September Grocery Challenge

funky-footprints

Im realy impressed by you all. well done !!!

Ive just done my first challenge, I didnt set a budget, it was more of a checker to see where it all goes. I normally do a tesco online shop every week, last month I reduced it to once a fortnight, and shopped for emergencies at the co-op down the road. I just checked my credit card bill for groceries and I clocked up £386.51, (that includes 2 trips to boots, 1 to argos for a blow up single bed and a new tablecloth for the kitchen.

I tried realy hard last month, our grocery up untill now has always been double that, sometimes more. My husband however went to Makro hoping to get a fire burner/barbque for our garden and ended up spending £88.06 on larger items. (big washing powders etc) so am I suppoed to add that too ? lol ? ? ?

I feel bad however as I get all my red meat from my parents ( dad is a farmer) also our pork, cheese and chicken are delivered to them and mum always pays my bill.
during the year we get potatoes, swede and carrots too.
I no doubt can reduce it further.

my son starting school cost me £115.00.

this is quite addictive !!!

squeaky

Cheapskate wrote:

P.S. Technical query - how do you put your budget figures or other info at the bottom of your replies/posts?

That's the signature, which is easy to sort out.

Click on "User CP" in the navigation bar (that bit where it says "Welcome, you")

..and then in a column to the left, you'll see "edit signature."

Anything you type there will show up in all your posts.

Smiley_Mum

I've just had a good look through the recipes on the OS board and have made up a list of recipes that I can use to get through all my tins of tomatoes, onions, etc etc without having to buy anything. I can stay away from Tescos for another week. I also did a swap today with a friend, gluten free pasta etc that I wasn't needing, so she picked up some mince and potatoes etc for me so that saved me around £5 odd. I've haven't spent anything since Saturday and that was only £8.00 in Tesco, where the normal shop in Tesco would have been around £50 or more. :eek: Working my way through the contents of the cupboards, freezer etc and hardly spending anything. Just need to get a bag of rice this week, that's about it.

nicki_2

Just back from Asda after doing a top-up shop for milk, fruit & bread - £7.49 :j That INCLUDES £2.31 for something I picked up for my mum which I'll get as back cash on Saturday I paid on my debit card so I can keep the maximum amount of money in my bank account as possible. So far it's working well. I have £20.55 to last me until the 27th - I can so do this!!!! :dance::dance:

Curry_Queen

Well done nicki!!! :T

I think it's time for me to start drastically looking at my shopping budget again as I seem to have let things slip recently and buying far more than I actually need or can use within a reasonable time

So, the idea is not to spend a single penny more than is absolutely necessary (need to save as much as I possibly can for the impending move as I'm sure that's going to cost a fair bit to organise :eek: ) and the more storecupboard stuff I can use up between now and then means less to pack and take with me! (and I can always stock up again at the other end once I'm sorted out :whistle: )

I better go get myself over to the storecupboard challenge thread and start planning some meals!

Cheapskate

Squeaky - thanks for tech tip - sorry to take so long getting back!
Been adding up spend so far this month - v. scary!! Plus had to get road tax, MOT & service for my car, total of about £250, so that's most of October's budget blown, might be beans on toast all next month! (Or do store cupboard challenge with a vengeance)
Hoping to have a new job soon, which will mean more time at home (but less £), therefore more time to do all this OS stuff properly.
Again, all hints & tips gratefully received!!

crazyhazy

Am still doing wuite well this month, spent a little more than I planned this week, although still within budget. Was just trying to have a cheap week as funds are a bit low, cos it's pay day on friday, but spent a bit more buying h a flask for work, although this has saved us money as this week we have both had lovely home made soup for lunch which cost about £2 to make and has down us both 3 lunches. Have just scrambled together the limited contents of my fridge to make me soup for tmrw lunch, just need to find something for friday! Am working late shifts next week, so shopping should be below budget again cos it's mainly quick things like baked potatoes or home made things from the freezer.

Smiley_Mum

It's a pity that the DVLA/Post Office withdrew the Road Tax stamps, you used to be able to buy them for £5 a stamp to help with the cost of your Road Tax disc. Typical.

moggins

Smiley_Mum wrote:

It's a pity that the DVLA/Post Office withdrew the Road Tax stamps, you used to be able to buy them for £5 a stamp to help with the cost of your Road Tax disc. Typical.

You can still buy Savings Stamps, they are just multi purpose ones now that can be used for any purchase from the post office. I got given a card when I paid my car tax last month.

What I've done though is set up a net saver account just for putting a tenner a month car tax money into.

monkeylugs

Total so far (well after 10 days)...£66.84 for 2 adults, 2 children and a cat and according to MS Money accounting for 42% of total spends so far.

2nd at 21% is my own personal spending money of £34.19 mostly frittered on: food, magazines and newspapers and a pair of tights (I am very shocked at this!!)

3rd at 11% is £16.97 which was spent on my son's birthday - not presents, but a cake, chocs for school a card and one present (the rest went on my credit card)

The other part of my grocery challenge was £20 on nappies/wipes and we've spent £6.60 so far (4% of spends)