October 2012 Grocery Challenge

SwipernoSwiping · 3 October 2012 at 11:15AM

Just missed last month, so trying at £200 again this month,
making more use of online deliveries, not tempted by junk then

Honey_Bear · 3 October 2012 at 11:17AM

Hi Coxy11. I've realised I haven't been as thorough in my calculations as I should have been. I think I put myself down for £142.00 this month, but could you amend it please to a more honest, frugal and tighter £49.62. Sorry for the inconvenience.

milky1991 · 3 October 2012 at 11:22AM

I never really looked at what I was spending where before, over the last 2 days at work I have spent over £8 of my £50 weekly budget on butty's from the local shop. I need to get more organized and take my food in, I usually do but sometimes can't be bothered and I would imagine over a month probably buy food around 50% of my days in work that works out at around £40 a month thats at present nearly 1 weeks budget.

If I am going to reduce my crocery bill I will have to get more organised.

becksfaz · 3 October 2012 at 11:27AM

In response to an earlier post - I shop at M0rris0ns and buy the following:
Savers range - fruit, fresh orange, yoghurts, tin toms, vinegar, raisins, kitchen roll, crumpets, rice pudding (12p tin!), custard, kidney beans, pasta, lard, lasagne sheets and rice. All fine. (Only kids eat rice pudding and custard but no complaints when dropped a brand).
Nearly ALL my other food is SM OWN BRAND with the exception of tea, coffee, tomato ketchup, curry paste, snack a jacks (My son didn't like the cheaper ones), Cheese and fish fingers (only get when on offer!)
I buy my meat/eggs from local farm shop so can't comment on those.
I used to be a 'supermarket snob' but then just decided to try things and it's surprising how much is ok. Don't stock up on the new things, just buy one of the things and see how you go.
I spent £315 in Aug and in Sept I'm currently at £212 (my month ends 7th. If I didn't have a '5 weekend month' I'd have saved £103 and that was my 1st month!!!) It's REALLY worth doing!

[Deleted User] · 3 October 2012 at 11:32AM

Bossymoo re cheap teabags, i have heard the sainsbobs ones are good. I would like to hear from people that have tried cheapie ones. I tried the Morrisons ones (27p for 80) and they are ok, but have an aftertaste that is not nice, but you can get a strong cup if you persevere. I am going to use the mthough, in between my typhoo, but wouldn't buy again.
Becksfaz thanks for that, any chance of some prices, i only go to Morrisons occasionally, but will hunt some bits out if they are comparable to Tesco/Asda.

becksfaz · 3 October 2012 at 11:32AM

milky1991 - do you have any cooking facilities at work?
My hubby used to average just under a fiver every day (butty, drink and crisps/choc) and when I told him that he probably spent approx £1200 a year on his lunches (not to mention where the loose change from the lunches went!) and he had heart failure.
Now at tea times, I make extra and he takes it to work and bangs it in the microwave. He also takes beans/soup etc to work too. If I've made say chicken biryani, he will take this and eat it cold.
HTH.

peony40 · 3 October 2012 at 11:37AM

Good Morning,

Just had my first grocery shop for the month and it came to £73.54. I had a £10 off voucher but I plan on putting this £10 saved towards Christmas, this leaves me with £36.46 for the rest of the month.

Yesterday I started a pantry/freezer inventory and with a bit of careful planning I should be able to come in on target. So plans for today are to try and complete the inventory (if my body allows it

) and then meal plan on the strength of the list.

I know what you mean about the price of fresh fruit, over £2 for clementines, and I am sure that butter has gone up since my last shop. (Just checked last month's statement and 250g of butter is up by 11p.)

Off to have another cup of tea before I restart my inventory.

Hope you all have a good day.

tessie_bear · 3 October 2012 at 12:13PM

hi...just come from picking some blackberries which i intend to cook up and make a pie with for tea....also having braised beef with veg

need to do my meal plan for next week and i thought i might make some mince pies and a few cakes...not sure which sort yet
have a nice afternoon
tess

mummybearx · 3 October 2012 at 12:23PM

First spend of the month was on Monday. DH went to MrT's all on his own :eek: with a list I had text him.

He managed to get everything on the list and only 2 extra things (I asked for one can of butterbeans which were 59p , he bought 3 cans as they were on 3 for £1, so proud of him!!)

He also bought diluting juice like I asked, and didn't buy a single bottle of Pepsi, even though it's down to 89p a bottle just now! Amazing!

I'm definately cutting out fizzy juice at home, we drink far far too much of it. We could go through a 2l bottle a day

and at £1.39 from the shop, it's not cheap! Got two bottles of diluting juice for £1.50 that should last us 2 weeks.

Meals for Mon and Tues were out of this shopping, tonights and tomorrows is sorted as well, plus I've made soup for lunch at work for today and tomorrow. Boss bought lunch Mon & Tues this week and I will make some pasta or something for lunch on Friday.

No more spends til Saturday hopefully, fingers crossed!! I CAN DO THIS!! :T

Rationing_Revisited · 3 October 2012 at 12:37PM

Hi new to this...but we're always looking for ways to get the most out of our small budget. Dec 2011/ jan 2012 we started ww2 style food rationing and as a result we spent £30 a week on groceries to feed the 5 of us (2 adults, 3 children) so I suppose my budget for this month (oct 2012) would be £120... £150 at a push. I say £150 at a push as I'm already putting aside dry goods (flour etc) to make or rather bake Christmas biscuits/ shortbread etc for family instead of buying it.

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October 2012 Grocery Challenge

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