August 2025 Grocery Challenge

Suffolk_lass

I went over my hoped-for £200 this month. I shopped yesterday (bought wine on offer from the treats and entertainment budget, along with two packets of biscuits and some large chocolate buttons from M&S. I only really go to M&S when I drop off at the food bank a regular bi-monthly donation of 2 packs of 32 toilet rolls. Yesterday, they were really thankful - apparently they had got down to the last 2 packs and had been splitting packs of two so people only got one each.

Following the M&S trip (primarily for the coffee we like) I arrived home to a planned powercut. So I went to Morries with my September list. I would have just run out of cat litter if I had left it longer, and given intermittent supply issues, I like to have a spare bag. It's in August's spends but it was OK £34.07 groceries plus £55.68 stores, including the big river subscription items. The cat litter is in Pets and Livestock budget. With two more Fridays in the month, a minimum of £15 will be added (milkman) and I need to stay away from the shops for everything else.

I am at £217.15 this month and £2071.74 year to date, so £71.74 over the eight month mark if I spent the same each month within my £3000 for the year.

K9sandFelines

K9sandFelines said:

I had a spend in Waitrose today. I went to get some vegan butter for spreading, and vegan butter for baking. I would normally get a 1kg Flora buttery and use for both, but can't get to an Asda where it's currently cheapest.
Whilst there I also picked up some vegan feta to go in tonight's tea, and I only went and forgot to add it  .
When I find out the total I'll add it to signature.
I know it was £9 odd.

I would have normally gone to the Bread and Butter thing today, but decided to give it a miss; as I need other things this month, so I can't justify the extra bus fare to get there. So, I'm seeing how I get on without it. I still have four boxes of cereal from previous visits. So if nothing else, I'll be good for breakfasts.

My spend was £8.25 , so less than I remembered. Unfortunately, I forgot to get onions whilst there, and I also need a roll of food bin liners. Will add those later, if I go out for them today.
Aswell as that, I forgot to add two loo rolls bought from my own stocks.

So, £9.55 to add

Nelliegrace

August Grocery Challenge for Two, £5 a day, £155.

We shopped at Aldi on the way home from the afternoon film at the local Memorial Hall.

£7.83 spent on milk, cream, satsumas, a large savoy cabbage on offer, and reduced price oranges and vine tomatoes. 

Total spent, £87.55.

mandco

At the point where it’s damage limitation for the rest of the month 
more spends totalling £109.57 to add bringing me to £662.11/£800 Pretty sure there are a couple of small spends I’ve missed too.
i did buy 10 packs of rice crispie cereal bars as they were on offer for £1 and were still the 6pk boxes - everywhere else they’ve changed to the new 4 pack boxes @ £1.35 so stocked up while they still had 2 extra bars per box. Also includes extras for bowel prep - bathroom essentials & clear fluids/foods I wouldn’t normally buy. The list i was given to follow is very strict? Not sure f that’s normal as I’ve seen posts where you are allowed way more foods but figured not worth risking it as I certainly don’t want to have to repeat it due to prep failure. In typical fashion because I’m very limited on options I fancy everything I can’t eat.I think it’s the lack of flavour plain & bland just doesn’t feel satisfying and I’m constantly hungry.
I was very restrained in Costco and only spent £17.26 on top of the birthday cake I’d gone in to pick up (different budget) dd on the other hand came out over £150 lighter. 

Im not a meal planner I buy the basics of meals and have a rough idea of how many meals it will make then decided what we fancy on the day based on what I have in - its definitely harder to budget this way but the spontaneity and daily choice works better for me than trying to follow a set plan which inevitably no-one fancies on the day. 

TravelCrystal

I feel for you @mandco, human nature to want what we can't have.
 
A couple of bits to report
Went to Lidl's earlier in the week for a couple of reasons
1. To try out new electric bike (could no longer use old one as couldn't get on and off with the arthritis leg issues)
It has a basket on the front so went for the free cake on both spin thing on the app and 1st spend of the month and to get eggs. (Reminder to self, put coat or soft object in bottom of basket)
As luck would have it they got home in one piece.
Also banana to go with a free cake
£3.97

 This afternoon I decided to do rest of the shopping.
We have visitors at the weekend, I am doing pulled pork in rolls I made yesterday with roasties and scones for afters. Scones made yesterday. Both in freezer. Last of the homemade strawberry jam to go with it and clotted cream bought today

Also bought 3 packs of YS rolls @ 22p each, reduced price baby potatoes, red onion and pink ladies.
Another free cake and chose family pack of mushrooms for my freebie veg as now reached £50 spend.
Wine, lemonade and orange juice for weekend drinks. More ice creams ( have advised DH no more this year  )
Flour, milk, fruit and veg, yoghurt, decaf t bags, apple sauce, more eggs and tomato puree. £39.67

I am hoping I won't need anything further this month, not declaring yet as may need a last minute purchase at Asda.

Total spent this week £43.64

So far £188.10/£200

T.C

Finstickle

Just a small top up to report:
£13.80 at Tesco today.  £6 of this was on a box of chocolates for my Nan but taking if from this budget as on the receipt.
£85 left to get through the month (which should be OK).  We are away from Friday staying with said Nan in Ireland so I will have to convert the food shop from Euros and I know it is more expensive over there so could be tight!

