Our Grocery Spending And Eating From The Cupboards

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I’ve set the grocery budget at £180 for May, but as a little challenge to myself I’m going to try and spend less than I did in April (£170.58). Now I’m aiming to stay under £180!

I sort of abandoned my menu plan this week (Don’t blog a menu plan + Don’t stick to a menu plan!), and ended up buying a total treat dinner at the local supermarket! I also bought a few groceries (+extras) at my Mum’s and tipped my grocery spending very close to my May target. It’s not a big deal really, my grocery budget is my own personal challenge, and if I can stay within a few pounds of it I’m happy.

*MAY GROCERY SPENDING
- £85.64 2nd May
- £3.30 6th May
- £4.65 7th May
- £7.43 9th May
- £8.94 15th May
- £34.66 16th May
- £8.75 20th May
- £22.17 23rd May

Total spent: £175.54/£170.58 

Fridge contents

In order to keep our spending down over the next 8 days I need to avoid the supermarket as much as possible.  I did a quick food inventory update this morning and made a new menu plan. The pantry cupboards are quite full, we have a few bits in the fridge (see photo), and we also have the following in the freezer.

        • Chicken Portions x 2
        • Bean Burger x 1 +  Leftover Meat Sauce x 1 portion
        • Beef Portions (Stewing Cubes) x 5
        • One RM Pizza + 3 RM Quiche
        • Sausages x 1
        • Quarter bag peppers
        • Half bag stir fry veg
        • Pastry/ Milk x 2 pints
        • Bread x 1.5 Loaves/Naan x 2/Tortilla Wraps x 6

 

*MENU PLAN

  • Friday: New Potatoes, Veggies, Sausages and Gravy
  • Saturday: Stir Fry Chili Chicken Noodles
  • Sunday: Pizza + Huge Salad (need to buy salad)
  • Monday: Beef in Ale Pie and Veggies
  • Tuesday: Chicken Curry and Naan
  • Wednesday: Leftover Meat Sauce with Tagliatelle (M)  Bean Burger (Me)
  • Thursday: Quiche with Potatoes
  • Friday: BLT’s

 

We have a lot of food in, and if I buy anything apart from salad, milk or bread, it’ll just be me giving into temptation lol! ;)

A De-Cluttering Project

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I’ve just spent another couple of days helping my Mum to de-clutter her house. My Mum is the absolute opposite to me when it comes to keeping hold of stuff, and we have a massive project to complete (up to 12 months). However following the recent death of her husband, Mum is very keen to get organised before a potential house move (right now there’s too much stuff to even consider moving), and this is giving her something to focus on, as well as cheering her up. Some of the things I’m finding at the back of wardrobes are so hilarious you can’t help but laugh. Anyway whatever we’re doing it’s making her feel a lot more positive about the future.

De-clutteringAs we go through everything we’ve been sorting items into four piles – donate, sell, recycle and dump. Everything to sell (three car loads so far), is currently in my house (sniff!) so I’m hoping the weather holds and I can do the first car boot sale this weekend. If it doesn’t, I’ll just continue with the eBay or Amazon listing :)

Are you currently tackling any de-cluttering projects? 

Spending Report: May 2013 #3

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Spending Report

London skyline*

Monday
- £4.78 Lunch
- £14.90 Dinner
- £20.00 Hotel cost
- £7.45 Cards
- £12.99 Magazines!

Tuesday
- £10.00 Oyster top-up
- £89.00 Gifts

Wednesday
- £8.94 Grocery

Thursday
- £15.60 Body Cream
- £11.00 Flip Flops
- £34.66 Grocery
- £3.00 Cards

Friday
- No spend day

Saturday
- No spend day

Sunday
- No spend day

Extra income:
+ £1.75 Cash back

A few spends this week! Monday I was in London and after a little magazine buying went for dinner with my daughter in the evening (M was working). I also paid £20 for the hotel breakfast – it’s all I have to pay for when I stay with M (he gets the hotel room through work).

Tuesday my Mum met me in London for the day and bought my lunch (Yay!). In the evening M and I went out for dinner. I used a Tesc* deals voucher to pay for my food (pizza), and his company paid for his, so in effect it was a free meal :)

Thursday I took advantage of a couple of online deals (thank you MSE!)
1) The Body Shop were offering 40% off + free delivery and so I bought a couple Coconut Butters – paid £15.60 instead of £26.00. I also went through a cash back site, but for some reason it didn’t track.
2) Matalan were selling Havaianas at £11 delivered. Owning a new pair has been on my clothing wish list for ages and for such a good price I couldn’t resist.

And that is (hopefully) everything. Next week I’ll be battening down the spending hatches again :)

*my daughter doesn’t have a bad view from her South London bedroom window :)