March 2008 Grocery Challenge

Sassamac

Im struggling a bit this month.
My totals are in my sig but basically its day 11 for me of 28 and Ive spent three quarters of my budget already. I was desparately low on cupboard stuff and fresh stuff at the beginning of the month, so did a £50 Tesco shop (to get the petrol voucher) and got a fortnights worth of most things, thinking I wouldnt need much for the second week of the month.
But then in the second week I still ended spending a weeks worth of budget, and now I have one remaining weeks worth of budget to see me the last fortnight!
I think perhaps Im better off not doing such a big shop in one go. I think my trouble is I have so little money left in the last week, that I buy only the bare minimum, then have to buy loads in the first week of the new budget to compensate.
I think I'll give Tesco one last go for next month, and try to be extra restained, then switch and go further afield to get my main shop from Asda, Morrisons, Lidl etc. in the hope that the savings will outweigh the petrol costs.

Feeling very virtuous today anyway as we had HM soup with HM bread rols (first attempt at breadmaking).

Danni

Ahh... I forgot to update my total for February and start March's. I'm going for £80 again

MRSMCAWBER

Afternoon all

Well I have made it.... my 3rd NSD in a row :A ...I am NOT going shopping until friday.. no -I'm not... don't let me folks

Made some coleslaw this morning -so had some of that with some home cooked gammon i had boiled and sliced into the freezer for my lunch mmmmmmm

Dinner will be using some of the organic feta -with avocado and salad... must get some more of that feta on Friday....several packs before they realise they have the wrong price on its €1.15 -which is cheaper than the cheapest basic stuff ...so it has to be wrong...but it is seriously yummy so more must be stashed .. one pack will have made 6 salads by the time i have used it up -which i think is rather good going

I have fettled our bedroom and the bathroom this morning....so my treat is going to be -sitting on my bum trawling through my cook books and mags in search of more recipes that i "must" try .... have a bread making fetish coming on :rotfl: at the moment im trying to resist the urge to make onion bread -which i used to make a lot and is stunning .. think i will hold off until Friday..then hubby will be coming back...damage limitation folks

Tomorrow im hoping to sort the herb/spice/cooking cupboard so i can decide what other goodies im going to treat myself to in April -im sure im not the only one who thinks of baking stuff etc as a treat -even though its not really just for me :rotfl:

right i will get off and have a nosey around again
keep up the great work everyone

bails

Finally caught up; only one-handed typing here as the kitten is asleep in my other one and is FAR too cute to move

Mumzy, no PB in my sig is personal budget as opposed to JB joint budget - a grand from pigsback would be seriously good going!

Thanks for all the inspiration folks - my freezer is too full for a batch baking session but if I've got the ingredients I may just have a go at the infamous Twinks' hobnobs :T
Good luck to anyone who's struggling, I know how you feel from previous months x

Frugaldom

Oh MRSMC you have just reminded me that I have a tiny cabbage rolling about the back of my fridge and could grate up some coleslaw to have with cooked ham salad! :T There's also a pack of smoked bacon (only bought it because it was on BOGOF) so could have mashed potatoes, cabbage and bacon. I'm not a fan of cabbage but can eat it fried along with smoked bacon or raw in the coleslaw... 2 more meals for my wayward mealplan! :j

I am being extra vigilant with my grocery budget this month, being the first month my 'big' shop came from Mr T. But there's method in my madness... I'm converting my clubcard points to deals and aiming for a FREE break using vouchers only. I already have enough for the ferry fares.

The grocery challenge thread certainly is a fab source of inspiration. Well done everyone on here. :T

KITTY_2-2

I have just looked over everything I have in the fridge, freezer and cupboards, so along with tomorrow's delivery I have enough in for 3 meals per day, snacks and goodies to last 3-4 people for 2 weeks :T
My eldest will only eat with us for about half of that time so won't be many planned overs for my lunches, but still good going for me

All I should need to get for the rest of the month is fresh fruit and veg, bread and milk. Must resist the sweetie shop - not easy when it belongs to your family but I've put some of the 2 and 1/2 stone I lost before Christmas back on so need to tighten things up again - literally!

mumzyof2

nykmedia wrote: »

Oh MRSMC you have just reminded me that I have a tiny cabbage rolling about the back of my fridge and could grate up some coleslaw to have with cooked ham salad! :T There's also a pack of smoked bacon (only bought it because it was on BOGOF) so could have mashed potatoes, cabbage and bacon. I'm not a fan of cabbage but can eat it fried along with smoked bacon or raw in the coleslaw... 2 more meals for my wayward mealplan! :j

I am being extra vigilant with my grocery budget this month, being the first month my 'big' shop came from Mr T. But there's method in my madness... I'm converting my clubcard points to deals and aiming for a FREE break using vouchers only. I already have enough for the ferry fares.

The grocery challenge thread certainly is a fab source of inspiration. Well done everyone on here. :T

How do you make homemade colslaw?

Platinum_Horse

£10.17 - So the Uber-shop we did last week, seems to have worked. I think we'll just need some butter, cereal & Sandwich meat for the week. in which case we'd be around £140 mark for 2 weeks, which is £70 a week - still over, but not too shabby!!

Busterollie

I agree with you witchmabel - my budget has gone south as well. Not even looking at my Spending Diary today because I'll only get upset!:wall:

I did a big shop with Mr S - delivered to me and that wasn't too bad and a couple of top ups for fresh cold meat, milk etc. However, yesterday took DH and DS into local Mr S and got conned into buying allsorts - even a large Easter Egg:icotbaske and some mini Cadburys cream eggs 'cos it is Sunday' !! Also got conned into buying 2 lots of J2O's 'cos I know you like the deals':mad: '.

Perhaps I'll stick to buying on line where I can't get conned into buying tempting stuff.

Suppose it's my own fault 'I' should know better!!

Frugaldom

mumzyof2 wrote: »

How do you make homemade colslaw?

Mine's cheap and cheerful... fine chop or grate cabbage, carrot and mix with cheap saladcream or mayo... that's it You can also add some grated/diced onion.

I also cheat for things like prawn cocktail - mix salad cream or mayo with tomato ketchum, add in a sprinkle of paprika and a squirt of lemon juice, hey presto - marie rose sauce or seafood dressing

Egg mayo - chopped boiled egg with chopped onion & salad cream or mayo

Potato salad - diced boiled potatoes, chopped onion and salad cream or mayo.

Cheese n chives - as above with grated cheese & chopped chives

Chives, parsley, mint (for srucing up potatoes) etc are all really easy to grow on your window sill, or you can just re-pot the growing ones that supermarkets sell and they keep on growing in the garden. Wonder how the mint is doing at my last house? It was taking over one part of garden when we left :rotfl:

You can include any chopped herbs etc that you like, but the above are the basics for my cheap and cheerfuls