May 2008 Grocery Challenge

Fi27

dink1 wrote: »

Hi guys,

just a quick question, will there be a new thread when it turns to June? and if so how do I find it?

Hi Dink, yes there will be a new thread for June. It wont likely start until the last couple of days in May and it will appear exactly where the May thread is, usually the top of the first page. Mrs M seems to keep a track of everybodys budgets/spends as if by magic, bless her :A Put your total spend for the month and your new budget in big red letters so she will easy see it.

HTH

Fi x

moo2moo

The end of another very very long week. Gave in and picked up fish and chips on the way home as a treat all £12.30 of them. I didn't realise they were so expenisive

. My eldest gained the Headteachers award at school for her achievements this weeks. She now wants to try that hard every week so she can have fish and chips more often.

Sosh

I finally got paid:j . DH works at the same school so he went to the office and sorted it out for me. I think they tried it on because I'm on maternity leave.

On a plus note, because of some pension changes, I got paid about £80 more than I was expecting. :j

It won't happen again next month because as of tomorrow, I'm on unpaid maternity leave until 21st July

victory

NSD for me today, having a BBQ later in this one day of sunshine we are going to have all weekend, have all the stuff in so that is no money

angelatgraceland

Hubby left me a shopping list today of things we "need". Well I do agree on the few items on it-should cost about £15 but I may get more as its a Bank Holiday. Not worried about the half term next week as I have plenty in the cupboards and it doesnt really affect me much as only youngest is at school and at 14 she eats as much as me. May have an extra visitor for a day but she eats like a mouse so again no impact. Out for a meal tonight(just me) but Im going to keep a separate budget for "entertainment" and reduce my food budget for next month. Now I have figures for last 3 months Im going to set up a spreadsheet to try to work out an annual budget because next year I will really need it. DH is taking early retirement so we won't get much coming in there and I work p/t in a low paid job. Working on the figures this year will sort us out for the future a bit better.

mandy_moo_1

Sosh wrote: »

I finally got paid:j . DH works at the same school so he went to the office and sorted it out for me. I think they tried it on because I'm on maternity leave.

On a plus note, because of some pension changes, I got paid about £80 more than I was expecting. :j

It won't happen again next month because as of tomorrow, I'm on unpaid maternity leave until 21st July

oh i bet that's a huge relief to you sosh, not that they should have needed a kick up the b*m to pay you in the first place!

i'm trying to get a ton of stuff cleared out of the loft that i've put on freecycle.....i just wish people would turn up when they say they will :rolleyes: some haven't even bothered to turn up at all. that makes me so mad :mad: especially as i've got it all stacked in the lounge at the mo, and i hate clutter at the best of times!

anyway, the HM rolls are already made, and the chicken's out of the freezer defrosting together with the HM sweet&sour sauce, so that's tea sorted for tonight

i'm gonna give this lady till 10.30 to turn up for her stuff, then i've got to go Mr T's for some dog food, dried milk and foil, and then to Aldi's cos they've got hedge trimmers on offer at the mo, and the privet hedge out the front is slowly taking over the garden!!:rotfl:

just had my letter from S.Power to say they're putting me on the capped tariff, and my DDebit will go down from £61.50 p/mth to £51 :j

hope you're all having a good day....soon be the June challenge, i'm always dead excited about the start of a new one!!

mandy_moo_1

meant to share my sweet and sour sauce recipe with you!! it makes about 6-8 portions i think. i just bag it up in portion sizes and bung it in the freezer

you need:
16tbsp sherry
1 litre pineapple juice
6tbsp tom puree
8tbsp brown sugar
4tbsp soy sauce
5tbsp vinegar
4tbsp cornflour

reserve a bit of the pineapple juice to mix the cornflour to a paste, but bung all the other stuff in a wok, or a saucepan.
simmer gently, when warm add the cornflour paste and stir till the consistency you like it

i always open freeze a tin of pineapple chunks so then put them in a bag so i can just take 3 or 4 bits out to add to the sauce when i cook the meal

sorry for the strange measurements, but i adapted the recipe so i could use up a whole carton of pineapple juice in one go, and be able to freeze other portions

this is lovely with chicken or pork

i just chop the chicken/pork up, and cook it in a little olive oil. add few mushrooms, chopped peppers, onion and pineapple.add the sauce. cook it all together, then serve with rice. its one of my fave 'quick' meals to make

savingfortravel

Hi everyone!

Now have a second supplier of Free Range eggs - a very nice mother from my school. She also gave me a huge bundle of rubarb yesterday for free...Will give to my mum to use for a crumble.

Was watching a programme on BBC2 about life in WW2 including what the food was like! It's shown in a fun way but does make you think how a lot of the OS ways are returning.
I think its repeated today at 7pm .. Supersizers go

Have a good day!

SFT

FelineFantastic

Good morning all! Another batch of Millies baked this morning for eldest ward to take camping tonight- massive brownie points there then! :rolleyes: For him I think rather than me!

Anyway- just wanted to see what was going on- am going to look for the peanut butter and oat cookies recipe that I found while web browsing last night- sounded good- will try them and report back .

For anyone who wants a Millies change we put Smarties in ours last night and they taste wonderful!

Sosh- am so pleased they got your pay sorted out! Huge relief!

Dink- thanks for the reassurance- its amazing how stupid you suddenly feel when you are trying new things!

My freezer challenge today is to tidy and sort so that I have more space for storage and so that I actually know whats in there. Think that we may be set for the month primarily so hopefully I can stay within budget-- would be fantastic!

MrsMc-- June budget (running may 19th to June 19th if thats okay with you-- or would you rather thats a May challenge???!! :huh:) Anyway please put me down for £200 for the month. Sorry to be awkward with the dates but thats my Housekeeping month:o

Must update sig this morning... so many things to do!

searching_me

hello and morning (just :rotfl: ) got paid today but not a good pay due to being in hospital but Mrs m can you put me down for £200 for June ... dont need as much as i did last month as i filled the cupboard but im gonna order some meat ... i found an online delievery meat place and they take paypal had to checkout the review but looks ok so might as well give it a go save carrying it :rotfl: although this month is a tight one as i get paid (wages/tax credits) about the same as the bills so have to be good... good job i got extra money last money so i have something to fall back on... this is definately a challenge :rotfl: xxx