September 2009 Grocery Challenge

Julimk · 17 September 2009 at 9:51PM

I’ve had a couple of NSDs on the GC & a complete & absolute NSD today! I shouldn’t actually need anything until Monday & then it should just be one or two bits to tide us over until payday on Wednesday. I’ve got to the point where I feel rather satisfied not spending!:p

Angelfeathers Have you tried the supermarket OBs for toiletries? I did try the value/basics ranges but wasn’t happy with those but more than happy with the OBs. And they cost pence – for example 57p for 750ml Jojoba & Balsam shampoo or 99p for 750ml coconut shampoo, same price for matching conditioners, 55p for a litre of Magnolia & Silk crème bath or 78p for cornflower & silk or for lilac (prices for MrT on mysupermarket tonight). My spending for non-food (toiletries, loo roll, cleaning stuff & pet supplies) averages about £10 a month!

Also with Christmas coming up, if you want some special bits could you ask for them as pressies? I always seem to get loads of ‘smellies’ & my Nan (bless her) always gives me a Boots giftcard for Christmas that I use for special bits.

I have been keeping a spending diary all of this year & that information is transferred to a categorised spread sheet. Though I am no way as good as Cheryl (CW18) who seems amazingly organised. :A

The girl next to me at work commented that it seemed a bit sad but then it turned out that the evening before she had spent £120 in MrS & had no real meals & I had spend under £20 but had enough to make all my meals for the week (both catering for 2)!!

So it really does help. Once you see where the money is really going it is much easier to prioritise it & adjust accordingly.

Angelfeathers · 17 September 2009 at 10:03PM

Julimk wrote: »

Angelfeathers Have you tried the supermarket OBs for toiletries? I did try the value/basics ranges but wasn’t happy with those but more than happy with the OBs. And they cost pence – for example 57p for 750ml Jojoba & Balsam shampoo or 99p for 750ml coconut shampoo, same price for matching conditioners, 55p for a litre of Magnolia & Silk crème bath or 78p for cornflower & silk or for lilac (prices for MrT on mysupermarket tonight). My spending for non-food (toiletries, loo roll, cleaning stuff & pet supplies) averages about £10 a month!

Thanks for that - I'm definitely going to try supermarket own brands! Tbh, I'm not that fussy about my stuff and don't really use a lot of 'products', but I do prefer, for example, Gilette shaving foam as none of the cheaper stuff seems as good, and that's £2.34 even in Wilkinsons. :-(

It's DH who's the fussy one and wants his Lynx stuff and his hair gel and after-shave balm (though he has tried one I got from Tesco on special offer and says it's okay) and extra-special Gilette shaving foam etc. etc. He is trying, bless him, and tbh you can usually get Lynx stuff on offer in Tesco anyway, but it's still more expensive than own-brand stuff.

I guess I'm just starting to see how very much less we *could* be paying for this stuff - I am *hugely* impressed with your spend of £10 a month!!!! - so I guess we'll be gradually working our way down the scale!

Anyway, thanks - you've given me food for thought there! :-)

TheBees · 17 September 2009 at 10:21PM

Hi everyone -

CW18 - I saw your query about slow cooking. Whenever I cook a spaghetti bolognese, chilli, shepherds pie filling, curry etc I use exactly the same recipe that I would use if I was cooking it normally.
Simply put all the raw ingredients into the slow cooker and just make sure it's all mixed well. I use the same amount of liquid but add a couple handfuls of oats - if you don't add oats you could reduce the amount of liquid slightly otherwise as the water doesn't evaporate away during cooking. I was a bit nervous about doing this at first but now regularly turn it on as I leave for work in the morning and it's ready by tea time!

cw18 · 17 September 2009 at 10:31PM

TheBees wrote: »

CW18 - I saw your query about slow cooking. Whenever I cook a spaghetti bolognese, chilli, shepherds pie filling, curry etc I use exactly the same recipe that I would use if I was cooking it normally.

Thanks for the info on liquid quantities

What heat do you do it on, and how long for?

mooomin · 17 September 2009 at 10:44PM

Chili:

I got this recipe from tomtombeanie on the DFW board and it's lush.

