January 2011 Grocery Challenge

alicemskinner · 27 January 2011 at 2:22PM

Hi all

I find this thread really interesting but I think it might be helpful if we added a bit more info into the (I think) 3rd and 4th posts where it says what we're aiming for and what we've achieved.

At the moment there is no context....would it be possible to start putting how many mouths we are feeding in brackets

i.e. alicemskinner £110 achieved £90 (1)

This would make it easier to compare your budget to others, so other peoples budgets seem quite large to me but my assumption is that they are feeding families - also I'd be interested to see if people have got the same sort of budget as me but are feeding more than one (then I could ask them how they do it)

What does everyone think?

Alice

mommychaos · 27 January 2011 at 2:31PM

Hi All am declaring for jan as last day tom and do not need anything tom! We managed to come in at 347.37 hooray !! We are going to go for a reduction in feb !!! Not sure how ill get on as found jan a struggle but something got to give!!!

Pernicious · 27 January 2011 at 2:39PM

alicemskinner wrote: »

Hi all

I find this thread really interesting but I think it might be helpful if we added a bit more info into the (I think) 3rd and 4th posts where it says what we're aiming for and what we've achieved.

At the moment there is no context....would it be possible to start putting how many mouths we are feeding in brackets

i.e. alicemskinner £110 achieved £90 (1)

This would make it easier to compare your budget to others, so other peoples budgets seem quite large to me but my assumption is that they are feeding families - also I'd be interested to see if people have got the same sort of budget as me but are feeding more than one (then I could ask them how they do it)

What does everyone think?

Alice

I actually think this is a really good idea! For example my budget has been so low this month because we've been using up our very full freezer/cupboards, whereas February I will be aiming for £150 for the two of us, & hopefully we can reduce it from there again.

russetred · 27 January 2011 at 2:46PM

alicemskinner wrote: »

Hi all

I find this thread really interesting but I think it might be helpful if we added a bit more info into the (I think) 3rd and 4th posts where it says what we're aiming for and what we've achieved.

At the moment there is no context....would it be possible to start putting how many mouths we are feeding in brackets

i.e. alicemskinner £110 achieved £90 (1)

This would make it easier to compare your budget to others, so other peoples budgets seem quite large to me but my assumption is that they are feeding families - also I'd be interested to see if people have got the same sort of budget as me but are feeding more than one (then I could ask them how they do it)

What does everyone think?

Alice

I understand what you mean here but it wouldn't work. You see we all include different categories in our budgets. Some have alcohol others dont. Some have everything cleaning, diesel, entertainment, others strictly food only. For instance there's 5 in my house, 3 adults and 2 kids and my budget is everything except diesel. It wouldn't work comparing even the same size of family budgets as we are all so very different in what we eat and some have dietary requirements. It has to be YOUR budget and how you hope to reduce it.However doing it all together as we do is good fun.Welcome to the GC

lovecrafting · 27 January 2011 at 2:51PM

Can i join in for feb please. I have followed along jan but didnt post. I managed to keep my spend to £600 wich i know seems alot but £150 pwk for 4 weeks to feed 2 adults and 3 kids, one adult with dietry needs and one child with dietry needs. for feb i would like to try £500 please.

sorry, i include cleaning products and nappies etc in this. school dinners are in a seperate budget as are smoking and petrol.

modern_millie_2 · 27 January 2011 at 2:54PM

Hi everyone, done my final shop, unfortunately £3.55 over my £150 budget. However, have bought a few things in bulk, inc. cereal and sugar on offer, so hopefully will be on target for next month . Will try for same amount £150 for calendar month. Need to keep an eye on the snacks - seem to disappear when I'm not looking!
Good luck everyone.

runnerbean17 · 27 January 2011 at 3:18PM

Well this is my 1st time people so be kind to me

started my FEBRUARY today cause my head was in the right place and Feb is a short month anyway. So decided to go to the cashpoint first and got myself £50. Went to 3 big supermarkets cause they all are fairly close to each other and SPENT £49.38 :j REALLY proud of myself. There weren't many offers really but I'm happy with what I got and dropped a level on some brands. Long may this continue cause I spent close to £600 in November in supermarkets alone :eek:

cutiepieabf · 27 January 2011 at 3:21PM

Mothership wrote: »

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

Oh DOG i wish my inquisitive mind had not made me follow that link.... i now want to spend ridiculous amounts of money on prime meat. aaarrggghhh. give me strength!! the freezer is full!!!

BTW please can you add me for £150 for Feb.

This is my first target so not sure how well i'll do, but i also have a NMT challenge so that should help. what doesnt help is that im an avon rep... it wouldnt be a challenge if it wasnt going to be hard!

sistercas · 27 January 2011 at 3:22PM

Hippeechiq wrote: »

I also do this, but I buy the cheapest food bags I can find, put whatever inside, then I put that bag inside a zipock/sealable bag and put a small piece of paper in between the two bags with (I keep all junk mail I receive that is blank on the back for this purpose, and also for writing shopping lists on) for example, 200g Chicken Breast diced 26.1.01 written on it.

By doing this, I always know what's in the bags, and how long they've been in the freezer. Double bagging them also helps stop them getting freezer burn, although that's not much of a risk for me, as because I put the date on everything I freeze, I rotate my stock by putting the most recently purchased underneath what has already been purchased and frozen. Value/Smart Price food bags are as cheap as chips, but are very thin, so when I've used them once I throw them away when I defrost whatever is inside them, but I reuse the ziplock/sealable bag.

you put me to shame

, that is so organised and such a good idea
my freezer is packed with unidentifyable objects

, shoved in freezer bags with nothing to say what they are or how long they have been there
I really must adopt your organised way

just been to l!dl and spent £46 , will update my sig later but with DH's random shop for beer and cake last night :cool: , i'm pretty sure i'm over

scotsaver · 27 January 2011 at 3:34PM

Mothership wrote: »

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???

Mothership - sorry if I'm being a bit dim but I have read through all the posts that you've made about the 2nd Purse I think it's a brilliant idea but am I right in thinking that basically if you buy something that's on offer you put what you've saved into the 2nd purse? If that's the case, say I spend £2 and I've saved £2, which I then put in the 2nd purse, do I then put on my GC that I've spent £4?

Just trying to get my head round the idea, as my GC is £250 and I'm usually only slightly under and that's thanks to buying things when they are on offer, otherwise my GC would be a lot higher. For example, this month I've bought cheese, ICBINB, mince, apples etc as they were on offer, the true cost would have put me over my GC. Hope you can see where I'm coming from.;)

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January 2011 Grocery Challenge

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