how the hell am I spending £200 a month on groceries

dieselhead

got-it-spend-it wrote: »

Can you get a subsidised meal in a canteen at lunchtime? If so you could have your main meal then, and have cereal for your tea as you suggest. Would still probably cost you less than £200 a month.

That sounds like a brilliant idea, that was the OP can continue with her quick forays into the kitchen and still get a hot meal everyday!

Raychee

Ok, so worrying about look s**t is more important than worrying about bills and eating properly? And if people look over your shoulders, just ask them for a bit of space, tell them you won't be long, or even ask if they want to share, and then they can return the favour the next day.

You can't think like this - what happens if you move in with a partner? At the age of 29, my partner (who I had only been living with for a few months) had to support me when cleaning and bagging my stoma, he held my hair back as I proceeded to chemo vomit, and often saw me on the sofa, not bothering to get dressed because the effort was too much for me at the time. Anyone who came to visit saw the same. It was the least of my worries, and shouldn't be a worry to you. Besides, at midnight, how many of your housemate's colleagues were sober enough, (or even interested enough) to take into account what you looked like?

I know that sounds harsh, but who, at midnight, after being in bed for an hour or 2 looks their best. You could always wear a dressing gown...

Having just re-read your post, aren't there any other options for cheap accomodation? It's hard to go from a space that's yours to one which you have to share.

Good luck. (I have so much respect for nurses... afterall, I spent a long time in hospital observing, chatting to them, and being cared for by them!)

Blackruby

I spend about 40 quid a month on food for myself, I buy value own brand products and big bags of meat and vegtables. Lots of pasta and rice. No ready meals any more because they don't fill you up.

av_raje

Two adults two kids, less than £200 a month. We eat a healthy balanced diet as well.

All the best!

bobbadog

OH and I spend £150 ish on a big shop every 6 weeks and about £10 a week on top ups, so about £200 a month all in. This includes lunches, new things for me to cook (kinda my hobby) etc. We could go less if necessary, but don't need to at the moment. Best of luck, Op x

ExNicotineQueen

twirlypinky wrote: »

I have tried to make dinner in that kitchen, but people come in and watch what I'm doing, or make their dinner at the same time so i feel in the way. I hate it in there. The other weekend I woke up at about midnight really needing a drink of water. I couldn't hear anybody up, so i nipped into the kitchen in a pair of PJs. I got in there and the lad from the room opposite mine had about 4 friends in there (I didn't have contacts in so 4 is a guess)! I was so embarrased, my hair was a mess, i didn't have my face on and as i discovered when i got back in my room, I had toothpaste down my top over my right boob so i looked like i'd been jizzed on. I really really hate having a communal kitchen, it sucks. I'm finding it especially hard having never had to do that before, I lived with my parents and then ex husband, so it always felt like home or my kitchen. At 27 I'm too old for this.

And I know it's probably not good for me, but it's not forever is it?

Twirly I know how you feel re shared housing. I'm 27 also and live in shared accommodation so know all about feeling embarassed/not wanting to use the kitchen whilst others are there etc and all the other things that go along with it.

I used to spend an exhorbitant amount on the "monthly" shop for 2 adults (me and OH) possibly in the region of £400 and that didn't include the amount we spent on takeaways/going out on top of that.

Since late Jan when I decided to take a proper control over my finances (and life in general) I have managed to cut the shopping budget down to £160 per month (and yes this feeds the both of us!)

My only advice to you is try and cut out the processed food (eg crisps, coke, chocolate etc) as I found this was eating up (excuse the pun lol) the shopping bill drastically and they don’t fill you up, are unhealthy and make you put on weight in the long term. I also echo what others have said about meal planning. I find this invaluable and like you, me and OH only have 1 shelf in the fridge and 1 in the freezer yet I still manage to batch cook so if I can do it, you have no excuse missy lol. Nowadays I cook when I get in and most of my other housemates are either out in the evenings or at work so this suits me to a T. Or if one of them is at home, they don’t tend to get in my way if I am cooking.

As for buying things which go off quickly, you can get small tubs of butter/sunflower spread which seem to be enough for one person. Even if you bought 6 soft rolls from say Asda, at about 60p, even if you only ate one, that is a vast difference from 85p for one roll.

twirlypinky

Raychee wrote: »

Ok, so worrying about look s**t is more important than worrying about bills and eating properly? And if people look over your shoulders, just ask them for a bit of space, tell them you won't be long, or even ask if they want to share, and then they can return the favour the next day.

You can't think like this - what happens if you move in with a partner? At the age of 29, my partner (who I had only been living with for a few months) had to support me when cleaning and bagging my stoma, he held my hair back as I proceeded to chemo vomit, and often saw me on the sofa, not bothering to get dressed because the effort was too much for me at the time. Anyone who came to visit saw the same. It was the least of my worries, and shouldn't be a worry to you. Besides, at midnight, how many of your housemate's colleagues were sober enough, (or even interested enough) to take into account what you looked like?

