April 2026 Grocery Challenge

JingsMyBucket

Afternoon folks. I've put up the May 2026 thread here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6664641/may-2026-grocery-challenge

I'm just waiting for a board ambassador to pin it for me. They'll also take down the March 2026 thread but leave April's up until the middle of next month for us.

cowboymum

Spent £9.41 on a bits and bobs for a celebration meal.

Total now £503.39 / £620

goldfinches

Evening all, I'm just popping in to update my figures because I finally got around to totting them up this evening.

Main GC Total £117.43/£180 (phew - that looks about right for two thirds of the way through the month)
Baking Fund Total £9.99/£30
Bulk Buy Fund Total £32/£48

The main total isn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be so I'm cautiously pleased so far but am remembering I mustn't go wild for the rest of the month, especially as I have another Riverford box coming this Friday.

The Baking Fund spends were for more gluten free flour, dark chocolate and ground almonds but the good news there is that I have almost all the ingredients for the next two weeks already. Next Wednesday I'm going to have another go at Angela Boggiano's Lemon Almond Cookies but use limes instead of lemons because I picked up a ys net of limes the other day and I have 2 egg whites in the freezer than need using up. Then the week after I'm planning to try Helen Goh's Anzac sandwiches and either just dip them singly in melted chocolate or use the vegan chocolate icing stashed in the freezer for the filling. I think if I'm careful I can make the biscuits vegan and gluten free and get away with only having to make one recipe.

The Bulk Buy Fund was for four jars of instant coffee because I spotted it on offer at Waitrose and they had the decaf as well as the intense version of Gold Blend which is the only one I like and I haven't found that anywhere else I've been recently. I also bought three bags of frozen fruit on the 3 for 2 offer at Sainsbury's which I put in this budget too.

All in all I'm cautiously pleased but still keeping a tight hand on the reins for the rest of the month.

PipneyJane

Good morning All

Hope you are all well and solvent. I have two spends to declare from the weekend: £1.18 in L!dl on Friday for a bottle of Hoisin Sauce (to take advantage of a 15% off voucher); then £6.69 in Sainsbugs yesterday.

This brings our GC spend to £146.80/£180 leaving £33.20 for the rest of the month.

• Pip

zafiro1984

I'm a bit late to the party this month. I didn't set a target so I'm going to back-out for the rest of the month. However, I took advantage of all the 'Half price and below' meat and vegetable offers at Easter, all safely prepared and tucked away in the freezers, I've only got the rest of the onions to deal with (which are currently in the sink soaking in cold water) - these I'll slice and freeze but I knew I had a good use for my old tights, with the ones I've already prepared: the sight is enough to scare anyone who inadvertently opens the shed door 😄

I've worked out exactly how much I spent and now need to work out my 'reduced' monthly spends for the rest of the year.

Soontobeoap

£13.43 spent this week in Aldi on boys and bobs that we needed to complete meals from the freezer. Is it just us on the isle of Wight or is tinned fruit hard to find everywhere at the moment?

goldfinches

Evening all, hope everyone's fighting fit and keeping tight hold of their money.

I went shopping today with a list and only bought two items that weren't on it plus I deliberately took the long way round to avoid temptation in M&S so I'm feeling quite virtuous tonight. I spent £2.45 on reduced end of day bread at the luxury bakers and £14.79 on fat free greek style yoghurt, ys savoy cabbage, ground almonds, nectar price lurpak, ys 6 eggs, house plant food and 8 toilet rolls.
I can't help feeling slightly cheesed off about the price of ground almonds which seems to have gone up and up recently but I couldn't find any whole almonds at a better price either so have made a note to stop using this ingredient until after the next harvest later this year.

That makes my new totals as follows

Main GC Total £131.27/£180
Baking Fund Total £13.39/£30
Bulk Buy Fund Total £32/£48

I've got another veg box coming on Friday from Riverford which will cost £20.50 and I shall need some more milk on Wednesday but think that I should be able to avoid food shopping again until at least Sunday. Fingers crossed here and good luck to everyone else trying to eke out the contents of their fridges and freezers.

cowboymum

Few more spends in the last few days;

Raisins 1kg £4.99 (DH was tasked to get sultanas but got raisins which are a bit more expensive. Ho hum...)

Tesco stuff - milk, potatoes, eggs, fruit and 2 cartons of oat milk as it was a good price £12.38

Total £520.76 / £620

Did a stock check of food yesterday - it's quite surprising how much I can store away in this small flat! Going to try to only buy essentials until end of month. Have Riverford box coming on Thursday - got a fruit and veg box this time to save going to shops for fruit. Will do stock check of baking ingredients and cleaning / toiletries later today.

Quite pleased that I am not over my budget yet this month - normally by now I'm well over and then I throw caution to the wind and spend recklessly! Two things I have noticed that stop me from spending - keep out of supermarkets as much as possible, and go on walks to the allotments (rather than past all the supermarkets where I then say oh I just need this and before I know it I've spent £20!)

Greying_Pilgrim

£1.65 spent on 4 pints of milk. I walked to M&$ and although I had a look to see what they are currently offering, I wasn't seduced by anything else - least of all the tuppence ha'penny knocked off 'YS' items 🙄 I did get a TV guide too, but that comes out of the non-food budget. I have updated my siggie figgie.

Greying X

K9sandFelines

18th £21.17 @Ald!

20th £13.39.spent at Am@zon

£2.02 normal spends and £11.37 bulk buy

£6.33 spent at Asd@. £1 cashback at Shopmium so £5.33. I used the Tuck @pp, but that will be a free shop further down the line when I hit the £10 cashback.

£2.09 at Tesc@

...and £0.57 at the Co-@op

So I make that £30.15 to add to main budget and the rest to BB