November 2012 Grocery Challenge

XSpender · 31 October 2012 at 11:10PM

GreenFairy wrote: »

MoonJelly - have you tried your local Ald1? Mine has loaves of gluten free bread that look remarkably similar in size and weight to MrT and they're under €2. Not sure what they're like - I just made a mental note for a friend who is coeliac. Also MrT have started stocking own brand free from lasagne sheets for under €2 a box, and are very tasty.

Just in case it helps

That's really useful info Green Fairy I am coeliac and never knew Ald1 did GF bread. I will be having a good look for it in my local one on Friday.

A spend of 47p on skimmed milk today. Was 89p but I used a 42p brand match voucher when I was in Mr S garage getting diesel.

Will need to spend something tomorrow on a contribution to a buffet at work. Had no chance to make anything tonight as we have had the outlaws helping us clear the loft ready for the insulation coming on Saturday. I can't eat normal party food so will get some ham and take some crisps and nuts in a couple of bowls. It will look more if it is in a bowl

Bluegreen143 · 31 October 2012 at 11:12PM

Hi everyone!

Can I be put down for £210 in November please?

As usual, this includes food, toiletries & household items for two adults and a cat - no alcohol, eating out or takeaways included though.

Only £10 less than last month but it's getting harder to reduce now. I have now established with OH that he's doing one week a month of shopping and cooking with a budget of £55, so will need to reduce the other three weeks to £51.66 each - I'll try for £50 to be on the safe side though! I do tend to do a couple of bigger shops a month which we get delivered, followed by the next week by a smaller shop I do in person.

I am going to try and get my veg from one of the local fruit & veg shops this week, used to use them as a student (got a 10% discount, could buy mini student quantities and was on the way home from uni) but have got lazy and always use the supermarket now.

My main money saving focus this week is also going to be buying an appropriate amount of food instead of overbuying!! I want a clear fridge the following Saturday, not one filled with limp veg I have to hastily turn into soup :rotfl:

Make-it-3 · 31 October 2012 at 11:27PM

Sticking rigidly with £200 budget again for November as I've only come in under once since joining GC.

I reckon this will be a challenge this month too as we have a Diwalli party to cater for in November.

[Deleted User] · 1 November 2012 at 12:42AM

Another two small spends today - £1.15 on a bottle of diet coke from the post office as i really needed it, and then £20 on dinner out in Wagamama's (split bill between me and my friend).

Will update sig in a moment x

NickJW · 1 November 2012 at 2:04AM

I don't particularly follow it to the traditional sense nowadays but 'Happy Light Party' rather than 'Happy Halloween'. :j

Anyway, went out tonight to the pub with a few drinks and snacks - got back late, so tortellini w/sage butter sauce+parmesan. Due to Snacks beforehand I didn't eat much, so leftovers for lunch tomorrow and the pie w/mash tomorrow for dinner.

ETA: nsd!!!

armchairexpert · 1 November 2012 at 2:17AM

Hi, I'm brand spanking new, but my November budget starts today, so is it too late to be added please?

Budget for two adults, two children, one cat, including all toiletries etc., $700. That's in Australian dollars, is it okay to do that? I can convert but I don't have a pound sign on my keyboard.

We don't have nearly as many specials and offers over here, and the supermarket quality of vegetables etc. is much lower than at the grocers. So it's always a toss-up between trying to do all the shopping at once to avoid temptation, and going to lots of local shops to find the bargains.

Nonetheless, I have a stocked pantry, a full freezer, and a bunch of bad habits that need nipping in the bud. Some of them are even mine.

If only I can convince the husband that an empty fridge at the end of the week is a sign of success and not a cause of panic!

CompBunny · 1 November 2012 at 10:36AM

Well today is the first day of November and the start of my first GC in a long time. No spends planned for today as I need to rest - M.E is good for the GC as the less you leave the house the less you can spend!

Has anyone noticed their local T£$co starting to withdraw certain Value ranges? For a while ours stopped selling value low fat yoghurts completely and filled their usual spot with a more expensive own brand. We simply stopped buying snack yoghurts. A few weeks later they returned.
The same thing has happened with Value crisps, an unnecessary unhealthy luxury. They just disappeared. We switched to occasionally buying crisps on decent special offers. The value ones haven't returned...

Same has happened for certain value cheeses, cupboard items etc. Some have returned, some haven't.

Have you noticed this?
Our theory is that T£$co are testing to see if people are willing to move up a brand or if they only buy the item because its affordable. Maybe we are imagining it though!

afeitar · 1 November 2012 at 10:50AM

No spends yet, first day of the challenge for me today. My Mum has given me a big bag of veg and a big bag of fruit that she picks up through a healthy eating scheme the council does, they are £2 each for a bag and really good value! I do now have a lot of veg that needs using up so I'll have to make some soup at the weekend if I can find time. I'm thinking a pumpkin & sweet potato soup, potato and leek soup and cabbage?

Anyone else have any cabbage recipe ideas? I've been having it just finely sliced and fried lightly as a side dish which I like but it can get boring. I have about 3/4 of a whole white cabbage to use up and also a curly cabbage to use up.

icontinuetodream · 1 November 2012 at 10:57AM

£18.70 on tuesday for me....dog food and a few other bits for dd

Suffolk_lass · 1 November 2012 at 11:06AM

Just been on the printable coupons thread and successfully printed MOC for some Kelloggs products

. If anyone wants to browse that thread it's here. I suggest you check the last page as well as the first one as a number of coupons have now expired and are just being reported this morning (Colgate Total is one example

).

I just caught up on here and I must just comment on Save Dosh's weight loss in your signature - that is awesome - over 4 stone:j

Also Bluegreen143 - I love your strategies for reducing your budget further:T

fedupandskint - your debt clearance work is really starting to show - keep it up and well done! :T

Make-it-3 - loving the eyeball pasta in October thread :rotfl:

lostcause82 - you and me both - same budget, same spend so far. I plan to reduce the amount of meat in my freezer to help reduce this month's spends. I've got 4 more weekends to shop this month (get paid on 30th so that is cutover day) and I'm going to try for £45 each week.

I will go back to writing "veg (3)" instead of specifying what and I will just buy F&V that is on offer or cheapest. We will eat two veggie meals in the week - one based around baked potatoes and salad and one around pasta or curry. It will be porridge instead of bacon and egg at the weekend for breakfast and when I can make room in the freezer, I'm going to make some Mary Berry Dairy Ice-cream ready for Christmas.

Good luck everyone (and welcome newbies!)
SL

PS I love the way MrsCD always puts positive little comments against the posts so I thought I would too!

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November 2012 Grocery Challenge

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