July 2012 Grocery Challenge

Mrs_Addicted_to_Spending · 30 June 2012 at 10:21AM

Make-it-3 wrote: »

Hi, room for another newbie? I try and fool myself I am good at running a food budget, and my weekly shop is usually quite organised but it all goes to pot after that.

We are myself, OH, DD aged 1 and cat. I’m going to put us down for £200 for July, but it’s more to set a benchmark than a goal (that’s for food, household, toiletries and cat grub). Eating out counts as "entertainment" and that's too big to tackle right now.

I do menu plan, but I would find batch cooking a chore and I rarely have more than a packet of frozen peas in my freezer. My main downfall is that although I live two minutes walk from a decent size supermarket, we don’t have a car so I only come back with what I can carry and it means succumbing to the temptation of the top-up shops (usually at least a couple weekly).

Also can I ask how you people account for your OH’s spends? Mine will pop to the local ethnic food stores every couple of weeks to buy lots of snacks for himself. He’s also a bad boy in buying lunches out even after I’ve bought stuff for his lunchbox.

Anyway, I’ll be starting on Sunday, as I think we’re all set for tomorrow as we have friends over for a BBQ and that overspend counts as June, so bring on a clean slate.

Hi and welcome to the thread. My DH has weekly 'spending money' which is budgeted for and he can spend it how he wants as long as I he doesn't go over this (he did agree to this :rotfl:as we're trying to cut right back).

I don't batch cook either but if I'm cooking a meal like bolognaise sauce, I'll cook more than I need and then freeze the rest or use it on a different night if the meat has already been frozen.

Welcome also to the other newbies

.

KatyReed - glad you had a good night out - you need it!!

savesummore · 30 June 2012 at 10:29AM

Morning all and Hi Newbies :wave:

Meg72- I would also get onto head office. Its funny but I was only saying the other day that when you go to smaller independant shops or are a regular at a butchers or market stall you get treated so much better- these massive companies have no idea who you are and dont really care as long as you are spending your money with then :mad:

JJ- I love the stories ref your foraging (sp?)

I spent £54 in Mr A today but £10 of that was from second purse so £44 spent in MrA but then I owed 2nd purse for last weeks stuff id used so £8.40 paid to second purse- signature updated

I did get a bargain in A*da they have massive bottles of listerine reduced to clear from £6.98 to £2.5o so had 2 of those

Im going to try and just shop at Aldi/the market for the rest of the month as I find Supermarkets just too tempting like today I wanted 1 multi packs of crisps but brought 3 as they were 3 for £3.50!! I know long term some of these offfers save you money but its usually carp i end up buying and im supposed to be on a diet :eek:

cllola · 30 June 2012 at 10:33AM

Katy- re lasagne - yep that's what I do but I tend to slightly undercook it so that the pasta doesn't go too mushy when you reheat it. Or you could make individual ones in those foil containers and freeze it uncooked and cook it in the oven in the container x

EyesWideOpen · 30 June 2012 at 10:38AM

Hi everyone, haven't posted since June but I have been reading and have been as OS as I can. I set myself the target of £300 last month, went over by £44 but £222 of that was on meat bought cheaply and now in freezer. This means I should not need to buy any meat or fish for a few months and so I am reducing my budget by £25 this month as a trial. I have a weeks holiday, planning a staycation, but should be okay making a few treats up from what we have in.

So please put me down for £275 for July

I have been thinking of those who had a hard time at the end of the June tread, and those who are struggling a little in July too. I hope all are comforted who needs it and that things become a little more positive for all.

In terms of OS stuff I have been doing I have bought a slowcooker, not used yet but will begin using it shortly. I decided to no longer buy bread from June and have been making all our bread since. Has been working out fine actually and I am really pleased with sticking to that decision. It has probably saved me a few pounds too so I shall keep doing this. I make four loafs a go and put them in the freezer. So will be trying to make bread once a week to cover our needs.

