A question about : May 2009 Grocery Challenge
Welcome to the May 2009 Grocery Challenge.
If your new month starts early feel free to join this thread, or if you're still working on your April budget, then keep on posting in the April 2009 Grocery Challenge
As always this challenge is to reduce your own grocery budget to levels that you will be pleased with, not forgetting that we always recommend that you stay inside your own comfort levels and take things gently one step at a time. Remember that this is not a competition....it's designed to take you and your grocery spending to a level you are happy with.
If you are new to the challenge I have quoted the advice from Galtizz below which will help you get started.
Please post into this thread for help and advice and support at any time. Good luck to everyone taking part!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Galtizz I have said this before, but for all the newbies to the challenge; For the first month I took a guess at the budget but I really had no idea how much I was spending. I found the best thing is to have a guess the first month but SAVE ALL OF YOUR RECEIPTS (and yes, that does include the ones from the local shop when you run out of milk ), then at the end of the month add them all up and have a look if you were on budget, if not, it doesn't matter because your budget was a guess. For the next month you can use the total of your receipts and take a bit off to get a realistic budget, just shave off as much as you think you can, it could be Ј1 a week or Ј20 a week. If you are currently spending Ј200 a month don't suddenly drop it to Ј100 - you'll never do it but if you cut Ј20 a month off for a few months you'll get there eventually without feeling you're missing out on anything. You might think you've done everything you can in the first month but someone always comes up with a new idea and, if you try it you often find you save a bit more (unless you are SarahSaver who is an expert at this and could only save more if she turned her back garden into a paddy field and lived on rice ) In the first month I thought, I'm planning meals, I couldn't possibly save any more, but then I started double cooking and freezing, and making soup instead of buying it in tins. I've been doing this since Feb but only saved ALL of my receipts last month, it has given me a much better idea of where it is all going. Budget for next month is Ј80 for 2 of us, I'll start on 30/4. I could probably save more, by eating different foods but I can afford to live on Ј80, I have saved a lot of money since Feb. and I don't waste food or money any more. So I'm happy with my budget. |
For guidelines on posting in this thread please read the second post in this thread.
For everyone's targets and totals for the month please read posts #3 and #4 on this thread.
For the Grocery challenge Recipe Index please see posts #5 and #6 on this thread.
Good luck everyone!
Pink
Best answers:
- Guidelines for posting on the Grocery Challenge thread.
What is the Grocery Challenge thread?
This is a thread where people who are taking part in the Grocery Challenge can post for help encouragement and support and talk about anything related to grocery shopping. We ask that you try to keep on topic and post things that are relevant to the challenge.
Posting grocery budgets and spends for the month
Some people like to post their grocery budget and final spend for each month. If you wish to be included in the master list then please post these in red and in a large font as this makes it easier for the volunteers to keep a record of everyone's totals.
Number of posts
In order to make the thread easier to read it would be helpful if users would try not to post multiple posts in quick succession.
Chat
Chatty posts that are relevant to the Challenge are fine. Irrelevant chat or posts simply saying 'Good morning/Goodnight', 'just popping on to say hello', 'I've sent you a pm' etc aren't, as they clutter up the thread and may be removed to make the thread easier for others to read. Unfortunately the board guides simply don't have the time to pm users individually when posts are removed to keep the thread on topic. If your post has been removed and you are unhappy with the decision, please feel free to send us a pm.
If you want to say thanks to another user please use the thanks button and please post any chat not related to the Grocery Challenge into the Daily Thread or use the pm function.
No Spend days (NSD's)
A number of people like to record that they have had a no spend day. Again to reduce the number of posts we would ask that rather than post just that you had a no spend day you record it in your signature and/or add it to a post that is directly relevant to the Grocery Challenge.
Pictures
Please keep these relevant to the challenge. While photographs of produce or cooking are great, pictures of semi-naked men or large clip art aren't.
Bargains
Please don't forget to check out the Grabbit and Shop but Don't drop boards for any bargains and the Discount Codes 'n Vouchers (online & offline) board to see if there are any current vouchers around.