Current: £315.33/£400

C_J

Hello everyone, I'm just back from my favourite Community Fridge where there was an incredible amount of food for my £1 donation - I politely declined lots of things as I just won't get through it all. However, I have:

Bag of salad potatoes
4 large garlic bulbs
Red onions
1 pack red chillies
Bag of baby spinach
Pack of asparagus spears
Bag of baby carrots
Fresh parsley
Salad tomatoes
Bag of mixed baby salad leaves
2 little gem lettuce
Punnet of chestnut mushrooms
Red and green apples
1 ruby grapefruit
2 avocadoes
1 punnet strawberries
1 pack of stir fry veg mix
1 mango
2 Tesco Finest blueberry muffins
1 small loaf of cinnamon and raisin sliced bread
1 pack Waitrose sliced roast chicken
1 large sliced loaf Jackson's wholegrain
1 tin chickpeas
1 butternut squash
12 Hello Fresh chicken stock paste sachets
1 pack of 4 Tesco chicken tikka kebabs
1 pack Tesco prawn toasts
4 pints semi skimmed milk
1 pot M&S tarka dal
1 pot M&S hummus
1 pot M&S tzatziki
1 pack of 4 M&S coronation chicken mini pies
1 pack M&S watermelon and feta salad
1 pack M&S battered cauliflower florets with a side of rice and sweet and sour sauce
1 M&S coronation chicken sandwich
1 M&S cheese and onion sandwich
1 M&S prawn sandwich
1 bouquet red roses

I'm having the prawn sandwich for dinner tonight, the remaining sandwiches and M&S salady/nibbly bits are for a picnic with the grandchildren tomorrow. I'm particularly delighted with the milk (in date for the next 5 days) as the builders are back tomorrow and I'll need to make lots of cups of tea! I'll airfry the battered sweet and sour cauliflower for tomorrow night's dinner. I've frozen the prawn toasts, tarka dal, stir fry mix and chicken tikka kebabs to have early next week. The salad potatoes, lettuce, tomatoes and sliced chicken will be added to stuff I already have for a salad, probably on Friday.  The spinach, red onion, chillies and chestnut mushrooms will make a nice curry which will be frozen for another time. The carrots and butternut will be turned into soup. It's pretty much a week's worth of food, which never ceases to amaze me

August total so far £40.14/£150

t14cy_t

C_J said:

Hello everyone, I'm just back from my favourite Community Fridge where there was an incredible amount of food for my £1 donation - I politely declined lots of things as I just won't get through it all. However, I have:

Bag of salad potatoes
4 large garlic bulbs
Red onions
1 pack red chillies
Bag of baby spinach
Pack of asparagus spears
Bag of baby carrots
Fresh parsley
Salad tomatoes
Bag of mixed baby salad leaves
2 little gem lettuce
Punnet of chestnut mushrooms
Red and green apples
1 ruby grapefruit
2 avocadoes
1 punnet strawberries
1 pack of stir fry veg mix
1 mango
2 Tesco Finest blueberry muffins
1 small loaf of cinnamon and raisin sliced bread
1 pack Waitrose sliced roast chicken
1 large sliced loaf Jackson's wholegrain
1 tin chickpeas
1 butternut squash
12 Hello Fresh chicken stock paste sachets
1 pack of 4 Tesco chicken tikka kebabs
1 pack Tesco prawn toasts
4 pints semi skimmed milk
1 pot M&S tarka dal
1 pot M&S hummus
1 pot M&S tzatziki
1 pack of 4 M&S coronation chicken mini pies
1 pack M&S watermelon and feta salad
1 pack M&S battered cauliflower florets with a side of rice and sweet and sour sauce
1 M&S coronation chicken sandwich
1 M&S cheese and onion sandwich
1 M&S prawn sandwich
1 bouquet red roses

I'm having the prawn sandwich for dinner tonight, the remaining sandwiches and M&S salady/nibbly bits are for a picnic with the grandchildren tomorrow. I'm particularly delighted with the milk (in date for the next 5 days) as the builders are back tomorrow and I'll need to make lots of cups of tea! I'll airfry the battered sweet and sour cauliflower for tomorrow night's dinner. I've frozen the prawn toasts, tarka dal, stir fry mix and chicken tikka kebabs to have early next week. The salad potatoes, lettuce, tomatoes and sliced chicken will be added to stuff I already have for a salad, probably on Friday.  The spinach, red onion, chillies and chestnut mushrooms will make a nice curry which will be frozen for another time. The carrots and butternut will be turned into soup. It's pretty much a week's worth of food, which never ceases to amaze me

August total so far £40.14/£150

WOW!!!! well done. xx

Suffolk_lass

I have to concentrate on processing food we have picked from the garden as my freezers are almost full. I would have a bit more space if I had managed to defrost the produce freezer before this year's harvest began! I might use the good solar energy to make some into ready-to-reheat meals but to do so, I shall need more containers to store them too!

It should be tomatoes today and tomorrow, plus plums and Bramley apples this afternoon. My jars are clean and waiting for cooked (barely stewed) unsweetened fruit to provide winter loveliness and keep the costs down then.

@TravelCrystal I started buying water ice lollies instead of ice-cream when my husband was on a fat-free diet - they are a great alternative to ice-cream with portion control built in!

TravelCrystal

Thanks for that @Suffolk_lass, sadly DH doesn’t do ice lollies, I do. Thinking the weather will be cooler soon, only tend to have ice cream in when it’s hot weather. Definitely needed this summer.
I’m always amazed @C_J how much you get for your £1 at your community fridge, good on you.
Just using the last of our current supply of tomatoes (some still ripening), for our tabbouleh tonight to go with homemade chorizo, mushroom and pineapple pizza.

Have a good evening everyone 

T.C