Need some good ideas urgently!

missk_ensington

Can anyone help, my partner left me yesterday and I now have the mortgage to pay and childcare and everything myself, I only work 14 hours a week and Im a full time HE student with a 2 yr old child, desperately need to saven money Old Style.

Im wondering if it would be possible to do a weekly shop for me and a 2 yr old on £15 a week? (Is this a crazy suggestion?!?) If anyone has any seriously cheap recipes for nutritious meals please tell me!

Lunches are a big problem, to make sandwiches I end up using 5 slices of ham/meat over 4 pieces of bread but that ends up costing £1-1.50 and would be cheaper to buy some chips for 90p! I like to eat a lot of fruit, but thats £10 a week!

My biggest expenditure is nappies at night time (little one isn't potty trained at night yet) and dishwasher tablets/washing powder/cleaning products.

If anyone has a genius suggestion please share it!

Thanks!

Lillibet_2

Hi

First of all, (((big hug))) 'cos I think you need it.

Most of the reguars are off in Blackpool this weekend so don't be worried if responses are a bit slow, everyone else will be back on Monday, In the mean time we'll try to help, I'll try & find some threads in a minute about cheap recipes etc & edit them in for you.

£15 a week should be possible but it'll be very very hard & you will need to be super-organized & very strict with yourself. Get yourself over to the benefits bard & see if there is anything extra you can claim. Get yourself over to the discount codes & coupons thread & claim all the coupons that you can, then try & find a supermarket that'll accept them regardless of whether you buy the product (getting more difficuilt & takes a bit of nerve but it can be done).

I have to go & bath my Spud but others will be along & I'll be back later.


Edit : OK, here are some threads which should help :

Feed 6 for £1.62 http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=68212#post68212

Cheapest meal challange
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=364086#post364086

Cheap cake to feed 6
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=506497#post506497

£1 & hungary
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=87164#post87164

Padding meals out with pulses
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=87164#post87164#

Rubber chicken
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=87164#post87164

5 a day
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=473453#post473453

Student cooking on a budget
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=581219#post581219

Cheap meals
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=264675#post264675

Use it up
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=370445#post370445

Best sandwiches
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=464741#post464741

Healthy eating work lunches
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=333944#post333944

Cheapest cuts of meat
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=241026#post241026

thriftlady_2

Hi,Miss K,sorry to hear your situation:grouphug:
You may find this usefulhttp://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/40dollarmenu.htm
If you halve the cost to $22 for the 2 of you it works out at about £11.I know food costs are lower in the Us,but it should give you an idea of things to cook that are generally low cost.

I can't help with the nappies as I'm still buying pyjama pants for my dd who is 6:eek:

HTH:)

beachbeth

Sorry to hear about your break-up. Could you now wash up yourself instead of using the dishwasher? This would probably be cheaper, if not very nice! Or just use the cheapest brand of powder and don't put as much in as the the packet says - they usually tell you to put too much in so that you run out more quickly.

There are ways of being thrifty with food that other people are more expert at than me but I would definitely look at the bargain racks in the supermarkets where they put all the dented tins and broken packets - you can find some bargains there. I think planning your meals ahead for the week is the key, such as cooking a chicken for tea and using leftovers for sandwiches the next day.

jaybee

Big hugs to you :grouphug: :grouphug: . You have got a lot to cope with, BUT you can do it. It isn't going to be easy, and there are time when it will all fall apart, but you will definately end up stronger for it.

Take a look at the recipies posted by BlackSaturn and the recipe tread in general. It will give you a starting point. Many people have been through what you are going through and we are all lucky to be able to benefit from their experiences. Just wish it had been available years ago .

Don't forget to allow yourself the odd treat (chocolate, whatever). It helps.

Let us know how you are doing.

missk_ensington

Thanks everyone, I think Ive claimed just about all I can, although I'm looking into charities that help single mum's under 25 with their degree courses/hardship funds and stuff.
I have £1300 month coming in and £1350 month going out, without food! I'm going to change my mortgage to interest only, that'll save me £110 a month and Im council tax exempt the stumbler is my £440 a month childcare. The grant I got to pay for it was used as the deposit for my house (and my partner was going to pay the childcare every week-this got around the fact he has no capital for a deposit but had a decent wage every week, and we didn;t have time to save up) I dont have any family to help childcare wise and even if they did, the nursery would still want paying if Oli wasn't there.

I'm taking on people's ironing and cleaning and trying to advertise private tuition for English Literature, but I have to be realistic how much I can do as a single parent, no family and a health problem (I have a pacemaker and black out on a regular basis and at risk of heart attacks when my heart becomes too erratic) but I already get £200 a month DLA for this, which is supposed to pay for carers but Ive just sakced the carer because I can't afford to pay her. I know thats what they give me the money for, but I absolutely need to use it elsewhere.

I'll be okay come October, thats when my student loans and grants come through again for 06/07, its just coping until then...!

Any cheap recipes would be great, thanks very very much!

twink

hugs to you miss k

i use asda smartprice washing powder, 54p and stardrops cleaner is about 58p

if you look on the mega indexed post on here and scroll down you will find lots of recipes etc to help

our supermarket reduces all their fruit and veg later in a thurs afternoon, you could find out when your does the same

any easy soup is water, two chicken cubes, onions, potatoes, carrots, turnip, cook then whiz together

egg with mayo mashed up is a nice sandwich filling

once the others come back there will be plenty of good advice for you

take care

beachbeth

This is a cheap recipe that my family love. This is Delia's version. Of course, you don't have to put the eggs on and when I make it I don't use worcs sauce or mustard, I just mash the spuds and then mash the beef in and add the onion and its just as nice!

