July 2012 Grocery Challenge

In_it_not_to_giveitaway · 30 June 2012 at 12:22AM

MrsCD - many thanks for the soup instructions. Well, I'm going to go right out on a limb tomorrow morning. Preparing hummus, seen a pita bread recipe that I'm going to have a stab at and then cook a batch of turkey chilli plus a soup. Should keep me busy until lunchtime (by which time I probably won't be as hungry!).

Hope you and everybody else in the flooding area have managed to minimize the disruption.

As I suspected a couple of weeks ago - this thread is more addictive than caffeine - keeps me awake past my normal bed time! Very educational though - and these days there is little worth watching on the TV.

Best regards all,

TheThriftyScrumpers · 30 June 2012 at 6:29AM

meg72 wrote: »

Need a rant please, I before I spit hard enough to
give my dentures a flying lesson.

I have just received IMO the most appauling customer service I have ever experienced.

I did on shopping on Wednesday, couldnt do it yesterday due to Mums funeral. I bought a chicken for today, as have my DGS and its his favourite meal. Use by date 2nd July. Put the oven on and took chicken out of fridge, just cut into the packaging and the smell almost knocked me over.

As I had promised DGS his chicken I took it back to Asda. CS service agreed it was off and returned my money, no apology offerred. I asked about my busfare, it was 1.20 there and 1.20 back.

I was firstly told I hadnt made a special journey as I had come to do my shopping. I did as I had no shopping to get.

I was then asked quite rudely, dont you have a bus pass, explained I do but its out of date and i have to wait for a new one.

Very grudgingly I was given two Smiley vouchers with the comment well I will give them you but its not what they are for.

Trundled off to get another chicken and presented my Smileys at the till
they are worth 25p each, so I am out 1.90, been humiliated for asking.
Edit no actually I am not I am out 2.40 because I asked for the vouchers back
intending to send them to head office.

I couldnt go back to CS due to having to get back for DGS, and to be honest didnt feel in control enough to be sure I could keep my calm and dignity.
I do know I am emotionally up in the air at the moment, but I dont think I am being unreasonable i wanting my busfare. I trust you lovely people
to tell me if you think I am.

I would be mad too Meg. The chicken was 3/4 days before date so the fact it has gone off is totally wrong. If I get a CS person who is rude and unhelpful I really feel like asking them if they realise that their job is to help the customer and not be rude and condescending.

I'm sure if you speak or write to head office you will get a much better response. Especially as they have now done two wrongs - a gone off chicken and rude staff.

Sending hugs xxx

TheThriftyScrumpers · 30 June 2012 at 6:36AM

KatyReed+5 wrote: »

I think for mine i spead maybe £25 a month on nappies, as i get 2 big 48 packs every 2 weeks from Aldi, my mum gets them think they're about £5 each loads cheaper than branded ones and never had a leak yet. This is for my 2 youngest and then £5 ish for a pack of pull ups for my 3 year old at night. Wipes i'm not sure as i bulk buy when they're on offer adn will never spend more than £1 per pack, i got loads of huggies recently in superdrug on B1G2F AMAZING offer, the offer should still beon.

Katy, X

P.S i'm off out tonight with a friend to get very drunk after my rubbish week. This of course isn't coming out of my GC money,

I hope you had a great time Katy

Can I ask what pull ups you use for your three year old? Are they Ald1 too? My ds is also three and also in pull ups at night but we get leaks from th pampers ones. Thank you x

cllola · 30 June 2012 at 6:59AM

TheThriftyScrumpers wrote: »

Can I ask what pull ups you use for your three year old? Are they Ald1 too? My ds is also three and also in pull ups at night but we get leaks from th pampers ones. Thank you x

Hi I also use aldi pull ups for my 3rd old and they are great. So are tescos own pull ups and there isn't much difference in price to the aldi ones. I haven't used pampers since I discovered those.