Mince (Up to you for quantity, I use 4-500g as Mr Fresian is a dedicated carnivore)
2 tins chopped tomatoes
2 tins red kidney beans
Chili powder (I use 2 tsps as that's what it says on the packet)
Onions (I use 2 small or one big)
Peppers - can be done without
Tomato puree, good sized squirt
Garlic (I use puree, about 1 tsp)
Stock (I make using 2 cubes and 3/4 pint boiling water)
Handful lentils
Handful porridge oats

Brown the mince, throw it in the slow cooker with all of the above ingredients (I don't cook the onions/peppers first) I normally make this about 7.30am and leave it on the "low" setting on my slow cooker. If Mr Fresian's in he stirs it once but otherwise I stop it cooking when I get home at six and serve once rice is cooked. It's yummy and totally idiot-proof (As I have managed it successfully) The recipe makes LOADS too!

cw18 · 17 September 2009 at 10:51PM

Many thanks for that

I have everything in stock too :T

Also want to do some baking tomorrow - picked up one of those 'ready rolled' puff pastry packs for 35p today, so thought I might crack open one of my Whoopsied jars of mincemeat !! I know it's a "tad early" for some people to eat mince pies, but DS and I can happily eat them all year - and I'm desperately trying to stop buying treats/snacks so will have to look at making some with stuff I have in for the time being. Due to the effort involved, it almost certainly means we won't get many

And I'd like to have have a bash at Twinks Hobnobs at the same time - been meaning to try those for months !!!

ChocClare · 17 September 2009 at 11:02PM

Angelfeathers wrote: »

It's DH who's the fussy one and wants his Lynx stuff and his hair gel and after-shave balm (though he has tried one I got from Tesco on special offer and says it's okay)

Lynx is only called Lynx in this country - it's called Axe everywhere else (see here if DH needs proof! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axe_%28grooming_product%29).
You can often get Axe in the pound shops - it's not a copycat, it's the same thing :T

Even if you don't buy online, it's worth checking what's on special offer on eg Mr T's online every week - I've discovered it definitely goes in cycles. I use Olay Total Effects as it's the only moisturiser that really suits me, and it's not cheap - £16-odd most of the time. But every three months or so, it's reduced to half price and that offer usually lasts 3 or 4 weeks. I therefore buy 2 or 3 bottles of each of the day and night cream then, and I usually find that lasts me until the next time it's on special offer. Same with Gillette stuff - their shaving gel was reduced recently to the same price as Tesco's own, so I bought loads then (well, 2 - DH has a beard and DS only shaves every 3-4 days)! You don't have to buy loads in one week - all the offers usually last at least 3 if not 4 weeks - so you can spread the costs of stocking up.

ChocClare · 17 September 2009 at 11:52PM

MRSMCAWBER wrote: »

evening all
oohhh and most exciting of all today is that I have pulled up 6lb of my own sweet potatoes -grown from my own slips from an old supermarket sweet potato:j-I have left the other dustbin with them for another few weeks (and I haven't got to the bottom of the 1st bin yet) ..so I think I will be making some soups ready for winter (the only way to get hubby to eat them )

Do you mind telling me what your method is for this? I always thought there was nothing I couldn't grow, but sweet potatoes seem to be the exception - ultra annoying, as I love them and they aren't cheap. Do you cut bits off and put them in water? Do you suspend them over water? I've heard of various methods, but every time I try it, all I get is rotten sweet potato (trust me, you don't want that in your kitchen)...:eek:
Any helpful hints would be greatly appreciated!

kezlou · 18 September 2009 at 8:17AM

Hi all well i have spent an absolute fortune the past three weeks , OH, and DS2 have been ill off work with sickness and the squits mixed in the flu. Gone through 6 rolls of loo roll in a matter of days. Had to buy lots of bland food, juice etc When the washing machine exploded it took all the powder so now thats restocked inc toilet roll. SO heres hoping that lasts next month too.

So my total so far is £134.97/£170 with only £35.03 to last till the end of the month.Doesn't look hopeful. Just had a lot of expenditure so quickly.

Nice list Mrs M, will catch up later as need to kick DS1's backside into gear :mad: for school.

Bye for now x

huxley · 18 September 2009 at 8:59AM

Hi all, just popped on to update signature so far this month spent £128.66 not too bad:rolleyes: got loads of reading to do to catch up with everyone. Made courgette fritters the other night for tea they were yummy and it seems like an adaptable receipe might try adding tuna and sweetcorn next time:D
Courgette fritters
140g flour,2eggs,175ml milk,50g grated cheese,2 courgettes,olive oil for cooking in.
dry fry grated courgette (3-4mins) to soften it so that you can squeeze out excess moisture.
mix other ingrediants in a bowl to make batter add courgette,heat oil in pan and drop small ladlefuls of mix into frying pan cook for a couple on min each side until golden place on a baking tray and finish in the oven for 8mins at 180c/gas 6.

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September 2009 Grocery Challenge

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