Anyone want to join me on my $100 per week food challenge

[mcmich]

I know where you girls are coming from. I've been to the grocery store everyday this past week    and will do my big Christmas shop tomorrow at 6am when Coles opens. Luckily we have been within budget for most of the year and we have Christmas food budget.

[Halex]

Yes Mcmich.

December a write off for me

[Halex]

Food challenge/budget started yesterday. I am looking at $100-$120 per week.

Anyone else starting again

HHW

[astarra]

I'm still in! 

Was in the supermarket before Christmas, behind a lady who spent $513.  Checkout girl said something along the lines of it being an expensive time of the year, the lady replied "oh no, this is just my usual weekly grocery cost - I do have 4 kids." Hmmmm, so do I.....  

Anyway, I was a bit over my $100 this week, but with the $80 of vouchers I only actually paid out about $47

Oh and also in the supermarket - on new years day I saw........................hot cross buns. 

[Halex]

$513 she needs a thermie, think how quickly she would get her money back.

December was a shocking food month for me. 2 birthdays, christmas & a new years day party

Now its budget time. I do have a lot of food, so the first few weeks will be easy, then..........

HHW

[judydawn]

I've been doing this for years so am now about to stop now Hally.  It's nice to know where your money goes.

Just worked out my average weekly shop for 2013 - just $43.16 per week now that it's just me.  I had 16 no shop weeks during the year and with full freezers which never seem to go down I'll be really trying to get rid of my stocks in the coming weeks, maybe months    I can't remember the last time I've walked past the meat section in Foodland as I don't want to be tempted if I see something on special. I've given 5 bulk packs of meat to my DD to try and get my stocks down and it's only just starting to have a few spaces here and there. I've done no entertaining since Geoff went to Morpeth, everyone meets me there these days or we go out for a meal occasionally.  Feeding 1 person is so cheap.

[Halex]

You have done such a great job all those years of budgeting. $43.average, do you keep a spreadsheet?

My freezers never go down, they are full & so is my pantry.

Yes specials are very tempting. Dd did well from your freezer.

 

[judydawn]

No I have a small pocket diary Hally in which all my food purchases are noted then I just tally up at the end of each week and do another tally at the end of the month which makes it easy at the end of the year to just add up the monthly totals & divide by the 52 weeks.

[Halex]

I do mine in Notes on the ipad

I wish the ipad had excel

[cookie1]

My shop the week before Christmas was $114. That didnt count fruit and veggies, I spent $86 on them on the Monday.

The lady that had the $513 shop may have had teenage sons. Boy they can make food disappear very quickly. By the time their friends drop in too. She may have been time poor too. I tend to look in people's trollies and think they could make that' but by the time they get home from work etc it is hard. Lots of people don't like cooking either. I'm not making excuses for her, just thinking out loud.
When I see a trolley loaded with pre fab food is when I feel angry. It doesn't take long to whip up a pizza or a meal and salad. I hate how kids and adults are eating all these numbers now.

The Dream Pot recipes have a few pre fab sauces and things in them but I am pretty sure I can work around that.
Gosh, what a rant, leaving now. ( Just making sure the post counts Judy and friends  )

[obbie]

I spent $130 today, but alot of fruit in that, and 7 kilos of chicken breasts on special.

[mcmich]

I'm hoping to be back on budget from this week.

Judy, you've done so well to average $43.00 a week 

A few of the girls at work have huge grocery bills each week - they work full time, have children with all the activities that they take them to and cooking isn't a priority for them. One co-worker has even paid me to cook meals for her.

[Halex]

It would be very hard working full time, kids with activities & cooking.

Glad I dont work

[achookwoman]

Time I got back on to here.  Hate to think what I spent over Xmas.  Like Judy will try and live out of freezer. 

[Halex]

Yes chookie, i just threw the receipts out, would dread to add them up.