This morning was our trip to the shop to get the rest of the items we'd need to get us through the weekend, including a visit from our inlaws - meaning we'll need to feed an extra 6 people. I think I did really well - I went to three different shops. First, I had a quick glance around the F&V shop, before heading to Aldi, so I could play off the F&V prices. I know Coles isn't so fabulous for their F&V prices, plus they didn't have any "super specials" of what I needed in their catalogue. After Aldi, I headed back to the F&V shop, then to Coles to get the last couple of things I couldn't get in the other two shops.
Now, I'd normally shop at these 3 shops anyway, but I wouldn't always go the cheapest - for example, I don't like red delicious apples, and it was only $1 more for Pink Lady apples in Aldi, but because it is for an apple crumble, it doesn't really make a bit of difference.
The kids are making do with the cereal in the cupboard, and there has been no complaints about the change in milk.
Our Menu for the next couple of days is as follows:
Friday lunch - leftover - tuna and tomato melts.
Friday night - homemade pizza bases with a selection of ham, pineapple. onion, capsicum, baby spinach leaves, roast pumpkin, tomatoes and minced beef.
Saturday lunch - baked bean or spaghetti and cheese jaffles.
Saturday dinner - homemade pumpkin soup with homemade sundried tomato and olive bread.
Sunday lunch (inlaws over) - homemade beef and pumpkin lasagne with carrots, cauliflower and corn. Dessert - apple crumble and vanilla icecream; birthday cake.
Sunday dinner - leftovers from lunch, leftover soup or scrambled eggs with toast and baked beans.
In actual fact, aside from milk, I think I'll have enough food to also do Monday. And I haven't been TOO cheap with the meals either. The other thing I learnt - is double check my docket before I leave the shop. They charged me for tomatoes, instead of carrots, at Aldi (only another $1.30, but all the same!). Also, I didn't probably NEED the mozzarella cheese. But I LIKE the mozzarella cheese, and given that I have to make a lasagne, pizza and lunches for the next 3 days, I would have probably run out of cheese and needed more anyway. Also, to buy individually for fresh items - otherwise you might end up with extras that you don't need or won't use up and will spoil.
So how did I spend my last $23.20?
A = AldiF&V = F&V shop
C = Coles
2kg carrots - $1.38 (A)
tin pineapple - $0.99 (A)
baby spinach leaves - $.50 (F&V)
cauliflower - $2.49 (F&V)
capsicum - $1.27 (F&V)
mushrooms - $0.85 (C)
1kg mandarins - $1.49 (F&V)
1kg red delicious apples - $0.99 (F&V)
5 cobs fresh corn - $1.90 (C)
mozzarella (500g) - $4.79 (A)
light tasty cheese (500g) - $4.79 (A)
ham - $0.52 (C)
Bread (kids) - $1.09 (A)
Total $23.05
Right to the nose!
Today's and Weekend Savings (in case I don't get back!):
- Making my own pizza bases instead of buying them - $5.00
- Making my own lasagne sheets instead of buying them - $4.00
- Using seasonal vegetables instead of salad with Sunday lunch - $2.00
- Buying ham from the deli, instead of prepackaged (and then more than needed)- $2.50
- Buying baby spinach leaves loose instead of prepackaged (and then more than needed) - $1.50
- Using baked beans and canned spaghetti from the cupboard (good source of protein) rather than buy fresh cold meat - $2.50
- Making apple crumble, than buying pre-packaged - $3.00
- Making birthday cake, instead of buying (which I wouldn't do anyway!) - $4.00
Today's Expenditure: $23.05
Total spend this week - $29.85.
Total savings - $71.70.
Another quick note - notice how very little of what I've bought is processed? The most processed thing there is probably the ham, cheese or bread.
My savings are just based on how I've made different choices this week. As I said in an earlier post, I probably have saved around $120 this week just by doing this challenge and making things stretch a bit further. Of course, there are staples which of course we'll run out of eventually that I'll have to spend money on - toilet paper, cleaning things, nappies, wipes, shampoo etc. But just by making things stretch a bit further (even just a couple more days!) will help put an extra few dollars in your pocket.
What I like to do in those odd months where there are 5 weeks, not 4 (we get paid monthly), is I add an extra day to my weekly shopping - for example, I usually do my shopping on a Tuesday. I'll do a menu plan for 7 days. But the next week, I'll do my grocery shop on Wednesday, and use what I have in the cupboard, leftovers, a casserole from whatever vegies I have left, or just a basic meal (like quiche) on that missing Tuesday meal. The third week, I'll shop on Friday, and follow the same principle (because Thursdays are chaos!!), and so on. You'll at the very least save $20 on each weeks shopping that you do that, and I'll often do a $30 or $50 challenge to get through the 5th week, in order to keep to my budget for the month.
I'll do a summary post on Tuesday, after the long weekend!
amazing katy! thats what i do - add an extra day which means every couple of months i save a whole week of grocery money (i do money bags with our budget so i see real cold hard saved cash)well done! do you have any recipe stretchers (like rolled oats or rice to extend mincemeat for meatloaf)? love to pick you brains! Amanda
ReplyDeleteWow, $23.05 to feed six people over a weekend! Very well done! How many of us are so used t spending that much just for one meal? I'm glad to see I'm not the only one challenging myself to spend less on groceries. But with me, since I'm single, I've been trying to spend $20 a week on groceries. Not easy.
ReplyDeleteWhat great posts - thanks for all this detail. We are in major grocery budget crunch if we want to afford our christmas splurges ... so will be coming back and taking notes!
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