Well Month 2 was a complete write off! Illness put paid to keeping account of what we spent and planning meals.
So now we are concentrating on March-Month 3.
1. We've audited what is in the freezer/cupboards
2. We've planned meals around what we've found. Mr Sft likes the same meal on the same day each week so we've kept to that and just varied it slightly at weekends.
3. We've only needed to plan up until 21st March-On the 22nd we go on holiday to Devon and Cornwall. So we are putting £40 of our monthly budget towards that.
4. So today we went Grocery Shopping and have spent £16 of our budget. That pays for most meals until we go. I eat 5 meals a week for free at school and this week I am at a conference for 3 days with full board at a lovely hotel.
We will hopefully just have to do top up shops each week for essentials like milk.
We had 3 vouchers to use today and have found deals on each:
2 x Fairy (I love this brand, it lasts forever) Washing Up Liquid for £2.00 (after using 50p money off voucher)
2 x Mature Cheddar (most popular British cheese) cheese for £2.50 (after using 50p money off voucher)
12 Free Range Eggs for £1.50-didn't find these so will try again tomorrow. This is great value.
5. We hope to place a joint order for Approved Foods with my parents sometime soon. We share the postage. They can't believe how much you get for your money!
Our Menu this week
Sunday-Mr Sft - Toast with marmalade/Veggie Sausage Sandwich/Cod Fishcakes/Mash/Vegetables
Sft - Toast/Veggie Sausage Sandwich/Cod Fishcakes/Mash/Vegetables
Monday-Mr Sft - Cornflakes/Sandwich for lunch/Omlette and potato wedges
Sft-Museli/School lunch/Baked Beans on toast
Tuesday-Mr Sft-Cornflakes/Sandwich for lunch/Mr Sft eats at his parents
Sft-Museli/School lunch/
Wednesday-Mr Sft-Cornflakes/Sandwich for lunch/Mr Sft - Burger and potato wedges, baked beans
Sft-Museli/Conference for lunch and dinner
Thursday - Mr Sft-Cornflakes/Sandwich for lunch/Mr Sft - Liver and Veggies, mash
Sft-Conference-breakfast/lunch/dinner
Friday - Mr Sft - Cornflakes/Sandwich for lunch/Smoked Salmon Pasta
Sft-Conference-breakfast/lunch/dinner
Saturday - Mr Sft - Toast with Marmalade/Baked Beans on Toast/Salmon Wellington, Roast Potatoes and Vegetables
Sft-Toast/Baked Beans on Toast/Salmon Wellington, Roast Potatoes and Vegetables
Sunday - Mr Sft - Toast with Marmalade/Baked Beans on Toast (or using up) for supper
Sft-Toast /Baked Beans on Toast (or using up) for supper
Both taking our Mums out for Mothers' Day-This will be our main meal.
WHAT IS YOUR GROCERY BUDGET THIS WEEK?
WHAT IS ON YOUR MENU?
ARE YOU TRYING TO EAT WELL ON A BUDGET?
Sft x
I'm off to the supermarket later today and will only buy what I need for our menu this week. I haven't set a budget for the week as I'm thinking more in terms of the whole month - £200 but hoping to spend less!
ReplyDeleteGood luck this week xx
Yes sticking to your list is the way to go!
DeleteHope you come in under your budget.
Sft x
I am trying NOT to spend any cash at all this week. The milk comes from the milkman and is paid by direct debit each month, so that doesn't have to be included and I have plenty of four and yeast for bread. So it will be the contents of the freezers and cupboards for us.
ReplyDeleteI will menu plan tomorrow, today we are both off to the dentist and for a lunch out, so we won't need mush for tea today :-)
Hope your conference goes well.
Sue xx
Oh, I admire your will power. Do hope you get through the whole week without touching that Grocery money.
DeleteEnjoy your lunch out-a well deserved treat for you both.
Sft x
I hope your conference is enjoyable as well as educational...
ReplyDeleteThe budget issue is a huge struggle for me. Three of us are very fussy and I am extremely allergic. It adds to the fun. :( We are currently trying to eat down the freezer and stores. But for the next few days I have given my girls a $50 note and told them that they can work out what they want. My next main meal will be on the Queen Mary.
Oh, I bet you can't wait for your next meal. It will be so delicious.
