HELP!!!! On a budget of £10 per week till the end of the month!!!!

girlonbudget

Ok, am new here...but.....I'm starting a job next week (thank goodness) and job seekers etc. has been cut. I am going to be on a budget of £10 per week (all meals) till I get paid at the end of the month!!!!

Im a single girl, and this is for food only...and maybe washing liquid! I am sooo bad at budgets but waste way too much money on food anyways...and I will be using stuff in the cupboards (of which I will make a list later this evening and post).

Any of you super savers willing to give me any tips? I need to eat healthily too...as my immune system is a bit down and cannot afford to go down sick with me just starting a job and all!!!!!

Thanks...let me know what your super meal savers are!!!!!

SunnyGirl

Hi & welcome to Old Style

It'll be a stretch but should be doable depending on what you already have in the cupboards/fridge/freezer. I would imagine that lots of pasta/potato/rice meals will be on the cards with lots of veggies & lentils to bulk things out & give you some vitamins.

Once you've posted your list of food that already in people will come on & make lots of suggestions :j

Edited to add: Also have a look at this thread Cheapest Recipes. It will be fine though as when I work out our budget we are not on much more than £10 per person per week as I include cleaning & pet stuff in it. Don't panic

pink_numbers

We live on £10 a week per person all the time! We get so much fruit and veg for that money that it often lasts the two of us well over a week.

The old style board is full of treasures for saving on food bill, so spend a while reading through.

The best advice I have is plan, plan and plan. Plan your meals, and batch cook. Before you go shopping, go to supermarket comparison sights and plan what you are going to buy, so you know how much it will all cost.

I always base my shopping on:
a) is there a basics range that I can buy? or on offer?
b) can it be cooked in more than one way? (e.g. I choose brocollie over parsnips)
c) choose things that are cheap per kilo (e.g. I choose carrots over peppers)

I have saved so much money just by spending half an hour on the supermarket website (I use mysupermarket.com), and swapping items for cheaper range.

_Layla_

It goes without saying that processed foods and suchlike are out! The cheapest and healthiest way to cook is from scratch with fresh ingredients.
How about some beef mince? You could get a large packet for a few £'s and make bolognese, chilli, cottage pie... divide into portions, that'd be at least 6 meals for you? Amazing what you can do with mince and a few veggies/spices.
Good luck

shopsalot

If you add lentils to the mince and (cook for aaageeess!) it will go even further - and taste much better than you would think!

Nicoll

Big Jacket potato with basics range baked beans. Hot, filling and cheap. Basic range pasta with some basics tomato cooking sauce, again, hot, filling and cheap.

Perhaps not the most healthiest food but will fill you up and isn't bad for you either. I once lived on jacket potato and beans for 2 weeks when I was broke! Sick of it by the end but I survived.

slowandsteady_2

Also make sure you find out if you are eligible for tax credits now you are working, www.direct.gov.uk will be able to advise you.

liz545

girlonbudget wrote: »

Ok, am new here...but.....I'm starting a job next week (thank goodness) and job seekers etc. has been cut. I am going to be on a budget of £10 per week (all meals) till I get paid at the end of the month!!!!

You'll find lots of advice on cheap meals, but in the meantime, here's a list of some of the in-work benefits you might be eligible for. I'd also suggest making a big pot of vegetable and lentil soup - hearty soups are filling and inexpensive, and you can use the veggies that are in season right now - swede, parsnips, carrots and celery - to make it thick and tasty!

timmmers

Strong cheese (always some on offer) can change a boring meal to a tasty one...a little on a jacket spud, on crumpets, or cheese sauce on cauliflower or boiled onions..it has to be strong to flavour but not use much though.

Budget fruit to eat after a meal...that takes away any munchies. Nothing worse than eating and being peckish an hour later.

Parched peas that are boiled and served with a little pepper, butter and vinegar or any variation of those are a filling and healthy snack too. Some people call them black peas or pigeon peas


I drink too much coffee (which isn't cheap really) ..so I recently began buying squash or barley water type drinks when I see them on offer...better for you, cheaper ,,,and made with hot water warming too.

Make your own bread, it's easy filling and very tasty and cheap. Add some of that cheese and it's awesome.

t

OrkneyStar

One other thing, visit the supermarket later on, at reduction time, as you can often get things reduced to silly prices...eg bread, veg etc.

Olliebeak

What will you be doing about lunches in work? Things like coffee/tea breaks and lunches can work out expensive if you haven't planned for them in advance.

A flask of coffee a day and a couple of packs basics - or home-made - biscuits should keep you going without having to fork out, at least to be going on with .

Will you have access to a microwave? Do you have a wide-mouth flask that you could take some HM soup in? If you have neither of those, then make your own sandwiches to take with you each day to avoid those notorious 'butty vans'/canteen food.

I was going to mention whoopsies/yellow sticker reductions but Orkney Star just beat me to it . The offers on bread especially are great - so make a habit of popping into a supermarket on your way home from work if you can. A couple of weeks ago, I got 6 'good brand' loaves, pack of 12 pre-sliced barm cakes AND crumpets for £1 - all went in the freezer :j.