January 2011 Grocery Challenge

Winged_one · 27 January 2011 at 11:33AM

This week, I am mostly working from the freezer and cupboard stores (need to get back on track) and it actually doesn't look too bad except for a bit of a lack of red meat. I want to get some liver for my lunch (DH will eat but DD won't) on Saturday, some meat for Sunday dinner and lamb pieces for a big batch of curry for Monday, lots of fruit and veg, and otherwise almost nothing this week.

Menu is:
Today: Second half of chicken and ham pie, with mash and frozen mixed veg (had carrots last night).
Tomorrow: Chicken goujons and homemade potato wedges
Sat: Fish risotto (have 1 small piece each of cod and hake in freezer, and bag prawns, and carton fish stock)
Sun: Possibly a chop and spuds
Mon: Lamb rogan josh
Tues: Chicken with HM tomato sauce (both in freezer) and pasta
Wed: Pork (F) stir fry and noodles
Thurs: Meatballs (F) and HM wedges

DD was off form last night and didn't want anything on offer really, so I cooked some pasta for her and rehydrated some dried mushrooms (I get large bags cheap in Asian supermarket), reduced the mushroomy water down and made a sauce with some cream. What she didn't eat, I have for my lunch - and it was surprisingly tasty! And quick!

And, as DD was not eating whole apples in school, I have taken to chopping them into pieces and giving them in a tub - so it lasts 2 days and we are not throwing out a half eaten apple covered in yoghurt.

I am also trying to make time this weekend to start sowing seeds. And hopefully get to the plot to harvest whatever has survived since late November (weather prevented it in December, and we are locked out for the first half of Jan to avoid acquiring squatter's rights on land - it's eventually due to become a road).

Pink_Giraffe · 27 January 2011 at 11:35AM

Disappointingly I have gone over by about £20 this month, my OH has decided he wants to start eating fruit which hasnt helped! Not added to my sig yet though, think I'm in denial! Can I go in for Feb at £110 and will try harder! Will try and post more this time round as well - I'm still finding my feet in here!

happycrafter_2 · 27 January 2011 at 11:39AM

Winged_one wrote: »

This week, I am mostly working from the freezer and cupboard stores (need to get back on track) and it actually doesn't look too bad except for a bit of a lack of red meat. I want to get some liver for my lunch (DH will eat but DD won't) on Saturday, some meat for Sunday dinner and lamb pieces for a big batch of curry for Monday, lots of fruit and veg, and otherwise almost nothing this week.

Menu is:
Today: Second half of chicken and ham pie, with mash and frozen mixed veg (had carrots last night).
Tomorrow: Chicken goujons and homemade potato wedges
Sat: Fish risotto (have 1 small piece each of cod and hake in freezer, and bag prawns, and carton fish stock)
Sun: Possibly a chop and spuds
Mon: Lamb rogan josh
Tues: Chicken with HM tomato sauce (both in freezer) and pasta
Wed: Pork (F) stir fry and noodles
Thurs: Meatballs (F) and HM wedges

DD was off form last night and didn't want anything on offer really, so I cooked some pasta for her and rehydrated some dried mushrooms (I get large bags cheap in Asian supermarket), reduced the mushroomy water down and made a sauce with some cream. What she didn't eat, I have for my lunch - and it was surprisingly tasty! And quick!

And, as DD was not eating whole apples in school, I have taken to chopping them into pieces and giving them in a tub - so it lasts 2 days and we are not throwing out a half eaten apple covered in yoghurt.

I am also trying to make time this weekend to start sowing seeds. And hopefully get to the plot to harvest whatever has survived since late November (weather prevented it in December, and we are locked out for the first half of Jan to avoid acquiring squatter's rights on land - it's eventually due to become a road).

Ald! is doing different varieties of dried mushrooms soon in their Chinese foods promotion, I was going to stock up with some then plus some other spice jars they are selling cheap.

kippers · 27 January 2011 at 11:45AM

PennyGrabber wrote: »

Just doing my freezer inventory, and have come across some UMOs (unidentified meat objects). I'm not entirely sure how old they are, maybe 1 to 2 years? They're wrapped well, not cooked, just bits of meat. Can I still use them, or are they too old? HELP!!!!

Thanks!
PG x

I'd use them. I'm sure i've read that it's just flavour that alters slightly the older the meat is. Every month before i do a 'big' shop i take everything out of my 2 freezers and write it all down. If you cross off everything you take out and add anything you put in then it really helps with your shopping budget as you don't buy duplicate things or waste anything. It is a bind to do this at first but it soon becomes second nature.

wannaBrich wrote: »

Oh c'mon then, count me in ... eeeeeeeeeek! :eek:

I live on my own and spend way to much on take away pizzas, ready made sandwiches, buy food and end up throwing it away :mad:

My wages went in today so gonna start from TODAY!

I guesstimate I spend £400 per month currently ...
is there a rough % how much I should downgrade?

Right then, bring it on!!!!! :rotfl:

Welcome on board! Run by your budget this month and if you acheive it easily then bring your budget down to a more realistic budget the next month. Good luck.

Well i had a lovely evening last night with my old friends from school. I think they all enjoyed my h/m pizza and chutneys etc. My friend bought a h/m tomato soup and it tasted really wonderful.

Well today i went to the docs as my excema has gone wild on my hands...he says my hands are infected and gave me antibiotics to take and an antibiotic cream to use initially and some cream to use afterwards...it cost me over £21:eek::eek::eek: this will need to come out of my grocery budget so i think it's going to be a tight month again.

Tonight my fussy dd2 is at a friends for tea so i am going to attempt to make the chicken korma recipe that was on 'This Morning' yesterday as it looks lovely:

http://thismorning.itv.com/thismorning/food/my-healthy-creamy-chicken-korma

I'll let you know how i get on.

