May 2026 Grocery Challenge

Suffolk_lass

I am already above my £200 ambition for this month (£205.37). Mr Sl suddenly announced all the granola, oats and sweet biscuits have gone so I brought forward a stores shop. I will reduce next month by £25 and transfer it forward to May. Having bought them, of course I found there are plenty of oats, hidden in plain sight. Doh!

Like @Sallyp2 I have most of my milk delivered; Thursday and Saturday. I suppose I buy a 2 pint top-up 1-2 a month from the local Coop - it usually involves temptation and we recently enjoyed Almond Croissants from their in-store bakers. It's a good job I track treats and entertainment separately! They are lovely and I will repeat. We are part of the East of England rather than the main Coop.

£1111.79 of my annual £3000 has gone now. Off to update my signature

TravelCrystal

no @Sallyp2 I didn’t use cash, I used one of my 0% cards and then use my money that I would have spent in to savings, I think you will find M.L calls it stoozing. However if I die soon I will leave a hornets nest for DH 🤭 So hopefully will last a bit longer and go back to cash

T.C

Sallyp2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82000574#Comment_82000574

have you tried the co-op cheese twists? The pastries are too good to not enjoy a treat

The east England and main co-op for your/my area is supplied by Biggleswade depot - my oh loves delivering to Norfolk and suffolk. BTW it's the same co-op overall. They will come under the same name eventually

is your spend vs budget good or are you behind

Nelliegrace

May Grocery Budget at £5 a day for 2 pensioners, £155.

13/5 DH shopped at Asda, milk 2 x 4 pint £1.65, 2 for £2 offer; oranges 2 x 5, and satsumas 2 x 6. He bought hot cross buns and scones! £9.58 spent.

We stopped at Waitrose in passing yesterday. I bought seeded malted bread flour £2.50 which will make four loaves, their own brand loose leaf tea 250g £2.25, and basic range malted wheats for DH £1.50. I got their food magazine free, but yet again the cardholders’ free coffee machine was out of order. The coffee shop staff will not fill our takeout mugs for free. £6.25 spent.

We did the usual grocery shop at Aldi. Milk £1.65, offer price items; yoghurt £1.45, 100% peanut butter £1.39 and evap 52p, cream crackers 49p, mixed seeds £1.15, tinned pink salmon x 2 £1.45, red stickered strawberries £1.18, wonky fruit and veg; carrots 79p, parsnips 59p, blueberries £1.19, grapes £1.37, super 6 offer British apples 4 x 6 pack 59p, 7 bananas 88p, celery 75p, kale 89p, broccoli 79p, mushrooms 95p. £21.31 spent

Total £84.67

ArgyllLady

A top up shop during the week and the farmers market today pushed me to £207.99 so slightly over my initial target (slightly plucked out of the air!) of £200. I picked up plenty for the freezer so I’ll see how far I can get without another big shop this month but thinking it’s unlikely I’ll stay under £225 in the end.

Suffolk_lass

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82000825#Comment_82000825

Fantastic bargainous trolley. You put us to shame over here!

Suffolk_lass

Thanks for the insight @Sallyp2 regarding the Coop - I hope they retain the headquarters for EoE - it's lovely - a good function space and meadow where we have bees (we collectively; the association, not me personally).

I suppose I am just ahead of where I want to be spend-wise. I try to get ahead during the year so I am able to fund December without dipping into my reserves. £3000 for the year is much more of a stretch than it once was, but I have allowed a few premium products to move in (the reserve jars of Curry sauce are "the best" while in a rush for supper, the OB cheaper ones are still tasty (and I always have a bag of frozen chillies and hg garlic to add to it. I am aiming for £225 rather than £200 really now, but there are some months when I just have to top up my stores. Having moved £25 to May from June to cover that stores amount, I have £225 in June and £250 for July (as I know English fruit is a big purchase for us) - I grow some fruit, but not enough. Then it is £200 through until November (£300 on paper, that I might need to deplete) and £500 for December (probably too much in fact).

I think my garden productivity will make a big difference. It usually does but I am late this year and peat-free compost isn't helping!

Soontobeoap

£12.81 spent today. This included medicinal ice lollies for our sore throats! 🤣

K9sandFelines

Reporting in with subscribe and save spends of £13.96, L!dl £2.39, HB £0.99 and Ald! £35.20

Bulk buys 3 cereals £4.47

Ive added everything to my signature.

Soontobeoap

Been a funny weekend. Succumbed to our first takeaway " Chinese meal" of the year yesterday after I had taken a beef joint for today and 2 chicken breasts for yesterday out of the freezer. I was so tired and weakened when DH suggested it as a kind gesture to help me out. Anyway I then panicked about all of the meat I had thawed waiting to be eaten. We will eat left over Chinese for our lunches for a few days. We had roast beef today ( the leftovers have been frozen to make a couple of beef stews at a later date) I also cut each chicken breast in half and made up 2 chicken casseroles in white sauce and put into freezer. I will add carrots leeks / mushrooms as appropriate when we eat them. So I am feeling a bit bad that I gave into Chinese meal but also a bit smug that I managed to save all of the meat and will get 5 meals out of it. DH paid for our takeaway so it has not come out of the GC.