Questions about recipes, freezing, techniques etc
These don't always fit into the Grocery Challenge. There are a number of threads where it may be more appropriate to ask questions. There is a wealth of information available on the Old Style board so please do a search to see if there is a better thread for your question. For more help with searching see here or feel free to send a private message to a board guide who will be happy to help.
Useful Links to threads on the Old Style board
Quick Questions thread
Recipe thread
Cheap recipe threads
Don't throw food away challenge...
The Complete Cooking Collection
Old Style Daily thread General chat about Old Style (new thread started daily)
Flylady thread Cleaning thread (new thread weekly)
Enough is Enough (decluttering)
Lose weight the Old Style way
Finally if you are new to Old Style and want help to find your way around, this thread may help: Welcome to Old Style and there is some excellent practical help and advice on posting on MSE chat forums in this thread: Unofficial A-Z (Look here first) - annual
Allegra Ј2800
Angelatgraceland Ј6000
Cheerfulness4 Ј1400 Ј470.85
gillst Ј2400
JennyBee Ј1440
Mags50 Ј3000
mama67 Ј1820
Mrsmcawber €1680- €381.21
Mrs Money Penny Ј2700 Ј799.18
Mummy2mygirls Ј3000
Mummzyof2 Ј1200
Nykmedia -Ј1200 Ј559.31
Penny2myName Ј1080
Perrywinkle Ј3600 - Ј104.28
Prudence41 Ј1400-Ј417.85
SAAVYMUMMY Ј5300 Ј1660.61
Savvystudent Ј1500
Sylvan Ј3000
Taka Ј1320
Toonie Ј2040 -Ј689.80
Turbo5019 Ј2000
Yummymummy05 -Ј2800
Monthly
01001011 Ј70
Always Happy Ј200 Ј339.92
Angelnikki Ј250 Ј246.31
Anitaj73 Ј350
Annie123 Ј300 Ј230
Aplaceinthesun Ј320
AuntiH Ј300 Ј298.56
BabyMother Ј320
BarneysMom Ј180
Beki Ј200
belfastgirl23 Ј150 Ј152.57
BlimusOreilly Ј280 Ј226.66
Boo800 Ј200
Boodle Ј120
Brummiebabe Ј375
Buddiebabe Ј150
Carolt2 Ј150 Ј195.32
Changing me Ј280 Ј274.88
Cheapskate Ј450
Chivers1977 Ј150 Ј147.82
Clayremonkey Ј200
Cleosmum Ј220
Clutterydrawer Ј60
Coolmum66 Ј220 Ј186.07
Cornishpixie Ј300 Ј322.03
Coxy11 Ј420 Ј489.33
Cranbornekat Ј250
Crockpot Ј50
CW18 Ј119.50
Dazzle21 Ј140
Dink1 Ј250
DisDisbiff Ј320
Doelani Ј520
DreamingofMoneyЈ300
Earthmother Ј260
Eliza bunny Ј110
Ellemm Ј200 Ј158.88
Essex-girl Ј280
Ess-Six
Eveie189 Ј300 Ј586
Evertheoptomist Ј120 Ј92.34
Fayjmck Ј75
Findingmyfeet Ј300
Flapjack Ј75
Fletch3163 Ј408 Ј361
Flying_Freesian Ј200 Ј158
Focus888 Ј100
Frogger2008 Ј240 Ј246
Frogletina Ј150
Forgetting Ј100
Frugal Swan Ј160
GC81 Ј200
GrandmaSam Ј60
Guns n Banjos Ј185
Highland flingЈ150
Hollysan Ј400
HowlinWolf Ј350
Huxley Ј250 Ј301.17
Ifonlyitwaseasier Ј115
Intergalacticfloozie Ј220
jackiegibbo Ј200 Ј215.68
Jayne C Ј280
Jaycee1972 Ј200
JayJay14 Ј130
Jedilibrarian Ј100
*jellie* Ј200
Jess444 Ј320
Jessie18 Ј330
Jinky67 Ј200
Jintyb Ј140
JulieMK Ј120 Ј117.43
Kalojac Ј280
Katiecoodle Ј300
KayJay1809 Ј300
Keys Ј240
KezLou Ј200 Ј179.68
Kiwiblue $100
KjSam Ј300 Ј345.26 - Lainz Ј42
Little_Miss_moneysaver Ј70
LizzieShep Ј40
MaisieM Ј150
Meanmarie €290
Merzal Ј40
miecherox Ј300
millieJo Ј300
