Grocery Challenge 2014 [Threads Merged]

livinsane

Grocery expenditure is where a lot of us overspend so this might help people stick to a budget. You set the amount you hope to spend on groceries in the month and then update as you spend. The shame of failing the challenge might help some if us cut back. If you come under budget, try to reduce the amount next month. I'm including non food household groceries in mine. I'll kick it off:

Livinsane - 2 adults, 1 baby - €200 budget


02\01\14 - 27.31(172.69 remaining)
07\01\14 - 57.27 (115.42r)

Victoria Fortescue

I'm definitely on board for this, should be a good motivator I might do mine per week till the end of January though. Since the beginning of the month we've been stock piling special offers. I'll have to sit down and do some maths, try to work out what is realistic for us. 2 adults and 2 children btw

livinsane

I plucked my budget out of thin air so I could be totally unrealistic but it'll be a sounding board for next month.

Victoria Fortescue

livinsane wrote: »

I plucked my budget out of thin air so I could be totally unrealistic but it'll be a sounding board for next month.

I've been thinking about yours and it seems pretty tight, have you been stock piling nappies and formula?

I'm going to initially try for anything under one hundred per week. You'd die of shock if I told you what tesco used to get from us per week before this month! Tomorrow is shopping day, so we will see how I fare out

livinsane

Poor baby gets nothing but wipes bought for him! We have reusable cloth nappies and he's breastfed.

Victoria Fortescue

livinsane wrote: »

Poor baby gets nothing but wipes bought for him! We have reusable cloth nappies and he's breastfed.

Ah very thrifty will keep you updated on the shop tomorrow!

silly

In my household we have 2 adults and 2 kids. I try to keep it under 80e per week. I dont go to tesco/supervalu/dunnes anymore ( except on odd occasions for odd bits) - only Aldi and Lidl.

lashofeye

Great idea
We are 2 adults and one child(4.5 years) .Normal weekly budget is €90

SurferRosa

We are 2 adults and 3 young kids.
I'm hoping to spend just €80 a week in Lidl + Aldi. Youngest is still in nappies, so hope it's feasible.
My plan is to do one weekly shop, and only replenish milk, bread and butter throughout the week when they run low. Usually I do manage to spend €60-€80 on the main shop, but when the milk runs low after a few days, I always end up buying more bits and pieces and spend an extra €10-€20 once or twice on top of the main shop weekly. So the aim is to stop that!

So far our January spend is:
€81.20 in Lidl - milk is low though, so we'll definitely go over that €80 this week!

ae86chic

2 adults 2 kids both in nappies.
was 76.23 in tesco this week but had stocked up on nappies wipes and canned goods from xmas.
hoping to try keep it under 90euro

livinsane

I'd love to eventually have a week where we don't go to the shop at all. I reckon we could live for several months on the food in our house (tons of meat in the freezer and dried cupboard goods) and if everything goes to plan I'll have a good crop of back garden veg this year.

Victoria Fortescue

livinsane wrote: »

I'd love to eventually have a week where we don't go to the shop at all. I reckon we could live for several months on the food in our house (tons of meat in the freezer and dried cupboard goods) and if everything goes to plan I'll have a good crop of back garden veg this year.

I've a lot of veg over-wintering at the moment, should be able to start eating from the garden again soon. I'm going to start putting stuff in cold frames soon to ensure that we have a continuous supply. I'd love a shop free week too, but we always need to top up on basics like milk etc.

Going to do a stock check for shopping tomorrow, I'll be handing the money over with gritted teeth I'm that determined now :pac:

livinsane

Livinsane - 2 adults, 1 baby - €200 budget


02\01\14 - 27.31(172.69 remaining)
07\01\14 - 57.27 (115.42r)
08\01\14 - 1.40 (114.02r)

livinsane

Livinsane - 2 adults, 1 baby - €200 budget


02\01\14 - 27.31(172.69 remaining)
07\01\14 - 57.27 (115.42r)
08\01\14 - 1.40 (114.02r)
10\01\14 - 34.22 (79.80r)

SurferRosa

Thought I'd update this properly. Want to spend €400 a month on groceries. As January is a 5 week month, that leaves €80 a week. So far grocery shopping is as follows:

Week1:
4/1/14: - Lidl main shop - 81.29
9/1/14: Dunnes top up shop - 17.31 (98.6 for first week so almost €19 over budget!)

