How to Save Money with a Monthly Grocery Challenge

In July 2019, I set myself a grocery challenge with the aim of saving half my monthly grocery budget.

I usually budget £70 a week for a family of two adults and one toddler.

This includes all things food and drink related, plus toiletries, cleaning products and baby things such as nappies, wipes etc.

So for July, I challenged myself to use up all the food I had in the cupboards and freezer, maximise cashback deals and promotions and spend as little of my budget as possible with the aim of coming in under £140 for the month.

I was so so close… and actually spent £141.05, so just £1.05 over my target. But still a huge saving of £138.95 off my usual monthly budget.

For obvious reasons, it is impossible to maintain this level of saving every month as stores run down and you run out of pantry staples.

But it’s definitely something worth trying every few months.

So for February 2020, I’m doing it again and would love to have all of you on-board too.

Does it sound like something you might be interested in? Here is how to save money with a Grocery Challenge.

You might also enjoy…Save Money On Your Food Shop – 10 Top Tips

Do a complete stock take of what you have in already

Go through every cupboard and drawer, your fridge-freezer plus any cabinets where toiletries live (if you include them as part of your budget).

I like to write a list for each area of what we have.

I also note the quantity so I can anticipate how many meals it will stretch towards and when I will have to replace it.

Your categories might include:

• Fridge
• Freezer
• Dried Goods
• Tinned Goods
• Herbs & Spices
• Sauces & Condiments
• Breakfast Items
• Baked Goods
• Cleaning Products
• Toiletries
• Baby Products

Be thorough. If you are including toiletries make now the time that you go and round up all the shower gels and soaps in gift sets you got for Christmas.

I guarantee that you’ll be surprised by how much you actually have in.

I often make the incorrect assumption that we have no food because the fridge is looking bare, when in actual fact the freezer and cupboards are loaded with ingredients to make a lot of meals from.

Make a Meal Plan

Once you have a complete list of every you have in, you can create your meal plan.

Try to base your meal plan around the food you have – you might have to get a little experimental but the aim here is to not waste food and not spend needlessly.

So if you have a box of frozen fish in the freezer that you keep avoiding – plan a meal around it.

Have some funky ‘free-from’ pasta product in the cupboard that you have no idea why you ever bought in the first place? (guilty) – make a meal of it.

Got some sad looking veg in the bottom drawer of your fridge? Take it all out and chop it up, chuck it in a roasting tin with some olive oil and put in the oven for half hour. The result? A delicious side dish to a main meal from something that would usually end up in the bin!

You can also use your sad veg to bulk up curries, casseroles and other dishes. Waste not, want not!

You might also enjoy…Hate Cooking? Here are the Best Time Saving Meal Hacks

Be Prepared

Preparation is key to avoiding the temptation of blowing the budget and falling off the wagon.

Anticipate the days you might feel like ordering a takeaway or reaching for convenience.

Know that you have some day trips planned? Factor them in.

You can set your own rules – for example, if you know you have already arranged to eat out at a restaurant with family or friends – that’s fine.

But don’t eat out more and run down other budget areas to save the money in your grocery budget – it’s counter-productive.

Batch Cook

I am a massive advocate of batch cooking. Not just to save money, but because it’s a massive time saver too.

I like to spend a few hours on a Sunday preparing food for the week ahead.

This means that each morning when I leave for work I can grab a pot from the fridge and take lunch with me – no more cheeky £5 lunch spends.

It also means that if I can’t be bothered to cook at the end of a long day in work, I can take a meal from the fridge and whack it in the microwave.

Convenience is my downfall time and time again, so pre-empting that by batch cooking is a lifesaver.

Plan Ahead

If you know that you’ve got some day trips planned in for the month ahead, factor in to your meal plan and budget for a low-cost lunch that you can take with you.

Always take a reusable water bottle out with you and keep snacks in your handbag (an absolute must if you have a tiny human that has the appetite of a horse).

Take a couple of tins of soup, or packets of cheap super noodles to work and leave them in your desk drawer.

Sure, they might not be the most nutritious meal – but they’ll save your budget on the days you accidentally leave your lunch at home.

How to get the most out of the challenge

How you manage your budget will be down to what’s best for you, but here are some ideas to help you stay focused and save as much money as possible!

Cash Envelopes

You might find it easier to manage your budget during this challenge by using cash envelopes.

Essentially, you just withdraw your monthly budget in cash and allocate into weekly envelopes.

I like using the cash envelope method because you can physically see how much money you have.

You are also less likely to go over budget if you only have cash on you.

It makes you much more conscious of your spending and once it’s gone – it’s gone!

There’s something psychological about parting with cash which makes it much harder for me to spend than swiping my card.

Track Your Spending

You can do this digitally or with pen and paper, whatever works best for you – but every time you spend, you need to note it down!

How else will you know if you’re meeting your target or not?

Personally I do a combination of both.

I have an app called Pennies where I create my weekly budget and log my spends as soon as I spend it! (I’m pretty sure this app actually costs money now. I got it years ago but I’m sure there are many similar free apps available).

I also like to create a spread in my bullet journal. I’m a very visual person and I like physically writing things down – it feels much more ‘real’.

Check out the Cash Back apps

Apps like Shopmium, Checkout Smart and GreenJinn offer cash back on certain purchases from specific supermarkets – but quite often you can find freebies on there too.

You just buy the product, scan a picture of your receipt and they’ll add the cashback to your account, which you can then withdraw to your bank or paypal.

Don’t buy for the sake of it though! The offers are often on the more expensive brands so the cashback is only worthwhile if:

a. You were intending to buy the product anyway
b. The cashback offered makes the product cheaper than the supermarket own label alternative

Don’t Forget your Bags!

Don’t waste your grocery budget paying for reusable bags when you get to the checkout!

They’re not cheap and you’ll probably need more than one if you’re doing a big shop.

Keep a stash of reusables in the boot of your car. Just make sure you return them there once you’ve unpacked your shopping.

A canvas shopper in your handbag is also handy if you’re just nipping in for a couple of things.

You might also enjoy…Money Saving Tips to Squeeze the Most Out of Your Budget!

Recipe Inspiration

Need some inspiration? I have rounded up some budget recipes from my fellow UK Money Bloggers to see us through the month of February.

This yummy-looking  Peach Cake from Savvy in Somerset comes in at just 62p and better still, has only two ingredients!

Skint Chef have this bargain Carbonara Sauce recipe for just 30p a serving.

Cut down on food waste and save time by making frozen mashed potato – Bronni has some great tips on how best to freeze it and reheat it.

This Turkey Stir Fry from Savings4SavvyMums looking amazing! I can see this being a treat meal when I fancy a takeaway.

My Cheap and Easy Sausage Pasta Bake Recipe is only 92p a serving – and you could stretch it further by serving with a salad or garlic bread!

Thrifty Londoner shares some easy vegan meal ideas in this post.

I love a slow cooker recipe! This cottage pie from Allergy Free Day looks amazing. It’s also Soya, Gluten and Dairy Free so perfect for anyone with food allergies.

This Pasta Sauce Recipe from Katy Kicker is only 20p a portion and is perfect to make in large batches for the freezer.

Thrifty Lesley shares these stuffed potato cakes for a mere 18p a portion and this Beetroot and Feta Tart for only 25p a portion!

Thrifty Clair’s Simple Slow Cooker Chicken and Chorizo costs only £1.18 a portion and looks delicious!