Of course over the 28 days of the Eating for £1 a Day Challenge back in 2018, I did go shopping again after the first 'big shop' of the month, in fact I shopped three more times. So yesterday I just couldn't help myself ... I went back and read through the rest of the Challenge posts, noting down as I did so what else I bought and how much they cost me in November 2018.
I think it made a difference doing the Challenge halfway between October and November, and when I compared the prices that are in the shops now with then, a couple of things were cheaper now than they were back then, but then I realised all of the cheaper things were in fact the salady type things which of course are in season here in the UK at the moment. Everything non-seasonal was more expensive.
By the end of the Challenge I had spent £27.24 of my £28 and had 76p in cash left over.
If I was to buy the same foods from the same shops this week, I would need to spend an additional £5.48.
A couple of people wanted me to have a go at doing the Challenge again, and it really is tempting.
So what I did was to have a closer look at the final post when I summed up what I had left over and my thoughts after the month of eating for £1 a day. There were foods I hadn't touched ... the beetroot for example, and foods that I had barely used such as the rice, the celery and the mayonnaise, so obviously I could do without those.
So if I were to do it again for just £1 a day I think I would have to menu plan extremely carefully and make full use of everything that I bought to even stand a chance of being able to keep to the budget.
But I think if I were to do it again I wouldn't try to replicate what I did back then, or even try and copy from the Ration Challenge week that I did recently, which was definintely a very cheap way of eating. I would want it to be different ... I just don't know how to do it differently, so I will have to have a think about it.
Sue xx
That's a big increase in prices, especially since a lot of the stuff you bought for the Challenge was value range. It's useful to see what you had left over, if you are planning to do it again - I guess you could perhaps buy more of what you did eat, or different things altogether? If you're going to try £1 a day again, I should think it would be very difficult indeed nowadays with the prices rising as they are.
ReplyDeleteOne of the value range items that really shocked me was the Stockwell Gravy Granules, they have gone up from 20p to 32p!! I agree it would be a much harder Challenge to do successfully now.
DeleteI've just reads back over the past few entries which I seem to have missed - really sorry. Going back to that challenge is fascinating - and that's a fairly hefty increase really, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI'd enjoy reading about a new challenge.
xx
I found it strange that I liked reading back over my old posts so much, but you know me I love a good Challenge whether it's someone else's or mine. :-)
DeleteThanks for the trip down Memory Lane. I'm aware that my food bills have gone up too - despite the fresh veg from the garden this year. I'm a thrifty Granny who can probably weather this increase. But there are thousands of people out there who are really going to struggle in coming months. All power to Martin Lewis, Jack Monroe et al, who are shouting out in the media on behalf of the poor and hungry.
ReplyDeleteWe are in a very privileged position too, and I really feel for all those that feel this increase in food prices already. Jack is doing a sterling job at the moment even though she is currently in a very dicey position herself.
DeleteThis has kept you amused, totting it all up - I bet you're just a leetle bit tempted to revamp it and try it again.
ReplyDeleteA happy, if painful hour at the computer for sure :-)
DeleteI don't know how you did it back then and I certainly think it would be so very much harder now. If you can face doing another challenge I will be following you all the way! A fascinating post :)
ReplyDeleteI think looking at the prices back then it would be a doddle compared to now. I may do another Challenge soon but I am currently in the process of running my cupboards down slightly and living out of the freezer for a couple of weeks before our next holiday so I will have to see when I could do it.
DeleteI don't know if I could do that challenge even back then. Now I know that here on the prairies of Canada that there is no way it can be accomplished. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I know that it's very expensive to live in Canada, although the wages there are much higher than here in the UK for comparable jobs. Alan was offered a job in his industry many years ago and we did look into making the move and so did some research, but it was only going to be for a one year contract so we declined in the end.
DeleteThe price rises are huge when you look at the proportionate increases. I couldn’t do the challenges you have done as I have enough bother with my stomach at the best of times and admire the way you are thinking about hiw to make the new one different. Catriona
ReplyDeleteAfter thinking about it a bit more, I agree completely. With an amount of less than £30 to spend a price rise of over £5 is a LOT of money!!
DeleteI keep reading that prices are up by around 10%. Not in my experience….I’m finding that on many items is closer to 20%.
ReplyDelete