Hi Everyone!
WEEK 1-GROCERY SPENDING UPDATE
Our Weekly Budget is £20. Our Annual Stockpiling Budget is £240 or £20 per month
Like many of you we have lots in the freezer so this is what we have spent our GROCERY MONEY on this week:
2 x 4 pints of Mik =3.00-for last and this week
Multiseed Bread = 1.50
Washing up Liq = 1.60*
Potatoes = 1.95
2 x Creme Fraiche = 1.70-for last and this week
Clementines = 2.50*
2 x Smoked Salmon=5.58-for last and this week
Salad Potatoes =0.49
Washing Liquid =1.60
Oranges =2.20
Cucumber =1.25
Eggs =2.15
Houmous =0.95
Weekly spend = 21.33-
£1.33 OVER! :(
Over but in our defence Mr Sft bought clementines not oranges and washing up liquid not washing liquid. So we had to buy those too. Not really his fault.
So we have 18.67 left for this week, of which we have already spent £6.37 so actually £13.63 left but I hope we have everything we need so we could be in credit!
STOCKPILING-Was £20 per month but we've decided to have an annual total of £240 instead.
This was prompted after our first purchase from Approved Foods. If we'd only spent £20 we would have been charged £5 delivery but when spending £30 we weren't. So it made sense to spend £30. Our bread mix was on offer for just over half the normal price we pay. Also gravy granules were on offer for half the price too. And some cereal pots for a third of the price. Very excited but this leaves our stockpiling total at £209.74 for the year. I have taken photos of our order but can't load them on the page yet.
We are yet to buy the Quorn Sausages on offer in T*sco too so that will bring the total down too.
We are yet to buy the Quorn Sausages on offer in T*sco too so that will bring the total down too.
Stockpiling has always been fantastic for us and we have ended up saving a fortune.
Menu Planning - Week 1
Monday
Cornflakes
Treated to a lunch on our 1st aid course! Yummy!
Mr Sft Homemade Burger/Sft-Veggie Sausages (TB), mash (TB) and carrots (Gifted)
Tuesday
Dorset Cereal (from Approved Foods)
Cheese and Cucumber Sandwich and Clementine
Sft-Veggie Sausages (TB), Baked Beans (UU) on Toast (TB)
Mr Sft at his parents for dinner
Mr Sft at his parents for dinner
Wednesday
Dorset Cereal (from Approved Foods)
Dorset Cereal (from Approved Foods)
School Lunch-Salad with fruit
Tomato Soup
Mr Sft-Omlette (Eggs TB/Onions-Home Grown/Bacon (RP)
Thursday
Dorset Cereal (from Approved Foods)
School Lunch-Salad with fruit
Tomato Soup
Mr Sft-Burger (RP Mince), Potato Wedges (TB) and Baked Beans (UU)
Friday
Dorset Cereal (from Approved Foods)
School Lunch-Salad with fruit
Veggie Sausages (TB) Baked Beans (UU) on Toast (TB)
Saturday
Scrambled egg on toast
Leek and Potato Soup
Smoked Salmon Pasta
Sunday
Scrambled egg on toast
Leek and Potato Soup
Fish Pie
What's on your menu this week?
Are you eating well on a budget?
Are you budgeting your Grocery Spending?
Have you tried Approved Foods?
Sft x
Saturday
Scrambled egg on toast
Leek and Potato Soup
Smoked Salmon Pasta
Sunday
Scrambled egg on toast
Leek and Potato Soup
Fish Pie
What's on your menu this week?
Are you eating well on a budget?
Are you budgeting your Grocery Spending?
Have you tried Approved Foods?
Sft x
We are definitely cutting back the spending on food this year whilst trying to eat more healthily. Made a lovely lentil soup yesterday for pennies a portion! :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried Approved Foods before. Do they send you out-of-date stuff?
Yes they do.
DeleteIf you do use them go through one of the bloggers who put a link on their posts and they get some money off! E.g. Sue -Our New Life in the Country or Frugaldom. 1st delivery over £30 is free.
