November 2025 Grocery Challenge

JingsMyBucket

Question: Has anyone bought a lamb leg or lamb shanks from Farm Foods? I got a flyer through my door today and saw the shanks for £9.99 at 1.1kg and whole lamb leg at £19.99 for 1.6kg – 3.2kg. See the picture below. I figure if I could get even a 2.75kg lamb leg that would still be a great value. The shanks are a good price too. Any intel? 

There are also coupons on the flyer. I’d likely use the £2 off £25 coupon. 

PipneyJane

Good evening All and welcome to the new members of the Challenge.

@JingsMyBucket, sorry, but I can’t answer your question.  I’ve never shopped there - it’s only recently that we’ve had a branch open up nearby.

Today has been an expensive day, shopping-wise.  This morning, on my walk home from dropping off DH’s car at the garage, I stopped at a local greengrocer’s and purchased a 4kg bag of onions for £2.99.  Most were perfect, but 3 have soft spots, so I’ve set them aside from the others in order to be used first.  

This evening, after collecting DH’s car, I ventured to MrT’s to stock up on things that we only buy there (or weren’t in Sainsbug’s when I went shopping last week).  Despite my best efforts, there were some things that I either couldn’t find - tinned mackerel and pilchards - or found at such a ridiculous price that there was no way I’d purchase them (500g bags of blackeyed beans at £1.90 each?  I’d expect to pay about that for a kilo, when buying 2kg bags.).  

I did manage to find most things, though and a couple of treats.  £55.42 spent on 500g bulgar wheat (6x£2), 1.5L quad strength squash (7x£1.85), 100g ground cinnamon (£1), 400g ground paprika (£2.75), 390g can pinto beans (49p), 400g can 3-bean salad in water (5x£1), 400ml can coconut milk (3x75p), 2kg dried kidney beans (£4), 24-pack OXO stock cubes 2x£2.85 (beef & chicken), Caramel Tim Tams (£2.50), 700g frozen potato croquettes (2x£2), YS chocolate mouse (£1.19 for 2 tubs) and YS 500g garlic mussels (£1.59 - serves 2).

This was definitely a stock-up shop, buying supplies for the store cupboard.  The majority of these items, we won’t need to purchase again until after Christmas.  I still need to find a 400g bag of ground cinnamon - I’m out, so the 100g bag will tide me over - and a decent quantity of blackeyed beans at a reasonable price.  (I was hoping to buy two 2kg bags.)

The above brings our total spend to £90.01/£193.60 leaving £103.59 for the rest of the month.

- Pip

oceandreamer

Another 11.39 spent on milk, toilet roll, and a few bits for teas.  I sent DD to the shop as she will only get what I ask and not a selection of bargains like me!  I'm not sure how the thread works - do we just add up as we go along? I am going to have to keep a tally in a notebook too as its just taken me ages looking back to see what I'd already spent!

£14.29/£300

PipneyJane

oceandreamer said:

Another 11.39 spent on milk, toilet roll, and a few bits for teas.  I sent DD to the shop as she will only get what I ask and not a selection of bargains like me!  I'm not sure how the thread works - do we just add up as we go along? I am going to have to keep a tally in a notebook too as its just taken me ages looking back to see what I'd already spent!

£14.29/£300

Hi @oceandreamer

Most people add up as they go along, and show a tally on their posts.  

If a notebook is good for you, use that to keep track of your spends.  I record mine on the spreadsheet app that’s on my phone and iPad, setting up a new tab each month. I find it useful for looking back over the 8 years(!) that I’ve been doing the challenge, plus it means that I won’t lose it.  I shared the spreadsheet, years ago, with my DH but I don’t think he’s ever looked at it.

- Pip

TravelCrystal

JingsMyBucket said:

Question: Has anyone bought a lamb leg or lamb shanks from Farm Foods? I got a flyer through my door today and saw the shanks for £9.99 at 1.1kg and whole lamb leg at £19.99 for 1.6kg – 3.2kg. See the picture below. I figure if I could get even a 2.75kg lamb leg that would still be a great value. The shanks are a good price too. Any intel? 

There are also coupons on the flyer. I’d likely use the £2 off £25 coupon. 

I haven’t bought the lamb there before Jings, but I go there several times a year and max out on the loo rolls, frozen prawns, tinned tomatoes and tuna. If you spend a few pounds and use the vouchers it’s brilliant value. If you slow cook the lamb what can go wrong.
T.C

BogStandardBob

Thanks for the welcome @Suffolk_lass Have I read it right that you've gone from £750 to £240 per month! That's fantastic.
Although I don't want to end up like the Toilet Roll Loft Lady, I did actually buy quite a few offers this week as I didn't want to lose money in the long run just to have a better chance of succeeding at the challenge. That said I could have left the £17 Baileys down to £9. I don't drink but my husband and guests will appreciate it over Christmas though.
I started the weightloss challenge so that has been a lot less money spent this week. I also tried to meal plan (awful at this so I only got as far as Wednesday and had to shop again). 
Two Tesco shops so far this week totalling £160.55. That's £20.55 over budget but I'm hoping it will even out the rest of the weeks as I bought a few offers. And I also will probably need to pick up a few bits at the weekend. 

carboot_karaoke

Afternoon all, 

I did a fairly big shop today, but we have things to cover main meals well into next week. 

Total for food £85.44 high ticket items included

 2 x Nescafe azera for £7.40 instead of £7.25 each. 2 x 500g 20% fat mince beef @ £6.50, 1kg pork shoulder steaks @ £5.50, 2 kg chicken thighs @ £5.50 (I'll deskin & debone myself and will do two meals), 800g mature cheese @ £4.57, 2 packs of reduced fat pork sausages @ £3.58, 500g Mozzarella cheese @ £2.99, 12 free range eggs @ £2.80.

Also included a lot of fresh fruit, veg, salad, frozen berries (for porridge) frozen peas, sweetcorn, and spinach.

 l brought toilet roll, fabric conditioner and ibuprofen from the bulk budget.

New Totals 

Grocery Budget £96.18 / £360
Bulk Fund £17.22 / £50
Grocery Challenge £ 113.40/ £410

carboot_karaoke

Welcome @oceandreamer

I'm not as organised as @PipneyJane 😊

l find my most recent grocery total by clicking on "my replies" and jot down the information to add to the new receipts. 

JingsMyBucket

@PipneyJane and @TravelCrystal thanks both for weighing in. A year ago they moved our Farm Foods over to a big shopping park vs. the 5 minute walk it used to be for me and I still haven't visited. So now, I would have to make a concerted effort to walk over there. Good thing is I'd then be within a 5 min walk of the Aldi and Tesco anyway. I'll take a wander over that way one of these Saturdays, especially to inspect the holiday food at Aldi. 
 

ancientmum

Happy Friday everyone,

Thank you Jings for running the thread, and to elsiepac for her years of supporting us in our challenges.  

I'm late checking in as my month runs from 7th when I do the money shuffle. I run an annual budget which allows me to get larger items as needed, without worrying about busting a monthly limit.  It helps that I am retired so have a stable income, but I well remember having too much month left at the end of the money which is why I joined this forum many years ago.  

I' ve got £207  in the kitty.