Week2:
12/1/14: Lidl main shop - 87.51

Not doing too great so far, but I did buy a lot of meat in today's shop, so I plan to make that last for at least this week and next week. For the final week of January I plan to buy bare minimum (milk, fruit, veg, bread, youghurt), and use what's in our presses for dinners.. Still optimistic to stay within my €400 limit overall. (186.11 spent so far, 213.89 left)

Victoria Fortescue

2 Adults 2 children - €100pw budget


As per my proposed budget post, I'm going Thursday to Thursday for the rest of January, and a test budget of €100pw which I hope to improve on as we go along. I predicted a heavy week this week as I've been stock-piling the basics. I've bought and frozen a lot of meat and veg, and theres loads built up in the corner of my kitchen now. So, I hope to only be buying the bare minimum over the next few weeks, fingers crossed.

09/01 - Lidl - €31.87
09/01 - Dunnes - €2.79
10/01 - Aldi - €53.91
12/01 - Lidl - €4.18

Subtotal = €92.75

Getting near the danger zone now, but don't think I'll need anything more than fresh bread or milk between now and Thursday, and I got loaaaaaaads in Lidl and Aldi to keep us going. Next few weeks should be interesting

ae86chic

Budget 100€ per week for 2 adults 2 toddlers

Week two €118, but I have babies first birthday so have extras I wouldn't need. Hopefully next week ill be under budget. Will only need bread during the week tho

livinsane

Livinsane - 2 adults, 1 baby - €200 budget


02\01\14 - 27.31(172.69 remaining)
07\01\14 - 57.27 (115.42r)
08\01\14 - 1.40 (114.02r)
10\01\14 - 34.22 (79.80r)
15\01\14 - 30 in Lidl (49.80r)
16\01\14 - 14 in SV (35r)

I totally underestimated what we spend but it would be possible to buy nothing else but bread and milk for the rest of the month and still have three meals a day. We'll see...

SurferRosa

SurferRosa, 2 adults, 3 children (1,3,5 years):

Week1:
4/1/14: - Lidl main shop - 81.29
9/1/14: Dunnes top up shop - 17.31 (98.6 for first week so almost €19 over budget!)

Week2:
12/1/14: Lidl main shop - 87.51

Week 3:
17/1/14:Local garage - €1
18/1/14: Super Valu main shop: 60.65

Total: €248
Remaining: €152

Did really well this week. Managed to stretch our 10 litres of milk (husband and I are drinking less) for the whole week, and didn't need a top up shop.
Only ended up spending €1 during the week on a bag of sweets, as my son won an award in school.
Got vouchers from Super Valu in the post - "spend €75 get €15 off". So I planned my shopping list, got total to €75, and took my calculator. Felt a little sad walking around jotting up the numbers, but I'm determined to keep to budget!
Got to till, total was only €73. So I dashed off and got some herbs, that I had discarded from list earlier. Total: €74.8 - still can't use voucher! So I grabbed a bar of chocolate (after all this money saving I deserve a treat!), and finally got to use voucher and total was just over €60. Lady at till looked a little impatient with me, but still -yay!

livinsane

My boyfriend keeps sabotaging our budget with his impromptu trips to the shop (and bringing back nice things so i can't complain) and then he throws away his receipts so "about €30" spent over three trips to Lidl/SV.

About €5 remaining out of €200

Jellybaby1

This is a great idea, but not sure how I will fare as we are a family of adults which means less control over what is eaten. 30 year olds don't usually ask if they can have a banana! However I may give it a go offline. I have found the best way to save money on grocery shopping is to go to the supermarket less times. I went to get a tub of cream in Lidl the other day and ended up spending over a tenner, so less shopping trips for me from now on.

barbie1

Great idea. I have been monitoring spending for about a year now. We are three adults and started with monthly budget allowance of. 300 but by year end had to increase to 350 to make it more realistic.

I buy the special offers and have been regularly buying from the reduced section too. I love a bargain!

Kevhog1988

Great thread.
I'll start next Monday. Aldis special offer veg is excellent at the moment

Kevhog1988

What would you recommend as a budget for single guy?

livinsane

theemigrant wrote: »

What would you recommend as a budget for single guy?