I will certainly use it again from time to time. It has saved us
£18 on bread mix
£6 on our gravy granules
£3.96 on cereal
So a grand total of £27.96! Not bad!
I will have to be disciplined, like I am in the supermarket and not browse, just keep to what I would buy.
Sft x
I should be as disciplined as you and stop browsing when I've found the bargains that I need for the storecupboard, it's when I'm not that we end up with chocolate santas for Easter and Easter bunnies for Halloween :-)
DeleteSue xx
I keep looking at the Approved Foods website but haven't seen a deal for food we 'need' yet.
DeleteI have all the money for the month in a tin, it makes it more real for us.
Sft x
I have been using AF for some time now and find it excellent most of the time. The odd problem has soon been rectified. We had been buying loo roll in bulk from them, too, but they seem to have run out the last time I ordered and at the moment Tesco and Co-op are both selling it cheaper than AF did, so I am planning to stock up from them when I get the chance. We buy things for the store cupboard, for the lunch boxes, tinned items, packets of dried soup, biscuits, etc and whilst it may be past its best-before date sometimes, it is always safe to eat/use. I also use ROSSPA which also sell fresh fruit/veg/meat/dairy etc and send it by overnight courier. I used them to do my Christmas shop and we have only just finished the fruit and veg - I think there might be some apples left...I'd recommend both companies.
ReplyDeleteHi Morgan,
DeleteThat's good to hear. I like to go by personal recommendation. Haven't heard of ROSSPA, they sound great too.
Sft x
For the next couple weeks I'm trying to use up stuff in the freezers. Impulsive hubby is not being helpful. :-{ He doesn't want to wait for something to thaw...or he's 'in the mood' for something...and so on. He'll get used to it tho! LOL
ReplyDeleteI'm starting to clip coupons again, so that will help. And I'll work on a comparison shopping list so I'll know where the best deals are. Himself is retired military so we shop at commissary weekly.
Hi Teri,
DeleteGood to hear you are training up 'impulsive hubby'. Fortunately Mr Sft loves my meal planning and as long as I explain to him exactly what I want, is happy to buy only what is on the shopping list.
We've got some coupons to use too, but they give us extra loyalty points. Will only use those for things we would buy anyway I think.
What is a commissary weekly?
Sft x
The commissary is the grocery store on the army base that is just for the soldiers and retired soldiers. There is no mark-up on the prices, no taxes, and only a 5%-ish surcharge on the total bill. You can use coupons at face value. There are no 'store brands'.
DeleteIt's interesting to compare prices with off the base. At the stores in town some things are hugely marked up and others not hardly at all... or even are lower (sales 'loss leaders').
We live so far out in the country it takes us about 45 minutes to drive up, so we only go once a week... and combine stops we need to make at other places on the same trip.
Thanks for explaining that Teri.
DeleteYou must saving lots of money by being able to go there Teri.
Sft x
I've never used Approved Food, but it looks like you can get some great deals. I think I'll have to look at the site a bit more closely.
ReplyDeleteHi Jo,
DeleteI would, you can save so much as long as you buy what you would otherwise.
I'll be interested to hear how you get on.
Sft x
I went shopping without leaving the house yesterday - I just headed upstairs to the stockpile and came back downstairs with a carrier bag full of stuff to refill the kitchen cupboards. We're living out of the cupboards and freezer and eating well. I'll be making a few different soups this week so that I can freeze some, aswell as shepherds' pies, curries and aduki bean kievs.
ReplyDeleteHi Scarlet,
DeleteThat's lovely! Shopping from home! LOL! And that you took your carrier bag too. Very frugal and savy.
We'll be shopping as much as possible from our cupboards/freezer too!
And make the food stretch!!!!!
