June 2008 Grocery Challenge

linzmac_2

Yay dink1:j ...good going, keep it up, not long to go now! And great news about your OH's work-that's fab!

Linz

Flylady_Flower

kk* wrote: »

Hi everyone, im quite new to these board and im just finding my feet so please be gentle!!

I have a slight problem, ive managed to get myself in a right pickle and now im really worried, see the thing is my budget for next months shopping is about £70... this is for 2 adults and a cat, is it realistic?

what are the best things to buy?

ive got a few basics in the cupboards like beans, rice and some pasta but its never going to last all month!

im gonna need, breakfast lunches and dinners!!
im sorry if I sound stupid but im just used to paying about £200 for my monthly shop.

I guess this is how im in this trouble in the first place.

I really need som help please, i cant stop worrying about it

k

Hi KK, I hope you are feeling a bit better, there is nothing worse than worrying about where the next penny is coming from and I know if you only have that amount of money, you must be stressing.
The great thing about this thread is that people here have some great ideas and recipes for people like yourself - meals can cost a fraction of the price you would think if you use the right stuff. A couple of quick pointers to help you get started (they really helped me when I started out)

1. Go to mysupermarket.com to check prices of the big 4 stores before you go shopping to see what is cheaper where.
2. I have only just found out you can freeze milk - Asda are doing a promotion until 24th of this month of 2 x4 pints for £2 and 2 x 6 pints for £3 - I have been buying 2 x 6 pints of the full fat milk and then watering it down to make semi skimmed - so I get 18 pints for £3 - if you have a freezer this should virtually see you till the end of the month!
3. Bulk out your cooking with vegetables, beans, lentils and 'oats' - yes, porridge oats are great to add to bolognaise or cottage pies - you can't taste them but you can easily get another serving by adding them
4. if you make too much, make another meal up and freeze it for later.
5. if you have anything about to go out of date in your fridge, check on here to see what you can do with it so it doesn't get wasted

I hope that helps you get started. Obviously these are only a few ideas, if you get time, read through the thread and you will get loads more. another quick tip is Freecycle - if there is anything you need at the moment but can't afford to buy, check it out (search this thread and you will find the link to the main Yahoo site).

The people on here are brilliant and very understanding - a lot of us have been where you are now, so don't stress, we can assure you there is a light at the end of the tunnel! :beer:

fertyskids

Hi everyone.

dd party went really well and i had left over sandwiches for tommorws lunch in the car. i didnt give the kids the biscuits i brought either as they had enough with the homemade cakes. so we'll have those and with fruit and birthday cake that needs using up im sure we'll have a great lunch.

this site is fantastic. the ideas are supberb. ive decided to give this a go.
i haven't set myself a target yet, but ive tried to use what ive got and avoid the shops more. its working. ive not spent a penny today and tommorow will be the same hopefully.

i intend to start next month ( for me 23rd as hubby gets paid then ) i am a little worried as we are in the caravan all next week. hubby has not let me take food and will not let me bring back any either due to lack of car space. im going to try and only buy what i need. easier said than done. two years ago (our last caravan holiday) i brought ready everything well almost. but a lot of packet salads etc. i found the limited fridge and cuboard space difficult. one more mouth to feed this time as well. well i will just have to try to be more positive i think.

i would like to try a budget of 350 as normal i spend about 400. although i am nervous. i do have some meat in freezer in the garage and a couple of tins, some pasta and rice. i will need to do a shop the day i get back for fruit milk veggies etc as i have run them dry. well enough rambling off to bed and early start tommorow.

karen

SAV3R

Hi Everyone, not posted lately, just realised didn't update after last weeks shop, so the total has jumped up quite a lot.

Can't believe the food prices are still going up like crazy, noticed a few more big rises again this week. The supermarkets are trying to fool us also, reducing the sizes of the bottles etc, we know this is still a price increase. Sometimes the big brands are cheaper than the supermarket own brands. It's crazy.....

