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Original poster

Anyone want to join me on a cheap food month challenge?

253 replies

BasinHaircut · 26/04/2018 12:33

We are spending about £300 a month on groceries (including cleaning/toiletries etc). Want to keep it under £200 for the next 4 weeks if possible. Only 3 of us and I’ve just done a big bulk cook for DS (4) so mainly just me and DH. To cover all meals except we are invited to 2 BBQs in May so won’t need food for those.

OP posts:
Laudaroc · 16/05/2018 17:33

I so need to do this. Just worked out i have spent 650.00 pounds in last month for family of 4 plus dog including cleaning stuff toiletries and a few bits of unnecessary crap from supermarket -WINE AND CRISPS!
We did have 2 extra adults for 1 week but still...
Going to use up freezer/cupboard stuff for next 2 weeks.
Embarrassed

Notreallyhappy · 16/05/2018 18:15

Lauda wine & crisps😂 this is my nightmare too. Just popping in....
Right down to bugger all in the freezer but going away this weekend and then from next Wednesday
When I get back it will be back to basics for everything... explain that to a giant 19 year old who can eat the fridge😯

Original poster
BasinHaircut · 17/05/2018 07:56

laudaroc come join us yes! It’s shocking what you spend when you add it up isn’t it!

Next week is my 4th week and I’ve got £45 to spend if I’m to stay on target but as I’m away the following week I might need to buy a bit extra for DH and DS for while I’m away. Might have to account for that separately though, OR (this had literally occurred to me as I type) set up a Tesco delivery for the Monday to tide him over, then it will come out of the right month’s money and I won’t need to over spend! GENIUS!

I could let DH fend for himself but he will eat shite and he is trying so hard to diet at the moment that I don’t mind helping him out in this way. Plus I’m a control freak and I want to manage the spend! Grin

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 17/05/2018 08:01

My dh had to shop when I was ill and now he'll only eat McCain French fries and not aldi chips.

I think it's best to control the shop.

Fluffycloudland77 · 17/05/2018 10:37

There's free Musili on the shopmium app at Asda and free pg tips 40 bags on the quidco clicksnap app, both pay out pretty quickly.

Internaljukebox · 18/05/2018 08:14

Hello all Smile .. my 2nd shop week and I got my meat order yest.. 12 huge chicken breasts, 28 pork loin steaks, a pork joint and 6 packs of bacon for £30!! Took me an hour to pack and freeze it all lol. Did hunters chicken last night with a side salad. Will update with meal planner over weekend.

Frogletmamma · 18/05/2018 11:37

I'm on £211 since 26th which is better than usual. Thai green chicken curry tonight which is not cheap but at least everyone eats it at our house.

Original poster
BasinHaircut · 22/05/2018 07:54

Did week 4 shopping yesterday. Had to keep it under £45 to stay on track for hitting average £50 a week for the month.

Ended up spending £58 BUT it’s essentially 2 weeks shopping as me and DS are away next week and so it’s only DH at home from this Saturday until Thursday. So I just got a few extra bits in to see him through, plus we bought drinks and nibbles to take to a BBQ with us on Sunday and a jumbo £8 pack of loo rolls so all in all we did well to only go £13 over.

As a summary that’s £213 total spent to cover groceries for the whole of May.

Will carry this on in June so stick around if you want to join me! I’ll start again when I get back at the end of next week.

OP posts:
Internaljukebox · 22/05/2018 08:10

Morning. Forgot to update meal planner.
Hunters Chicken
Creamy pork and mushroom with rice
Frittata and bratwurst
Chicken and leek bake with roasted new tates.
Pizza, corn cob and slaw
Ds birthday Thursday so will be out for tea. The meat I got will do meals for at least another month. DH will get some beef/ lamb on his weeks. Am trying to run the fridge/freezer down as we are away Fri-Monday.

Fluffycloudland77 · 22/05/2018 16:13

£11 aldi top up.

I’m still on my May 1st shop, got one pack of mince and 1kg chick breast left so three meals and the kebab tonight is 4.

Original poster
BasinHaircut · 23/05/2018 10:34

Nice one fluffy!

I’m wondering whether to do a big shop upfront for June, with small top ups for fresh stuff and other bits and bobs we run it of along the way. But I’m not sure if I’m quite organised enough at the moment.

I do want to try and find some new veg ideas though, we eat a lot of plain veg, usually just steamed, the occasional bit of roasted. Want to try and make it a bit more interesting. Anyone got any dishes they would recommend?

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 24/05/2018 16:53

I roast veg if I want it more interesting. I’m going to do confit of mushrooms later which is basically mushrooms cooked in loads of fat, garlic and pepper.