Sft x
The only things I have in my freezer are veggie sausages, peas, sweetcorn, soya beans and mice for the snake! I made 4 portions of curry though from greening potatoes, tinned tomatoes, onions, half a pack of mushrooms in the fridge and lentils and rice from the cupboard. Dried beans and lentils are the cheapest thing to eat and so good for you! Also been making my own bread and pasta, gonna be doing homemade houmous with homemade pizza dough bread for lunches once I'm out of curry!
ReplyDeleteHi Plumes,
DeleteLovely to hear from you.
You sound so experienced with stretching food and working on a budget.
I would love to use more dried beans and lentils. They scare me.
I thought you'd missed the 'n' out of mice. Not so! LOL!
Sft x
My first order came today! They forgot one thing, so I'm hoping that'll be refunded, but apart from that everything looks great. I'll post pics tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteYou're doing great with your grocery spending - very inspiring :)
Hi Laura!
DeleteHow exciting that we both got our first order today.
I hope to get my pics posted too. I'm really pleased too.
Thanks for the support.
Sft x
Youare doing well with the grocery shopping. I might have to look into Approved foods, I have heard them mentioned a few times now.
ReplyDeleteWe menu planned for the month using the cupboard/ freezer goods. We will only need to buy things like milk and possibly some fruit and veg towards the end of the month- we have more than enough in the fridge to be getting on with.
Hi Sarah,
DeleteI hope you investigate Approved foods!
Wow! You have planned so well this month. I am impressed.
Sft x
I have just enjoyed reading all of your posts that I had missed while I was away. You have had such a lovely time in Cornwall and I certainly hope you have managed to lose that cold. It's funny to think that I had exactly the same thing at the same time as you, it took exactly two weeks from start to end - grrrr!
ReplyDeleteWe have the The Mousehole Cat book, bought in Mousehole by the MIL.
We are mulling over possibilities of overseas travel while William is in Switzerland, several possibilities ranging from a quick jaunt across the ditch to Oz, Or further afield like Hong Kong, Singapore, USA, or even CORNWALL! It just depends on how far we want to push the boat out.
I budget $350/week, (£180), which must blow you away! It blows me away at times too, especially as I go over more than I go under! This does not include most of our meat which is home grown and vegetables & fruit in summer which we also grow. We eat well, I love cooking up all sorts, like to have a fully stocked pantry so i can cook up whatever I feel like without having to go shopping first and have have staff to feed seasonally which also bumps it up, eek we a almost at that time of year again - harvest meals.
Good luck with your healthy eating plan and your walking! I am looking forward to supporting you :-)
Did you visit the Moeraki Boulders north of Dunedin while you we're in NZ? Some of your Cornish beach photos reminded me of that beach.
Sx
Hi Sandra,
DeleteWe must be 'twins' sharing that horrible cold! Glad you liked the Cornwall posts. How funny that you have 'The Mousehole Cat' in NZ!
And it's so exciting that you are planning overseas travel. Looking forward to hearing more about that!
What a wonderful food budget! I don't think it matters what people spend, as long as they waste food!
I am hoping the healthier eating plans and walking help! It's really hard to plan walking during the week, when you go to work in the dark and come home in the dark.
Not sure we did visit those boulders? Stayed in the Otago (is that right?) peninsula. Lovely area. Would love to go back.
Sft x
That's a really great tip on Approved Foods - thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi Donna,
DeleteIt's worth looking them up. We are very pleased.
Sft x
I wish we had something like approved foods here. We have nothing to compare. I try to use coupons when I can and stock up when there are good deals at the supermarket. I have told DH that we will be 'shopping' from our freezer a lot more than we have been in the past. It's always been so easy to eat out because nothing is defrosted. We're both retired now so we have no excuse not to get a little more organized.
ReplyDeleteHi Janice,
DeleteLovely to hear from you. Shame to hear you don't have something similar to Approved Foods. But it's great that you use coupons, they can save you loads.
Great idea to shop from the freezer, whilst you can. Getting a take away or eating out is all too easy isn't it? But it wrecks a budget.