Maybe keep your receipts for a week, multiply by 4 and go from there? You could then try to cut down a bit. I'd be thinking €35 a week but I suppose it depends on your diet and facilities (freezer for example).

I've €3.50 left for the month and my boyfriend just handed me a shopping list to add to do my budget is goosed! I suppose €200 was delusional when you live so close to shops. I'm a cheap ass apparently.

Kevhog1988

livinsane wrote: »

Maybe keep your receipts for a week, multiply by 4 and go from there? You could then try to cut down a bit. I'd be thinking €35 a week but I suppose it depends on your diet and facilities (freezer for example).

cooked a chicken stew last night…. cost me less than a fiver for the whole meal… should get three dinners out of it.

Jellybaby1

theemigrant wrote: »

cooked a chicken stew last night…. cost me less than a fiver for the whole meal… should get three dinners out of it.

Have you factored in the lovely soup you will make with the lovely stock you will make by using up the carcass/bones of the chicken?

Kevhog1988

livinsane wrote: »

I've €3.50 left for the month and my boyfriend just handed me a shopping list to add to do my budget is goosed! I suppose €200 was delusional when you live so close to shops. I'm a cheap ass apparently.

Hes an idiot.... Be worse if you were blowing everything in brown thomas

lashofeye

So i only stated this on the 13th Jan (Monday is our shopping day) Budget 90 euro per week .Doing well so far

Week 1: 13/1/2014 : Tesco 65.87
Top up shop (Milk and bread ) 3.73 Total : 69.10
Saved: 20.90

Week 2 : 20/1/2014 : Tesco 62.25
Extra fruit and milk Dunnes 4.22 Total : 66.47
Saved :

So my week is not over yet but i think we will be ok for few days. I am doing well I think. I am planning meals more and using up whats in the house before I shop and buy more. Im being more creative with food looking up receipes too:)

SurferRosa

SurferRosa, 2 adults, 3 children (1,3,5 years):

Week1:
4/1/14: - Lidl main shop - 81.29
9/1/14: Dunnes top up shop - 17.31 (98.6 for first week so almost €19 over budget!)

Week2:
12/1/14: Lidl main shop - 87.51

Week 3:
17/1/14:Local garage - €1
18/1/14: Super Valu main shop: 60.65

Week 4:
24/1/14: Aldi - €61.38
24/1/14: Tesco- €.95


Total: €310.09
Remaining: €89.91

Another good week shopping wise. Had my list made out in advance, and did not buy anyting extra. This week have made a conscious decision to cut down on kitchen and toilet roll. We go through so much. So I have brought down a facecloth and towel for wiping my kids, so I don't use so many sheets, and I will use some old rags instead of kitchen towels for wiping the toilet bowls.
I'm not quite counting the toilet sheets yet, but rather making more effort to not randomly grab a wad when helping kids, and trying to just use what's needed.
Also trying to find a local Asian shop so that I can buy a large bottle of white vinegar. Hope to make an all purpose cleaner and dishwasher cleaner.
It's amazing how much you can cut down when you try!

Jellybaby1

I don't buy the normal kitchen rolls any more. I go to Buy Lo on Kylemore Road and get the ginormous rolls of blue or white paper, I think it was a pack of six and cost me if I remember correctly €12 or €13. I wrote the date I started using the first one and it lasted me 4 months!! Pretty good value. Don't know if they still have them, but I have seen them on market stalls as well.

Toilet paper is only bought for lavatorial use. I like to get good quality as the lighter papers can be wasteful as more is used. However, I discovered some of the toilet paper from the cheaper supermarkets may seem strong, but is not as flushable/dissolvable, and can be a hazard and bung up the drains.

When it comes to vinegar I go back to Buy Lo and buy a 5 ltr bottle, (yep, 5 ltrs!) it is a fraction of the price of the supermarket and chipper vinegars and lasts for ages. I'm not connected to Buy Lo, I just buy a few items which are the best bargains.

