It has been a very frugal food week here this week, which isn't unusual for the last week of the month. I kept the food shopping down to the absolute minimum that I could get away with this week, so that it came within what was left of my budget for the month.
Consequently, I've had a few complaints from OH, as some of his essentials didn't get purchased, i.e. olives and cheese, but this was mainly because I didn't do my weekly shop at Lidl as I usually do.
We've managed okay though and at least everything in the fridge and cupboards is getting used and not being wasted, we haven't starved and it's not exactly been a hardship, as there's been a decent meal on the table each night. (Well, most) A roast chicken with vegetables, fish, chips and peas, chicken tikka and rice, and chicken fajitas thus far. Thursday night's meal was supposed to be meat pie and peas until the oven caused the electrics to trip out and pitch me into darkness and OH got stuck in gridlock traffic for 4 hours, whence it became beans on toast.
Friday night is always pizza night here, as I go to the gym for a 6pm class. I was hoping to last out until today before buying anymore food, but succumbed to the temptation to buy a few bits on the way back from the gym, as the cupboards were bare and we needed some bread and milk.
On the oven front, it seems that it has finally given up the ghost after just four years of service. They don't make them like they used to do. Consequently, it was fish and chips from the chippy and not pizza last night. Needless to say we will be looking for a new oven this weekend.
Regardless, it has been good to keep it simple in the food shopping department this week, even if it isn't by choice. It makes you really take a closer look in your cupboards and use up things that you would otherwise overlook, not to mention the fact that it makes you appreciate the everyday things that you take for granted, such as a fruit bowl full of fruit or a choice of cereals for breakfast. Do you sometimes have a really frugal food week from time to time, especially toward the end of the month?
When a month has 5 weeks I always try to have this as a no spend week - doesn't always work though. I tend to shop one night after work and I start the shop with a relaxing Hot Choc whilst writing the menus in Sainsbury's cafe with my mini seasonal recipe collection on hand that I take shopping with me. Working so much at the moment leaves me little time for planning meals so I have to do the best I can. Being short of time certainly does cost you more money.
ReplyDeleteI hope you find a new oven. At least the savings from your frugal shopping will go towards the payment.
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DeleteIt's a good idea to purposefully try to keep the last week of the month as spend free as possible. I may consciously adopt this approach and then it doesn't seem such a deprivation when I'm short of money at the end of the month and it will make sure everything gets used up too.
DeleteI am much happier now we purchase less food, my store cupboard is manageable, nothing goes out of date. Our menus are good,without the food waste our bills have almost halved.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about having less food in your cupboards. I've consciously stopped overstocking food. I know it can save you money sometimes, but some things do tend to get left. Besides I can see what I actually have to use if the cupboards aren't bulging with food and it helps to stop us snacking so much, which is a major factor in our household.
DeleteI am working on depleting my food storage right now. Slowly but surely things are being consumed with only what is absolutely necessary for the week or two coming back in. I am hoping to get things under control once again.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I think what I like about not having huge stores, is that I feel freer when it comes to making our meals and meal planning and don't feel obligated to use things that have been stuck in the cupboard for ages and need using up.
DeleteAfter a couple of years of overbuying and then trying to use things up, I now feel like I just want to buy to use and see where it takes me.
We're having an 'eat what's in the depths of the freezer' week here. It makes for interesting and creative meals.
ReplyDeletexx