May 2008 Grocery Challenge

mandy_moo_1

Welcome SuziQ :wave:

i'm on I.S as well with DD17 and DS14, and 3 dogs :eek:

i did what SFT said....keep all your receipts for the month, add them all up then set yourself a realistic budget. you'll probably get your money once a fortnight, and what i do is put my bill money into separate labelled money bags...ie) i put £30 for electric/gas, £6.50 for water etc, then if you do this every time you get your I.S you'll have the money there to put in the bank to pay the bills, IYSWIM.

then whatever you have left over, you know that can go on groceries/petrol or whatever.....so split it in half so you have enough for the 2 weeks till you get paid again.....don't expect to have a great deal left over, you never do on benefits :rotfl:

i started off by allowing us £70 a week for groceries, and gradually reduce it each month, just by a couple of pounds, and i'm just about to start June's challenge, trying to do it on £55 a week ( the grocery money for the following week, hide it somewhere so you're not tempted to spend it, or that's where you'll run into problems!)

but you'll get loads of support and advice on here....we're a really friendly bunch

mummygems

Having missed out on the May challenge due to having a baby and being very busy with all that a newborn entails (as well as looking after my toddler) I didnt even consider budgetting so now its all gone to pot so I MUST get back into it.

Have been keeping up with the May thread so have some more ideas for the kitchen (thanks everyone).

My new month for June has already started (on 20th) so MrsM can you please put me down for £250 for June - thank you.

mumzyof2

I need to pop to shops later as i need milk,bread and cordial

kiwi88_2

Hi Peeps

Welcome to all the newbies you'll love it here and soon be as addicted as the rest of us :beer:

Not declaring our final total yet as our month runs from the 30th to 29th but you already know I've blown the budget just not by how much We're going away tomorrow on a self-catering caravan hol in wales (another reason for not declaring just yet!) and I have already worked out what meals and therefore what food we're taking and I've raided our various moneyboxes and there's £40 for spending so we shouldn't add too much to the total :T

So please put me down for £350 again for June Mrs M as my freezer is full to busting and so is the storecupboard as I heeded the warning about price rises on rice and pasta I now have tons of it :rotfl: Should just have to buy fresh F&V only for next month. I know I say that every month I haven't meal planned yet, will do that when we get back from hol but I'm confident that I'll be able to do most of the months meals without buying too much more. Anyway here's hoping. Good luck everyone

cupid_s

I'm really pleased that I'm on track this month. I've still got until the end of the month but we don't need much. And we bought some expensive stuff, like veal for my birthday dinner, so I'm pleased to be managing ok so far.
I think I'll reduce my budget by about a tenner next month and see how that goes.
Well done to everyone who's come in under budget this month.

KITTY_2-2

Been a bit awol the last couple of weeks. What with a family illness and an ulcer on my eye things have been a bit miserable around here - hence the whopping overspend :mad: I know I've missed some bits off my signature as well so it's probably up near the £400 mark now. Still it's spent and in the cupboards and freezer, and most will be used through June (and July and August and ...)

My store cupboard is busting with tuna, veg, noodles, pasta, rice, flour etc so shouldn't need anything there. The freezer, although stuffed, has lots of bits in so I'm going to try using those up this week. My main expense has been fruit and salad stuff. I can't believe how much these have gone up over the past few weeks. I went to my greengrocer a few days ago and he wanted £1.29 for a lettuce and it wasn't that nice looking! How can everything be twice as expensive as last month

Anyway moan over. I will now go catch up on the last week's posts. As I won't get chance to post again today I'll send hugs, congrats and thanks to everyone. Share them out freely

SuziQ

Thanks for the welcomes peeps,and all the advice mandy-moo!:T


I will do as you say and then have more idea for July. I have gas and stuff on DD, unfortunately have debts left by bleep bleep soon to be ex DH so not easy but am in middle of negotiating to token payments for a few months (4 down,2 to go!) so unfortunately the ctc,cb and IS has to stretch even further. Just realised I bought a 12 tray of dog food instead of catfood on friday,my DD used a can this morning even though 'I thought that was odd!' does anyone know if it could harm my cats? I did read somewhere that dogs and cats need different amounts of protein and not sure which way round it was-don't want to damage their kidneys! Perhaps it's safer to buy more food and use on alternate days? (they get through a can a day between them.) Can't afford to waste it!




Anyone got any ideas for my quorn fillets/pieces? Would like to get them used up during half term. Could I just use them as I would chicken,casserole etc-do they need defrosting first? I haven't got the original bag on them fro some reason-may see if I can look at the bag for info when I next visit MrT

By the way do you all include or exclude petrol from this-I am assuming it's just food and household like cleaning products,can I include my sons pull ups Or does everyone just make their own mind up then stick to it?

Sorry for all the q's. Am off out now to take youngest to mickeyd's with a free happy meal voucher that came thrugh the door yesterday-he can't believe his luck,hasn't been for months! The oldest 2 are out with their dad so he needs a treat.

saffouri

oops I said I wasn't going to hang out here today

but couldn't resist saying beautiful lettuce tubs mrs m I'm very impressed!

and yes can confirm to newbies, this is a friendly bunch and the thread is somewhat addictive....

saf

saffouri

and wow I've just got a star! :j

saf

MRSMCAWBER

Afternoon all

Kiwi.. I reckon this thread could be renamed " i only need fresh F+V" .... it seems to be the favourite saying of lots of us ... but it doesn't seem to stop many of us from buying extras does it :rotfl:

Well folks I have worked out Junes meal plan..and YES i reall should "only need fresh F+V" ... but every Sunday all the supermarkets deliver their leaflets with the offers in :T ... and I have seen butter at 65c a pack..about 40p so i may have to take advantage and get half a dozen packs in the fridge downstairs... have enough to last for June..but it would be rude not to get anymore wouldn't it , and toilet rolls at 18 for €2.99 about £2.25 ..so thats about 13p a roll..so i might have to get several packs ..

I am also going to start picking up bottles of wine to hide ready for xmas... and i really mean HIDE.. hubby has a nose like a tracker dog where alcohol is concerned :rotfl: .... it sounds daft but out here you can pick up bottles of red wine for under £1 a bottle and they aren't naff at all -in fact some are actually nicer than one i once spent a tenner on :eek: .. several are really full bodied and to me could almost be port :drool: ... I think the loft may be the best place for them and im also thinking about starting to get 1 bottle of whisky a month ready for hubby n brother (he is visiting for xmas)... again in the NAFFI we can get 1 litre bottles of glenfiddich etc for as little as €15 depending on what offers are on ... then if i have any spends left from the budget at the end of each month i can get more whiskey or start getting long life odds n sods for xmas... olives, balsamics, oils etc.. can't believe im planning xmas already ..
right i will now go and get on with some x stitching.. in the midst of a pressie for my mum
keep up the great work everyone :T

Thanks saffouri... i was allready planning on growing veggies..but when icebergs shot from 49c to €1.19 in under a week i came scuttling back home and set loads more and lots more variety... it costs less for a packet of seeds than it is for 1 bloomin lettuce at the moment