Grocery Challenge - February 2012

Spiggle · 13 February 2012 at 7:02PM

cleggie wrote: »

AARRGGHH!!!!
Yet AGAIN i have [STRIKE]failed[/STRIKE] not managed to stick to my budget!!

i am thoroughly miserable that i cant seem to do this, but i really desperately need to!!:mad:

Any suggestions please

Hiya cleggie,

It's ok to not hit your budget, at least you're trying! And this challenge is not meant to make you miserable.

Ok, can't suggest anything without a few more facts. Where has the over budget been spent? Do you have your receipts and do they tally with your shopping lists? Are you solely responsible for shopping or is ther an OH that is not shopping the GC way and spoiling your totals? Is your budget realistic? How many are you feeding? What are you including in the budget? And what are you excluding from the budget?

Can you see a pattern with the shopping? Do you always make a list? Can you see a pattern with over spending? Is it for instance take aways or sweets or whoopsies/ys purchase or is there a time of day you're more likely to go 'off list' or any other pattern?

Please don't be miserable. If your budget is too low then that will explain a lot. But if your budget is what you can reasonably afford then we'll have to take a look at some other things to do. Have a think about those questions and come back and we'll see if we can help.

All the best,
Spigs

nimbo · 13 February 2012 at 7:03PM

cleggie wrote: »

Thanks Numbo,
My budget was £250 for me and my 2 chidren, so plenty really.
I just dont seem to be able to stay away from supermarket for some reason! I love food shopping, i love supermarkets and i just seem to aways end up there!
I am going to have to make sure i dont go into a supermarket/shop as much as before i guess.

Yes, its the sweets, crisps, chocoate and wine thats been my main downfall i think.

maybe take your purse out of your bag?
or have an emergency £5er on you? like a little change purse type thing so you don't have your cards etc with you....

it's really hard to avoid the shops, but maybe set yourself a challenge, and reward yourself when you achieve it?????

make a pact i don't need to go to the shops until probably Friday.... I won't if you don't.... when do you actually need to go again? (bearing inmind you have plenty in for teas - just maybe not what you exactly fancy????)

Spiggle · 13 February 2012 at 7:09PM

OOoopsss, cross posted.

This is a really hard thing to say cleggie but shopping really really isn't a leisure activity! If you have to stick to that budget as you have said you need to then I'm afraid discipline is going to be the way to go. There are so many better places to spend your valuable time (and money if necessary!)!

Have you thought about why you love shopping?

I like nimbo's advice too about going out without your purse/cards and then you can't spend anything.

I don't htink I helped there at all.

Take care,
Spigs

rising_from_the_ashes · 13 February 2012 at 7:17PM

Cleggie I know exactly what you mean about "loving" sm etc.

When I was trying to clear my debts & couldn't risk going near "real" shops, the sm became my new BF and my grocery bill shot up to astronomical levels.

I'm better now ... but it's still a real challenge and I often fall short too ...

nimbo · 13 February 2012 at 7:21PM

Spiggle wrote: »

OOoopsss, cross posted.

This is a really hard thing to say cleggie but shopping really really isn't a leisure activity! If you have to stick to that budget as you have said you need to then I'm afraid discipline is going to be the way to go. There are so many better places to spend your valuable time (and money if necessary!)!

I don't htink I helped there at all.

Take care,
Spigs

helped me - just realised why i bought so much suger on Thursday - don't have time for lunch on a Thursday at uni so i bought sackfuls of sugar on the way home....

was denying myself the chippy - but it would have been cheaper, and probably better for me too!!!!!

JIL · 13 February 2012 at 7:21PM

sonastin wrote: »

Dilemma tonight is do I go to a supermarket to but potatoes so we can have shepherds pie tonight. Or do I live without spuds till we can go to the market at weekend and buy them loads cheaper? Which would mean doing some sort of pasta bolognaise tonight a) which OH hates and b) with lamb mince which might be a bit weird. I'm thinking some form of store cupboard surprise on a theme of bolognaise tonight followed up with curry&rice tomorrow - his favourite, to make up for tonight!

Anyway, reporting in a couple of spends at A$da so I'm currently at £126.59 / £200 for Feb. Promise to try and catch up this week!

Put some of that smash stuff in your store cupboard for times like this, its not bad on top of a shepherds pie with cheese crumbled on top. its also quiet good to thicken soup.

cleggie · 13 February 2012 at 7:22PM

thanks guys,
Spiggle, you are totally right, its not a leisure activity, i really dont know why i enjoy it so much.

OK Nimbo, you're on, i will not go into a supermarket/shop until Friday.

This £250 HAS to be my budget, there is no other option, but to be fair i think its plenty for me, a cat and 2 children anyway!

cleggie · 13 February 2012 at 7:23PM

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

Cleggie I know exactly what you mean about "loving" sm etc.

When I was trying to clear my debts & couldn't risk going near "real" shops, the sm became my new BF and my grocery bill shot up to astronomical levels.

I'm better now ... but it's still a real challenge and I often fall short too ...

Thanks rising,
do you have any words of wisdom at all?

i am guessing its just a case of DONT GO IN THE SUPERMARKET!!

scotmumof3 · 13 February 2012 at 7:37PM

Just a quick visit to say got my loo roll from amazon today so a £10 spend there and £13.02 at tesc@ for milk bread chicken and eggs. Hope everyone is well and I will catch up with posts later:)

Spiggle · 13 February 2012 at 7:44PM

cleggie wrote: »

Thanks rising,
do you have any words of wisdom at all?

i am guessing its just a case of DONT GO IN THE SUPERMARKET!!

How about putting it on a post it where you will see it whenever you leave the house cleggie?!?!

Good luck to you and nimbo with your pact, I'm sure you can do it.

All the best,
Spigs

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Grocery Challenge - February 2012

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