Kevhog1988

I am starting this morning with £55 in my wallet (I'm in the uk for work). I think this should easily suffice. Only problem i can envisage is my boss is here for the week and he likes to go for breakfast each day with each of us taking turns to pay.

lilacclery

Livinsane why not use cloth wipes as well when using cloth nappies? My baby is breastfed cloth nappies & cloth wipes, buy a pack of disposables maybe once a month for childminder but hoping to stop that as well now.

livinsane

lilacclery wrote: »

Livinsane why not use cloth wipes as well when using cloth nappies? My baby is breastfed cloth nappies & cloth wipes, buy a pack of disposables maybe once a month for childminder but hoping to stop that as well now.

It's something I've considered but so far all our wipe costs have been covered by Boots vouchers I earn online for doing surveys. I suppose I could spend it on something else though!

€54 spent this week on groceries so gone about €50 over budget, bringing total spend to about €250. The fun will really begin on month two, trying to better it or at least equal it.

SurferRosa

SurferRosa, 2 adults, 3 children (1,3,5 years):

Week1:
4/1/14: - Lidl main shop - 81.29
9/1/14: Dunnes top up shop - 17.31 (98.6 for first week so almost €19 over budget!)

Week2:
12/1/14: Lidl main shop - 87.51

Week 3:
17/1/14:Local garage - €1
18/1/14: Super Valu main shop: 60.65

Week 4:
24/1/14: Aldi - €61.38
24/1/14: Tesco- €.95
28/1/14: Boots - €29.99


Total: €340.08
Remaining: €59.92

Made a once off purchase in Boots, that will hopefully save money in the long run!
Going to try better this next month, though I will need to stock up on meat, so not sure how that will go...

SurferRosa

SurferRosa, 2 adults, 3 children (1,3,5 years):

Week1:
4/1/14: - Lidl main shop - 81.29
9/1/14: Dunnes top up shop - 17.31 (98.6 for first week so almost €19 over budget!)

Week2:
12/1/14: Lidl main shop - 87.51

Week 3:
17/1/14:Local garage - €1
18/1/14: Super Valu main shop: 60.65

Week 4:
24/1/14: Aldi - €61.38
24/1/14: Tesco- €.95
28/1/14: Boots - €29.99

Week 5:
31/01/14: Aldi - €59.33




Total: €399.41
Remaining: €.59

Just about made it within budget for this month's shopping! Was nervous at the till today as they had specials on nappies and baby wipes which I couldn't resist, but managed to just make it. (Didn't even use calculator!)

livinsane

livinsane wrote: »

€54 spent this week on groceries so gone about €50 over budget, bringing total spend to about €250.QUOTE]

... Just remembered the tenner I spent in the English Market last week, whoops.

livinsane

Anyone who took part last month should have a better idea of a realistic grocery budget for this month. Can it be bettered?

State the number of people you are shopping for, any other interesting details and your monthly/weekly budget. Update as the month goes on.

Last month I plucked a figure of €200 out of thin air. We went over by €60, but most purchases were necessary perishables so I think €240 is more realistic for this month - 2 adults, 1 baby.


Calculators at the ready. Good luck to all.

jenno86

SurferRosa wrote: »

Made a once off purchase in Boots, that will hopefully save money in the long run

lilacclery

livinsane wrote: »

It's something I've considered but so far all our wipe costs have been covered by Boots vouchers I earn online for doing surveys. I suppose I could spend it on something else though!

€54 spent this week on groceries so gone about €50 over budget, bringing total spend to about €250. The fun will really begin on month two, trying to better it or at least equal it.

I find I only need one cloth wipe per nappy change no matter how messy it is. Could get nice shampoos & shower gels with your vouchers!

lilacclery

Didn't join in last month but will this month. I'll count shop done on jan 31st as feb grocery budget as it'll be used in feb
€120 aldi
€18 Lidl
€22 butchers
€160 total - 3 adults 1 child & 1 baby
This shop involved buying toiletries & cleaning products, I'll aim for €110 per week for rest of shops.

livinsane

Lidl - €24
Boots - €14

€202 remaining for the month

lashofeye

Jan 2014

Week 1: 13/1/2014 : Tesco 65.87
Top up shop (Milk and bread ) 3.73 Total : 69.10
Saved: 20.90

Week 2 : 20/1/2014 : Tesco 62.25
Extra fruit and milk Dunnes 4.22 Total : 66.47
Saved : 23.57

Week 3: 27/01/2014 : Tesco 63.12
Top up shop 7.69 Total : 70.81
Saved : 10.09

Total saved in Jan : 54.56 !!!!!!!!Go us . I have put this money in a jar towards a holiday

Feb 2014

Week 1 : 3/2/2014 : Tesco 65.20


[/QUOTE]

livinsane

55e spent in Lidl last week. €7 spent on lamb burgers in fancy butchers O Crualaoí's. €140 left in the pot.