Hopefully it will be a NSD today for me.

Edit:
I just thought i'd put a link to this website for you all to see...i've just found it and it has some lovely frugal recipes on:

http://thefrugalcook.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2011-01-01T00%3A00%3A00Z&updated-max=2012-01-01T00%3A00%3A00Z&max-results=3

wssla00 · 27 January 2011 at 12:21PM

Just a quick one for me today

hope you are all well! I am popping out to the shops but an NSD as I have to fax something through for my dad's estate and open a new bank account. Also have to return a dress which, was not only too short but looked a bit weird on me so it is now gone

I so desperately want to look like a young thing LOL

Just also wanted to say that this curry http://www.annabelkarmel.com/recipes/family/chicken-curry is amazing! It's absolutely delicious! I ate the whole thing and felt full for SO LONG! Very impressed!

Anyway best be off! Have LOADS to do today!
x

cutiepieabf · 27 January 2011 at 12:36PM

PennyGrabber wrote: »

NSD today. Going to do an inventory of my freezers, and maybe my pantry tonight once the children are in bed. Then I'll do a Feb meal plan from that, then I'll post a budget for Feb. Seems fairly sensible so far...

Ok all, are you ready for what I discovered today? I always knew this, but I never really knew this. If you don't go to a sm, you don't spend any money there!!! Sounds stupid, but there you go! I was, before this month, forever 'popping in' to a sm to have a mooch around (sad, but I enjoy it!), but ended up spending up to £50, instead of just getting the one or two things i should've got. I'm so stupid!

Have tried really hard this month, and have resisted nearly all of the time, which for me is some kind of miracle, so that is my success for this month.

Still have my £6.60 left, looking forward to spending as little of that as possible at the weekend! Don't really know what we're having for dinner tom, so I'll get something out of the freezer when I do the inventory tonight. Really like the look of that bacon roast chicken thing - will def put that on the list for next month!!

PG x

I know exactly what you mean. we live around the corner from a c*-*p and every day when i came home from work i would walk around to get the paper... well we all know that it doesnt stop at the paper... so i have now done two things -
1) i have stopped buying the paper (2x45p 5 days a week + 2x60p wkend) saving of £5.70 a week/£296.40 a year!!! and now check the news online first thing in the morn.
2) signed up for a c*-*p membership card so that atleast when i do 'NEED' to shop there i will get cash back!!

Makes me feel a little better when i cant resist the urge or due to bad planning have to get last minute groceries....

XSpender · 27 January 2011 at 12:43PM

I had run out of wholemeal flour yesterday and only had half the amount of strong white I needed to make a loaf in the BM so used half normal plain flour and it has turned out suprisingly well.

I had to pick DH up from work last night so we were in late and the tea I had planned didn't get made. We had a chippy tea and I paid using my own money so I won't add it to the GC total. If I have enough left this month I will repay myself but if I don't I won't.

The sausages and mash are planned for tonight instead:)

I am looking forward to doing my first shop with my meal plan, shopping list and cash budget of the month tomorrow? Am I a bit sad?:o

Mothership · 27 January 2011 at 12:43PM

scotsaver wrote: »

I'm ready for Feb, already updated my total as I've got Donald R. order coming on the 25th of Feb and I've been to Lidl this morning so I've already spent over £96 but we WILL be within budget for Feb as we WILL have to live out of the Freezers to make room for the Delivery, got loads in there so I know we will be fine.:p

Thats EXACTLY what I'm doing lol, my delivery arrives on the 25th too. I've got another order sitting in the basket. but there's no way I could take delivery till March (I will pay for this from the 3rd purse, set up new bank account with the £180 I have in it , wont order until I get card through). I want two lots of this... http://www.donaldrussell.com/p//D1143.htm

I sorted the freezer out and I've got every meal planned for the whole of Feb. Will just need to buy fruit and veg ,milk, and other perishables.

I will be over budget for Jan though, as I have two M+S £5 off £25 spend left, will be going tomorrow to stock up on butter, and 2 lots of 3 for £10 chicken 6 Chickens (will cook them all together) have a roast dinner then freeze the rest. I will get 1 meal deal. And whatever else I can find.
My Jan total after my M+S spree will be £240 £40 over.:o

Because I've overspent and I have the 2nd and 3rd purse as back up.

My budget for FEB will be £130

PLEASE FINALISE JAN FOR ME AND PUT ME DOWN FOR £130 for FEB

Mothership · 27 January 2011 at 1:06PM

I've put all the details on my signature for Feb so anyone who wants to try the 2nd purse can follow it.

Because I have a good stock I have reduced my Feb Budget.

When I buy anything from the 2nd or 3rd purse and list it like this...

2nd Purse
3 bottles Fabric conditioner T***O 3 for 2 Total £2 PP £1 ea

3rd Purse
Donald Russell http://www.donaldrussell.com/p//D1143.htm £83
REMEMBER YOU DONT HAVE TO PAY THIS BACK.
(they have put the price up to £60) Grrrr! still £39 in basket

The above shows how it works, after doing it for a while, you will need less for your 1st purse (weekly or monthly shop).
This money could be used to pay off your mortgage or debts.

Any questions???

laineyc_2 · 27 January 2011 at 1:37PM

Still on course for a no spend day. Don't have enough bread but I found a bread mix when I was sorting the cupboards yesterday so I will bake that. I think I may well go over my target this month but that is because I am stocking up the the cupboards. I am doing the ground work now so the next few months I can acheive my targets. I will put some cakes in while the bread is rising. I planted my first seeds this morning. Here's hoping I will have some veg in the summer.

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