6000 meals under 50p in 2010; feeding your family on a low budget

maltesers_2

BigMummaF wrote: »

I honestly believe that some folk's definition of what constitutes "a meal" is becoming a little obsessive, as the OP is doing exactly what he set out to do as per his rules & as it says in the very early posts, this is an experiment to see if it can be done. Why not come back in three month's time to see if it works before casting verdict now?

As you say a meal can be anything you like. And, as you say, it is the OP's rules.

But if you don't include the 'extras' in the 'budget' it can hardly be a low cost budget if you spend over £50 per week on them.

I have Bernadine Lawrence's book How to feed your family (2 adults 4 kids) for £4.00 a day - the benefit book and while the costs have obviously risen in principle a low budget of 50p per meal healthily is possible,

BigMummaF

Then again, the idea of this thread is to have MEALS at 50p per person or under, NOT the complete budget....

weezl74

maltesers I'm putting together a resource to feed a family of 4 for £100 per month all in. That might be more what you had in mind, you'd be welcome to pop over

I think Mark's budget is realistic and I know a lot of folk on here worry about pushing things too far too fast. It's ok for Mark and his DW to go hell for leather on the budgetting, but they're having building work done and there's 4 kids, so I think gently ddoes it

But I'll butt out now...

mark55man

looks like I choose a good night to be absent !!

I think the regular posters understand what I am trying to do withe the challenge whether they agree or not. All I can say is by following this challenge, I have knocked over £150 off our grocery bill despite the challenges of weather and illness. Q.E.D. (That which was to be demonstrated)

I refuse to be judged, especially on the first month, against how people think I should be running the challenge. Whilst I am always interested in advice on all aspects of cheapness and the budget, I am not interested in debates about the scope of the challenge, nor in codifying protocols for snacks, fruits and non consumables.

mark55man

Reporting back (late) for Sat 6th February

I was out having a lovely meal with friends so got back a bit late and a bit tiddly. Inebriated on a 0p supper !! (Not counting the bottle of wine as entrance fee as that was a pressie from FIL)

Today's Summary - 17/18 meals 50p or under
Summary Total - 608/660 = 92.1% = Target 91.3%

Breakfast: 50p or under (6/6)

Lunch: 50p or under (5/6)
OP : LO portion of Liver and Onions with bread
OH : Baguette (33p co-op) with pork & 1/3 pack mushroom pate (50p) = 83
DD1, DD2 : Baguette (33p co-op) with egg mayo 15p = 48p
DS1, DS2 : Cheese on toast

Supper: 50p or under (6/6) -
OP, OH: Out
Kids - Pasta Carbonara with peas (50p pasta, £0.90 cheese = 150g @ £6 per kilo), 30p eggs = £1.70 = 43p each

canidothis

mark88man wrote: »

looks like I choose a good night to be absent !!

I refuse to be judged, especially on the first month, against how people think I should be running the challenge. Whilst I am always interested in advice on all aspects of cheapness and the budget, I am not interested in debates about the scope of the challenge, nor in codifying protocols for snacks, fruits and non consumables.

bravo, hear hear - Im loving this thread Mark, its fab what you are doing and should be a great help to alot of us :T

shaz_mum_of__2

mark88man wrote: »

looks like I choose a good night to be absent !!

I think the regular posters understand what I am trying to do withe the challenge whether they agree or not. All I can say is by following this challenge, I have knocked over £150 off our grocery bill despite the challenges of weather and illness. Q.E.D. (That which was to be demonstrated)

I refuse to be judged, especially on the first month, against how people think I should be running the challenge. Whilst I am always interested in advice on all aspects of cheapness and the budget, I am not interested in debates about the scope of the challenge, nor in codifying protocols for snacks, fruits and non consumables.

Here Here , i am shocked to see that people are still determined to pick fault instead of getting onboard with the spirit of the challenge

I must admit it really puts me off posting for fear of upsetting someone (i hate conflict)

For those that insist on criticising surely its better to just agree to disagree and not read again after all this is Marks personal challenge no one elses, as far as i am aware he is not looking for anyones approval just recording his own challenge .

maltesers_2

mark88man wrote: »

looks like I choose a good night to be absent !!

I think the regular posters understand what I am trying to do withe the challenge whether they agree or not. All I can say is by following this challenge, I have knocked over £150 off our grocery bill despite the challenges of weather and illness. Q.E.D. (That which was to be demonstrated)

I refuse to be judged, especially on the first month, against how people think I should be running the challenge. Whilst I am always interested in advice on all aspects of cheapness and the budget, I am not interested in debates about the scope of the challenge, nor in codifying protocols for snacks, fruits and non consumables.

If you had read my previous post you would have seen that I did in fact congratulate you for saving over £100 on your grocery budget (from £600 per month down to £497(your figures in post 563) Now you say you "have knocked over £150 off" your grocery bill I am even more impressed.

I can now see why you have titled the thread "feeding your family on a low budget" Compared to £650 per month £497 is a low budget.

However, the term low budget is relative -my disabled daughter and her son have less than that to live on in total depite illness and bad weather with extra the heating costs. Perhaps the thread should be called feeding MY family on a low budget.

shaz_mum_of__2

maltesers wrote: »

Perhaps the thread should be called feeding MY family on a low budget.

Nit picking perhaps? I don't think the thread name was meant to be taken literally ...............after all the site is called moneysaving expert but we aren't all are we?

maltesers_2

shaz_mum_of__2 wrote: »

I must admit it really puts me off posting for fear of upsetting someone (i hate conflict)

Really? Me too