March 2008 Grocery Challenge

VickyA_2

Well, I REALLY slipped off the wagon. Sorry all However, I'll be trying again. I've upped my monthly spend to £120 to try to get myself back on track (2 adults, taking packed lunches every day to work).

BigMummaF

What on earth happened to us all in Feb....perhaps it was the extra day that caused us to lose the plot:p

Reading thru all the newbies--I wus there meself a couple of months ago--I wondered if there was some way we could gather all of the wonderful recipes together, so folk wouldn't have to go trawling thru the archives.....And all the excellent os tips, like putting granulated sugar in the food processor to make castor/icing etc.....or have I slept thru & they already exist somewhere:o

My personal contributions to the 'tips' section would be to buy:-

• decent washing up liquid but then water it down as far as you think is viable for your needs, cuz it will still be better than the 'budget' ones around;
• liquid laundry detergent, for same reasons^^, plus it's kinder for those with sensitive skin issues.
• the same foods for your dogsSIZE=1][I]soz..can't speak for other pets, except green iguana![/I][/SIZE][SIZE=2just don't give them anything with onion, leek, currants, raisins or sultanas. Our pup doesn't eat "dog"food, & every time I'm in the kitchen, he's looking up in anticipation![/SIZE]

And the beauty is the grocery snobs in the queue behind you will never know how you make your budget stretch:T

I've had £63:56 spend so far, inc a sack of taiters & an absolute bargain of new trainers for me in MrT--label said £5 but they went thru the till at £3:75:j& a pr of jeans for a tenner for No3 b'day later in the month.

Platinum_Horse

We're heading out to try and do our shop, with little 'un in tow. All three of us....keeping to the budget is nit going to be easy, esp as we have a guest staying with us for 4 days, and we need to get nappies, bath stuff!:eek: Wish us luck!

dinx1972

I don't like to fail but I did in February by about £70:eek: :eek: :eek: . So am really going to knuckle down this month. Think I will budget for about £310 for March (that gives me £10 a day for 2 adults, 2 DS, 1 cat, 1 guinea pig).

Cannot understand why my budgeting is such pants. Think I will have to meal plan and look back through the recipes on here.

Anyway wish me luck, cos I'm going to need it.:rotfl:

Mortgagefreeforme

I did some MAJOR shopping yesterday:eek: . I have a child free morning today before I go into work so I am using it to batch cook a lot of the stuff I bought. I have also made two big pots of soup for pack lunches and lunches at home. The forecast for next week is for snow, so the soup should save DH nipping to the bakers for hot pies:o .
I think I may dedicate tommorrow afternoon to bakeing, a treat for me if I get the peace to do it. I plan to freeze a lot of it for lunch treats, if I freeze them quickley I can't eat most of them myself:o .

mumzyof2

morning all havent spent anything yet, but iam going to put my cigs on my grocery challenge as it will be a even harder challenge for me

MSHAWX

I can't believe how many posting there has been so far this month, it's great.
Just been to MrT and bought all the staples for the month.

Does anybody know whether cheese freezes well. We tend to have open house here at lunchtimes and there is anything between, just my OH and me to about five folks. It can get a bit expensive feeding all, but I bought a load of reduced cheese and wondered how it tasted after thawing out.

Spent £55.56p so far

MRSMCAWBER

Hi there MSHAWX

Most cheese freezez just fine...I either throw it in as it comes,cut it into portions (as only hubby eats it really) or grate it into a tub or bag so you can grab a handfull for cooking etc... in a bag it sometimes clumps together..but whacking it on the worktop usually solves the problem

purplevamp

weemissy wrote: »

Just a thought - probably a really silly question but do you all include take aways and/or meals out in your budget? We don't do this much but just wondered
thanks

I did last month, that's what blew my budget. We had a total of 4 takeaways and 2 meals out (one of which I didn't include as it was a birthday treat for my son and it came to around £60).

This month I'm back on my diet (again :rolleyes: ) so hopefully I won't go over budget. Also because I have put on 3 stone since I got married - 10 months ago :eek: :eek: :eek: .

Changing the subject, I did a shop in Asda on Thursday and we normally go to Sainsburys. I thought the prices would be cheaper but they are exactly the same . Will be going back to Mr S next week.

betterlatethannever

Just done my first shop after nearly four NSD.

Anyone who lives near a Booths supermarket, they have Andrex toilet rolls, 12 for £2.25:eek: thats about 18p a roll.

Just bought 3 packs so, baring a dose of the trots:o , we shouldn't need any for about 2 months:D