Frogletmamma · 24/05/2018 17:36

£291 and we have food to last till 26th so thats £100 less than usual!

For veg blitz 1courgette, 1 carrot, 1onion, 3cloves garlic, 2 celery sticks. Fry off and add tomatoes.Maybe oregano bit of salt and pepper , stock cube. Leave for 20 mins Serve with pasta and grated cheese

Original poster
BasinHaircut · 25/05/2018 15:30

God I love mushrooms.

Well done froglet, that’s a great saving. Reckon we save spent about £100 less than usual too.

I’m away tomorrow until Thursday and DH has plenty in the freezer, might just need fresh veg —not that he’ll eat any whilst I’m not here— and possibly some more milk. So I’m leaving him a tenner Grin

Just kidding, it’s unlikely he’ll buy anything as he is out sat/sun plus at a work do on Tuesday so think we are done for the month.

Here’s to a cheap June!

OP posts:
formerbabe · 25/05/2018 15:37

Joining in! I have started cutting my dishwasher tablets in two...makes a box last twice as long and seems to make no difference to the results.

Fluffycloudland77 · 25/05/2018 16:19

There’s some free lactofree milk on shopmium at the moment.

I’m confident I’m only spending £40 a week if I’m careful. Waitrose delivered yesterday and it was £79 for 20 days. We’re meant to be eating out at some point, and I bought reduced milk for the freezer, and some marked down pittas. I’ll just need soya milk, maybe mayo, and ham.

I bought bone marrow, going to attempt burgers with marrow. Dh has requested normal burgers.

Fluffycloudland77 · 25/05/2018 16:37

Long life, not lacto. Free chicken sausages too.

Passthecake30 · 29/05/2018 20:43

I need to join.... added up for May and spent £560Blush. That's for 2 adults, 2 dcs, 8&10.
That does include wine, beer and crisps - but a bottle of wine, 4 cans of beer and maybe 13 bags of crisps a week isn't the bulk of that!

What do people do for healthy snacks for their dcs? Mine eat breakfast, packed lunch...not much during the day really, but then appear to make up for it at night - dinner (such as spag Bol/ meat, spuds and veg/ jacket potato, beans and nuggets and then an hour later they are "starving" and onto toast, yogurts, biscuits, breadsticks and hummus...

tatree · 29/05/2018 21:06

Need to join too, £514 in one month last month and only £19 of that was a takeaway. Me, partner and one dc only 10 month old so can't take much of the blame! Kept having impromptu bbqs and dinners with friends paid for by us... going to aim for £60 a week which would half our bill from last month.

What's everyone's healthy/cheap midweek dinners?

RhinoGirl · 29/05/2018 22:35

Can I join? :) i spent £45 in aldi yesterday, no toiletries needed but did include cleaning products. Added to the few bits left in the freezer and we have food for 11 meals, plus lunches. Will need to top up for milk and salad, bread and DH cereal bars. We need to cut back too so if i can get it in for around £50 a week i will be very pleased!

Original poster
BasinHaircut · 02/06/2018 09:38

Right, I’m back and June week 1 shop is done, coming in at a little under £60 but as I was away last week we had absolutely nothing in so I’m pleased it was only £60. I should be able to have a cheaper week in a couple of weeks to compensate though as DH is away and so it’s just me and DS.

Menu this week is:
Turkey, bacon and leek macaroni
Salmon, rice and asparagus
Pulled pork, mash and green beans
Spag Bol and broccoli
Chicken Korma with butternut squash
Quiche and salad
Falafel burgers and sweet potato fries.

Will probably need dishwasher tablets next week but am going to try and buy some that I can break in half and see how that goes to save a few quid.

OP posts:
Original poster
BasinHaircut · 02/06/2018 09:41

tatree that’s an insane amount of money to spend on the 3 if you, but easily done.

I haven’t counted takeaways in my budget as we buy them out of non-household money if we get one (and that seems to make us eat them less).

How are you getting on?

OP posts:
espoleta · 02/06/2018 12:02

Hi everyone, I would love to join. I've got back to work from my maternity leave and I suddenly realised we were spending over £900 on groceries (not including lunches) for me, DP and DSS (7&9 50% of the time) plus DD who is 7 months.
This month we've managed to cut that to £550 but would like to make it lower!

Fluffycloudland77 · 02/06/2018 17:21

Shoppings basically a series of battles between us and the supermarkets retailing specialists.

They know what will make us spend more and it works really well.

Frogletmamma · 02/06/2018 17:25

Spent £130 since 26th (month 2) but freezer is packed and we have home made curry sauce to last till Armageddon. Trying to spend around £300 this month which should be feasible. Especially if I go shopping on my own!