May 2026 Grocery Challenge

Matron_Midge

Declaring May. £268.25/£400. Nothing spent from bulk fund. As you can see I’m well under this month largely due to a weeks holiday and also the top up I did in April with my bulk buys.

Next month, I will declare both for June and the 1/2 year to make sure I am on track.

Soontobeoap

So I have been missing for a bit. Couldn't quite bring myself to record the spends. Today I have put my big girl pants on and am ready to declare. We didn't have the grandchildren for half term so I have no excuse.

Since my last report we have done 4 shops. 2 big ones and 2 small. We have added ice lollys and ice cream that aren't usually budgeted for. ( My mistake) And also yesterday bought a lot of cleaning products. Anyway I am done with trying to find excuses so here goes. Deep breath!!!!!!

My 4 shops have come to £127.40 added to previous total that is £314. 47 this month! I am so glad that we have a bit spare and don't have to rely on my budgeting!!. Hope others are having more success. See you all on June thread.

Greying_Pilgrim

So I've done another shop today, I was never going to be able to stick with this months budget, and today has just proved it.

I did buy some bits for our couple of days away. We try and self-cater as much as we can, and I also take plenty of fruit and snacky stuff, so that we don't get caught out to buy expensive stuff at venues. It may not always be the most nutritionally perfect food, but it's not too bad for a day or two.

I spent £29.66 on food/food like items that will likely be consumed in May, and £19.00 on stuff that will be used in June. I also bought some toothpaste for 89p (non-food) budget. The June stuff is like a 12 pack of chopped tommies from fArmf00ds, yoghurt, tinned fruit (for lunchboxes) etc.

I didn't spot any real bargains, although I got some veggie sausages and some falafel YS 50% in L1dl. I got 2 cucumbers on myNP in Sains, and some little gem lettuce on SEL NP for 2 x 60p.

I think today's spend illustrates that I need to be closer to £2.50 pppd for my grocery budget. I'm not proud I overspent by £25, and if I could be bothered, I could extract out what will be taken and eaten on holiday, versus what will be used today/tomorrow, but I'm not going to. I'll take the hit, and say I came close, but not quite.

I will alter my siggie figgies, and see y'all over on the June thread next week.

Greying X

Finstickle

I made it!!

Final Coop spend of £9.54 on butter, bread, lettuce and ice-creams (pack of 6 Fabs) when we got back from our festival on BH Monday.

Declaring for May

£347.65/£350

PipneyJane

Morning All

I have a small spend to declare from yesterday: £5.95 in Sainsbugs, spent on YS watercress £1.10, Yeo Valley mango yoghurt £1.95, Yeo Valley Greek Style Yoghurt with Honey £1.85, and a 1kg bag of “baby” potatoes £1.05.

This brings our total spend to £161.60/£184.40 leaving £22.80 for the rest of the month.

Today is payday, but I’m not declaring yet. I will do so later, after a visit to MrT’s. We have a £4 voucher expiring on Sunday, which needs to be spent, so I’ll stock up on squash.

• Pip

K9sandFelines

Another £28.04 added to my signature.

Just been and got a top up in Ald! of some bits and pieces for next week's meals and a few toiletries in HB.

I've got about £20 pound now to cover coffee, d.f.marg/ butter and any fruit and veg.

It will be a close call I think 🤔.

Really do not want to go over though by alot!!

MrsFrugalLiving

Hello All 😊 my final shop for May.

Fourth week spend £56.62

Total spend £192.40/£175

Over budget by £17.40

This week I seem to have gone bonkers on fruit.  I didn’t quite realise until I checked my receipt. Also had to get olive oil so that was a budget breaker 😬 but overall I’m happy.

I think I will have to take toiletries/household stuff out and just budget food only for June. 

It’s been - dare I say it - actually fun posting  on this thread! And interesting seeing what everyone else is doing and finding difficult. So thank you I am glad to have joined in this group.

Lidl - £56.62 (tomatoes, salmon, olive oil, almond butter, prawns, dates, broccoli, cheese, frozen blueberries, bananas grapes, oranges, caster sugar, blueberries, Greek yogurt, easy peelers, melon, nectarines, cashew nuts, beans, oats, salad, apples, soya milk, crackers, cucumber, shortbread, tortillas wraps,, mints, avocado, tortilla chips, cooked beetroot, spring greens, ginger, lime)

PipneyJane

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82015243#Comment_82015243

Final shop to declare: £7.50 on squash in MrT’s. 5 bottles of their 1.5L quad strength squash purchased, original total was £11.50, but I used the £4 voucher that was expiring.

I am declaring for May at £169.10/£184.40 leaving £15.30 to roll over to June.

• Pip

Nelliegrace

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

26/5 DH bought milk from Asda 2 x 4 pints at £1.65. £3.30 spent

We had our members’ free coffee at Dobbies this afternoon. I used the £3 points voucher in their new grocery section, on 2 packs of Dove dried yeast 125g for £1.99, so they cost just 98p.

We shopped at Aldi on the way home.

Milk 4 pints £1.65, mixed size, free range eggs 99p, mixed seeds 99p, red stickered 30% off; chicken mince (to freeze in 4 portions,) 500g £1.81, lettuce 66p, and beansprouts 59p, super 6 offer blueberries 150g £1.19, wonky fruit; grapes £1.37, strawberries £1.19, lemons 89p and oranges 99p, small pears 99p and satsumas 95p, 7 bananas 88p, vine tomatoes £1.49, cucumber 99p, radishes 66p, and cooked beetroot 59p.

£20.57 spent

Total for May, £151.63

Blackcats

There will be no more grocery shopping this month - we have more than enough food and drink in stock and I'm hoping to wait til Wednesday before buying anything else which will be helpful for our June spending.

I have a nice underspend of £50 but this is more because we have had a few days away during May rather than because I've suddenly become an expert grocery shopper 😉. £40 of the underspend will be used to cover a meal that we enjoyed at a beach cafe whilst away as well as holiday ice creams etc. the remaining £10 is going into my odds&s^ds savings pot.