This time last year, we were doing most of our shopping in SV. It'd be interesting to know the difference in expenditure. I still go there for Green Giant sweetcorn. Have yet to find a cheaper brand that beats it on taste. The Lidl one is only fit for adding to cooked dishes; it's awful eaten from the tin.

SurferRosa

Hi, only getting around to updating for February now.
Family of 5, 3 children aged 5,3,1.

Monthly budget €400.

01/02/2014 Aura €1.80
04/02/2014 Lidl €2.49
04/02/2014 Asian shop €2.25
07/02/2014 Lidl €68.28
08/02/2014 Butchers €40.00
08/02/2014 Lidl €5.59
08/02/2014 Asian Shop €3.99
10/02/2014 Texaco €2.09

Total so far: €126.49

Remaining: €273.51

Had to buy meat for the month, and bought a large bottle of vinegar and soy sauce in an Asian shop. So plenty spent already, but hopefully will tighten up as month goes on - thank God it's a shorter one!

SurferRosa

Guess I'll update again for this last week

Family of 5, 3 children aged 5,3,1.

Monthly budget €400.

01/02/2014 Aura €1.80
04/02/2014 Lidl €2.49
04/02/2014 Asian shop €2.25
07/02/2014 Lidl €68.28
08/02/2014 Butchers €40.00
08/02/2014 Lidl €5.59
08/02/2014 Asian Shop €3.99
10/02/2014 Texaco €2.09
12/02/2014 Lidl €3
12/02/2014 Texaco €3.18
14/02/2014 Tesco €6.60
14/02/2014 Lidl €5.04

Lots of tiny shops, but managed to get the main shop in Tesco for €6.60, as my parents gave me a €50 voucher they didn't need, and I had €3.50 clubcard vouchers too.












Total so far: €144.31

Remaining: €255.69

livinsane

12/02/14 - €30 in Lidl
13/02/14 - €14 in SV
17/02/14 - €42 in Dunnes
19/02/14 - €5 in Hassetts Bakery

140-91=€49 left... I've been sick for the week and feeling very un-frugal so have definitely spent more on convenience products.

pkkil

What a good thread I will join in March as this month is nearly over though I have a record of all food I have purchased and how much I have saved for January and Feb 140.40 so far we are a family of 3 adults one cat and one dog ( I always buy their food in bulk) and I love to find a way of saving money and getting extra stock from the savings Keep up the good work also can anybody tell me where I can get some Aisan food spices etc in Dublin I live in Kildare but I go to Dublin a few times a month so I would like to stock up when I am up there Thanks

Pretty Polly

pkkil wrote: »

What a good thread I will join in March as this month is nearly over though I have a record of all food I have purchased and how much I have saved for January and Feb 140.40 so far we are a family of 3 adults one cat and one dog ( I always buy their food in bulk) and I love to find a way of saving money and getting extra stock from the savings Keep up the good work also can anybody tell me where I can get some Aisan food spices etc in Dublin I live in Kildare but I go to Dublin a few times a month so I would like to stock up when I am up there Thanks

You should try the Asian supermarket at the Jervis Street Luas stop. I buy spices, vinegar, fish sauce and other bits there because it's cheaper. There is another Asian supermarket on Drury Street as well. I must pay that one a visit as well sometime.

izzyflusky

Is this thread still going? Found it very interesting and would like to start the challenge to...Little one's birthday in April though.

livinsane

izzyflusky wrote: »

Is this thread still going? Found it very interesting and would like to start the challenge to...Little one's birthday in April though.

I started the threads but went totally by the wayside this month. I had planned to start a new thread every month. Maybe it'd be better to have one super thread and do it week by week instead so people could drop in and out of it as they please? Anyone have a suggestion? I'll ask a moderator to merge the existing threads into one.