March 2008 Grocery Challenge

galacticgreen

another £1.96 on milk, I think we should get our own cow for the garden! I've menu planned for the rest of the month, and made a list. All being well, we should make it by less than £1, but we'll have to see!! Made some vegetable soup and some brocolli and stilton soup today to use up some stuff that was wasting away at the bottom of the fridge. Since starting of the GC, my OH has lost 1 stone in weight. I think we are eating better, so I think its down to homemade food with less added fat in it and also smaller portions, which is no bad thing....:o

Girl_least_likely_to

I've been to Asda today which I don't normally do as it's not the closest shop but I fancied a change. I had to get some Easter Eggs for nephew and friends kids. The cash for presents come from a different budget so I actually only spent £1.09 on handwash and 2 packs of the 22p raisins which I heard about on this thread .

I might not go "proper shopping" this Friday. We're out for tea at friends and relatives on Sat & Sun so I'm hoping I won't need much, milk and a bit of F&V. I'm wary that I've only £45 of my budget left and I could easily let it slip on the last week so I'm reading this thread everyday to try to keep me on track. Keep up the good work guys :beer:

mama67

weezl74 wrote: »

Hi,

Just wanted to give you guys a hot tip. I do a lot of baking and normally go for asda smartprice sultanas, @ 41p for 500g.

As Martin says, this is usually the cheapest brand level in the store. At the moment tho, asda's own brand sultanas are 22p for 500g, half the price of the 'value' equivalent! :money:

Also, weirdly, the 1 kg bags of own brand sultanas are 84p, usually by buying a bigger bag you save money, but by getting 2 500g bags of own brand sultanas, you get them about half the price of a kilo of SP ones or own brand bigger bag ones.:T

Sorry to be a pricing geek, but thought it might help someone out there!:o

Weezl x

The same is happening with tesco own horseradish on offer at 31p but value is 53p same size jar; needless to say I picked up two of the own brand as we eat loads, not only with beef buit also in mash.

KITTY_2-2

Realised over the last few days that I find it very hard not to spend money when I have some. Had to go out for pet food and a few bits today. I could have gone to the local store and bought what I needed but a large cheap food centre has opened near us that I wanted to try. It's supposed to be trade only but anyone can get a card just by walking in and asking
I bought a few bits that were cheaper than I can get at Asda and they also had some pre-stuffed fresh chickens on offer @ £1.99 each or 2 for £3.50. I would love to buy free range organic chicken however the budget is too tight at the moment and we have to eat, so I have to ignore my conscience for now. Perhaps once I'm on top of my debts I can return to a more ethical shop but needs must at present Does anyone else struggle after watching Jamie and Hugh and those programmes they did??

On a sad note I got home from shopping to find the cute but weak little kitten from our first litter, had died while I was out. We've had a little service for him and buried him in the garden but tea has been a rather sombre affair because of it. It's funny how he should go today when another of the cats has had her kittens.

Need to go clean the kitchen and feed the animals now, so catch you all later.

Purple_Sparkles

I've been really quite on here this month, basically as I've hardly spent any money. In total so far this month I've spent £73.27 for myself and my son, no idea how I've done it, I've just kept out of the shops or if I've felt tempted sent my son in for the packet of butter or a few apples so I don't buy extras. I feel really proud of myself at managing to keep my spends controlled. Looks like I'll be on target for this month.

EverTheOptimist

hi guys

havent posted much this month as i dont have daily access to the computer, have updated sig when have eventually got on, but have then forgotten what i have bought.

anyway currently at £95 ish which i am disappointed with even though its under budget - just. as i have now got to have 12 NSD's as i only have £5 left, and as i have no other money to put towards groceries/ toiletries i'm kinda bugga'd. but on a positive note i should have enough in the freezer to get me through the month for eats, though may have to use the toilet at work to save on loo paper!!!! luckily still using toiletries from xmas - yay.

march has seemed such a long month

Oh well, will have to find other things to keep me occupied, and not shopping.

ETO
x

PS sorry to hear your sad news kitty. i'm a bit of a softie and reading your post made me shed a few tears. bless ya.

saver03

As this is my first month and I was just [STRIKE]guessing[/STRIKE] hoping that it would be £100 I am not too worried. At the moment I am over £13.85 but it is possible that I will need some fresh stuff ie. bread before the month ends. I just hope that I don't go over £150! As long as I can reduce my spending each month then I know I am doing well! :A

bails

Aah, I was sad to read about Nema too. I hope the rest of them remain healthy. Thanks for your advice about the stray, we're watching her closely!

We've managed to have a free evening meal tonight as my mum brought up a few things out of her fridge (as they're going on hol) so we had stuffed mushrooms with some salad and leftover tagine vegetables; yum!
I think I'm going shopping tomorrow, although I keep putting it off

Doom_and_Gloom

Doom_and_Gloom wrote: »

I am very creative when it comes to saving money (will even be making them a bigger cage that will easily fit 6 soon and then after a while one that could easily fit 9 rats lol and only for 2 rats. The first one will cost me about £30 and the second about £20 as I will be destroying an old wardrobe to do it). I want to make sure I'm doing everything I can for them so if you think I can improve with anything please help me out as it would be apresiated.

I've so far spent £33.62 on the first of my own made cage that has saved me around £70 for the same kind of cage space wise :eek: ! Got to add the finishing touches to it mind, however I do not think I need much more for it. Can not see it costing more than £40 which is still a hell of a saving on a cage this size :beer: and it's exactly how I want it to be to :rotfl: .

Now to my Food budget which this thread is about hehe. I've spent £15 on veg box 2 weeks ago now as next one comes tomorrow :rotfl: . £1.99 on rat nuggets.

Spent = £16.99
Left = £18.01

As of 20th March will be:
Spent = £31.99
Left = £3.01

MRSMCAWBER

Evening all

Have updated my signature and still have €20.75 to last until the end of the month... can't forsee needing anything..but i won't count my chickens

Decided to try a new batch of hm fresh egg pasta today... since i have finally found semolina flour :j thanks to egon .... and it makes much better pasta than normal flour .. I worked out that this evenings meal of fresh pasta and meatballs in veg n tomato sauce worked out like this :-

1. 150g semolina - 25c
2. 2 med eggs - 36c
3. minced turkey - 75c
4. 50g breadcrumbs -saved from slicing loaf 5c max
5. approx 100g frozen peppers -13c
6. approx 100g frozen mushrooms - 19c
7. 100g frozen peas - 10c
8. 1/2 carton passata -12c
9. 50g cream cheese 15c

totalling €2.10 about £1.50..... and there was too much for the 2 of us so i have a potion to nuke for lunch time tomorrow.... so 50p a portion :j even now it amazes me just how well you can cook and eat for so little...no junk, addatives, trans fats and rubbish in there either

Can't wait for April to start...nice new budget and all that.. will definitely be heading back to the Asian shop

Have got loads more seeds planted up today -the bedroom windows are looking like nurseries ..... determined to grow as much as possible to save on the shopping

Everyone seems to be doing well -even though its a long month..again :rolleyes: ... and to those that have gone over a little -just think about how much we would have all been spending before the grocery challenge :eek: so well done to everyone :T