I really wish it was possible to post using ones phone as I read the thread on my way to work and back but have no time to visit the website during working hours, and often no time in the evening either. So if I could have posted when reading on my phone I would have done - but I am nodding along and with you all in spirit!!

To those of you who can and do post regularly, thank you so much for keeping things going. I shall contribute as much as I can

EyesWideOpen · 30 June 2012 at 10:39AM

Ooops forgot to make the budget out in large. So here it is again:

Please put me down for £275 for July

happy_chick_3 · 30 June 2012 at 11:05AM

In_it_not_to_giveitaway wrote: »

That's really great. Wouldn't mind the sweet potato soup recipe (not very good at soups and not a little nervous about batch cooking).

Soaking chick peas overnight tonight for some homemade hummus tomorrow with sliced raw carrots. Would be nice to be able to make pita bread.

Have a good weekend all,

Here you go: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/5898/speedy-sweet-potato-soup-with-coconut

Serve with naan bread -yum! Also freezes really well.

happy_chick_3 · 30 June 2012 at 11:10AM

Is this the worst reduction ever?

Bottles of wine in Sainsburys reduced from £4.99 to £4.95!!!

fozziebeartoo · 30 June 2012 at 11:26AM

Sincerely hoping the floods receed quickly and the lovely people here are not too badly affected, hugs to Meg, and hurrah for the return of Flo!

Still no news re: DD's tests but she is out trying on wedding dresses today so hopefully she wont let the worry spoil her
fun :j

Tomorrow is my birthday (will be 53 :eek:) and I just had delivered a gorgeous huge arrangement of flowers and a cuddly teddy from a new man I have met recently and who I like a lot, so happy Fozziebeartoo here, at least for the next 5 minutes

Flo DID say there were still some nice men out there, but I had just about given up finding one......;)

NSD here.

I have baked 1/2 portion of Flos muffins, 6 raspberry and 6 blueberry and the total of 12 muffins have only got 1oz of sugar and 1oz of fat between them!! :j

For tea I am thinking HM pork and mushroom biriyani (not a combination I have tried before, but its what I have got in fridge :rotfl:)....and YS nans from freezer.

debbiedeejay · 30 June 2012 at 11:54AM

Morning all

Still have this stupid cold/virus thing hanging over my head(2nd one in three weeks,how unfair) and am getting very fed up of it but am determined to get rid of it, but still took Dad to Mr M's for weekly trudge yesterday even though felt awful.

Did a restock of basics,but need washing powder, missed last offer,but wasn't willing to pay price of stock on offer.

Anyway took up the 3 for £10 meat offer,so whole chicken,diced beef and bacon joint for freezer.

Then had to go to local wholesalers for footy club(charity gala day tomorrow) and for myself I also picked up a 1.5kg tub of egg mayo reduced from £4 to £1.50, a kilo pack of minced lamb reduced from £7.50 to £3.50 and because my two DD's main source of protein,one is a veggie, at the moment seems to be cheese(and I spend each week about £5'ish on cheese,non branded or on offer/YS) I bought a whacking big block of just under 5 kilos of mild cheddar for £17.87!

It's all sat in my fridge,need to get myself into gear and tackle dividing it and freezing it all,including turning that mountain of cheese into "weekly" blocks and freezing it.

Will be interesting to see if I do save money buying it like this as, any extra shops during week is usually not just for milk or bread but cheese!

So Julys total stands at £64.78.

Off to update sigX

cuddlymarm · 30 June 2012 at 11:58AM

Hi

I didn't join in last month because we were on holiday for the 1st week and a bit (but I did keep an eye on what I spent the rest of the time ) but now I am back in the land on frugal and would like to aim for £175 for July please (sorry but my size and colour thingy doesn't want to allow me to make my words bigger.)

Have a good month everyone
Cuddles:)

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July 2012 Grocery Challenge

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