Had a good bargain this week though, Chewee bars at Mr T, 9pack apple and raisin only 18p per box, I couldn't believe it, ordered 2 boxes should've got more. I thought the price would be different when delivered but no. it came through as 18p. Also 6pack Mullers for £1.48. I now have a shelf full of these. lol...

smashedbooboo

Ha got you you little blighter. You have been reported so please dont bother to post your spam again on any other threads.

huxley

Hi all, I think it may be tight this month but I'm trying. I will get all my receipts together tomorrow/today!(just seen the time:eek: ) I have been trying to catch up with all the posts whilst dealing with a mountain of strawberries! I do mean mountain,they seemed to be the rejects you know would go off soon not pretty looking that sort, anyway 4lb of them have been turned into jam, if doesnt set because the fruit wasnt in A1 condition it'll be strawberry sauce for ice-cream 3lb have been frozen for either jam/flan filling or going in a triffle and about another 1lbs worth are sitting in a jelly in the fridge! I have eaten one to many and am sneezing for england but going to try and head off to bed now and not to dream about preparing strawberries!Oh and the total cost for the strawberries £0.00:j they were given to me thats why I've been mad enough to stay up this late dealing with them, the things we'll do to stretch those pennies!

greent

huxley wrote: »

Hi all, I think it may be tight this month but I'm trying. I will get all my receipts together tomorrow/today!(just seen the time:eek: ) I have been trying to catch up with all the posts whilst dealing with a mountain of strawberries! Oh and the total cost for the strawberries £0.00:j they were given to me thats why I've been mad enough to stay up this late dealing with them, the things we'll do to stretch those pennies!

Lol! What a bargain, though!

Something which not many people think about strawberries for but which they work really well in - crumble! Strawb & apple crumble is yummy, as is strawb & rhubarb - yum yum yum Ooh, and if you can be bothered to remove the seeds, the puree makes yummy fruit lollies too. And strawb sorbet -really yummy!

GT
now off to try and find some receipts to update siggy later after Mr A delivery today

mandy_moo_1

mornin all :wave:

haven't managed to get on here properly for a few days, so i've had to skim read all the posts!

welcome to kk tho, and any other newbies

oh and dink1 it's good to hear your OH has a bit of work at last :T that should take a bit of pressure off x

i'm hoping i only need a couple of things this morning....cottage cheese, tissues, b'day card and maybe some strawberries if they're still half price in Mr M. that's all that's on my list anyway, and i'm doing my gran's shopping so i won't be able to carry much for myself even if i was tempted!!

well, the sun's shining here at the moment, so i've put the washer on before it has time to do a disappearing act again!! hope you all have a good day xx

ifonlyitwaseasier

morning folks,

will be technically a nsd today, even tho i need a couple of cards, as i can't get them out of the GC.

oh and BTW i tried on my wedding dress yesterday and it was PERFECT!!!!!
i'm soooooooooooooooooo excited now, just over two months to go!!!

MRSMCAWBER

Morning all

im into double figures ...day 10 NSD in a row :j ...nearly gave into temptation to go to ALDI this morning for extra fruit and then talked sense into myself..have loads of oranges, a pineapple and then tinned apricots, pineapple, a big jar of cherries and a carton of apfelmus.. so i have no NEED for more...i only eat more when i have it .. And as im not shopping ANYWHERE on a Saturday and everywhere is close on a sunday... i will make at least 12 NSDs in a row :eek: :rotfl:

Hubby has requested poache eggs on toast for dinner..that he will make as "someone" can't poach eggs :whistle: and whilst im confessing i can't soft boil the bloomin things either..well I couldn't before my mum got me an eggy boiler :rotfl:(have to say that my eggy boiler does perfect eggs every time and really quickly) I can cook anything else but those 2 -well i can't be diddled to stand there watching or timing them .... In my defence though -i am making a nice fresh loaf of bread today for the toast

The hm tortillas with feta and hm coleslaw were stunning last night..a definite -"do again" -which is a good thing as we have 5 blocks of feta in :T and i have loads of salad leaves as it has ben rainy and cool for about a week so they are going crazy -not that any will go to waste

I have nearly finished the meal plan for July..just a few "tweaks" to do....
have loads of pak choi ready so i can feel stir fry coming on oooh and i have loads of sugar snaps ready too :T

:eek: My next door neighbour has just been round to ask if she can put some stuff in my "restmull bin" -basically anything that isn't recyclable.. She has cleaned out her fridge and filled her bin and has 3 carriers full of food that has gone off that won't fit in her bin:eek: .....she admitted that its about the same every month :eek: stuff she has opened and then left at the back of the fridge whilst ramming more stuff in front of it -no wonder we are constantly hearing her and hubby arguing about money and how much she spends :rolleyes: .... When i said i can't remember the last time i threw anything away she was amazed... then again she always has to use our bins as an "overflow" for hers... i never have more than 1 carrier a month in mine :rotfl: and thats only things like meat bones (once they have been boiled to death of course )....

right enough rambling i had better get back off to my x stitching/knitting... have a great day everyone