Last months challenge is over and I spent £267.34 from 18th January – 17th February, over my budget, but not too bad as my son has moved back home for a while and so I had an extra mouth to feed.
This month {18th February – 17th March} I’ve had my monthly delivery from Ocado as I had a 15% off your first order voucher and our menu’s will be built around this; I still think, as I cook more and more from scratch and incorporate healthier meals into our diet, that I can get my spending back to £50 a week. So we’ll see!
It’s a four week month, so my budget is £200 and I’d love it if any readers would like to join in; it really helps when you’re not doing these things on your own 
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I would like to, but have just spent…. oh hang on…. March. Of course. I will give it a go! Our actuall ‘allowed’ budget is £100 a week. WHich I know is a lot, but includes household stuff as well. And Hub eats a lot – and a lot of meat…. But I reckon I could get it waaay down. esp if I concentrate. Its a challenge, but that is a good thing!
mo´s last blog ..how do tidy people do it?
Hi Mo, yes it is a challenge! I’m quite lucky in that we’re not massive meat eaters; moving to organic meat, which is more expensive, has meant us reducing our intake even more. I’m getting good with eggs!
Does that include wine/beer:) I am assuming everyone else drinks at home heh heh.
Dreamer´s last blog ..Sold!
I would enter such a challenge, how many meals do you eat at home and how many are you in your family. I do think I spend too much on food, I am solo, I live in France and I cook each meal from scratch. I eat fruit at each meal and you don’t mention any cheese , yoghurt or desert. Don’t you eat any of these ?
Hi there, I attempted to join you with the grocery challenge. I wouldn’t say I failed miserably but I don’t think I’m going to be able to cut back any more until I work less and have more time for planning. I’m also unable to get the family to compromise on certain brands and won’t compromise myself on buying organic fruit and veg and free range eggs and chicken. It’s also not easy to buy cheaper when I’m trying to cut down on packaging. Less packaging seems to mean more expensive! I must just learn not to beat myself up about it. Teresa x
Teresa´s last blog ..Thrifting, Winning and Singing
Sign me up!
My goal is £200 for 2 people for 4 weeks though doesn’t include eating out which we do maybe once a week. Does your £200 include lunches too?
Kat´s last blog ..…am learning French
I’m concentrating on our food budget this month too. Ours is £40 a week for the next four weeks but then there is only two of us and I budget extra if we are having people over. Luckily Husband doesn’t mind not having meat every day which helps as I know it really pushes the cost up. I find it works but only if I manage to make some extra portions to go in the freezer and stick to a meal plan. I’ll be really interested to see how you get on – I can always use some fresh ideas!
Shoestring´s last blog ..Dinky storage
@dreamer…we rarely drink at home so I don’t really buy any. Used to but not anymore
@nicole @kat – {the photo is my actual shopping} the menu plan is just the evening meals, but budget includes all food- 4 in family, we eat out probably once a month, eat natural yogurt/fruit/cheese at lunchtime/snacks, rarely have desserts. For lunches we have sandwiches/bagels/pasta salads. For breakfasts cereal, porridge, wholemeal bread peanut butter/jam
@teresa @shoestring good luck – we can do this!
Laura@mtp´s last blog ..Grocery Budget Challenge: £50 a week
I´m doing the same challenge as you but in Euros. I´m definitely with you on this one…
My 50 E/weekly budget includes detergents and toiletries too.
Although we´re only two (three with the cat, lol), it has not been that easy. Fresh meat & specially fish can be expensive. To reduce costs, I make some egg, soup & pasta meals plus breakfast for dinner. I cook more than one meal at the time and try to use all leftovers.
You can check my progress at “Mizé Journey”, my current PF blog.
Hugs, Mizé.
Mizé´s last blog ..Taxes: IRS Season
I need to figure out how much that is in our pretty Canadian money..
LOL!!! It looks like it’s $70/week… with 6 of us, there’s no way I could do it. How many of you are there normally? I spend $200 week but have been doing well and coming in under every week.. not this week though, I caved & ordered in Pizza. *sigh* lol!
~Carla~´s last blog ..March Goals!!