July 2025 Grocery Challenge

PipneyJane

themsthebreaks said:

Thank you for the July thread @elsiepac

I am going to set a budget of £400 again for next month, but may need to revise that next week. We are a family of three.

I don't know how much lower we can go, but if redundancy hits, we won't have much choice. At least I do have well stocked cupboards, and although I have often received gentle ribbing off the family, I am very pleased it's there.

Thank you also @PipneyJane for your response in the June thread. I have some large containers, and will look at those for food storage.

Someone told me about an online site called Approved Foods. There are some things on there we could make use of, but it's a lot of sweet stuffs. I don't mind items past their BBE - there are probably loads in my food cupboards - but we don't tend to eat lots of shop bought cakes or biscuits. There are some good offers on there, though.

@themsthebreaks I've used Approved Foods in the past to buy - the normally eyewateringly expensive - Kind brand, 80%-nut bars.  However be aware that the minimum order value is £25!  It's just not worth it, unless you're stocking up for the winter.  (We like to keep a couple of bars in each car, as emergency nibbles* but my DH can eat his way through the whole £25-worth in a day, if I'm not careful.)

HTH

- Pip




* also, not recommended for hot summer weather.  Nuts can go rancid in the heat.

K9sandFelines

£150 for the month for me please 

Realistically speaking though, I'm going to try and keep it closer to £120.

C_J

Thanks for the thread @elsiepac, I can’t believe we’re starting July next week. Where is the year going?

I am hoping to continue making good use of a number of Community Fridges again this month, and that plus a small amount of home grown produce should see me through nicely. However I’ll keep the budget at £150 as I expect to be spending more on sugars, vinegars and spices as I plan on using the community fridge produce to make jams, jellies, curds and chutneys to see me through the winter months. I’ll also continue with dehydrating some of the vegetables, and may try my hand at bottling too in which case I will need to purchase some more Kilner/Leifheit jars.

Good luck everyone, and don’t be too hard on yourselves if you go over your set budget - I think just being accountable is a huge part of this thread’s benefit, and there are always posters willing to share their tips and tricks to help us all along 🙂

wishus

Hello @elsiepac - I'd like to come back for July please.

Budget £150

2 adults, 1 normal cat, 1 six dinner Sid cat.
It'll be month 2 of being self-employed and a big drop in income, so pros: more time to shop, prep and cook, cons: big drop in income, so I've got to be ON IT.

Have popped to the library today for inspiration and bought home Pinch of Nom on a Budget. I will make the sweet potato and onion bhajis for a picnic I'm going on this weekend. Bananas, cheese, eggs and crudites will make up the rest.

I will be st r e t c h ing what we have until Monday when I'm starting the month. Proteins-wise we have chicken wings, pork steaks, bacon, sausages, langoustines (posh, eh!), cheese, eggs, and chick peas, lentils and butter beans. Plus a sandwich worth of fish fingers. Plenty rice, potatoes and pasta. Lots of frozen peas, carrots, cabbage, peppers, onion, garlic, ginger, chilli and courgette, plus salad stuff. I think we can make loads of meals with that, but will re-assess what's left after the weekend and make a plan for 31 days, weekly shops.

Good luck all!

remmie

Thank you for running this thread elsiepac.
Hopefully I can control DHs visits to the shops, and his random purchases.

Please put me down for £300 again

Soontobeoap

Thanks for the thread @elsiepac.

£250 for me please.

Working_Mum

Thanks elsiepac for starting July's thread.

I'm sticking with £250 for July please  - this is for me along with 2 adult children who spend half their time at home! I have a separate £60 budget for my dog and household cleaning and toiletries.

I really appreciate being part of this monthly challenge - it is definitely keeping me focussed and I came in almost bang on budget at £250.94 for June (and it was an expensive month!)

Good luck for July everyone,

((WM))

Working_Mum

themsthebreaks said:

Quick question, please. Has anyone frozen sandwich corned beef? I have Googled, and it says you can, but I wondered what it would be like once defrosted.

The use by date is today, but the meat eaters aren't likely to eat it until next week for lunches. I don't want to chuck it away, but if it isn't that nice once it's been frozen, I don't want to freeze it, either ☺️

I have frozen corned beef before - just make sure you freeze it in individual slices so it's easier to remove a single slice when needed. I put a piece of greaseproof paper between them.

You've got nothing to lose if they're aren't going to eaten soon - although I tend not to worry about use by dates and simply do the sniff test!

((WM))

joedenise

Might be better to make the sandwiches and freeze those.  If they like salad or pickle then that needs to be added on the day.

carboot_karaoke

Afternoon Everyone 

Thank you for running this thread @elsiepac l could be mistaken but l think this is my one year anniversary 🥳🥳 of being a member of the GC. What a difference it has made and no doubt saved me £100's during that time. 

I didn't spend all of my June budget, so I'm carrying it over to July. l also have one at least possibly two gatherings at our house which will require extra spends. And the kids break up from school 

With that in mind July's target is £450 plus £120 entertaining total £570.

It seems like a huge budget compared to what l have been spending.  But l will remember that it's a limit not a target 😂.

I have already spent alot before the month has started,  £28.71 on meat, £21.05 on cleaning / toiletries £13.65 on 5kg of my favourite rice. It is expensive but will last a few months.  

New totals £135.61 / £450
Entertaining £19.82 / £120
Total £155.43 / £570