Millyscarlett Ј220 Ј214.92
Miss Liquorice Ј31
Miss-Spent Ј220
Money Saving Diva Ј330
MoneyQueen Ј100
Moniker Ј270
Moonflower Ј230
MotherShipton Ј350
Mouche Ј100
MountainAsh Ј75
MrsGibbs1503 Ј300
Mrs Irwin Ј200
Mrs-MoneyPenny Ј400
MrsPoor Ј225
Mrssnowy Ј180
Mummygems Ј375
Natty68 Ј320
Newlywed Ј350
Nickynoo08 Ј150
Ninno820 Ј120
Nmlc Ј350 Ј413.96
Orchid96 Ј250
patent girl Ј300
Philsmum Ј130
PinknFluffy Ј375
Pipkin71 Ј250
Pip-Squeak Ј100
Pixie1 Ј150
Poohbear59 Ј200 Ј172.25
PoppyJoe Ј200
princess leia Ј250
Procrastinator Ј200
Prophecy-grrl Ј200
Purpleclutterbuck Ј300
Rach Ј170
rachelmk Ј200 Ј165
Rockie4 Ј180 Ј183.09
Russet red Ј425
Sabs10 Ј150 Ј185.46
SadsadJenJen Ј400
Sashanut Ј225
Saving for Oz Ј50 Ј46.08
SAV3R Ј375 Ј377.24
SAVVYMUMMY Ј300 Ј379.20
ScotSaver Ј250
Searching Me Ј200
Sharon-1970 Ј320
Sharonej Ј100
Shortie Ј200
Sillyinthepast Ј250
Sistercas Ј400 Ј418.02
Sun Addict Ј290
SunnyDay Ј120
Sunny Donny Ј160
Sunny girl Ј450 Ј366.36
Sunshinegirl Ј250
S_Wales_Saver Ј250
TattyCath Ј200 Ј280
Taye Ј250 Ј234.55
TheBees Ј360
TheSkintFamily Ј160
Thriftlady Ј400
Urg123 Ј100
Vixstar Ј90
Wmf Ј160
WigWam Ј200
zend Ј200
ZippyChick Ј60
Weekly
Flylady_Flower Ј60
Penny Pincher Ј65
WannabeSybil Ј60 - Microwave Recipes
Main Meals & Side Dishes
Bacon and Carrot Soup
Bacon and Cheese Fritatta with Tomato Salsa
Bacon and potato salad -Warm
Baked potato pizza
Baked Beans (home made)
Beef - Brisket
Beef Curry Dopiaza (Delia recipe)
Beef Stifado (Jamie Olive recipe)
Beef and Root Veg Curry
Belly Pork
Bolognaise (Remoska)
Broad Bean Burgers
Broccoli and Cheese Soup
Burgers
Carrot, parsnip and lentil soup
Chicken Cannelloni
Chicken - Cheat's Chicken Cassoulet
Chicken - Parmesan Chicken
Chicken - Sticky Chicken
Chicken & Sweetcorn Soup
Chicken Fried Rice
Chicken, leek and bacon pie / pasties
Chicken with Cannellini Beans
Chicken with Garlic, Cider & Cream
Chilli
Chilli (Remoska)
Chilli Bean Tortillas
Chilli Cheese Crostini
Chilli chicken with jasmine rice (BBC food)
Chinese style cabbage
Cobbler (topping) see below for Minced Beef with Cobbler Topping
Corned Beef Hash - MrsMCawber's recipe
Courgette Fritters
Cranberry & Soy glazed cocktail sausages
Creamy Chicken and Potato casserole
Creamy Lentil and Rice Dish (Khircheri) (BBC website)
Curried Parsnip Soup
Curry Sauce
Diet Coke Chicken
Duchesse potatoes
Faggoty Pea Stew
Falafel burgers
Fishcakes
Fish Pie and Fish Pie
Fusilli with Broccoli
Gammon and lentil soup
Ham and Lentil Soup
Ham Hock (slow cooker)
Ham Salad (sandwich filling) external link
Hummus and Garlic Pitta Breads
Iced cucumber soup
Individual chicken pies
Lamb curry and paratha
Lamb Hotpot
Lasagne
Leek and Potato Soup
Moniker's Leek and Potato Soup
Leek and sweet potato soup
Lemon Chicken
Lemon chicken with basil and tagliatelle
Lemon potatoes
Liver and onions stir fry
Macaroni Cheese
Meatballs
Meatloaf
Mediterranean Mince and Potato 'Pie'
Mediterranean Vegetable Pasta
Mince & onion pie
Minced Beef Curry
Minced Beef with Cobbler Topping
