Help! £40 to feed family for the month

sweetpeas_2

I've been reading this thread the last few days, and have to say- I think it is very inspiring.
I wouldn't have ever thought it was possible to live off £20 for a whole month for a family of 4 at all... I try to keep to around £30-40/week by visiting the OS board regularly, but would never have thought it possible to live off such a small amount.

I really do think mbaz, that you should be so, so proud of yourself. You defo deserve thread of the month, if not for your sheer determination- for the fact that you have inspired SO many people, by showing that living on a very tight budget is possible- further more, it's also still healthy!!
I always thought that it would mean eating aload of rubbish to cut down on my budget anymore, but it's the total opposite. It's the rubbish tripe that doesn't fill you and is full of cr4p that costs most!

I am honestly that inspired by this that I have made a shopping list for Mr T's, which comes to just under £30. It includes enough ingredients to make a main meal for every night of the month, plus enough pitta breads etc to do a nice healthy lunch for all 4 of us.

Thank you so much mbaz, and well done!

Nichola xx

VIVA-BOOTS

Great thread mbaz well done for spending so little. Can anyone tell me what is 'gruel pie'? does it taste as bad as it sounds? lol.

DianneB

woosh!!! where did that month go!!! can't believe it is over!! Well done Mbaz!! Hope you continue to enjoy your new job. I shall really miss this thread. I finally managed to find the 4p curry sauce, will give that a go tomorrow and have swapped lentils for split peas as they are soooo much cheaper. I have learnt a lot from you all but have found to my cost tonight that the best way to save money while shopping is to leave my 13 year old daughter AT HOME!!!

DianneB

P.S. Don't forget to get that slow cooker!

oystercatcher

Thanks everyone for the messages re the curry sauce, especially the picture which looks just as I expected ......I don't think my Tesco's has it in but will keep looking and may even explore Sainsbogs in search of theirs. I haven't been in there for years as I always used to think they were expensive but maybe if I pick and chose they won't be ! I just have to wait until I'm in that part of town as not wasting petrol to go all the way there.

Am worn out today after two busy 12 hour shifts at work so haven't been very OS but on the other hand haven't had time to spend any money either !!

I want to know what gruel pie is too !! It sounds horrible but I'm sure it isn't going by the rest of the meal plan. Does it have lentils in ?????

hugs
Oystercatcher

outrageous_monkey

One more day to go.............. I will so miss this thread

Thanks jcr17 for the pic of the curry sauce, I've never seen it either, but then I didnt know what I was looking for..... off to Tesco to have a good look for that this weekend.

I wondered what Gruel pie is.... and shezza pasta sauce.

Dont let the journey end before we know what it is..... please:rotfl:

theunknownstuntman

Wow, just trawled through this thread, and i'm stunned, amazed and inspired all at once. I've sent a link to my permanently skint sister to help her out.

and just for the lentil addicts, here's my contribution.... lol
I've always added lentils (and pearl barley) to my chicken stew, it really bulks it out. And I'm a bloke and 6' 5" so really like eating.....BUT! I do know the cost of food, so i've cut down and added in lentils etc, and i dont notice the difference.

maman

Mbaz where are you??? Not eating that take away already I hope!!

mbaz

he he he! No I was working last night!

I couldnt resistso I ask OH over gruel pie last night how much he thought I had spent on food over the last month - he said £150!! When I said I'd spent under £30 he said "Is this why we've been eating stuff like this?"!!! :rotfl:

Gruel pie is my own special recipe and yes it does have lentils in it! It was my attempt at a bulked out chicken casserole but it went really mushy and green and just looked awful but tasted ok!! I decided to disguise the 2nd batch of it in a pie!

You were right though, now he thinks we should always only need to spend £30 on food a month. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! :rotfl:

mbaz

ps. I actually got a bit choked up reading through the posts! Thanks for all your support, I really would not have done it without you all (sounds like a bit of an oscar speech!)