July Grocery Challenge

squeaky

Good advice I received in Cyprus was to eat your main meal in the middle of the day when you're appetite is usually good, and then have a light supper later when you're usually feeling quite zapped.

Mrs_Thrift

It has got a bit quiet on this thread hasn't it? So I shall gloat....erm, share my news that I am so far doing really well with the July challenge!

Sunday will be exactly half way through the Thrift's month for budgeting purposes, so up to this week we have been "allowed" £46 of our total July budget of £82.

Last night we did a big shop, and have now spent £58.76 of that budget. So we are over where we should be but the cupboards and freezer are full, and we have at least 11 meals that we can easily make from the contents, probably more.

(We don't like strict planning as we're rebels at heart and always want something different to the planned meal, when we try! :rolleyes: So we just have a variety of meals that we can make from the contents of the kitchen.)

Looking at my projections for the next two weeks up to the end of July, I figure we will have spent £79.75 (or thereabouts! ) of that monthly £82 budget. I am very chuffed! :j (Where would we be without MSE?! :eek: )

BoltonMinx

squeaky wrote:

Good advice I received in Cyprus was to eat your main meal in the middle of the day when you're appetite is usually good, and then have a light supper later when you're usually feeling quite zapped.

Cheers, but I hate eating a big meal at work So just sipping water and coffee (which probably contributes)

jaybee

I've been away dog sitting for friends so have been VERY frugal this month! It's my rule that I don't cook when living in their house :j . Despite providing 'self-catering treats' for my partner I have not spent much at all. The downside is that, now I'm back home, my partner's son and daughter-in-law plus 6-month old granddaughter are coming here for 2 weeks from next week. That has really blown my budget - they eat a lot (and 'expect' proper puddings and wine etc). Oh well, some you win, some you loose. At least I've got a bit of a head start by not spending much so far!!!!

bluemoon_3

I'm not over budget yet - I still have around £15 left out of my month's budget (to the end of the calendar month). I may have to do some careful meal planning because I should have plenty in the cupboards, and the freezer is bursting at the seams (though it is only a small freezer ).
Will have to stock up on soymilk and fresh produce - I hope I will be able to do it!

hilstep2000

First time I've really bothered, spent £169 so far, but cupborads and freezer are full, so should be able to go the rest of the month without anything more!

Janeryan

Yes it has been a bit too hot to sit at a computer but it also means it's too hot to go to the shops and I seem to eat less in the hot weather.

This means that I have currently spent(with 13 days to go until payday)£148.78 out of a budget of £250.00!!

I need to try to make sure I don't go mad in the final stretch!

spendaholic

Mrs Thrift! Where have you been?

Tesco very kindly delivered my shopping again for me, just after 7pm on Friday. With a weekly budget for the two of us of £50, this week it came to ... £43.36. This was helped by £2.75-worth of offers and a £10 ediscount courtesy of MSE.

omega_2

£26.68 and 9 days to go. Better get offline and work on a game plan!

Mrs_Thrift

spendaholic wrote:

Mrs Thrift! Where have you been?

Tesco very kindly delivered my shopping again for me, just after 7pm on Friday. With a weekly budget for the two of us of £50, this week it came to ... £43.36. This was helped by £2.75-worth of offers and a £10 ediscount courtesy of MSE.

Hello Spendaholic!

I must say it's nice to be missed. I've been lurking regularly, but haven't had much time to post, and haven't had much OS to report on really. But I'm so chuffed with our groceries spending (or lack of!) that I just had to post.

You're doing well too.

Unfortunately though, despite the fact we're doing really well on the groceries at approx. £18 per week we need to reduce our outgoings even more if possible. By focussing on food and groceries, etc. we managed to go from £220 a month to £85, so I was thinking if we applied the same focus to all our consumables we might be able to reduce them too.

Any inspiration (kicks up backside!) will be glady received.