May 2025 Grocery Challenge

Blackcats

@karenccs67 - I'm very sorry to read about your husband.  In this situation you need to do whatever you need to do for you and your husband.  Look after yourself well too so that you can be strong.

goldfinches

C_J said:

karenccs67 said:

Hi, I’ve had to increase my budget from £200 to £250, my husband is terminally ill and is now struggling to eat normal food so I’ve had to buy soft foods such as ready made mash, ice cream, custard, rice puddings, you get the idea.  I will update my spends in a day or two.

I'm so sorry to read this. I was in your shoes at the end of last year, and it is so tough for both of you. My husband managed on home made smooth soups, ice cream and lucozade. The GP surgery prescribed lots of Ensure fortified drinks too, which helped a bit (and were free).  Sending you gentle hugs.

I'm so sorry to read these messages from both of you and am sending you both gentle hugs.

PS the banana flavoured Ensure is ghastly tasting but the blackcurrant flavour one is really nice.

goldfinches

Evening all and I hope everyone's had a good day today.

I've got a couple of smallish spends to round up as well as a refund from Sains because of a faulty gas cylinder so here goes.

First I was refunded £13 in Sains and I then promptly spend £9.25 of it on 2 boxes of Barilla spaghetti which was on offer, 3 x Flora vegan spread ditto and another washing up brush.
Then yesterday evening I was tempted into Mr T's by the idea of strawberries and when they were sold out I ended up consoling myself by buying tonic water, an extendable duster and short cargo straps for my bike which cost me £4.60.
It's official supermarkets are in league with the Devil, this is the only explanation that makes sense to me!

I think I'll allocate the Flora vegan to the baking budget because I wouldn't otherwise buy it so that makes this months new Baking Budget figure £5.25/£10.
All the other purchases will have to be counted into the main GC but there is also the refund to take off so that makes my new GC total £88.10/£150. Ouch, I'll have to make more meals from stores if I'm to stay within my budget this month and I'm determined to do that.

PipneyJane

Good afternoon All.  How are you doing on this lovely, sunny Sunday?

I have two shops to declare:  £18.57 spent yesterday in L!dl and £16.30 spent today in Sainsbugs.  The L!dl spend was on 1L lactose free semi-skimmed 3x84p (offer), 1kg Hash Browns £1.35, German rye bread £1.39, muffins 69p, prosciutto 1.89, pickled herring fillets in cream sauce £1.99, 12 FR large eggs £2.79, stock pots 3x99p and wheat beer 2x£1.49.  The Sainsbugs spend was on mixed peppers £1.32, bananas 78p, 1kg baby potatoes £1.20, 60g rocket £1, 3 packets of hot smoked peppered mackerel at £4.77 & £3.68 (got 3rd packet free saving £3.29), 500g whole wheat tagliatelle 2x75p and a shower puff for £1.

Before going to L!dl, I did a taste test of their lactose-free semi-skimmed milk and couldn’t taste the difference to our usual skimmed.  That’s a plus, since we had a 15%-off offer on the semi-skimmed and they still don’t have the skimmed.  Sainsbugs today did have skimmed but I’m not paying their 20p premium.

31p has gone to the money boxes, as shrapnel.

The above brings our total spend to £92.60/£160 leaving £67.40 for the rest of the month.

Meal Plans

As usual, all breakfasts are cereal and all lunches are leftovers, unless otherwise specified.  Also, the order may change depending on weather and mood.

Today. Lunch was cheese toasties.  Dinner will be HM potato salad with grilled salmon.  (I’ll cook 3 fillets.  We’ll have one each and the third will go into the potato salad for tomorrow’s lunch boxes.)
Monday. Warm French Lentil Salad with smoked mackerel.
Tuesday.  HM quiche with salad.
Wednesday.  Chicken tray bake.
Thursday.  Chicken fried rice.
Friday.  At the football, so MrT’s meal deals.

- Pip

PipneyJane

ancientmum said:

Just popping in with a tip.  I 've not caught up with the thread yet so apologies if this has already been posted.  

In my local Sainsbugs today they were doing a NECTAR OFFER OF 3 FOR 2 ON FRESH FISH.  I bagged a couple of packs of salmon and a pack of smoked haddock, saving £4,50.  when did fish get so expensive?

Good tip, @ancientmum.  I spotted the same offer this morning, hence my buying 3 packets of smoked mackerel.

