£50 a month to feed one

Little_Star_3

Ive been doing up my budget, ive figured out my incoming and outgoing, bar food/groceries. Things like toilet roll, I usually buy in bulk like 12 and i split the cost with my flat mate. Same with other things like laundry stuff. Other than that I was hoping to just spend to bring up to £50 a month on food. Does that sound reasonable/doable? I mentioned to a friend I thought I was spending about that at the moment and he just laughed and said thats not realistic or possible.

Toonie

It certainly is possible depending on what food you buy and how you cook. Menu planning, batch cooking, using your store cupboard and not over-eating are the best ways to spend less money. I'm aiming at £100 for two people a month, so £50 for one should be doable.

Little_Star_3

thanks
I do the majority of my cooking from scratch and Im vegetarian. I also have all my lunch sandwiches planned and made up in the freezer...other than that i think its doable, I just thought I was maybe being unrealistic as a second friend has now also said to me its not possible :rolleyes:

greenbee

I'm sure you can prove them wrong - there are lots of helpful tips on here, including recipes.

As its your first month, you can work on using up anything in your freezer/store cupboard. And if it gets difficult towards the end of the month, make sure you get yourself invited out to eat

For inspiration, look at Weezl's 50p a day till Christmas (healthily) thread.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1007423&highlight=weezl

BARGAINHUNTER!

Why don't you write out a sample menu for a month, to include breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks and then cost it up. There are loads of cheap recipies on here, and if you batch cook and freeze the rest im sure that you would be able to eat within your budget. EG if you cook a veggie chilli for 4, you can eat one portion and freeze the other 3 seperately for later in the month!

poppyoscar_3

I have been spending £50 a month since I joined the grocery challenge. i eat well - buy what's on special offer or bogof. I cook everything form scratch which helps, and batch cook too. I only went over my £50 in July because I had three lots of overnight guests whom I fed too!

I meal plan - not by days, but by available meals in a week, and batch cook where possible.

Give it a go - it's certainly not impossible!

Good luck,

PO xx

PasturesNew

£50/month is very doable. I can do it - and I don't even have a freezer.

Hardup_Hester

I often feed hubby & I on £100 a month & once when his son turned up unexpectedly I managed to feed him too for 2 weeks.

[Deleted User]

The one thing that really helped me to cut down on my supermarket spending was to take a calculator with me and add up everything I put in the trolley whilst going around. No nasty suprises at the till and you know how much out of your budget you have left all the way through the shop.

SallyD

You have inspired me to go for it. I live alone and know that I waste too much food and do not freeze enough. Until I began reading the suggestions etc., on this thread I had never given a thought to freezing left over tinned pulses,using white vinegar instead of fabric conditioner etc., I generally cook from scratch and think £50 is achievable. I think I will keep a seperate £50 purse.

One of my favorite dinners:-

Throw a drained and washed tin of potatos(or leftover boiled) into a frypan with sliced onion after a while add mushrooms and your favorite herbs, pepper etc., can also add any old red/green peppers/tomatoes that have been a hanging about in the fridge begging to be cooked and sizzle under golden - very filling and tasty - even better when you add frankfurters (veggie or meat)

moanymoany

Your friend is wrong. It is also easy to get your five a day on this much. One kilo of mixed veg gives you the mixed colour things and at 60gs a portion it is about 17 portions - for about £1, sorry you have to calculate how much, but less than 10p. A tin of tomatoes at 20p gives 2 portions.

Value rice, value pasta, value carrots, value onions, value oven chips - eggs, beans - 500gs dried beans gives 1 kilo of cooked and they freeze wonderfully. Value bread, own brand cereals, value skimmed long life milk, value cheese.

I'm sure you will do it and after a couple of months you will be able to do it for less.