May 2026 Grocery Challenge

Finstickle

I'm holding on….just!

I get paid next Thursday and am away at a festival for the weekend (shopping done today) so am hoping i can hang on.

£9.99 on wine last Sunday after my water went off again - ongoing stressful issues relating to extremely old crumbling shared supply pipes

£31.40 at Lidl today

£30.80 at Tesco today

Today's shop was primarily around food and drink for the weekend. Myself and DD at a festival.. We'll eat breakfast and dinner at the van and have lunch from one of the food vendors. There is also a fair few snacks as her and her friends seem to do nothing but eat at the moment and you have to ensure there's enough for everyone in case you are the one with the snacks they all want!

I have food for next week, will try and make it to pay day with maybe just a milk top up upon our return.

Currently:

£338.11/£350

Monthly average YTD - £315.73 for everything bought as part of the 'food shop' for myself and DD.

K9sandFelines

Am@zon spends - agave x 2 £5.40

Wasn't sure to add one to bulk buy, as I probably won't use one of them until next month

Soontobeoap

@finsickle you made me chuckle. Buying wine last Sunday after the water went off. Sounds like a really good alternative to me! 🤣

ArgyllLady

I forgot payday is early thanks to the bank holiday. Tempted to therefore roll over any new grocery spending into next month’s budget but going to try to hold on the few more days to the 25th without any more purchases 😆 At £220.82 so already over my initial aim of £200!

Sallyp2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82007759#Comment_82007759

hold on … you'll just regret it next month x

Sallyp2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82007397#Comment_82007397

will your milk fit in salad drawer? Its the lowest point - don't put it high shelf either as heat rises esp in cold

PipneyJane

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82007759#Comment_82007759

I second what @Sallyp2 said, @ArgyllLady . Don’t spend next month’s money, until it is in your bank account.

View this month as a learning curve, then start June fresh and unencumbered. Consider what went wrong? What went right? What were the expensive shops? What was purchased in them? What got thrown out? Why? What is still in the fridge/freezer to be used? How many times were you late home from work and too knackered to cook?

Don’t beat yourself up. Just try to understand and plan how you can do things differently in June.

HTH

• Pip

Greying_Pilgrim

As I've only got £5 of my May Budget (to last until the 31st), I've been reading the thread and giving some thought to June - even though we've 9 days of May left, inc a Bank Holiday.

I'm seriously underwhelmed with the changes to the MrL app, I didn't sign up for all the worst bits of other supermercados loyalty schemes cobbled together and called 'new & improved'. The upshot is, MrL needn't necessarily figure much in my shopping going forward. It's a shame that the nicer/friendlier of the two stores that we have locally, is situated on the other side of town. I suspect that in the shiney, new-ish store, nearest me, that serves a mixed demographic, but, by all socio-economic indicators a 'wealthier' customer base, I am amongst the 'low spenders'. Even the students at the local college probably spend more each day on dougnuts and energy drinks than my weekly shopping comes to 😕

I don't think I can continue much longer on a budget of £200pcm. I knew it was tight when I set it - what's the parlance? A reach? Or is it a stretch? 🤔 Anyhoo, I'm thinking that for June, I might follow the lead of Nelliegrace and put a figure per person per day on grocery spend, and derive my budget from that. For 30 day June, that would make £225. Even though I realise I've got to conjure up £25 extra, from somewhere, I think I need to see if the budget would give us wiggle room. We seem to run out of fresh things quickly, and whilst I certainly don't mind using frozen veg etc, we're coming into salad weather.

Although £2.50 pp is based on adults, and we're a 2 adult and 1 child household, I will base it on 3 adults costs, as I do packed school lunches, and DH takes a packed lunch to work - and neither lunch can utilse leftovers (flaming fussy wot-nots). So whilst, for example, the costs are lower than school dinners, they are not without cost.

I think we do most of the things that you're supposed to as a 'frugal MSE'r'. But I'm always up to learn new things. We're a veggie household, and I am able to mostly cook from scratch, although I do sometimes use convenience items (ie pre-made veggie sausages). I don't use olio, and I'm only able to snag a few YS'd things occasionally - I don't shop the right time of day, and can't make special trips, just on the off-chance. If I see a green box that has items I can use, I do buy them, but they are few and far between, and I don't buy them 'just because it's a green box' - they aren't always vfm in our local MrL.

I think going forward, with rising prices, I will just have to do what I'm doing, but across a wider range of stores - and yes, fuel for driving around will have to be weighed up, against lower prices.

As for £4.50 lasting until the 31st this month? I don't think so…….. 😕

Greying X

JingsMyBucket

Wow! I can’t believe it’s been a few weeks since I updated my totals on here. We’ve spent a lot including a big pantry restock with a Tesco delivery and loads of trips to Morrisons, Lidl, M & S, and Savers. I won’t list them all out here but we’ve spent £232.90 over the last 3 weeks and our current tally is:  

Total £317.37 / £350 spent. £32.63 remaining. 

Again, wow! I can’t believe we still have some budget left over so far. Mr. Jings has been re-upping his coffee beans like they’re going out of style. We guess he’s just gone through May a lot more jittery than usual. I’m going to swing round Savers today for dishwasher salt, laundry sanitizer and Febreze. At some point over the next week, I’ll head to Morrisons and Lidl for some basics along with popsicles for the incoming warm weather. 🙂 

I’m going to catch up on the posts on this thread and I’ll put up the June (!!) thread this weekend for folks. Have a lovely Friday, everyone! 

JingsMyBucket

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82007397#Comment_82007397

@Finstickle we keep our tomatoes on the kitchen table and not in the fridge. Is that an option for you?