August 2026 Grocery Challenge

RedRose61

I’ve sat on my hands all week and made meal plans with everything that is in the freezer, fridge and cupboards. Lot’s of good advice on here and on MSE to help me to keep within my budget. I spent £30.88 in M*rrisons on fruit and vegetables, milk and other items that I had run out of. I found some Y/S cooked chicken, chicken pieces, cream scones (68 pence! ) prawns, tomatoes, lettuce and radishes.
Then a trip to P*undland for some toiletries and cleaning materials. £12 spent.

Finally, I had a coffee delivery for my Dolce Gusto Pod Machine. I usually have a subscription from Am*zon for about £17.50 for 90 cups. The cost had rocketed to £25!! I skipped delivery and bought a smaller amount on a different site for £8.17. The taste isn’t quite as nice and annoyingly there is now another deal on Am*zon! Never mind.

£51.05 spent this week, £94.77 remaining.
Have a great Weekend everyone.

Soontobeoap

Ok so ashamed to say spending has been very high. In my defence GC have been with us for 2 and half weeks with another week to go so it was expected. I have had trouble logging in so the receipts have built up. In total I have spent another £357.00

Not too bad if you say it quietly!🤫

PipneyJane

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82111513#Comment_82111513

Interesting app @BurnardDebt. Thanks for the recommendation. I will check it out. If it wasn’t for the 8p-off voucher, reducing the price of unleaded petrol from 159.9p to 151.9p, I’d agree with you. I haven’t filled up at MrT’s in months. Most of the time, we fill up at C0stc0 since my DH drives passed on his way to work and they’re usually 5p cheaper than anywhere else. You do have to be a member and swipe your membership card before filling up.

I have two shops to declare:

• £11.49 in L!dl yesterday. (1L lactose-free milk 3x84p, 1kg frozen Four Berry Medley £2.54, mixed nuts 2x£1.75, puff pastry £1.15, garlic & herb cream cheese 2x89p.)
• £9.13 in Sainsbugs today. (Bagels 3x£1, houmous £1, Broccoli £1.17, YS scotch eggs 2x84p, 200g spinach £1.50, 5 bananas 78p)

This brings our total spend to £162.90/£180 leaving £17.10 for the rest of the month.

Meal plans for the next few days:

Today pasta with HM pesto
Monday Smoked salmon & cream cheese filled bagels (at a Prom concert)
Tuesday wraps filled with ham and spinach (at another Prom)
Wednesday broccoli & chorizo pasta

Still not sure re Thursday and Friday. We will need yoghurts but there were none on offer in Sainsbugs, so we decided to wait.

‘- Pip

K9sandFelines

£5.98 at the local international shop on soya chunks and soya mince. I wasn't sure if I already had a spare bag of soya chunks as didn't check before I left, so I grabbed one just incase. Turns out I did, but I'm not often near that shop so didn't want to run out and not have any. So these should last me through the rest of this month's challenge, and possibly next month's too !

Greying_Pilgrim

I've spends to declare. A chum very kindly gifted me a load of plums off their tree - along with some HG tommies. I used some of the plums in a crumble last night, and decided to make a plum and almond cake today (I used the Mary berri version), so I needed to get some baking fat. I went to a leedle, on the way back from a day out at a NT property, and got some baking fat, but also picked up 2 x YS'd wholemeal baps for 22p each. We use baps alot when picnicing and (fingers crossed) we will be packing a picnic several times over the next week or so. £1.73 spent.

Off to update siggie figgie.

Greying X

Suffolk_lass

Just back from a milk run as I took @Sallyp2's advice and skipped deliveries to the end of August to avoid the milk spoiling after being delivered around 1am (even in the cold box for the night). The upshot was I cruised the milk aisle in the local cooperativevand spotted a chicken for £4.04 and a pair of long red peppers reduced to £1.25 (yes, I know they are cheaper in the big SM but this shop minimised the temptations!) - I did pick up two almond croissants for £1.50 (just consumed as I was reading here - my breakfast, his elevenses) which is exactly why we usually have our milk delivered!!

So my GC spend is up to £169.49 for August and I shall extend the month by a week or so, despite my state pension arriving this morning. Our September will start when Mr Sl's occupational pension drops on the 2nd. Fingers crossed I can stay in my hoped-for budget of £200 this month. Lots of loveliness in the garden helps a lot!

TravelCrystal

Afternoon G.C’rs

I am going to declare for August with just a couple of things to report. Not sure if I mentioned when my O order came one of the packs of apples had a half an apple only plus 5 inside instead of 6, so I had a refund of £1.49.
However D.H decided we should have Pizza for lunch a couple of days ago and spent £2.75 on a chicken bbq stuffed crust affair from Iceland, we both said it was mediocre.

Anyway all things being calculated I have spent £194.11 this month so thankfully in on budget.

On a different topic we are getting a little kitten next month, the house is so quiet without a cat. Whilst it won’t come out of G.C funds, may have to take a few short cuts on cooking initially as I will be otherwise occupied 🤭

See you in September

T.C

carboot_karaoke

Afternoon all,

I have multiple spends to declare across six different shopping trips in total l spent £120.40 with a further £22.12 on bulk items including toiletries, fabric conditioner and olive oil. I did get a couple of steaks with 50% off plus some chicken thighs which will be eaten during September.

Grocery Budget £312.22 / £400

Bulk Fund £39.11 / £50

Grocery Challenge £ 351.33 / £450

Greying_Pilgrim

£9.02 to declare in spending today in aldee. I bought some crisps, porridge pots and cereal bars. They are for picnics/self-catering if we manage to get away for a day or two before the end of the summer hols.

Away to amend siggie figgie.

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Oh gosh - is it only me spending 😯 I went to Leedle today, as we're off for a few days hols, and I decided that as I'd not been granted one before, I would make use of the £5 off a £40 shop, the offer would be over by the time we returned home - despite being able to actually last (foodwise) until more or less the end of the month. However, I shopped strategically, for fresh, food cupboard and one or two treats/self-catering style foods that we don't routinely buy. As it's all a bit last minute, we're stopping in a motel chain, rather than a proper self-catering abode. We're veggie, and never find the meal/breakfast options that appealing for us, and don't really represent good VFM, despite the 'children eat free' breakfast offer.

So I spent £40.32 in total, which triggered the £5 discount, so I paid £35.32 in actual cash. I did also get the TV guide, but that 85p comes out of the non-food budget.

All my coupons worked today - I had been having trouble with only one or two getting taken off at the till. As the £5 off is discounted (pro rata) off every single item you buy, the till receipt is long and a bit complicated to read, but everything is as it should be. It's interesting though that another voucher that I didn't activate (15% off apples) had been activated on my app - I didn't press the button….. 🙄

£35.32 to add to my grocery total, so I'm away to amend my siggie figgie.

Greying X