April 2008 Grocery Challenge

Bargain_Rzl

Been to Aldi and Asda, plus nipped into the Chinese supermarket next door to Asda to get some rock sugar for this slow-cooker duck recipe to which donny-gal very kindly posted a link a couple of weeks ago on the Daily Thread.

Spent a total of £9 exactly (not including the £3.78 I spent on face cream as that isn't meant to come out of the grocery budget). A bit more than I'd hoped, but still under for the week! I did manage to get a load of Fairtrade bananas marked down to half-price, and two salmon fillets for 83p (down from £2.98) hence the spending more than I'd anticipated.

So I'm back on track - just - for the month, as long as I only spend another 68p this week I think I'll go slightly over as I need ginger for the duck recipe, and looking at the things I've got in the fridge, I could do with some new potatoes as well.

faye1978

Bargain_Rzl wrote: »

Been to Aldi and Asda, plus nipped into the Chinese supermarket next door to Asda to get some rock sugar for this slow-cooker duck recipe to which donny-gal very kindly posted a link a couple of weeks ago on the Daily Thread.

Spent a total of £9 exactly (not including the £3.78 I spent on face cream as that isn't meant to come out of the grocery budget). A bit more than I'd hoped, but still under for the week! I did manage to get a load of Fairtrade bananas marked down to half-price, and two salmon fillets for 83p (down from £2.98) hence the spending more than I'd anticipated.

So I'm back on track - just - for the month, as long as I only spend another 68p this week I think I'll go slightly over as I need ginger for the duck recipe, and looking at the things I've got in the fridge, I could do with some new potatoes as well.

I've got some I could post ya! hehe. Seriously! I DO have some that will just go to waste

I have just looked at your challenges! £50 for the MONTH??? WOW!! Is that just for you? ANd do you live near Borough Market - I NEED to got to see it one day - I Really do!

Fi27

yay! Two NSD's for me :j wasnt out of the house yesterday or today so twas easy really. Tad harder tomorow as i have to go out to work and need to buy a card so will probably nip into Mr T's to buy one. Might be able to find a card shop enroute to work and not have to go to supermarket at all but the card may be dearer :rolleyes:

My mission tomorow will be to purchase nothing but the card, will try hard

I added a handful of lentils to my lasagne the other night and it tasted great. I got an extra portion aswell! OH didnt notice but i could see the lentils as i was looking for them! They didnt disappear like the porridge oats but you couldnt taste them. They kinda look like little bits of grated carrot which i also added to the pot!

Fi

Bargain_Rzl

Yep, it's just me - I would normally spend about double that (given that for me it's a five week month - £20 a week is about standard for me) and that does not include wine or cleaning products. However, my freezer and cupboards are absolutely rammed full and there are some luxuries I'm trying to save for, so I am doing a storecupboard challenge to use things up, this month and next - am hoping to save £100 over 10 weeks (plus another £100 off my "pocket money" which is normally £30 a week).

I live quite near Borough Market (20 mins on the bus) but more to the point, I work literally round the corner from it which can be a bit of a temptation

Ess-six

rachelmk wrote: »

What's happening to me?
I seem to be turning (a-la Mr Jekyll) into a different person!

This weekend I have made curried parsnip and potato soup, a giant jaffa cake, potato salad and a quiche! I NEVER cook from scratch! Thank you to all for their inspiration and recipes - for a complete kitchen dunce like me it all helps!

Anyway, only spent £7.98 in Sainsburys on Saturday and nothing at all yesterday so not too bad - the freezer and cupboards are full and I have fresh stuff for tea for the next 2/3 days.

I'm just off to update the sig but please keep the ideas coming - it's a revelation most days!

Well whatever it is that you've got Rachelmk, I've caught it as well!:rotfl:

I've just made some of MrsMc's coleslaw (it's gorgeous by the way) and have batch cooked 4 meals using mince padded out with soya mince:eek: . My family think that I've been replaced by an alien!

This is my 3rd month on the Grocery Challenge, and with all the help and advice from everyone on the GC threads, I've slashed my food bill, and we're eating healthier than we have for years.

:T to you all.

funkyfunkymonkey

faye1978 wrote: »

I made THE most amazing bread today in the BM and I think it was a mistake cos a 2lb loaf has quickly halved in the space of an hour and there's only 2 of us! I was SHOCKED when DH said - This is BETTER than shop bought - he's never said that about BM Bread before. I think I've done myself an injustice and I don't think I'l be buying shop bread in a hurry........but, like you say, the waistline, SPECIALLY with those HOBNOBS. mmmmmm :drool:

Do you have time to post the recipe? My BM bread is 'okay', but I wouldn't describe it as 'great', I'd love to improve it.

FFM

purplevamp

Right, quick update as I haven't been on here for ages...

Friday £3.96 in 99p Store, £22 in Wokmania (not included in budget as hubbys birthday treat )
Saturday and Sunday NSD :j , did make some mini carrot cakes and we ate half of them already!!

Monday went to Mr S after work for just milk bananas, and spent £32.84 :eek: , less £7.98 for a Bratz doll and Battlepod Shifter ( ) for the children. When I got home I noticed my bananas were charged as apples and cost £1.99 instead of around £1ish, so I've got go to back on Wednesday and [STRIKE]moan at them[/STRIKE] ask them politely for a refund.

TheBees

Evening everyone
Have managed to catch up again after a couple evenings off!

Faye1978- Re the butchers/supermarket meat. I am trying to buy our meat from the local butchers as my way of supporting our local shops and because the butcher can tell me where the meat has come from. It also sees to be much better quality and not necessarily more expensive.

Mrs Moneypenny - I too have found different Tesco stores to have different policies on their money off vouchers. I usually hand them over and mention that I haven't bought everything but that they're usually accepted at another local Tesco store. Alternatively you can try scanning themselves on the self scanner tills.

Fedupnow - We often make the Hobnobs and ours are sometimes like cookies. I make them quite large for packed lunches and we recently put mini marshmallows in the mixture for a change.

JennyBee - Hello to another Bee from TheBees! Is your surname also Bee like us?!

JustaMum - I know what you mean about using the frozen meals but I find that they are really useful when you know that you're not going to have time to cook anything flash after a long day out. It saves a fortune on impulsive takeaways when you might be starving but don't want to wait too long for something to cook.

I went to Coop today for a few essential ingredients to keep us going and spent £15.94. Have rejigged the menu list for the next week.

Off to update the signature.
TheBees

sazzledazzle

Spent £10.00 today in waitrose as had to buy something that could go in the oven whilst OH fixed our hob that below yesterday. even though waitrose is more expensive meant that I wasnt tempted to buy any extras as it is so much more expensive.
Brought a lovely steak pie as a treat, some OJ, dog chews to stop pupping eating other things and costing us money and some flowers.
Off to Asda tomorrow to weeks shopping and not taking OH as shopping is always more expensive then. Going to try the meals for under a fiver from sainsburys this week so that should keep bill down.

mhe

Im feeling ill - ive had 6 NSD on the row!!:eek: :eek: :eek: Was going to pop out tonught but came on here and there were 11 pages to read so that has stopped me from venturing over the doorsterp - so thanks to you all for posting so many messages in 2 days. My gain is Mrts loss!!. IS this right 0 have Asda sultanas come off rollback - i bought 6 packs last time i was in but was planning on going in for some more.