October Grocery Challenge

squeaky

Best of luck to you and to ALL first timers

AND... to all those of you still lurking out there

Bennifred

Thanks, squeaky, from a longtime lurker and a first-time joiner! Kept all my grocery receipts for September, added them all up at the weekend and nearly had heart failure - £498.79. :eek: That was for me, OH and three teenage boys. Eldest has now gone off to Uni so I guess I should be aiming for about £400 for October (i.e. minus one-fifth) or should I be aiming for say £360 so that it is a 10% true saving, if you see what I mean?

squeaky

I'd be inclined to take it in easy stages - whatever you're comfortable with

Maybe trying to reduce just by the one fifth to get used to a new budget level before trying to shrink things?

Bennifred

You're probably right, squeaky, trying to run before I can walk, lol! :rolleyes: Thanks for the advice. Will post how I get on........

[Deleted User]

Hi ,I am going to try and get through this month with less than I spent last month
Sept Food £90.00
Petrol 72.00

This is for just one person. I am retired, and need to use my car as I am disabled and cannot walk very far
I am hoping that I can get the food bill down a bit by better meal planning, and the petrol bill down by only using it for journeys over a mile.
I walk with a stick, and will now use my local shops instead of driving to the big supermarket to shop. Fingers crossed.
So far since 1st Oct
Food £6.43
Petrol £34.00 ( filled up on Saturday)

Gillby1

Good luck JackieO and good luck to everyone else!

I've taken Sqeakys advice and started slow - keeping an eye on what i usually spend and what it goes on. I was spending about £200 per month for 2 adults, never sure what to cook for dinner and sometimes throwing out out-of-date food :rolleyes: but last month i kept an eye on my budget, and planned some meals - using madaboutbargains to find deals - and i got that down to about £150! :j I've gradually started freezing leftovers instead of chucking them or letting his nibs eat them, and sometimes even plan to cook double. And the best thing of all is that i really enjoy the planning and cooking and budgeting - no one is more suprised than i am about that!

So this month i'm joining in for the first time. I've meal planned like a mad woman, checked out all the local offers and even visited the market (and the fruit and veg really IS cheaper!). I reckon i'll manage on £120 this month, and should be able to manage on less in future. :A

Thanks everyone xxx

(Where's the 'big kiss' smilie? If there isn't one there should be! You all deserve a big smacker!)

omega_2

Really, really happy that I ended up only spending just over half the weekly amount allocated last night - about time too after such a rubbish couple of the months. Overall, I've spent 68.74 out of £185.

And really, really keen to keep within budget even with outlaws visiting month end, and we have a short break away self-catering mid month.

1sttimer_2

D'ya know, I keep reading these posts and never really thought I spent a lot cos my OH is a lifetime OS (read miser here ) but I am going to try this to prove that I can do it. Will have to start November cos I'm away for 2 weeks so it wont be a true measure of my spending till then (then of course I will have to be VERY GOOD cos it will be extra buying for Xmas :eek: )

joannasmum

Hi well went over budget by £56 last month so going to try again. £250 budget for 3 adults and 1 baby.

Saving_Glut

Weekly food and PIN budget target for 2 adults, 1 dog and her young pup: £125.00. I meticulously note down every penny spent, this is time consuming, but it means I'm in much more control of my finances. I look forward to Fridays when I can transfer any unspent funds into my online Egg account for a rainy day. Applied for cahoot account today to avail of higher interest rates.

Spent £65 at CostCo this week. However, this includes dog food and about 5 months supply of washing powder and household cleaner, amongst other essentials.

As a result of this website, I now shop in ASDA rather than Sainsbury's, so I will be interested in what savings that materialises in at the end of the month.