Mini Goat's Cheese, Pear & Walnut Quiche
Monday Pie
Moroccan Chickpea and Broad Bean Soup
Moussaka
Naan bread - see 'Bread' below
Onion Bhaji
Onion Soup
Open top 'pizza' pie
Oxtail Stew + Oxtail Soup
Parsnip & Apple Soup
Pasta Cheese and Onion Bake
Pea & Ham Soup
Pizza / Pizza Base Recipe
Pork Burgers with Salad
Pork and Beef Meatballs
Pork Steaks in Mustard and Cider Sauce
Potato layer bake
Potato Layer Bake
Potato layer bake (Teisen datws)
Potatoes - Lemon Potatoes
Potatoes - Twice Baked Potatoes
Potato Wedges, Home Made
Quiche Lorraine
Real Tomato Soup
Salad, Russian
Salmon and Dill Fishcakes
Sausage and Rice bake
Sausage and Tomato Spaghetti
Sausage Casserole or Sausage Casserole
Sausage Meat Patties
Slow Cooker French Onion Soup
Smoked salmon soda breads
Smoked Salmon - Tagliatelle with Smoked Salmon
Soup - Red pepper, carrot & lentil soup
Spaghetti with courgettes, tomato and brie
Spicy Bean and Lentil Loaf
Spicy Bean & Sweet Potato Stew
Spicy Carrot and Tomato Soup
Split Pea and Courgette Soup
Steak and Kidney stew/pie filling
Steamed Oriental Buns
Stifado - Beef Stew With Tiny Onions Recipe
Stuffing - MrsMcawber's recipe
Suet crust pie with quorn
Super Tasty Bacon, Bean and Sausage
Sweet & Sour Chicken/Pork
TexMex Skillett
Thai green curry
Toad in the Hole
Tofu burgers
Tuna Fishcakes
Tuna Lasagne
Turkey and Bubble and Squeak Pie
Turkey Pasta
Turkey Pasta Cacciatore
Vegetable Casserole
Vegetable Soup
Veggie Haggis
Bread
Bagels
Baguettes
Bara Brith (Welsh Tea Bread)
Basic white bread recipe (makes a 2lb loaf)
Bread - Mrs McC's recipe for Remoska
Breadsticks MrsM's / angelnikki's (No Salt Recipe)
Cheese & Potato Bread
Cheesy Bread Rolls
Chewy Soft Flour Tortilla
Chocolate Bread
Courgette Flatbread
Focaccia
Garlic Dough Balls
Herb Quick bread
HM Bread
Lahmachun
Naan Bread .. see also .. Curry Queen's ...... Mrs McCawber's ...... OrkneyStar's
Oatmeal bread
soft bread rolls
Super Seedy Bread - Dips, Jams & Chutneys and Drinks
Alioli / Traditional allioli
Christmas Chutney
Elderberry cordial
Jams & Preserves
Pineapple Salsa
Tomato Chutney
Lemon Squash
Cakes, Biscuits, Snacks & Desserts
Apple delight
Apple Charlotte
Apple - Microwave Autumn Apple Cake
Apricot Flapjack bars
Bakewell Tart
Banana and lemon drizzle cake
Banana Muffins (wholemeal)
Banana Muffins
Banana and Walnut cake
Banana Ginger Parkin
Branflake cake
Bounty Balls
Bran Fruit Loaf
Bread & Butter Pudding
Bulk pancake mix
Buttercream topping
Caramel Shortbread (Millionaire's Shortbread)
Caramel Shortbread (2)
Cheese n marmite twists
Cheesy Biscuits
Chocolate fudge
Chocolate Fudge Cake
Chocolate Krackolates
Coconut Cake
Cookie Dough
Courgette Tea Bread/Muffins
Cranberry And Chocolate Brownies
Currant Loaf
Custard Cookies
D&DD's Apple Braid
Date, Nut and Oat biscuits
Easy Syrup Sponge Pudding
Eggless Chocolate Cake
Fifteens
Flaky Bars
Flapjacks and Flapjacks
Gingerbread Men
Ginger Raisin Crunches
Golden Syrup Tart
Healthy Snack Bars
Honey Frosted Buns
Iced Buns
Impossible Coconut Pie
Jammy Buns