DeleteHave a wonderful time Suze!
Sft x
Love reading about this challenge! I've started complete meal planning this month in an effort to cut food waste (my eco challenge for March is 'no food waste') and I'm hoping it will make a huge difference to my spending habits too. I always plan to an extent but this month I'm beiong even more military about it!
ReplyDeleteI really wanted to try approved foods, but the delivery charge to me is ridiculously high, as according to them, I don't live on the mainland (????!!!!) xx
You will do really well. I plan a whole month, then do a big shop accordingly. You can always swap and change as you go . But it's the best way for money saving and zero waste.
DeleteLooking forward to hearing how you get on.
Sorry to hear about Approved Foods. Robyn has a good suggestion below.
Sft x
I am always trying to eat on a strict budget. Some weeks are better than others. Still popping the gold coins in the sealed pot. :)
ReplyDeleteYou sound like you are doing a wonderful job!
DeleteGood to hear that the sealed pot is filling up nicely too.
Sft x
I'm back on my healthy eating regime, trying to drop some pounds which have crept back on, but as you know, I don't go silly. I'll just eat whatever the family are eating, but smaller portions, and I'm cutting out eating between meals too, so that should also save us a bit of money. Beef casserole for tea with baby new potatoes, curly kale and French beans.
ReplyDeleteOh Jo, you are so sensible, I wish you were living close by to keep me on the right path.
DeleteGood luck. I'll try and think of you during tempting moments.
Sft x
I have posted some grocery numbers but I made the comparison between TL and USD. Should have also compared in British Pounds. Anyway, just in case you want to see some figures you can check out my post http://frugalistanbul.blogspot.com/2013/03/wanna-compare-grocery-prices.html
ReplyDeleteHi
DeleteThat would be interesting to compare, thanks.
Sft x
Having just come out of my "Frugal February" month with a total grocery spend of under £60 over the month, and under £30 of that being cash, I'm expecting to spend a little more than that this month! The meal plans are done for the next couple of weeks though, and we intend to continue to work through what is in the freezers and cupboards. I'm aiming to keep our monthly spend as far below £100 as I can.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to tonight - pork, onion and bean stew that was simmering away for several hours last night....Mmmm! Hopefully there will be a portion left over for my lunch on friday, too!
Lonestarsky - I guess you're one of those places like the northern coast of Scotland where they have an "Island" postcode? try giving them a call or dropping them an email to explain - they may be able to make a note on your account so you're charged correctly.
Wow Robyn! I love your grocery total for 'Frugal February'! £60 is brilliant and what we are aiming for over the next few weeks so we can £40 away on holiday.
DeleteAre you blogging about his.
Your stew sounds delicious and great value soon.
Sft x
Ooh, thanks Robyn. I have a KW postcode which I guess is Kirkwall so that would make sense. I'll try giving them a call x
DeleteHope it works!
DeleteSft x
My Grocery budget is £200 pm. The last 2 months have been well under :-). This week we spent £43.51 which included enough meat for the whole month. Menu planning is the way to saving money it make you buy only what you need, so hoping to come under budget again for Miserly March. Savings from Jan and Feb along with the no rates payments are funding our trip down to Devon this weekend to see my son and family with 3 nights in a Travel Lodge.
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy your conference.
Karen x
Hi Karen,
DeleteYou are so right-menu planning is the way to save money. Sticking to the list.
I hope you do well for Miserly March (love that name).
It's so worth saving the pennies when you end up doing something special. Hope you have a wonderful time in Devon.
Sft x
I budget $180 for the 6 of us, with the odd organic, free range beef and pork orders. It helps our budget the most when I only buy whole foods and stick to a menu plan! :) Tonight for me it's squash, pork, and brussel sprouts! Yum!!
ReplyDeleteHi Carla,
DeleteYour family eats so well. Menu planning is essential to keep costs down, you do a great job.
Sft x
Now that we've got rid of the car, we tend to order a "big" shop of about £50 every two weeks, then top up with ~£5 of fresh foods on the off-week. I aim to spend less than £120 for the month now for the two of us. This is a big improvement on the £200 we used to spend! :)
ReplyDeleteHi
DeleteI really hope you achieve your monthly target-what are you going to do with the spare money?
Sft x
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