in advance. Just occasionally someone else does the cooking, three or four times out of 365 days, year in year out. 

I think an unplanned takeaway or bought meal deals, and regular coffees and snacks out, should be from the grocery budget, to be aware that unnecessary spending, by one person or the household, reduces the amount you have for the essential groceries. 

DH worked with someone who would buy a sandwich if his wife had not made his packed lunch, and would reduce her housekeeping money for the week by the cost of his sandwich. Selfish? Yet that is exactly the effect of all the snacks and treats. 

Doom_and_Gloom

@Nelliegrace we have what we call an entertainment budget. It includes going out to the cinema, theatre shows, eating out with friends or a date night. It doesn't get a huge budget each month but for us they are rare so it works out.
A special occasion budget could work for you? As long as it is budgeted somewhere then it helps overall.
Takeaways, unless for a Birthday/Anniversary/part of a date night or the like, go into our grocery budget. 

Doom_and_Gloom

@Nelliegrace : don't worry my dad was the same when he got told he was allergic to a load of different fruits including his beloved apples. He persisted to the point of his throat closed and coughed so much that breathing became nearly impossible. You can guess what happened. Thankfully he learnt his lesson from that. He was in his 60's at the time so should have known to listen to his doctor! If he knows it isn't on his trusted fruit list now he won't eat it. He's never tried a persimmon but wouldn't even entertain the idea when I brought some round last year at Christmas. 
When I was younger (before my dad got told he was allergic) I started getting coughing and finding it hard to breathe after eating kiwis. When I said about my symptoms to my doctor he said stop eating them as it was an allergy reaction. I only tried to eat it once after that and realised the doctor was 100% correct and never ate them again; I was lucky it passed without needing intervention. My dad is also allergic to kiwis wouldn't you know it, lol. 

LotsOfTea

£7.23 spent yesterday on veg and spices. I've got more bits and bobs to get for the weekend, I just need to make a list so I don't just buy random stuff. There's too to distract you in store at this time of year!

£7.23/£500

Mrs_Cheshire

Did a large food shop on Sunday - ended up spending £118.77 on a Mr T home delivery. It did include a large beef and gammon joint. 
I also went into L!dl as I had a voucher to use - spent £30.64. Got a few Christmas treats as well as a few bits to eat this week. 
Need to be careful as it's so tempting to buy all sorts when shopping in store, will be restricting the amount of times I go into the shops, 

MissRikkiC

£10.18 and £1.75 spent on a yellow sticker beef joint and a 4 pint carton of milk today. Beef was a 1kg roasting joint which I’ve bunged straight into the freezer for a date closer to Christmas. 

I imagine it will shrink a bit, does anyone regularly cook roasting beef joints who would be able to point in the right direction for prep/cookery etc? I don’t think I’ve ever cooked a beef joint, although my mum used to and it was always so dry 🤣 god bless her soul ❤️

boultdj

What is the type of beef joint @MissRikkiC?  Top Rump, Silverside or Top Side?  The ones I got were the Silversides, our favourite cut, and I cover it completely and do it in the slow cooker for 4 to 6 hours depending on the size, remove the joint and let it go cold, in the fridge over night, so I can slice thin the next day as it has a habit of shredding if I try to cut it warm. The cooking liquid is a lovely base for a soup as an extra bonus.

JingsMyBucket

Hi y’all. A couple spends to declare from Mr. Jings this past week. 

£4.15 at M & S on Tuesday for a couple pots of protein yoghurt and another bottle of milk. We already have milk so it’s annoying that he bought more. 

£5.80 in Morrisons yesterday for ramen. I need to get him off that habit. 

£25.07 / £400.00 spent. £374.93 remaining. 

Nelliegrace

I cook our small beef joint as a covered pot roast, with onion, celery and root vegetables and water, so it is tender and doesn't shrivel. I fill the oven with a tea loaf, followed by a baked pudding, and finally some rock cakes or flapjacks. When the meat is cooked I lift it out and let it rest somewhere warm so it is easier to carve. I serve small portions of the meat, with the vegetables, and plenty of steamed greens, to make it last for several meals.