May 2026 Grocery Challenge

Suffolk_lass

Only treats are running low here (that tells you what you need to know!) - we have fallen into the habit of having an orange juice ice lolly. I am sat here thinking we should have been saving the sticks for plant labels (that is what I have just bought) or, making my own by buying the sticks and using moulds! They are an easy dessert after a spicy supper or lunch! Best of all, they are outside the GC - I am so used to marking up my receipts and totalling them separately, the pet thing is not an issue for me!

Anyway, with half a dozen eggs in return for a couple of queen cells from my hives, I don't need to shop yet. A bit of treat deprivation will be good for us both!

ArgyllLady

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81984469#Comment_81984469

I have been thinking of getting the ice lolly moulds that are silicon push up (think calippo!) style and getting a bit creative with freezing yogurt as well as juice thought the thought passed a bit when the sun went in!

I will be doing a bit of a shop today - in need of eggs, but also fresh veg so will see what they have (and try not to get distracted!).

Suffolk_lass

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81984482#Comment_81984482

I have some of those @ArgyllLady - they are lovely with yogurt, full fat, Greek style; smooshed with fresh fruit (think YS Strawberries or homegrown raspberries that your other picker missed) - and so much cheaper! At least the OJ are 100% Valencia juice but variously £2.50 (Morries) or £2.75 (Sainsbugs) for four

Sallyp2

random … anyone know what's happened to nannygladys?

i found her thread and she hasn't posted since start Feb - so 3 months?

remmie

First shop of the month £85.06. I include everything in my budget for 2 adults and 1 large, always hungry dog. Prices are rising every week, I noticed in Ald* this week that a tin of corned beef had increased by 14p. Corned beef hash is no longer a cheap meal.

diminua

First shops of the month - £8.53 on apricots, mini cucumbers, satsumas, lime and lemon - grocers in Morden

Coffee, milk, potatoes, tinned fish, eggs , margarine, pasta and alcohol-free cider in JS. £18.24

Mint choc chip icecream - £2.85

Nelliegrace

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

First grocery shopping for May.

Milk £1.65, yoghurt 1kg down in price £1.49, coffee beans £3.49, cream crackers 49p, sweet potatoes £1.19, kale 89p, carrots 69p, parsnips 59p, bananas 88p, pears 99p, blueberries £1.19, grapes £1.37, super 6 offer 4 oranges x 2 £1.29, 6 English apples x 2 £1.19, piccolato vine tomatoes reduced to 83p.

Total £19.51.

So embarrassing, DH was putting the bags of shopping in the car and I saw the pack of blueberries in the trolley. I checked the receipt and it wasn't listed so I had to go back, queue again at the till, apologise and pay for it. I shall be getting elderly ladies a bad name. I blame the varifocal glasses where the bottom of the lens is for close up detail.

We went to H&B at the shopping centre yesterday. I couldn’t find the barley malt extract so I asked the assistant. She found it on the bottom shelf, the usual brand with the distinctive shaped jar with a new coloured label, but considerably more expensive since I last bought some on offer. It was a good job that I read the label, my malt loaves would have tasted awful. The plain version was out of stock.

Elizabeth49

May budget revised to £375.00

Down from £435.00 as sadly the old cat no longer needs to be catered for, but all the cat food I had stocked up will go to the local rescue, so it won't be wasted.

I did start the monthly shopping yesterday. £46.63 at M&S yesterday including a lot of meat for the freezer. £4.63 at Savers. And £68.93 for my Sainsbug delivery.

£120.19/£375.00 but there are quite a few things I won't need to buy again this month.

Nelliegrace

Sad news @Elizabeth49 We have no poultry, rabbits, cats, or dog for the first time in decades. I keep expecting to see the dog when I go into a room, expect her to be shadowing me, think i hear her, and miss her demands and routines. It is taking time to adjust to a necessarily pet free future.

Suffolk_lass

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81985030#Comment_81985030

I was chatting to one of the ninety something year old ladies that come to our community lunch and she really misses having a pet too. I suggested she might approach a local rescue for an elderly rescue pet whose human has gone into a care home, or can otherwise no longer look after it. While she knows a puppy is out of the question, this appealed to her and an elderly cat has recently gone to live with her. I don't know if this might work for you too, but thought it worth mentioning. The animals need our company as much as we enjoy theirs x