Corned Beef Hash

7oz (200 g) tinned corned beef
2 large, very fresh eggs
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 rounded teaspoon grain mustard
1 large onion
10 oz (275 g) Desirée or King Edward potatoes
2-3 tablespoons groundnut or other flavourless oil
salt and freshly milled black pepper

Start this off by cutting the corned beef in half lengthways, then, using a sharp knife, cut each half into four ½ inch (1 cm) pieces. Now chop these into ½ inch (1 cm) dice, then scoop them all up into a bowl. Combine the Worcestershire sauce and mustard in a cup and pour this all over the beef, mixing it around to distribute it evenly.

Now peel and halve the onion, cut the halves into thin slices and then cut these in half. The potatoes need to be washed and cut into ½ inch (1 cm) cubes, leaving the skin on, then place the cubes in a saucepan. Pour enough boiling water from the kettle to almost cover them, then add salt and a lid and simmer for just 5 minutes before draining them in a colander and then covering with a clean tea cloth to absorb the steam.

Now heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in the frying pan and, when it's smoking hot, add the sliced onions and toss them around in the oil to brown for about 3 minutes altogether, keeping the heat high, as they need to be very well browned at the edges.

After that, push all the onions to the edge of the pan and, still keeping the heat very high, add the potatoes and toss these around, too, because they also need to be quite brown. Add a little more oil here if necessary. Now add some seasoning, then, using a pan slice, keep turning the potatoes and onions over to hit the heat. After about 6 minutes, add the beef and continue to toss everything around to allow the beef to heat through (about 3 minutes).

After that, turn the heat down to its lowest setting and, in the smaller frying pan, fry the eggs in the remaining oil (see How to fry an egg, below). Serve the hash divided between the two warm plates with an egg on top of each and don't forget to have plenty of tomato ketchup on the table.

ChocClare

Pasta dishes are usually mega cheap, especially if you use "value" or "basics" pasta from Tesco's or Sainsbury's - needs cooking a bit longer but otherwise fine.
You can make a healthy and cheap sauce which even a two-year old will eat by chopping an onion and a carrot, bunging in a saucepan over a low heat with a little oil, then stirring in a tin of value chopped tomatoes, some mixed herbs (dried is fine), pepper and salt and a spoonful of sugar. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes or so. Whizz it up in a blender or with one of those hand-held things, and it will go all thick and proper tomato saucy. Put that on top of your pasta with a grating of cheese, and there's a cheap supper.

If you like ham sandwiches at lunchtime, have you ever tried doing your own gammon ham? You can buy a small gammon joint quite cheaply. Cover with water and bring it to the boil in a pressure cooker; discard the water, recover with cold water, add 2 bayleaves, 5 peppercorns, 1 tblsp brown sugar, bring to the boil again and cook for 11 minutes per pound. Release the pressure, allow to go cold in the liquid, and carve like proper deli ham. Much cheaper than sliced. If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can cook it in an ordinary saucepan, but you'll need to cook it for about 20 mins per pound. Don't discard the water the ham cooked in; use it as a basis for soup: chuck a load of frozen peas in the water, bring to the boil, simmer; add mint if you've got any. Liquidize or zhuzh up with a hand blender. Add some cream or top of the milk and swirl it round for instant (and healthy) pea and ham soup.

Best of luck with everything. If I think of anything helpful I'll post again.

Lillibet_2

HI

I've edited in some cheap recipe threads which should help. Also you might like to join in our monthly grocery challange, you set the amount you want to spend then try to plan accordingley & drop in to tell us how you're doing/for encourangement/support/advice etc (can't find the thread?? Anyone else??). In the short term you could also try a store cupbaord challenge, where you try to use up the odd things in your cupboard/freezer before buying more main meal ingredients but this would only be a stop-gap obviously. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=190186

Re the potty training, would it be worth picking up a couple of reusable nappies or do you think your daughter will be potty trained before you can re-coup the cost? Boots sell all-in-one washable nappies for £7 each or you could try ebay? Are you a member of freecycle? They are an internet based group (in each region so local) where people offer stuff for FREE but you have to collect it, you can pick up some great childrens stuff if you are quick.

I personally would give up with the dishwasher if the powder is costing so much & there's only 2 of you, but if you really want to keep using it (and I appreciate time is a premium with everything else you are doing) then consider soapnuts http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=174684&highlight=soapnuts
apparently they can be used in the dishwasher, they are dirt cheap (if you'll excuse the pun:rolleyes:) & they can also be used in the washing machine (I have been really suprised at how good they have been!). Use diluted Stardrops for all household cleaning except cheapest bleach for the toilet, Stardrops is about 58p for a concentrated bottle in sainsburys & is FANTASTIC. Switch to value loo roll & the like. Don't be brand loyal, go where ever is chapest & buy the lowest qualilty you can live with but check it is the best price. Use loyalty cards for everywhere (but don't fall into the trap of buying somewhere just to get the loyalty reward) & save the loyalty points for Xmas/birthdays.

Thats al;l I can think of for now but keep asking & we'll keep trying to help;)

Horasio

I am very sorry to hear of your predicament - big hugs

Sue the pants off your partner, you are not in the best position to work FT and make much from it - why should you and your child suffer because of him.

As far as food is concerned, you have one less mouth to feed. I find feeding a man costs more than feeding you and a youngster. I was alone with my 5 year old whilst hubby working away and found we ate a lot less and no-one went hungry!

Cooking from scratch saves heaps. Convenience foods are mega pricey. Your 2 year old will be on solids so just share what you have.

Nappies - I used disposables - but you could try potty training him by day. Yes boys are later than girls at losing the nappies I'm afraid. I was never sure which was better value terries or disposables with the cost of washing at high temperatures,the extra washing powder and drying them.