March 2008 Grocery Challenge

BigMummaF

Thanks for the heads-up on Amazon FFM, but don't you have to pay £15 a year to be able to get free postage or something? And how does quidco & the like work? It's one of those things that many good folk have tried to explain, but somehow I can't get me noddle round it no matter how often I've looked Now off-side ruling in the footie...

Mumzy, that meal plan looks yum...I tend to get a trend going, where every main meal is based around--eg--chicken; y'know when you think 'oooh...not had that in a while' & it's the same sort of meal you're eating at the time. I've struggled to do 10 days & four of them are mince based:eek:

I'm off to cook me lentils & peas...seperately for now.....

the_cat

Hi all

Just updated my spending so far and altogether it is £49.32. Not too bad at all seeing as I should only need a few bits of fruit/veg/milk until next Monday.

Have been doing a bit of a storecupboard challenge and only buying a few bits every few days at the supermarket and will keep this up until next week, then have a stock up.

Today need to spend some time cooking a big stock of cakes,pies, lentils, spag bol batch etc and hopefully that will then last me....... fingers crossed

mumzyof2

I have stopped smoking...well not had oen for an hour and none in house :$ need the money lol

M0neysav3r

Hi All
My first Grocery Challenge was last month and I set myself a £175 budget which I am very pleased to say I did and had £2 spare.
This month I think £170 Budget is reasonable, I cant see us spending less than that as £175 was stretching it last month, I even thought I'd try Lidl and Aldi but they weren't any cheaper than Tesco .....

Is £170 a Month for two adults, 1 dog and 2 cats reasonable? This includes all cleaning / beauty products, Fruit & Veg etc

Girl_least_likely_to

M0neysav3r wrote: »

Is £170 a Month for two adults, 1 dog and 2 cats reasonable? This includes all cleaning / beauty products, Fruit & Veg etc

No, I don't think £170 is unreasonable. You managed £175 last month :T so well done you. I'm struggling to get under £200 for 2 adults and 1 toddler, but I'm working on it . Sometimes animals can cost more than children to feed so I think you're doing really well, maybe just downshift a couple of items to own brand, this might make the difference in shaving a few quid off. Good Luck

findingmyfeet

hi there everyone, been watching and trying to learn off you lot for the last few weeks. Can't wait any longer got to join in. looking forward to lots more tips , recipes etc. Been watching my receipts and think i have been averaging about £130 per week.! going to try for £80 to £100 per week for the next month then take it from there. cupboards and freezer fairly full and mr t delivering today.

Mrs mcawber can you put me down for £320 to £400 for my first month please( month runs 25/02/08 to 24/03/08). We are 2 adults a 17 year old and a 15 year old and a dog. many thanks and good luck all.

MRSMCAWBER

Hello all

Just back from my jaunt to the supermarkets... only needed a few bits... so got:-

2 X 500g broccoli @45c
2 tins sweetcorn @ 45c
big red pepper -59c
1kilo carrots -55c
2x500g passata @ 25c....... so spent €3.44 in ALDI

but went to "Real" in search of flour...don't need it right now... but thanks to Lil_me and Egon telling what i was looking for i thought it would be rude not to fetch some thats my excuse -and i'm sticking to it

So got a 1kilo bag of Maismehl @ €1.99 -never thought i would see the day where i paid that much for a bag of flour -but it will last ages ;)and i wanted a go at making corn tortillas and a bag of 550 flour @€1.29.. so spent €3.28 in there -but i got €3.15 returned on some empty bottles so i only spent 13c in there really :j ... so i need to add
€3.59 to my total .....bringing it up to €12.08.... which is just under 1/4 of this months budget :T .... mind i have set a budget about as tight as it can get can't say i don't like a challenge :rotfl:

Fallen Angel shelley

flour tortillas -makes 8

1. I put 3/4 cup milk in a big jug and zap it in the micro until warmed then throw in - 2 cups plain flour, 1.5tsp baking powder, 1tsp salt and 2tsp oil
2. mix it into a dough and knead for a couple of mins... it might be quite sticky, but kneading should reduce it -don't add too much more flour if you can help it as it may make them tough, cover and leave the dough to rest for 30 mins
3. break into 8 balls..... cover and leave for another 15 mins
4. then you just roll them out to about 8" circles..or whatever shape you end up with if they are going to be rolled who cares what shape they are -I find that if you don't use too much flower on the worktop, they sort of hold on and roll further...too much flour makes them little devils...
5. then just heat up a heavy based fryingpan and drop one in and cook until bubbles start to appear and then flip and do the other side -press down with a teatowel as they sometimes puff up -just watch you don't steam your knuckles
6. then just layer in a teatowel to keep warm whilst you do the rest..

you can freeze the dough balls too -when defrosted they need a little more flour -but roll much thinner too :j and i have tried them with 2tbs poppy seeds in the mix..next is sesame , then garlic salt

Right i will get off and add the latest arrivals to the list... im quite enjoying doing this list -as it means i don't miss any of the posts -not that im nosey or anything

keep up the good work everyone :T

mumtoomany

Hi all,Spends so far for March are: £31.54 This includes 2 trays of eggs £1 per tray (straight from the farm). 3x2lt bottles of milk 99p each. 2 selection boxes, should keep the children quiet for a while. 2 packets of cereal. 8 loaves and 2 packets of muffins, will last all week. large block of cheese. 2 large jars of mincemeat RFQS. 3 packs jaffa cakes 10p each RFQS. 2 boxes cakes. 15x65gm sachets tomato puree(£1). 2 packs chicken teriyaki mix. 3 tins soup. bananas, oranges, tomatoes. 15 pkts mini pringles (50p). 160 t-bags 99p. large bottle brown sauce 30p. I should not need to buy anything now untill about mid week, by which time we will have run out of milk again.I am also running short of dog food (seperate budget) so will have to go to Lidl midweek.Plenty of food in cupboards and freezer.Good luck all,M2m.

egon

MRSMCAWBER wrote: »

but went to "Real" in search of flour...don't need it right now... but thanks to Lil_me and Egon telling what i was looking for i thought it would be rude not to fetch some thats my excuse -and i'm sticking to it

So got a 1kilo bag of Maismehl @ €1.99 -never thought i would see the day where i paid that much for a bag of flour -but it will last ages ;)and i wanted a go at making corn tortillas and a bag of 550 flour @€1.29.. so spent €3.28 in there -but i got €3.15 returned on some empty bottles so i only spent 13c in there really :j ... so i need to add
€3.59 to my total .....bringing it up to €12.08.... which is just under 1/4 of this months budget :T .... mind i have set a budget about as tight as it can get can't say i don't like a challenge :rotfl:

Hi Mrs M,

You should be able to get the Typ 550 flour in Lidl/ Aldi too.
I am not 100% sure about the Maismehl though. But I know you can get it cheaper then €1.99 from Real.

Egon

Justamum

£124.14 for me so far this month, although I am already into week 2. I made a list of everything I have in, so will be making a meal plan, and might even get round to making some meals for the freezer! How ambitious am I?