Sft x
I like the idea of budgeting a separate fund for stockpiling non-perishables. I need to do that.
ReplyDeleteWe basically eat a diet of fresh organic veg and fruit which is very expensive here but I try to economize as much as possible. I do have to drive 100 miles one way to shop. We raise our own grass-fed beef and I do all the butchering so we do have quality meat to eat. We rarely eat any type of meat that does not come from the farm.
Hi Marjorie,
DeleteMy budgeting allows me to keep spends down.
You are so lucky eating lots of lovely organic food. And having to drive 100 miles to shop is certainly an incentive not to spend!
Your diet sounds very healthy.
Sft x
wow, I am so impressed with your discipline. I'm a farmwife in the US trying to cut way back on expenses as well. Fortunately we grow all our own meat but it stil "costs" us to do so. I'll definately be back to see how you're doing.
ReplyDeleteHi Donna,
DeleteLovely to hear from you. We are trying to be disciplined!
Like Majorie (above), you must have a very healthy diet.
Good luck with cutting back your expenses.
Sft x
I am impressed by the tiny totals. Our food budget it such a mess. I try hard to keep costs down and am trying to feed us out of the freezer. i won't even go into my meal planning woes.
ReplyDeleteI thought this may make you smile. Last night my son was complaining about the amount of change in his wallet. There was over $40. I tried to get some for my pot. Anyway the idiot spent it all on silly things and then found out this afternoon that his health insurance was not covering the dental work he had done. Of course he did not have enough money.
Hi Suze,
DeleteYes, that made me smile! He should have shared his luck, what goes around comes around, doesn't it?
Sft x
Oh dear. I have just come back to my spot at the table and there are a pile of grocery catalogues waiting. Many items have been circled. Dare I look or wait till the morning so I sleep.
ReplyDeleteHi Suze,
DeleteUnless those have been circle by you, I would file them in the bin!
If you did circle those, sleep on it!
Sft x
Everyone has been told I am not shopping until Thursday. I do not mind topping up bread, if I don't make it. But I dislike having to buy things at random but that is how my mother operates. I think it is a hang over from rationing and the war. My grandmother was a professional pastry chef and I am told they never went hungry but wow mum hoards food.
DeleteOh, good for you, sticking to your guns and not giving in.
DeleteI can understand your mum's hoarding however. My parents are war children, they only hoard chocolate, but is that because of sweet rationing.
Sft x
I'd never heard of improved foods; like the sound of them though.
ReplyDeleteI'm getting better at stockpiling/eating on a budget - I never had a freezer in my last house, which was difficult but I'm making the most of having one now. I get a couple of free pints of milk most weeks so I've been able to keep them and freeze them, instead of having to give them away. And guess where the money I save from not buying milk goes ;)
Hi Lonestarsky,
DeleteHope you can look up Approved Foods.
Good to hear that your stockpiling and eating are going well. I presume all that milk comes from work-excellent-I'm impressed.
I'm guessing the money goes in the sealed pot! Don't forget to tell us how you are getting on in SEALED POT SUNDAY!
Sft x
I love Approved Foods, but on my last order, I ordered 20 packs of Bread Sauce, however when it turned up there were about 90 packs!!!! Everyone had bread sauce for Christmas!!! xxx
ReplyDeleteHi Fran,
DeleteThat is so funny! Didn't they want it back then?
Sft x
We buy in bulk from a whole food wholesaler in Truro, so have sacks of grains, flour & pulses, plus cases of herbal teas always in our "shop" (our spare bedroom). Sime picks up any tinned foods like tomatoes if he sees any on special offer when out, but we've boycotted a lot of big name foods for years because of their ethics - we just buy any extras from the Co-op & our local health shop.
ReplyDeleteKay :)
Hi Kay,
DeleteYes, I like the co-op too. You have a brilliant approach to shopping. I'd love to be able to shop like you.
I am doing much better with my eating however...no grazing for almost a week, just sticking to main meal times.
