Update

New list is now up (once I figure out how to put it down the side of my blog!) still need one more challenge so have got my thinking cap on. Just to remind you that I had to change some of the items on the list due to money or lack of it.

I have set a monthly budget of £200 to include food, cleaning and laundry products, cat food and litter and toiletries. Things like eating out and takeaways come from a different pot. I have no idea if we will keep to this but have to start somewhere. I am cooking meals from scratch and even made bread which was very heavy and reminded me of the scene in the film “About a Boy” where he throws the bread to the ducks and it kills one. OH begged for some shop brought bread and have managed to get it all from the whoopiesd shelf so far.

I’m also trying to waste less too and use left overs. I got lots of meals from one medium chicken
It did: Roast chicken dinner x 3 portions
Chicken and leek pie x 4 portions
Chicken sandwich x 1
Chicken soup x 4 portions

I did a large online shop at the beginning of January with just buying fresh veg, fruit and milk plus any whoopies I come across, that I know we will use. I was thinking of getting an online shop each month but think I might try and go 6-8 weeks. The main things I get from online is cat food and litter and tinned food, as we don’t own a car these things can be heavy to carry.

I am also recording what we spend out money on to see if there is any pattern. When I did this a few years ago I found when we just popped to the local shops for one item such as milk we always came back with a few other things that we didn’t need. So hopefully doing this again may help us to make further cutbacks.