Just checking in, got my first 'real' mango this weekend $4 : ( But beats tinned any day!

I have spent a whopping $220 this week but my last spend was 10 days ago ($103). I include meat and fish in mine and aim for $100 per week not including cat food and toiletries. I think I will make it at least 10+ days (I froze some milk!) until I shop again so I think when I average out the month it will be a close call... well I hope so anyway!

I have my menu planned for this week, awesome food and no shopping required! That will save me 2+ hours of my life that I used to waste walking the isles of Woolies almost daily! - not to mention $100 per week I save!

Happy TMXing ladies x

Here are some recipes for you mmsie - each will explain how to mill the rolled oats.


Cranberry & white chocolate cookies

Fat free oatmeal sultana biscuits

Choc chip banana & quinoa cake

Oaty Coconut Slice

Dark rustic Thermomix bread

Thanks Judydawn, I will print them off  Always thankful for everyones advice xx

I am doing the $100 challenge which has at least halved my food shopping, sometimes more than halved it.

My main ways have been:
-Half the meat content in any dish
-Freeze all left overs (rice for hubbys lunches, sauce for a lunch size portion, fruit that is nearly over ripe)
-Up the veggies that are in season / stop buying out of season & overseas produce
-Go to the farmers market / grocers for veg
-Buy bulk of sugar, flour, quinoa, couscous etc
-Menu plan to ensure no food is wasted
-Always plan to have something from the freezer and pantry
-Make my own pasta in the TM

Pasta is almost free - flour and an egg with a dash of salt and oil (I would previously buy fresh lasagne sheets which were $4.50 a pack & I would have thrown the wastage in the bin).

By tweaking so many things a little bit it has made a huge difference, I also picked some free fresh fruit from someone's garden (with their permission) to make in to jam which has enabled me to trade with my neighbour for lettuce & herbs! And I have jam to gift to people at Xmas.

Good luck DJ xx

It's a good post Michelle, amazing how different the opinions are! I paid when I was a t college and had a job and when I came back for a summer here and there. I paid $50 a week but that was 10 years ago.
I think she need to learn about paying her way and budgeting, no matter how little she earns. I really like Gerts idea of $70 but gifting her the $20 per week when she moves out. It is a good suggestion and would cover her bond on a rental - if you don't tell her now at a later date it could be a great bargaining tool to prize her out the door LOL!

The Figs are saying 'Emma', well the owner of the tree has said 'you can have them Emma' which is magic to my ears! The issue is I am selling the house (it's vacant) and if I sell it too quickly the buyer will get the figs! Thanks a conflict of interests to a jam maker lol, I think they are about a month away so I should be fine, unless I get a purchaser that wants the figs too! Haha

Quote from: astarra on September 29, 2012, 02:48:32 am

My grand total for this week was...$48.09. 

Doing the happy dance! 

Fantastic Astarra, great feeling.

Well I am feeling very good, even though I spent more than I wanted to this week, $92. DH came shopping on monday which meant lots of bits I wouldnt buy in 1 hit, but never mind. I also stocked up on cereals, vegemite & a few other things. Lollies for the plane & snacks etc.

Well I have averaged my shopping out  over the 18 weeks & it is $102.40 for a weekly average. Great idea Michele.

So happy happy  as that is a huge saving.

This also included a lot of cooking for eb here & also my friend, plus my christmas in July party & buying 30kgs of flour for the goodie bag.

I cant be any happier than this. To achieve this from spending $250-$300 per weeks  is a HUGE improvement.

We all deserve a huge round of applause.

 

Awesome work H! I have been away but back with a vengeance now! Food from the freezer tonight (cottage pie) which will also be a lunch for hubby tomorrow. I have plenty of meat in the freezer and am hoping my $103 spend on sunday will last me for a week and a half - finger crossed!

I had a bonus yesterday, picked about 10kg of free mulberry's which is now 6 jars of mulberry, pear & vanilla jam, a crumble cake and 7 x 500g bags in the freezer! (as well as a favour owed from my neighbour that I gave 1kg to!) I have my eye on 2 fig trees ; ) I can feel some fig jam(!) coming on!

Even my sceptical husband has noticed the difference in the food bills and the quality of the food (all fresh and tasty) which is the TM, he thought it would be another gadget that I grew bored of, how wrong is he?!!!

Keep up the good work everyone, Emma xx

I have a suggestion, but feel free to ignore it as the "$100 per week food challenge " is a catchy title.
As there are different numbers of people in each household, why not use a guide of $5 per person per day? That works out at $35 per week per person.
ie Single person : $35/week;
   Couples: $70/week:
   Family of 3: $105/week;
   Family of 4: $140/week;
   Family of 5: $175/week;
   Family of 6: $210/week
   Family of 7: $245/week etc

Sue you are scaring me! I am still struggling with $100 a week   I would love to spend less not because we need to but I love a challenge and I guess every little helps, a holiday is a good reward hey H?!

Hey everyone,

Glad you had a great trip H! Great that you paid for it but being careful x

Just checking in, I spent $96 the week before last, $124 last week and $88.50 this week. I am being so careful with how much meat I use (3 chicken thighs for 4 portions of biriyani would have been 4-5 in the 'old days') Im putting more veg in to bulk things out and by menu planning I am ensuring we have fish every week and at least one vegetarian meal - hopefully 2.

I really cant thank you enough H, Im really enjoying the planning, spending waaaay less time and money in the supermarket, eating better and healthier food. I am cooking a much bigger variety of food as well, making sure I try new recipes all the time which has also been great, I have pulled all my old cook books out to review them, something I have not done for years.

I put the umami paste or garlic paste or lime salt in almost everything so the flavours of what I cook are super enhanced which boosts my cooking confidence also. Its win-win.

Have a great week everyone xx Emma xx