March 2019 Grocery Challenge

VickyV · 9 March 2019 at 10:30AM

So, another spend this week between Ald1 and h0me bargains of £50.93, taking my running total to £87.68 for March.
I feel like that's a lot but I did a batch cook and ended up with nearly 2 weeks of evening meals. Also, I suppose when you consider that £6+ gets spent on milk a week and I have 2 cats to feed aswell, that's a tenner.

I find I spend a lot on packed lunches for hungry 10 and 18yr olds; Aldi pepperami things, sandwich fillings, fruit, biscuits, nuts, cereal bars, etc for 2 - probably around £12-£14 a week. Anyone found a way to do cheaper lunches? I do keep intending to do hm flapjack, I will have a go tomorrow.

Vicky x

Ginmonster · 9 March 2019 at 11:08AM

I did a shop on Thursday to stock up for the weekend as we have MIL staying. I got some swanky blueberry hot cross buns which were half price as they were dated that day and they've been absolutely lovely toasted for a treaty breakfast this morning. And no peel in them like normal ones (I hate peel). £22.08 spent in total. Most of it on sensible stuff!

37.37/120

pamsdish · 9 March 2019 at 11:31AM

Visited Asda as friend needed garden centre nearby, £20.44 on a bottle of grouse and 12 tonic waters.
Whilst in garden centre bought 2 silk peonies and 2 reduced rose buds £4.97 for the bottle vases I bought for 40p after Valentines day with dead roses in.

becky170 · 10 March 2019 at 6:33AM

tighteningthebelt wrote: »

Hay fever tablets are very cheap online. I always buy the years worth about now. They're about £4-5 for 6 months worth on amazon, free delivery from proper registered UK chemists, cetirizine or loratidine. I forgot them when I went on holiday and ended up buying a box from a local chemist... £3.30 for 1 box/30 tablets... exactly the same brand and packaging, aaargh.

Thanks thighteningthebelt will check Amazon. My DH is rather fussy and buys the branded ones over non-branded ones even though I keep telling him that they have the same active ingredient

Suffolk_lass · 10 March 2019 at 8:18AM

becky170 wrote: »

Thanks thighteningthebelt will check Amazon. My DH is rather fussy and buys the branded ones over non-branded ones even though I keep telling him that they have the same active ingredient

I bought three packets of the branded ones and then swap the contents of a generic ones into the packet, as they became empty and represent them as new boxes

. I told him at the end of his hay fever season and he is now content to use the generic ones, rather like that shopping thing Greg Wallace does on the TV

[Deleted User] · 10 March 2019 at 11:09AM

OMG - way further ahead than I was hoping. I did do some serious 'Brexit Stocking' and my pantry is bulging, not that I am expecting many shortages, but I just like a quiet life, so being prepared suits me. What are people stocking up on. I have a good supply of pasta, rice, spaghetti, cous cous, bulgar, quinoa, etc and a load of beans, kidney, cannelini, aduki, chickpeas, baked, etc stock cubes, passata, tomato puree, dried soy mince and chunks, thai green paste (can't live without it), long life soya milk, coffee. My freezer has a load of veggies and I will buy and blanch some more. That's it really, sounds a lot, but not really. Oh yeah, and the drinks budget is blown !!!!.

I'm off to a vegan festival soon and then to the pub to watch Arsenal - come on you reds. Different budget. Hopefully no shopping 'till Thurs or Saturday, when I will need to top up on salad stuff. Have a lovely rest of w/e everyone.

flubberyzing · 10 March 2019 at 1:06PM

A 10.65 spend in Tesco this morning. I didn't need much this week, as the meals I have planned, I had most of the fixings already in the house.

The talk on allergy tablets has reminded me that my allergy season is just around the corner... Last year I took a preventative tablet every day, and my allergies were the best they'd been in years. My "season" is from about late March to late July! It only affects my eyes. Loratadine is the only active ingredient that does anything for me. So I'll have a look on Amazon when the time comes!

ditty1234 · 10 March 2019 at 2:15PM

£201/£260
Basically not doing well, have £95 too add for grocery shopping this weekend. Had visitors so bought wine and meat. Also shopped in Sainsbury and stocked up on toiletries including things like foundation, spot cream(not for me) So a bit mad as this now leaves me with £59 for the rest of the month. Freezer and most other things are stocked up though.
When I posted my SOA people seemed to think £260 is generous for 2 people. Do they have an other secret budget for snacks, eating out, don't eat any vegetables, for makeup and other house hold staples? Admittedly I buy quite a lot of snacks for lunches, but I bring lunch 5 days a week and are a member of the office coffee club my son has school lunch once a week, and is away from the house 7-6 4 days a week - hence stacks of bought and home made snacks. I am not judging/feeling judged, just feeling slightly puzzled. I will save receipts for the next few weeks and start to dig in.
Am now questioning logic in using 2. Sainsbury voucher 10.50 off £70 shop?

K9sandFelines · 10 March 2019 at 8:02PM

(

K9sandFelines wrote: »

Everything added ... Sainsburys was £39.43.

I have a missing Morrisons spend from the 7th ... so will add all to total when i remember what it was.

Yesterday (9th) in work i spent £1.12 on two YS multi pack crisps.

Today i had to go to Morrisons as DD1 was short of nappies for GD and as i am looking after her, i wanted to avoid running out. As it happens they could have waited til tomorrow:cool: They wouldnt have come under my budget anyway, as i include food only. I picked up two vegan pizzas (on offer) to have something quick; as DD2 trying to help with GD, aswell as practice for her food tech exam and so we didn't want to spend any more time in the kitchen than was necessary. The pizzas came to £4 and also got milk which was £1.20 and falafels for £1.

So need to add £7.32 and missing spend to total.

[Deleted User] · 10 March 2019 at 9:47PM

I'm

ditty1234 wrote: »

£201/£260 - Basically not doing well. When I posted my SOA people seemed to think £260 is generous for 2 people. Do they have an other secret budget for snacks, eating out, don't eat any vegetables, for makeup and other house hold staples?

I think if you genuinely need to do this for financial reasons, then you can easily knock £100 off that. I do £80 for one (normally) and usually come in under that. There is definately a knack to frugal shopping and it's not about doing without, it's about being flexible and planning. You say you have a load in stock, so try to meal plan for the next 5/6 days out of food in stores (don't buy anything), you'll be amazed how creative you can get, then split your remaining money between two shops, that would be £29 & £30, which is more than enough if you meal plan. I have £30 left to last the month, (i'm not broke, just if i want to stick to the budget I set), but I wanted to bank £20 into a bulk fund, so that would leave £10. I'm gonna have a go as I honestly don't need 'ANYTHING', so Thursday I will spend £5 at the veggie market, which will buy me 5 large bowls of veg/salad, that will fill my fridge as I have lots in and then hopefully I will buy 5 more for the last week. That's the plan - doesn't always work. p.s. I have separate going out and makeup budgets, but include most toiletries (there are exceptions), take aways come out of budget and I set a separate £20 alcohol budget. Hope that was helpful and not preachy.

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March 2019 Grocery Challenge

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