Help! £40 to feed family for the month

maman

Well done mbaz. Do come on 2moro and tell us how the chocolate went! You're an inspiration!!

mbaz

Mormning everyone!

Thanks for all your messages. I was working last night or I would have been on! I actually got up at 4am to make sure OH's salary had gone in which it has thank goodness. Me and OH have agreed we can have a tenner to splurge! I'm off to costa for a coffee and croissant! mmm!

Mx

laineyc_2

Enjoy your coffee and croissant, Mbaz. You definitely deserve a treat!

blue_monkey_2

Mbaz,

well done on getting so far this month.

Enjoy the coffee and cake - you have more than earned it.

I just wanted to add something I forgot until now..... Cheese sauce goes much further than just cheese on jacket potatoes and it makes the potato all mushy and creamy too. You can add veg into the cheese sauce too to bulk it out some more. You can also use it to make Macaroni cheese of course. Cheese sauce: Milk, flour (I am never sure how much, put a tablespoon into 1/2 pint of milk and boil, whisk more flour in if you need it, very strong cheese to taste, some people put mustard in but I am not keen. Value mustard is around 20p.

I managed to find some great bits in Sainsbury this week at about 3pm when they reduced everything further - fish pie for 20p, packets of brocolli for 20p, beanspouts 10p so get yourself up to Sainsbury on Sunday at around 3pm if you can. They even had those steam meals usually £4 for 40p!!

cheerfulness4

blue_monkey wrote: »

Cheese sauce goes much further than just cheese on jacket potatoes and it makes the potato all mushy and creamy too. You can add veg into the cheese sauce too to bulk it out some more.

What a brilliant tip and one I've never heard before. My DH would love that so I'll definitely be adding it to our menu plans in future. Thanks!

nesssie1702

Well done Mbaz, an inspiring read! - hope that the chocolate tasted yummy!!

Triker

Dazza32 Please don't contaminate this thread with your unconstructive comments.

Many people, some who have to manage on benefits and some who work full time have to try and feed their families on very little money.

I've actually had a quick read through some of your old posts dazza32 and I see that you have 2 children yourself and a 'missus', I presume that your 'missus' is the one who manages the family budget thus enabling you to have your takeaway.

The ideas and support generated on this thread have made that very difficult process easier to manage. Thanks Mbaz for starting and more importantly finishing this challenge, enjoy your coffee and crossiant hun, you derserve them.x

pinknfluffy

Well done mbaz what a marvellous thread...but what a shame that someone who was obviously brought up with no manners or morals has to try to ruin it. Typical...perhaps dazza32's posts should be deleted so that this thread is not polluted by his immature comments.

elona

Once you can easily make your own cheese sauce it is useful for a lot more dishes than you would think.

Cauliflower cheese, leeks in cheese sauce, potato bake, veg lasagne - almost anything can be topped with cheese sauce, a little grated cheese and breadcrumbs as a topping and baked.

I found a Shirley Goode recipe for chicken pancakes - pancakes with cheese sauce, chicken and chopped onion and garlic and some tomato sauce spread on top then rolled up and baked with more cheese sauce on top.

DDs love it so much I have to make this on nearly every birthday as a real treat - it takes ages to make 18 pancakes !!!;)

If you use chicken thighs it makes it even cheaper.

I may have worked against myself enthusiasticaly suggesting using turkey mince or turkey leg as I went to Mr S yesterday and there were hardly any left!!!!!:eek:

Mbaz

I should have warned you to never, never let on how cheaply you do stuff to DH or they expect financial miracles all the time without appreciating how much work it is!!!

When I am trying to cut down I just say there are some new things I want to try or that I want to do more from scratch.

Any time I am daft enough to actually say I am trying to save money then the school sends out photos, extra books are needed, a tile falls off the roof, the socket in the kitchen stops working , DD has a birthday party to go to etc!!!!!

Pink.

Smjo wrote: »

Can anybody suggest a reasonable budget for my family of four?? I spend approx £50.00 but would like to cut this even further. I try and make sure the kids have some fresh fruit and shop at Aldis but just wondered if anybody had any tips.

Hi smjo,

I've added your post to the current thread on feeding a family of four where you'll find lots of tips on ways to cut back.

Pink