I know that sounds harsh, but who, at midnight, after being in bed for an hour or 2 looks their best. You could always wear a dressing gown...

Having just re-read your post, aren't there any other options for cheap accomodation? It's hard to go from a space that's yours to one which you have to share.

Good luck. (I have so much respect for nurses... afterall, I spent a long time in hospital observing, chatting to them, and being cared for by them!)

I do realise that I'm being totally daft, and I know there are thousands of people in this country living in shared accommodation and just getting on with it, I'm just having a lot of trouble adjusting.

I'm not a nurse either (sorry) I'm in admin. I've got a lot of respect for the nurses too, they do sterling work.

I'm struggling because in two years I've gone from living with a husband in a three bedroomed house in a nice village to living in one room with three people i don't know, and most of my belongings boxed up at a relatives house. All of my friends bar 2 and all of my family live 100 miles away, so i spend an inordinate amount of time sitting in that room.

I am going to try cooking proper meals and ignoring people around me, but it's hard when all I want to do is hide in my room. I realise things could be a lot worse than they are, and in a lot of ways I'm lucky, but certain things are still crap, I was better off at 17 than I am at 27.

Rachee - my grandad has been living with a stoma and colostomy bag for nearly 20 years now, I wouldn't wish it on anyone, i hope it all works out for you.

twirlypinky

ExNicotineQueen wrote: »

Twirly I know how you feel re shared housing. I'm 27 also and live in shared accommodation so know all about feeling embarassed/not wanting to use the kitchen whilst others are there etc and all the other things that go along with it.

I used to spend an exhorbitant amount on the "monthly" shop for 2 adults (me and OH) possibly in the region of £400 and that didn't include the amount we spent on takeaways/going out on top of that.

Since late Jan when I decided to take a proper control over my finances (and life in general) I have managed to cut the shopping budget down to £160 per month (and yes this feeds the both of us!)

My only advice to you is try and cut out the processed food (eg crisps, coke, chocolate etc) as I found this was eating up (excuse the pub lol) the shopping bill drastically and they don’t fill you up, are unhealthy and make you put on weight in the long term. I also echo what others have said about meal planning. I find this invaluable and like you, me and OH only have 1 shelf in the fridge and 1 in the freezer yet I still manage to batch cook so if I can do it, you have no excuse missy lol. Nowadays I cook when I get in and most of my other housemates are either out in the evenings or at work so this suits me to a T. Or if one of them is at home, they don’t tend to get in my way if I am cooking.

As for buying things which go off quickly, you can get small tubs of butter/sunflower spread which seem to be enough for one person. Even if you bought 6 soft rolls from say Asda, at about 60p, even if you only ate one, that is a vast difference from 85p for one roll.

I have tried to cut out the crisps and chocs and stuff, I don't really want to put on weight from sitting around on my bum. I knit loads which luckily keeps my hands too busy to snack really!

I'm going to start a spreadsheet of food I buy and costs. Thanks guys.
Twirlyx

Raychee

TwirlyPinky, things have worked out good for me - thanks - including a reversal, but yes, it was a tough time. (Though a stoma doesn't stop you doing anything! )

I suppose I was lucky when I was younger (lol, I'm only 36 now...) at uni I always lived with people who I got on with, and who I'm in close contact with 15 years later. I've never cared much for make-up, and I suppose I always look like I've been dragged through a hedge backwards!

Go for the cooking - soon they'll be watching you because they'll be jealous of all the great (cheap) meals you're having! :j Like I said, start with one or 2 a week, and build up!

Pippilongstocking

Silly question
can you invest in a decent micro/combi/grill oven/ and or a slow cooker and keep it in your room - with that and a kettle - you can almost do it all by yourself in your room? All you would really need is a wee table with room for them and some prep area?

If you kept the bits you needed in your room dried food/pots and pans etc your own tupperware etc - you'd only really need to go into kitchen (with your clean bits) to use a hob, retrieve stuff from fridge freezer etc? Wash up - in and out like a Ninja??

It breaks my heart to hear you not be able to feel as if you can cook.

My lodger shares our kitchen - she cooks in it during the day when no one is about - it suits her better - if you could bulk cook and like they all say freeze it and use it when the kitchen is too busy.

Decent bits of kit aren't too much and they will save you money in about a month by the sounds of it.

We spend - £250 - 2 adults (1 lodger so have extra stuff in), 2 kids, 2 dogs, 1 cat and all our bathroom/cleaning/petfood etc products. We could spend alot less - I am a work in progress.

Goodluck