October 2016 Grocery Challenge

XSpender · 3 October 2016 at 9:46PM

Spent again yesterday so we are now at £123.70/£500.

Finally managed a day today where I didn't spend any money on food and persuaded DH to eat something out of the freezer and not order a takeaway even if we did drift off the meal plan.

I have a £4.50 off £35 voucher for Mr S and that is the max I want to spend this weekend. We do need dog food but he does have some meaty chunks I will need to use to stretch out his wet food.

lynnejk · 3 October 2016 at 10:54PM

Hiya everyone

Managed another NSD here today :j

Hope you all have a super Tuesday
Lx

blubella · 4 October 2016 at 3:51AM

Morning All

I've spent a total of £35.37 since 26th Sep, that's on mini shops. Have £95.70 to last me, so far so good.

Did loads of cooking over the weekend, using up some of the garden veg, we made a squash gratin, squash tagine, ricotta and squash ravioli and we still have a quarter of a squash left. Going to be quashed out soon.

BF also turned up with a tonne of apples so I used up the puff pastry in the freezer and attempted tarte tatin.... not bad

Does anyone keep a freezer inventory? BF laughed when i started compiling one the other day.

t14cy_t · 4 October 2016 at 6:46AM

spends of £11 yesterday on the basics. so, £69 for rest of the month. have a lovely day everyone. xx

Burly_Shirley · 4 October 2016 at 6:56AM

I'm managing to get confused over my own rules.

This is my first month of the grocery challenge. I had already committed to a work meal out (only happens once or twice a year) so decided that came or of my entertainment budget. I don't actually have an entertainment budget

but it didn't seem right to include it within the grocery budget.

In realising this has blurred the lines for me. I met a new friend at the weekend and, as we had been walking in the rain, we stopped at a cafe for a coffee. Instead we had soup and a sandwich and I spent £9.80!!! Considering my batch cooking created 13 meals for £3.13, this is a ridiculous extravagance.

My question to myself is, should this come from my grocery budget or my "entertainment budget"?

Whilst writing this post, I've answered my own question. It's coming or if grocery, otherwise I could cheat every bloomin' lunchtime.

Thanks for listening

pamsdish · 4 October 2016 at 7:40AM

Does anyone keep a freezer inventory? BF laughed when i started compiling one the other day.

Yes I do, otherwise I forget what`s in them, especially my own prepared meals.

Margaret_ · 4 October 2016 at 9:17AM

Burly_Shirley wrote: »

I'm managing to get confused over my own rules.

This is my first month of the grocery challenge. I had already committed to a work meal out (only happens once or twice a year) so decided that came or of my entertainment budget. I don't actually have an entertainment budget but it didn't seem right to include it within the grocery budget.

In realising this has blurred the lines for me. I met a new friend at the weekend and, as we had been walking in the rain, we stopped at a cafe for a coffee. Instead we had soup and a sandwich and I spent £9.80!!! Considering my batch cooking created 13 meals for £3.13, this is a ridiculous extravagance.

My question to myself is, should this come from my grocery budget or my "entertainment budget"?

Whilst writing this post, I've answered my own question. It's coming or if grocery, otherwise I could cheat every bloomin' lunchtime.

Thanks for listening

I rarely eat or drink out but when I do I take it from my 'spending' money which is £5 per week. It's for meeting up with friends for a coffee, books from the charity shop or anything that's not an essential. If I don't spend it one week it rolls over into the next but whatever is left at the end of the month goes into savings. I don't know if that's similar to how you use your entertainment budget, but this seems to work for me.

I've just been to do my first shop of the month and spent £14.22 which is a lot but it's my 'big' shop at the beginning of the month and includes 830g of cheese and some herbs and spices I'd run out of. I'm planning next weeks shop to be half of that.

Save
Save

elsiepac · 4 October 2016 at 12:22PM

Hi everyone!

Ok, I failed miserably in September - didn't even get to the point of setting a budget, let alone sticking to one! I started October in the same vein but have spent the last two days sorting out finances. resetting all my budgets and generally giving myself a stern talking to!
Therefore, I'd like to set a budget for the remainder of October, for £80 please.
This is for all groceries, cleaning products, toiletries etc. Pets are NOT included as I have a separate budget for them as I run a small animal rescue and have fairly large costs because of it but I do also sometimes get donations.

My fridge currently has plenty of veg, but I do go through veg very quickly indeed. I also have a couple of special blocks of flavoured tofu that I must try and save for when I really want them, as they are such a treat and have fairly long expiries (end of Oct).
I have some vegan cheese which isn't something I usually buy but I wanted to try the new Sainsbury's range. One of them is feta style so I was planning on a greek salad but the weather has been so cold that I just want soups and stews and things!!
I have potatoes and onions galore, plus a few tins of beans and a couple of chopped tomatoes. Also a couple of sweetcorn. I am well stocked up on nuts, seeds and grains (rice, barley, cous cous, bulgar wheat, plus lentils etc). (I always keep my jars topped up as I go as it's much better than having to bulk buy a load you've run out of!)

My "unknown entity" is my freezer. The bottom drawer is fine - only has some individual breakfast baked oatmeal things and some super seed bars in there that I made the other day, and a couple of veggie burgers. But the mystery is the big middle drawer - NO idea what is lurking!!! And whatever is, will have been there a LONG time! Top drawer is basically iced over and only contains ice cubes I THINK.

So my job for tonight is to sort out the freezer and actually chuck stuff I'm never going to use! and PLAN to use what I can of the rest! I want some room for batch cooking as it's definitely that time of year for casseroles, stews, soups, chillies, curries and so on!

It's really inspiring reading through all your posts so thank you all, and I'll try not to be a stranger!

elsie x

thriftwizard · 4 October 2016 at 2:48PM

Eeeek! £90.97 spent on Sunday & today, mostly at Pets@Home & Ma&ro; really it's at least two months worth of cat litter etc. but with an extra moggy in the house, albeit temporarily, I'm playing safe!

mrs_Badger · 4 October 2016 at 3:46PM

Dry dog food bought £30, signature updated.

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October 2016 Grocery Challenge

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