August 2026 Grocery Challenge

Quantaqa

Thanks for th new thread @JingsMyBucket. I've put my Grocery budget up this month to £180 as we've been running down the freezer to defrost it. I plan on defrosting it on Sunday and then the extra this month will be used for a restock.

weenancyinAmerica

@Soontobeoap - Happy Anniversary!! Wow, 50 years!

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning GC'rs

I spent some money on groceries today, as I had to go to argoose to return some tu clothing. Everything that I bought today; a cucumber, oven chips, nuts/dates/jarlic/ambient tortellini pasta and condensed soup, will be used in August, so goes against my August budget. £10.37 spent on food. 89p on toothpaste (different budget).

There were green boxes again in MrL, but they were somewhat 'lightweight' and held no attraction for me today, so I didn't buy one.

Greying X

TravelCrystal

Happy anniversary @Soontobeoap 🍾 flowers are a lovely gift

Just back last evening from our relli visit. DH decided he was not contributing to the KFC on the way home so that has gone on the GC budget 🤦‍♀️ £21.16

So I decided to cancel my Ocado delivery that was due tomorrow and headed off to Leedlls

They obviously have missed me as they were offering a free bakery item, so I picked up one of their granary cobs which will save me making a loaf for a couple of days. I also used some of the points I accrued previously and haven’t spent, I selected £3 discount. Cut price on spring onions and unwaxed lemons. A kg of strawberries, some of which will be frozen, avo’s, nectarines, onions, mushrooms, oranges, peppers and carrots. We have beans, potatoes and tomatoes in the garden and am still using lettuce I bought from Ocado more than 2 weeks ago which is still looking fresh. Ham, marg on offer @ 99p so I bought 2, red wine vinegar, bin liners, toothpaste, rolls and tea bags. Muesli and Granola. And biscuits. I also had a free cake on one of their little spins. Total spent £26.56

That should last around 10 days as I still have milk in the freezer and yogurt in the fridge. We shall see.
Total spent so far for August, £47.72

Have a good weekend all, I am doing pulled pork in the slow cooker and salad (not in the slow cooker 🤭) with the sub rolls I bought for Sunday lunch, strawberries and ice cream for dessert

T.C

mandco

wow 50 years congratulations @soontobeoap

I’m going to up the budget to

£900 for August please

That’s an extra £25 a week as it’s the school holidays which means there will be extra mouths here to feed various days. I’m still going to base my budget in the usual £800 to try and keep costs down but the main aim is to stay under £900

Gloveman_2

First time at this. Just me and one fussy cat and I'll start with my usual (and very ridiculous) £450. 😔

And I know how ridiculous it is because I can cook from scratch and don't have expensive tastes. It will cover Mrs Crumblepuffle's food and cat litter plus all of my food, household and toiletry needs. I'm hoping September's will show an improvement.

PipneyJane

Happy anniversary @Soontobeoap!

@Gloveman_2 welcome! I love the name of your cat, Mrs Crumblepuffle 😍

I have my first shop of August to declare. £29.80 in Sainsbug’s yesterday, which was spent on peppers £1.31, 8 bananas £1.39, 450ml Yeo Valley Yoghurt 4x£2.25, Raid fly spray £4, greeting card £2.50, Gillette Mach2 8-pack razor blades £13.60.

The fly spray was because we have become absolutely desperate. Every morning this week, I’ve walked into the kitchen to find multiple flies, and I don’t know why. The back door - actually a big window - has a magnetic fly screen cover and we leave it open during the day to cool the house, none of the other windows downstairs have been open. (No flies detected upstairs.) No food is left out, uncovered. (I’m an Aussie. Been well trained.) DH sprayed anything that moved, yesterday. Result: no flies this morning.

This brings our August GC Spend to £29.80/£180 leaving £150.20 for the rest of the month.

No meal plan worked out yet for next week. We’ll be out and about all weekend. I have some offers that I want to take advantage of at L!dl, (discounts on smoked salmon and chorizo), but they’ll have to wait until Monday.

• Pip

JingsMyBucket

Budgets updated to here. 

Welcome @Gloveman_2 . I also love the name of your cat, that’s adorable! Don’t feel bad about your current total. The best approach is to note down all your receipts and spending and try to think before you buy. Also, sometimes… that’s just what the number really is. 

Congratulations on your 50th anniversary @Soontobeoap! I’m so glad you haven’t murdered each other yet. 😂

I may stop in to M & S this afternoon to get a few items so I can skip going there tomorrow during a regular round of weekend shopping to Morrisons and Lidl.  Have a lovely Saturday everyone.

TravelCrystal

Morning everyone, not food related as such but just saw your comment on flies @PipneyJane and was just reading in the paper, apparently there are fewer wasps because it’s so hot and they help to rid us of the flies. Not sure which creature I prefer. Also hello to @Gloveman_2 , this is a very useful and friendly thread

Enjoy your day

T.C

Greying_Pilgrim

🙄 August isn't starting off so well. I could have, and should have bought some olive spread in Leedle yesterday - and didn't on account of I 'forgot' it was needed. DH was out and about today with kiddo and was near an a$da. Naturally they had none of their own brand olive spread 🙄 so, as I knew DH wouldn't want to travel out of his way and go to Leedle - I asked them to bring Bert's branded stuff - £2.25 😭 That's me paying 'stoopid' tax for forgetting 😭

I'm off to sit in a darkened room, after I've amended my siggie figgie 😭

Greying X