Key lime pie
Krispie marshmallow bars
Lemon Curd Cake
Lemon Curd Ice-Cream JeniD's / MoneySavingDiva's
Malt Bread
Marshmallow Squares
Mascarpone and Lime Torte
Mascarpone Ice-cream
Millies Cookies
Mince Squares
Muffins: Basic Recipe / Chocolate Orange Muffins (1) / Chocolate Orange Muffins (2) / Gingerbread Muffins / Kiwi Muffins / Sticky Date Muffins / Strawberry Muffins / Toffee Apple Muffins
No fat sponge
Oaty Pancakes
Oaty Shortbread Biscuits
Peanut Butter Cookies
Scones
Spiced Apple Bars
St Peter's Mud Pie (no cooking required)
Sticky gingerbread
Sticky toffee apple crumble
Teacakes
Twink's Hobnobs
Weetabix Brownies
Weetabix Cake
Weetabix Fruit Loaf
Wonderbites
Yoghurt: Homemade yoghurt, Slow Cooker Yoghurt
Yoghurt Cake (the easy way)
Pastry
The best mince pie pastry ever
Pastry economics
Making pastry
Basic pastry
Flaky Pastry (BBC Food)
Top Tips (OS threads)
Batch cooking ideas
Complete Menu Plans Collection
Cooking for the Freezer
Meal building blocks for the freezer
Grocery Challenge Top Tips
External links
Batch Bake Minced Beef Recipe
How to feed your whole family a healthy, balanced diet... (Webook)
Laundry Washing Gel/ Gloop, Fab conditioner, vinegar.....
List of conversions
Love Food Hate Waste website
Show Jamie How To Cook On A Budget Champagne Contest - I finish April's challenge tomorrow with my last shop of the month so will post my totals there, but I'll go for Ј450 again as it the eldest two's birthday so there'll be cakes to make & nibbles to put on for their friends. Good luck everyone
- I will go for Ј300 this month as I am finding it so hard and demoralising at Ј250
Lets hope this strategy works But we are away for a few days at the end of may which we will need to get some bits to take with us (plus its half term) and DS birthday party to cater for so its still gonna be tough!
Good luck everyone!! - I don't start spending May's budget until 1st, but signing up for Ј119.50 please Mrs M.
I am, however, hoping to come seriously under this due to the huge stock-piles I need to start wading though (house declutter keeps turning up stuff that needs using due to dates on them), plus whilst we're without our bigger local supermarket I find I'm not trotting out as often to check Whoopsies :rolleyes2 - Hi, my month started already - can you put me down for Ј350 please?
I did a bit better last month (but still over ). - Can you put me down for Ј180 please Mrs M?
I'm going to try harder this month due to the last few failures
Going to do menu plans later today and then seeing as how Mr T has sent me a voucher 'cos he hasn't seen me for a while :rolleyes:
I'll do a online shop for basics and hopefully find time amongst the working/decorating/grandchildren minding this weekend to do a freezer cook! - Thank you for adding me again this month. Was pleased to come under budget again in April so think I'm doing ok, not going to shave anything off my budget yet but keeping under Ј200 a month for groceries and toiletries I think is good.
