Monday 1 August 2022

Day 38: New month

 

It's a new month so I arranged for my big monthly shop to be delivered first thing this morning.  By 8.30am it was all packed away with a chicken roasting in the oven and a gammon joint in the Crockpot.  This cost me £105.03 plus £2 for the saver delivery slot!!  It really doesn't look much.

Last month I set myself the challenge of getting my food and supermarket shopping down to £120 a month (£30 a week) plus a £10 treat allowance.  I spent £122.74 plus £11.22 on 'treats' so I'm rather pleased I got close!  And I still have plenty of stuff in the storecupboard/fridge/freezer from that.

Fridge items to last the month.  I'll need to top up on the fresh salad stuff that my garden and plot can't produce.  I'll go to my big Lidl for that.

Storecupboard items

My vitamins and anti histamines will last the month but the cold and flu tablets are for my Winter first aid kit.  During lockdown, paracetamol etc was hard to get so I like to keep a decent stash just in case!! 

And these are my holiday treat items.  I'm going away for a few days with my Gin Queen friends so I'm packing some GF items that I can rely on if I need them.  I do have a holiday budget (accommodation is free as it's my friend's holiday lodge) but it will be interesting to see how much it costs me overall.  

I've not been on a holiday since Christmas 2019 when I went to see my son in Melbourne.  One of my friends has already been to Cyprus for a week and then London for a week.  My other friend has been to Shetland for a week and stayed in her lodge for 2 weeks.  I've always preferred staying home for the Summer holiday and going away at the October break or at Easter so this wee break is my only 'Summer holiday.'  But I'm ok with that 😊

11 comments:

  1. No we really don't get as much for our money these days do we, and it only takes a few treat items and medication ... or alcohol ... to really ramp up the cost. Alan spent over a £100 in Aldi the other day, a year ago you wouldn't have been able to even fit £100 worth of shopping into a trolley!!

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    1. Medication is fast becoming a 'treat' item! Those 3 boxes cost £16.30!! It's my choice to take the multivitamins but prioritising my health right now is worth the cost.

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    2. I agree completely, even with all my bone breaks this year the blood tests showed that I had good amounts of all the minerals and vitamins that I had been taking regularly in my system, the doctor was really impressed. They are worth every penny.

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  2. Yes it's scary, each time we go shopping the prices have risen and we get less for our money. I like your treats, love Tyrrells crisps.

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    1. It's very scary indeed! The Tyrrells were on offer this week. I only get treats if they are offers now

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  3. Asda delivered £108 worth of groceries plus dishwasher tablets this morning and like you I will only buy salad and veg. Chose a £2 slot and the driver was bang on time. Now treating myself to an afternoon of hand stitching followed by Pilates at 4pm. But first I’m away out to do 4/5000 steps. Catriona

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    1. I stocked up on dishwasher tablets last month but I'll need them again next month. The Sainsbury's Saver slot is a 4 hour window but they text you on the day and give you an hour slot within then. So far they've been bang on time every time. It's a batch cooking day for me but I'll take the dog out for a wander later :-)

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  4. I am just back from a stock up in Sainsbury's and Aldi which, apart from fresh veg, should last the month. I think these days many of us are shopping the way you have described.
    Your holiday treats look very restrained 😊

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    1. My friend is a fab cook and a generous hostess so she's providing most of the food. I'm just taking a few things so she doesn't have to buy GF stuff just for me. I'll be taking some gin and Prosecco as gifts too! ;-)

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  5. I am interested to know what you plan to do with the two eggplants. I love their deep shiny skins but often can't think what to make. The last time I bought one I made eggplant Parmesan which was very tasty, but that's about the extent of my repertoire!

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    1. I usually dice them and fry them in olive oil with onions, peppers, courgettes and tomatoes and cook them down into a pasta sauce. Sometimes I slice them and coat them in breadcrumbs or chickpea flour batter and fry them. I tried to grow my own this year but the seeds didn't germinate. Love aubergines (eggplants)!! :-)

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