- Pip





PS:  Does anyone have a good, cheap source of organic oats that they can recommend?  I couldn’t find any in Sainsbugs this morning.  (Mind you, their store layout has always annoyed me. Frequently, there’s no logic to it). I want to buy organic oats because most of the oats sold in this country are “dried off” with glyphosate weed killer, which gets absorbed into the plant and, therefore, into the oats.  I’d rather avoid eating it, if at all possible.

PipneyJane

karenccs67 said:

Hi, I’ve had to increase my budget from £200 to £250, my husband is terminally ill and is now struggling to eat normal food so I’ve had to buy soft foods such as ready made mash, ice cream, custard, rice puddings, you get the idea.  I will update my spends in a day or two.

I’m so sorry to hear your news, @karenccs67.  Big hugs to you both.

I second @C_J’s suggestion re asking your GP to prescribe Ensure.   There is also a fruit flavoured smoothie mix that I was prescribed when I was really ill last year, Aymes’ Acta-Solve, which may be worth trying.  See if you can get samples of both, since some people find Ensure a bit too rich to stomach.  The sample pack of Acta-Solve comes with a shaker - just add the powder to cold water, put the lid on, and shake like mad for a few seconds, for a really nice, cold drink/meal supplement.

- Pip

Doom_and_Gloom

Thank you @elsiepac for doing this thread.

Our May started on the 1st.
Our May budget is going to be £310. So if you can change it to that on the list that would be amazing. Thank you.
The month goes from the 1st to the 31st.

This is for two adults; my OH and I. Includes all food and drink (except alcohol, that has a different budget), cleaning products, toiletries etc. This has been upped from £8/day to £10/day. As others have said price rises are making themselves known. I hope this will cover us now.

£248.01 spent already! This includes a Mr S delivery that is £89.71 due today. The shop should cover most of what is needed over the next week or so at least. A good amount of fruit (frozen as well as fresh), salad and vegetables due to the hot weather ahead.

At least being on here means that any over spend should be limited as I'm held accountable.

£248.01/£310.

£61.99 left.

goldfinches

PipneyJane said:

ancientmum said:

Just popping in with a tip.  I 've not caught up with the thread yet so apologies if this has already been posted.  

In my local Sainsbugs today they were doing a NECTAR OFFER OF 3 FOR 2 ON FRESH FISH.  I bagged a couple of packs of salmon and a pack of smoked haddock, saving £4,50.  when did fish get so expensive?

Good tip, @ancientmum.  I spotted the same offer this morning, hence my buying 3 packets of smoked mackerel.

- Pip





PS:  Does anyone have a good, cheap source of organic oats that they can recommend?  I couldn’t find any in Sainsbugs this morning.  (Mind you, their store layout has always annoyed me. Frequently, there’s no logic to it). I want to buy organic oats because most of the oats sold in this country are “dried off” with glyphosate weed killer, which gets absorbed into the plant and, therefore, into the oats.  I’d rather avoid eating it, if at all possible.

Does this also apply to oats grown in Scotland?

PipneyJane

goldfinches said:

PipneyJane said:

ancientmum said:

Just popping in with a tip.  I 've not caught up with the thread yet so apologies if this has already been posted.  

In my local Sainsbugs today they were doing a NECTAR OFFER OF 3 FOR 2 ON FRESH FISH.  I bagged a couple of packs of salmon and a pack of smoked haddock, saving £4,50.  when did fish get so expensive?

Good tip, @ancientmum.  I spotted the same offer this morning, hence my buying 3 packets of smoked mackerel.

- Pip





PS:  Does anyone have a good, cheap source of organic oats that they can recommend?  I couldn’t find any in Sainsbugs this morning.  (Mind you, their store layout has always annoyed me. Frequently, there’s no logic to it). I want to buy organic oats because most of the oats sold in this country are “dried off” with glyphosate weed killer, which gets absorbed into the plant and, therefore, into the oats.  I’d rather avoid eating it, if at all possible.

Does this also apply to oats grown in Scotland?

Unless they’re certified organic, the answer is (probably) yes.  It’s common practice, @goldfinches.  They’re sprayed with glyphosate so that the plants die and the seed heads dry out.

- Pip

Soontobeoap

Another £10.00 spent in Aldi on bots and bobs today