Sftx
Kay, it's good to see another boycotter here! I try hard, but it's not always easy. Now we have no Canadian department store and even the local stores are mostly a bus ride away. So I do shop in US stores when I need things.
DeleteWhen I was in Victoria, BC, I was a promotions co-ordinator for a wholesale worker's co-op (PSC natural foods). We carried only natural and organic products and foods and a good many of our customers were Buy Groups; they bought at prices above wholesale but below retail, as they did the work of dividing up the bulk products. Your shop sounds like PSC to me. There is no co-op store in Edmonton that I know of, so I shop at the closest US store in the mall about two blocks away. I don't have a vehicle here and busing takes too long to go elsewhere and is awkward if I have a large amount of supplies. I do have friends with cars and we are talking about once-a-month shopping together for larger purchases, which would help a lot.
SFT, you are doing very well, I think, to cut out the grazing. I'm getting there, but not quite yet. Still have a few Christmas nuts to finish off (although I threw a half-cup of roasted, salted cashews into the yam, carrot, leek and chicken broth powder soup I made the other day. Blended it with my immersion blender. Got three meals out of that one and it was GOOD!).
Well, a week of little talking is beginning to show, as I'm typing to make up for the lack of communication. So I'll stop now. I can hear that collective sigh of relief!! LOL
Have a great end of the week, all. ~ Linne
I tried posting on Sunday and since (several times), but for some reason it wouldn't upload from my iPhone. So here I am now, late, but better than not at all. I shopped for groceries twice, but Mum paid for those. I will be paying for the next couple of weeks. I have not done a budget yet, but do keep my receipts (which aren't handy just now - I'm in Mum's room on her PC). I went to a mall last week for fabric, notions, etc. Bought more than I'd planned on as the sales on 02 Jan were so good and I would have bought it all later anyway. I did NOT buy the fancy coffee I really wanted, so counted that towards the pot and towards weight loss. This week, I went to the mall again for groceries and Mum's meds. Had to wait 2 hours for the meds, so went to the US department store and bought new scales, as mine are in storage. Also bought a magazine and a bag of mixed buttons for sewing and crafting. Then I DID buy a fancy coffee drink and had a nice sit-down for 1.5 hours with the magazine and the coffee. So here's my week and the half to today:
ReplyDeleteFound: nothing
Emptied purse: didn't do this
Saved, not spent: hard to calculate
Therefore, I put $20 of my Christmas money into the pot. I figured I should pay extra for having the coffee, good excuse or no, and besides, $5 of that was for the 5 pounds I lost since Christmas. What a good idea! I forget who started that, but I'm going to continue on with it. Seems like this is such a good set of challenges, as each supports the others. One thing I bought at the dept. store is an old-fashioned accounts book in which I am going to record my spending this year. I haven't begun yet, but do have all my receipts. I do not have a food budget yet; that's hard for me, as Mum and I share some supplies (but I have extra veggies); we take turns paying for groceries, although I try to pay for the bigger shoppings as I'm so grateful to her for putting up with me sleeping on her couch and having my creative stuff everywhere (along with hers, so, as you might imagine, the place is a bit full and not fully organised yet). Well, that's enough for now. Will be back on Sunday and in the meantime I will try to figure out what to do about my iPhone upload problem. Have a good end of week, SFT (and all my fellow challengers!). ~ Linne
Hi Linne,
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you've had trouble posting. Good to hear from you.
Good idea keeping receipts. I'm keeping mine too.
Sometimes it's worth buying things in the sale, and saving money in the long run.
Good news about not having the posh coffee the first week. Ok you did the 2nd, but you've saved once which is good for the pot.
$20 in the pot is excellent! Especially as it was gifted money.
And CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR WEIGHT LOSS! 5 pounds is excellent!
I think it was SUE15CAT's idea, just brilliant.
Keeping track of your spends is an excellent idea. I'll be interested to gather all the info together at the end of Jan and see.
Take Care
Sft x