No need for an icelands visit this weekend, with menu planning I think I have another 2 weeks at least in the freezer. Just be top up of bread, milk, fruit really.
Hope everyone gets on well in May's challenge - Morning all
Nice new shiney thread.... Im planning a super frugal month again ... have worked out that so far this year I have spent Ђ325 when my annual budget would allow for Ђ560 to have been spent so far -so I'm well under budget ...and I have enough cheese, bread flour, wash powder, loo rolls, coffee, yoghurts, chorizo, salami, to last for several months plus plenty of other stuff too. Can't wait for the veggies to start fruiting -that will save us even more -hopefully
I think that for this week at least -the most we will need will be potatoes, onions and oranges
I have made a big bowl of pasta salad for lunch -the last of the roast chicken wanted using -so thats out of the way now,
Have some bread proving in the remoska -have a real fancying for beans on toast for dinner:confusedr maybe just salad sandwiches nomnomnom
Hope everyone has a good month - Can I join in please?
I have for some time been whittling down my food budget. I have found that a 2 week menu planning session works well for me. I plan and buy my food according to what ingredients I have/need for the fortnight. I did use lidl for a while and was spending about Ј75.00 for the fortnight but then spent about Ј40 ish in the local shop. I am currently using tesco or asda and spending Ј130 per fortnight but no extras except milk and bread. I would love to get it lower but I am feeding myself, hubby, DS 17, DD1 15, DD2 11. I cook from scratch and dont do processed foods so I dont mind this amount but obvously spending less whilst still eating very well is high on the agenda. - Have lots of food which will carry over into May but am down to one dishwasher tablet and milk which I thought was in freezer isn't there, so may have to do a small shop to-day, will take it from May budget but will have to be very careful as I would like to cut down a bit more if possible.
Good luck everybody
Marie - Hi
Please put me down for Ј65 per week, but this will include diesel also.
DD is having packed lunches atm, so a little more food will be brought. Do have alot in though, but any money saved is going towards a few days away for OH & I.
Thanks
PP
xx - Can I join again please? My budget will be Ј520.
This is only for food and babystuff ( grandchild) as have allowed seperat money for petrol.
Can I ask please????? I normally withdraw grocery money from bank, do others find it easier weekly or monthly ?
I ahve been using tesco online a lot but going to try and stop it , or at least only once a month as seem to spend to much. Or maybe do a tesco order every second week and then withdraw the difference between the price of it and my weekly budget.
Can I ask how others do it , weekly cash or montly ? - Good Morning All and Good Luck for May! I have had to instruct DH to pick up some Potatoes today when he finishes work. Of course the instructions included 'be thrifty' and 'remember my grocery challenge'. Have to admit though, he is developing an eye for a bargain so hopefully he won't buy any unnecessary extra's. Hoping to do a bit better in May but I'm worried my budget is set too low to be realistic -going to give it a bash though. Can't decide whether to make Fish Pie today or Lasagne:confused:
Have a nice day! - can i join please? have done an inventory of freezer and pantry and would like to post a budget of Ј125 for may.this is for groceries and toiletries for one ,have visiting ds x3 and dgk x 7 who drop in,but with some meal planning and cake making,hopefully should be ok!!!
- hi
doelani...welcome i get money out weekly...i find it easier but its trial and error really to see what suits u best...good luck
we are having spaghetti carbonara for tea tonite i got some pots or the sauce reduced to 15p in sainsburys and they have frzen and defrosted really well...i shall get some more if i see it reduced....i have made a plum crumble for pudding...i put the plumbs on to stew last night and forgot about them...oh asked what was cooking and i thought @Ј$@ ive burnt them but they were really nicely cooked...ill have to leave them on for longer next time as they turn out well
further to the fish pie/lasagne for tea they both sound nice...has anyone tried the fishpie mix on the fish counter in sainsburys and tesco ? its got cubes of different fish in it...salmon cod etc...its really nice
im debating my budget at the mo...will stick on sig later
good luck in may
tess
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