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Has MSE helped you to save or reclaim money this year? Share your 2025 MoneySaving success stories!
September 2025 Grocery Challenge
Comments
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Today has been manic but I still managed to cook up the 11/2 kg of mince that I bought last week. We had cottage pie tonight and I have put 2 more in the freezer along with 3 lasagnas and a pot of savoury mince all to serve 2 people.the weekend was not good for meal planning. I was out on Friday for a meal so DH did himself sandwiches and on Thursday and Saturday we had beans on toast for varying reasons. Very cheap meals but I need to kick my a** back into gear and sort out the meal plan for this week. I guess sometimes life just gets in the way.craft stash 2023 =161, 2024 = 119 2025 = £35.96 spent, 144 made and 5 mended,
GC 2022 = £3154.96
2023 = £3334. 84
2024 = £.3221.81
2025 = £3249.18 /£3300
Jan 413.77 Feb £361.32, March £192. April £438.06 May £261.66 June £204.54 July £260.95 August £690.76 Sept £227.37 October £198. 75. November £302.68/£250 December £227.69/ £200
Decluttering campaign. 2025= 107/52 bin bags full. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐🏅🏅🏅🏅💐DH ⭐🏅5 -
@Soontobeoap what a great use of mince to get so many batch cooked meals, your future self will thank you!🤩
Another couple of small spends on lambs liver, whole meal bread and reduced rolls.
£181.03/ £200
£8.97 left, I will need milk, tissue and eggs before the weekend. Flying by the seat of my pants! 🤣5 -
Aldi £40.16, sains £40 & pet shop £66.22 = £725.11/£800 which leaves me approx £75 till the end of the month
this year do something that scares you for courage is not the absence of fear just the knowledge that some things are worth the risk4 -
Evening All,
Another 2 spends to declare £10.23 in Asda for salad, sugar, milk also brought 2 x Gym Kitchen meals and some chicken breast all of which were reduced.
Then today l went to Tesco's l brought the things needed to complete Septembers food plan, and to save myself another trip l brought chicken thighs and YS mince beef for the beginning of October. I'll carry the £9.20 over to next month .New Totals
Grocery Budget £290.70 / £300 - £9.30 remaining
Bulk fund £29.49 / £50
Grocery Challenge £320.19 / £350
I know I'll need cheese and maybe fruit or veg but still hoping to stay with budget.
MFW
Opening Mortgage Balance 16/06/2024 - £99569.04 term remaining 80 months (Feb 2031)
Current Balance £23,000
MFW 2025 #31 £40,000 / £28,000 OP
MFIT - T7 £40,000 OP
0%CC May 2027- £5,000
0% Loan £600.00
Grocery Challenge
Jan £387.89 / Feb £ 355.67 / Mar £418.63 / Apr £478.37 / May £426.52 / June £376.18 / July £462.54+£103.32 entertaining / Aug £294.38+83.83 entertaining /Sept £328.93 / Oct £381.10 /Nov £282.13
The final countdown to June 2026 - Page 4 — MoneySavingExpert Forum5 -
Hi all. Another £15. 15 spent in Aldi. Lots of little bits like noodles bacon eggs etc which will make meals stretch to the end of the month.
I did eke out the bacon a little too thin when I put together a pasta dish tonight with the teaming pasta sauce from the lasagnas when I did the batch cook a couple of days ago.
Just in case no one has noticed @elsiepac has started the October thread. Sorry I don't know how to add link here.craft stash 2023 =161, 2024 = 119 2025 = £35.96 spent, 144 made and 5 mended,
GC 2022 = £3154.96
2023 = £3334. 84
2024 = £.3221.81
2025 = £3249.18 /£3300
Jan 413.77 Feb £361.32, March £192. April £438.06 May £261.66 June £204.54 July £260.95 August £690.76 Sept £227.37 October £198. 75. November £302.68/£250 December £227.69/ £200
Decluttering campaign. 2025= 107/52 bin bags full. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐🏅🏅🏅🏅💐DH ⭐🏅5 -
October thread is here at this linkSave £12k in 2025 #2 I saved £14,660.97 of £6000 or 244.35% of my target. The 2026 Save £12k in 2026 thread is here
OS Grocery Challenge in 2025 I finished the year at £2880.99/£3000 or 96.03% of my annual spend so I am sticking with a £3000 annual budget for 2026
I also Reverse Meal Plan on that thread and grow much of our own premium price fruit and veg, joining in on the grow your own in 2026 discussion thread
My keep within our budget diary is here3 -
Thanks for the info and link to next month’s challenge @Soontobeoap and @Suffolk_lass, will head over and join 👍
Another small spend to report, £4.69 in Co for milk, ham & eggs.
We will probably go over with only £4.25 remaining until 31st, but this thread is great at still keeping myself accountable.
3 -
Back from the holiday now, spending on meals out and about not too bad, a couple of reasonably priced meals in ‘spoons and a couple of other restaurants. All National Trusted out now, almost October. Will be visiting Lidl’s tomorrow on the way to collecting the cat
The weather has been kind
Money spent on holiday £189.27
Total so far this month £276.01/£350
2 -
Last of the September shopping at Lidl
Lovely box of goodies for £1.50 3 x garlic, spring onions, lettuce, cauliflower, carrots, lots of plums, kiwis and bananas
Didn’t need much else, other f and v. 2 bananas to get my free bag of 30 x crisps. Milk, coffee, eggs, cheese and marmalade
Total spend £27.57
Total Spend for September £303.58
Pleased to come in under budget.The year is going well so far
See you in October
T.C5 -
Tesco £40.23 after £6 off voucher & approx £40 in sains paid cash & cant find the receipt declaring September at £805/£800
did spend more but including the rest in my October budget as it’s all bulk bulks and won’t be used yetthis year do something that scares you for courage is not the absence of fear just the knowledge that some things are worth the risk4
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