January 2011 Grocery Challenge

kippers · 16 January 2011 at 5:55PM

:TWell done brodie 1:T

NSD today as we have run out of money in my budget. I do still have £2.50 on my asda gift card to use-i'm saving this for woopsied fruit/veg this week.

Today we had a roast chicken with roast pots, roast carrots, roast butternut squash, yorkshires, cabbage, swede and peas...:eek:gosh that sounds like loads doesn't it but we all love our veg and everything went except some chicken which i will make a pie or curry with tomorrow. It was the last butternut squash that was stored from my allotment so we are all sad as i refuse to pay £1 for one in the shops

We have just all felt bit peckish so my DH & DD's have all finished the value jelly i made on Friday with icecream from my freezer and i had a couple of lavender cakes from the freezer that need eating up, served with custard...they were lovely and reminded me of long hot summer days...here's the link for the recipe if anyone would like to make them in the summer when you have fresh lavender (obviously they freeze well as it's January now and i'm eating them):

http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/273129/Lavender-fairy-cakes

I don't put the sprig of lavender on the top as the sprig of lavender tastes horrid on it's own (but lovely mixed in the cake).

Well that's it from me for today. It's lovely to read all your posts.

martafdz · 16 January 2011 at 6:02PM

Pernicious wrote: »

Anyway can any of you lovely people help me to complete this challenge successfully? I am down to my last 3 washing tablets...& will need more (or powder, or anything else that will work :rotfl:) before payday comes around on the 28th, I really can't spend what I'd usually spend on them as we will still need to buy fresh fruit, milk & bread etc.

a) cut them in half (if it is an option) :rotfl:I saw that in the threads for living with £1 a day and other saving threads. To be honest I never put two tablets for those that say 2 each washing. Never ever. I use only one. We do not get clothes dirty with stains (2 adults) and it is mainly the sweat of the day, so 1 tablet has been always fine. I have cut it in 2 sometimes in emergency. No difference in the wash, tbh.

b) Buy something cheap in the meantime. I googled/looked around and found around £2:

Daz Powder 680g, also said 10 washes, but is 120g less than Bold or Fairy (which you can have for 65p more) (Sains) £2.10

Ecover Delicate Washing Detergent 500ml ( 11 Washes ) (Sains) £1.79

Sainsbury's Biological Laundry Powder, Basics 2kg - £1.69

Sainsbury's Biological Liquid, Basics 1L ( 8 Washes ) - £0.99p

Sainsbury's Laundry Powder Bio 800g ( 10 Washes ) / or non-Bio/ or Colour / or 2 in 1- £1.84

Asda Smartprice Bio powder 800g is at £0.76p (according to Mysupermarket)

Sainsbury's Super Concentrated Liquid Bio 735ml / or Colour ( 21 Washes ) - £2.29

Simply Sensitive Eco Smart Laundry Tablets Non Bio x30 ( 15 Washes ) -£2.99, a bit more but I use these ones currently because my OH is sensitive to some ingredients of other brands. It says 15 washes but I use only 1 tablet each wash, and everything ok. I used 2 at some point and sometimes one of them was half dissolved, so back to one.

Surf Lavender & Oriental Capsules x20 (50% offer, sains) - £2.84

Worth going to Poundland and see what they have got there. Avoid looking around for too long though!!!

zebredy · 16 January 2011 at 6:05PM

Just went to the shops with the OH and it wasn't a pleasant experience. We had to go to get some flake food for the fish as we had totally run out, while there I said to my OH 'why not have a look at the section with the reduced stuff in' he came back with two ham rolls reduced from £2 too 80p, and he said I looked and look these are reduced from xx too xxx.

I stupidly had a go at him for getting them as I usually make him sarnies for work, and £1.60 for two rolls with ham in. I could buy a loaf of bread and some cheap ham for less then that (just about)

He is right in saying he deserves a treat once in a while, and he does earn all the money, most the time at the mo, but its the principle of it all. I just wish I had not got so wound up about it. He said, at least I didn't get the chocolate cake I saw, but it wasn't what he bought but the fact he said (before we came out) do we have the money to go shopping. Grrrr lol

I'm sure I will get over it soon enough, but was going to use some of the left over chicken from the roast we are having tonight, on some chicken sarnies for tomorrow, looks like that ideas gone down the pan.
___

Happy face back on now lol, does anyone know what else I could do with some of the left over chicken from tonights dinner. Also how long do you think its ok to leave cold chicken in the fridge for before it has to be eaten?

welshkaz · 16 January 2011 at 6:07PM

Another weekly shop for me today so total now is £190.09 /£280 quite pleased with that as had an horrendous start to the new year with illnesses and stuff, hope everyone is well ..

kippers · 16 January 2011 at 6:18PM

zebredy wrote: »

, ___

does anyone know what else I could do with some of the left over chicken from tonights dinner. Also how long do you think its ok to leave cold chicken in the fridge for before it has to be eaten?

I leave it for a max if 3 days in the fridge. I use it for chicken pie or for curries...i freeze it in portions and just defrost and use in a curry when we fancy it. Hope that helps

TheBees · 16 January 2011 at 6:27PM

Hi everyone - having trouble keeping up with all the posts.... well done everyone.

Had my delivery from MrS on Friday evening which came to about £70 and shouldn't need to shop again until next Sunday. Also managed to get a stick hand blender for making soups from MrA for th bargain price of £15 and DD and I have already made our first batch of vegetable soup today ready for our lunch tomorrow. :j

I'm going back to Weight Watchers tomorrow night as the stone I lost 4 years ago is creeping back on so wish me luck!:rotfl:

Our month ends on 31st but fingers crossed things are going well.

TheBees · 16 January 2011 at 6:28PM

Zebredy - How about chicken rissotto?

maman · 16 January 2011 at 6:30PM

kippers wrote: »

I leave it for a max if 3 days in the fridge. I use it for chicken pie or for curries...i freeze it in portions and just defrost and use in a curry when we fancy it. Hope that helps

I freeze sandwich size portions of chicken for when DH wants a packed lunch.

Sue14 · 16 January 2011 at 6:33PM

I saw some storage boxes in Mr M's the last time I went in there (4 for £10), but wanted a second opinion on size from OH before I bought them. Went to look at them yesterday and decided to get 4 of them, also got some flowers to take to mum's grave for her birthday, and spent another £6.07 on food.

scotsaver · 16 January 2011 at 6:55PM

NickJW wrote: »

Good to see so many new faces here. It helps when there are more people egging me on, because, even though I've not been as successful as I would like, I'm trying (and that counts right?), and would spend more if I didn't come here. I've nearly finished paying off my debt, and my aim was to stay until it had been paid off. Now, I can't imagine not being here, because it's about a long term change about how you think about money, and keeping track. Staying here will hopefully keep me out of debt and start saving. :T

So...I'm afraid I'm with you all for the long haul! :rotfl:

NickJW - Pleased for you that you are nearly Debt free and will soon be able to start saving - also pleased to hear that you will be staying with us.:T

Well I've not spent any money since Thursday.:j This is unheard of for me so I'm really pleased with myself.:p

Will need to go to the shops tomorrow though as we need some more fruit and may need some veg.

Dinner tonight is Roast chicken and all the trimmings, will be plenty left for a Pie tomorrow night. Pudding is one of the reduced puddings I bought in Iceland last week. Have a good evening everyone - off to dish up dinner.:D

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January 2011 Grocery Challenge

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