Day two for me and no spends yet! :A

[Deleted User] · 30 June 2012 at 7:05AM

Well last day of the month and NSD today so I have got £22.20 left out of my original £100.00 for June to be put away into our holiday fund.I am very pleased at how this month has gone.I managed to run down my freezer a little as well as some of my food cupboard stores.I have a bright new month to look forward to and five crisp £20.00 notes in my food purse to last me 31 days.I am very good at streeetching my cash and staying away from shops.On my shopping list for this Monday I only have celery,tomato's, bran flakes and cucumber to buy so I won't be spending a great deal this week coming at all.I ran out of bread so have been using ryvita's and cracker bread from the cupboard I don't eat a great deal of bread so I haven't missed it really (apart from the odd bit of toast

)
Tonight for dinner I have a chicken breast done in herbs and a slice of bacon and cooked in my 'mosky with new potatoes and runner beans I am making a jelly with blancmage topping to use as a pudding for a couple of days this morning so tonight's dinner is sorted and tomorrow I go to my DDs for dinner.
Baking this morning to fill up the cake tins and I may make some scones as well. All in all I think June went very well moneywise ,but I did only actually shop for necessites on my shopping list and if I had run out of something I tried to use an alternative instead.Plus I only went to the shops three times in the month .I know folks with families can't always do this but as I live alone its not too much of a problem.I am pleased that nothing was wasted at all and nothing in the way of food was binned at all.Onwards and upwards
Cheers chums
JackieO xx

helen_jelly · 30 June 2012 at 7:32AM

JackieO - well done, thats an impressive saving towards your hols :]]

Meg - get onto Head Office, bad service sometimes stems from bad Management, I wouldn't bother contacting the store, I'd go straight to HO and kick up a rumpus, hugs and hope you are ok x

Off to update the first page now

Helen x

brummiebabe · 30 June 2012 at 7:36AM

Am checking in for my first spends of July's budget. It was a little more than I wanted, but I did stock up on washing powders/softners, toothpaste etc... So here goes:

£56.95 Tesco delivery (28/6/12)
£28.24 Aldi
£11.99 Home Bargains
£4.00 Iceland

Leaves me with £248.82 or £82 per week....am happy with that!

XSpender · 30 June 2012 at 8:09AM

I am planning a NSD today:)

DH is off to the races all day, I have a friend coming over for coffee this morning and may take DS to the park/playground this afternoon if it is not flooded.

My 2nd attempt at a GF sponge cake was a success but I did use a different company's flour mix and smaller tins. The choc chip cookies are very nice too but huge! Must make smaller balls next time.

I am only slightly ahead of where I should be with my monthly budget but did buy birthday presents in the first week. This is much better than a normal month when I would have spent half my budget in the first week:eek:

DH was looking at next week's meal plan as I had stuck a copy to the fridge and he says one of the days he wanted to take me to Zizz1 who are trialling GF pizza but I said I would rather watch the pennies this month and get our finances back on track after our recent blip. He agreed to no meals out this month so a few quid saved there:rotfl:

I also listed the contents of my 2 freezers yesterday and just have the big larder cupboard to do.

KatyReed+5 · 30 June 2012 at 8:13AM

TheThriftyScrumpers wrote: »

I hope you had a great time Katy

Can I ask what pull ups you use for your three year old? Are they Ald1 too? My ds is also three and also in pull ups at night but we get leaks from th pampers ones. Thank you x

I had a truly awesome time, i spent for too much money, but on a good cause if you ask me. I got very drunk i danced and sang with 2 of the best friend i could have had, the night ended up with a stumble back to my friends house with cheesy chips

then her hubby took me home, so no money wasted there on a £12 taxi.

As for the pull up i tend to buy them when they're on offer in Ts, sainsbobs or Aldi, the price is all very similar and never had any leaks.

Katy, X

Hewie29 · 30 June 2012 at 8:15AM

Hi do you have room for another newbie?

I would like to join in the challenge please.

I set a budget of £100.00 per week as I get paid weekly, so I'm setting my July budget of £400.00. To start tomorrow. There are 2 adults 1 teenager (DS 15) and one practicing teenager (DD 11).

I have a garden full of growing veg, the only items really ready to eat is the lettuce which does save quite a bit each week.

I will be checking out the huge lists of recipes on here and using some of these.

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

July 2012 Grocery Challenge

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