I have decided to avoid temptation and will try to stay out of the supermarket as much as possible, I have done a monthly shop costing £75. Because of the higher prices I have had to drop from organic in a lot of cases but will still be getting our organic box deliveries. The bread (23 rolls, 1 loaf ) was all yellow stickered and cost 50p instead of £3.35 - all frozen away individually for Mr C's packed lunches. there are 5 bags of flour 2 self raising and 3 plain - white instead of wholemeal which I normally buy but these are for making up baking and pastry mixes and will keep longer - also I read somewhere that it is only worth buying wholemeal flour as organic as it is the husks etc that would have been treated by pesticides. I have plenty of organic bread flour in stock anyway.
We are also trying some of the basics range - preserves, cornflakes, onions, boxed orange juice, tinned tomatoes, some cheeses,, if we don't like them then next time we will go up a level. Mr C had the next level up for his bran flakes and I still had my "rocks" blackcurrant squash which tastes like squash used to back in the day! (I must remember that this is very concentrated)
There is enough pasta there (2 basics 19p bags, 1 large wholemeal penne and 1 spaghetti) to last us and if we do run out I shall have to learn how to use the pasta maker. the fresh pasta was a treat and cheaper than a takeaway, there is also enough left over for a nice lunch today! We also have 2 organic chicken quarters for dinner on Sunday.
Penny had her treats too - a box of bonios, dental stixs and some rawhide chews - this will have to last her at least a month. We still have enough food for her from a large sack.
On a budget of £150 for myself, Mr C, visiting family and a cockapoo for the month, I have £75 left to cover the box deliveries and any top ups but the freezers still need emptying so some interesting meals ahead, mainly vegetarian as there is not a lot of meat left.
Just to add that this shop was done Friday evening about 7pm so very lucky with the bargains!
Saturday was the first no spend day of august - nsd 1/10
9 comments:
Crickey... that's a lot of food for 75 quid!
I've yet to find much in Tesco's basic range that I actually like so have already gone up a level. Frugal I may be but enjoying my meals is important and I won't compromise on that for the sake of a few pence (well, it all mounts up to more than a few but you know what I mean). I guess it's a matter of taste though... let us know how you found the basics, won't you?
I agree Sharon we tried the basics range tinned mandarin segments last week and they were horrible so we have gone up a level this time. It is going to be trail and error for a while. The basics cornflakes weren't bad though and I mainly add all bran and fruit to them or use them in cooking so that choice worked. I mainly cook from scratch and this was just to fill the larder shelves up.
Blimey! Wow! I like how you're doing a monthly shop but still getting your box. I've read of some people who do a monthly shop but that's it, so they basically go without fresh fruit and veg for 1/2 the month!
It's funny how basics can be great or not so greaat, you are right it is trial and error!
Hi frugal trenches - I couldn't do without my organic delivery, I have cut it down for now to 2 a month as we are harvesting a fair bit of our own tomatoes, spinach and courgettes and soon will have the runner beans to harvest, also trying to run down the freezers which are full of blackberries, bananas, kiwi slices and strawberries.
I just have to put what I have bought to the best possible use.
That is amazing, that you were able to do a monthly shop for £75...it costs me that a week and I'm only cooking for two. I'm intrigued as to what you'll be eating!! My husband only mentioned recently, that our food bills have gone up 25% in the last month, despite my looking for bargains and cooking mainly from scratch.
Incidentally, I enjoy your blog!
Jane
Hi Jane!
The rise in food prices is frightening isn't it!
£75 covered what I needed to top up my stores with tea, cereal, flour, pasta etc., I tend to buy in bulk where I can anyway when there are offers on so I have a good store and I am trying to empty my freezers so I can defrost them ready for this summers produce.
excellent bread haul catz..I can never seem to time it right at Tesco's lately.
- I find Aldi is quite good for beans/manadarins etc
-Good luck with your budget this month :)
I am very impressed, not only with your frugal shopping but having a will strong enough to not cave in by buying endless top-ups. I guess it really is true that each time we visit a shop we buy things we just don't need.
I am an ex pat Brit living in New Zealand. Food prices here are rocketing. I was talking on the phone the other day to my brother in England. He mentioned that bread, cheese, milk , all the basics, are often cheaper in UK than it is here and yet salaries are roughly half of UK.
There are a lot of people going through misery in this country but, of course, it is continually projected as Godzone, The Land Of The Long White Cloud.
Anyway, I'm inspired by you and the other frugal blogs and will look again at how I shop.
@ MTP- The bargains are often late in the day, after 7pm but it is a bit hit and miss. I will have to visit Aldi and try their ranges. Fingers crossed we all come in under budget! :)
@ Anon- I had no idea food prices were so high in NZ! It looks such a beautiful country but it doesn't seem very fair when the wages are so low as well. There are some really good blogs about(down-to-earth for example) which might be able to help you cut back a bit. I find stockpiling on the bargains when they come up helps but you need the space!:) Good luck
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