New and in need of help.

EllieA_3

Hi there,

Im new and my sister recommended this site as she said you guys where the best at solving money problems.

My husband got fired from his job back in november and we have been pursing a unfair dismissal claim, which we are hopeful will be settled out of court in the next few months.

The whole thing was abit of a shock to us and i don't think it really sank in what was happening. We just ignored the problem in the hope that one day his work would ring up and tell us it was a horrible mistake. That hasn't happened and ignoring things is just getting us into major trouble.

We are trying to live off my income, which is a struggle and we have been covering the shortfall by using the credit cards (not best plan i know)

Right now we are in a situation where we don't have enough money to get us though the rest of the month and by the 21st we will over our overdraft limit by £300 and thats not including food or petrol.

We really need to start facing upto the situation rather than hiding from it. I have a well stocked cuboard and an ok ish freezer but im eager to make it last as long as possible, where should i start?

lisawood78

Maybe make a list of all you have and then folks here can suggest ways to stretch it to lots and lots of usefel recipes and meals?
And, maybe pay a visit to the Debt Free board, if you feel that may be appropriate?

BitterAndTwisted

As your husband isn't working perhaps he might have the time and inclination to supervise the bulk of the meal-planning and cooking.

Make an inventory of your store-cupboard and freezer and write it all down. Once it's all in front of you in black and white it might be easier to figure out which things go with which and what would make up a sensible, balanced diet over a period of a whole week. Bear in mind that an adequate meat intake for health is only about four ounces per day per person excluding protein from pulses, cereals, nuts and dairy.

If you've got an adequate store-cupboard, fridge and freezer contents it might be possible to get away with only buying fresh fruit, veg, eggs, milk and bread until the end of the month.

McKneff

Is he not claiming job seekers allowance, if not why not.

CCP

I'm really sorry to hear about your problems, Ellie - I hope everything gets sorted out soon.

I'd definitely go with BitterAndTwisted's idea of doing an inventory of what you've got already - I did this at the end of last year and was amazed at just how much I had and how long it lasted. There's quite a few threads on here with recipes for cheap meals and stretching what you've got, and these might give you a few ideas for what to do with what you've got.

If you haven't already, do have a look at the main site and some of the other boards, which will suggest other ways of saving money. Good luck, and please come back if you get stuck or need any help.

EllieA_3

thanks i'll make a list of what i have.

My husband has started working this week, it's a 100% commision based sales job (its all he could get) so we are hoping he will bring some money in soon. *fingers crossed*

He's not a great one in the kitchen though, he can burn water but i we have a deal i still cook and he does everything else.

Penelope_Penguin

McKneff wrote: »

Is he not claiming job seekers allowance, if not why not.

Depending on his reason for leaving his previous job, he may not be eligible.

Penny. x

EllieA_3

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

Depending on his reason for leaving his previous job, he may not be eligible.

Penny. x

No we haven't been claiming, honestly i think we've both been just hiding from the problem. Also he got fired for fraud and i don't think he wants to explain that to someone, we haven't even told family nor does he want to untill he's cleared his name.

EllieA_3

Ok food list, i was really suprised there is alot in there really it seems to be the basic's im missing or running short on. its worht noting that we are a family of 4 with one vegatarian.

Veg
Carrots - Fresh
1/2 cabbage (past it's best)
1 bunch of spring greens (again past their best)
1 red pepper
1 lettuce
1/2 cucumber
pk cherry toms
1 leek
winter veg pack
onions (sack)
Frozen Spinach
frozen green beans
frozen sliced aubergine
Frozen broccolli and Cauliflower
frozen Sweencorn
frozen asparagus
1 tin of tomatos
1 carton of passata

Potaots/pasta etc

4 sweet potatos
1 bag potato's (2.5kg)
egg noodles
rice noodles
Rice
Pasta swirls (big bag)
1/2 pk spaghetti
Couscous
wraps - tortilla 14

Fruit

some sad looking bananas
6 apples
3 tins of grapefruit
frozen blueberries
Meat/fish
8 sausages
lots of sliced ham
pk bacon
gammon joint
2 tins of tuna
3 pk mince
8 chicken breasts
3 small whole chickens
2 bags prawns
6 beef burgers
2 gammon steaks
10 fish cakes
10 fish fingers
cocktail sausages

snacks/packedlunch items

Savory eggs
veggy savory eggs
cheese and onion rolls - frozen
sausage rolls - frozen
12 pk crisps

Vegaterian bits

Nuggets
mince
6 burgers
chicken bits
Fridge
4 eggs
small block cheese
3 tubs fage yogurt
4 tubs cottage cheese
olive spreak
tub stork marg
6 fruit yogurts

Other

2 jar chicken marinade
1 tin beans
3 tim of beans with veggy sausages
Porriage oats
breakfast cereal
haricot beans
small amount of barley
chickpeas
dried soup mix (lentils peas etc)
tomato puree
gravy - various
cheese sauce mix
soy sauce
ground almonds
chopped mixed nuts
golden syrup
bread crumbs
dessicated coconut
coconut milk
pinenuts
1/2 bag selfraising flour
1/2 suger
icing suger
egg replace
1 pk shortcrust pastry
3 pk puff pastry
small amount frozen chips
hotcross buns (frozen)
1/2 loaf of bread

in addition to these i have other cooking bits herbs, spices oils etc.

jollymummy

I'm sorry about your situation hun. The first thing I thought was to make plenty of casseroles and soups to pop in the freezer, then you just have to remember to get it out of the freezer, sit down and eat.
Your sad bananas would be great for banana bread.
Just a couple of thoughts but you'll get loads of good advice here, the grocery challenge thread is excellent for recipes and eating well on very little, take a look.
Good luck and keep your chin up.
JM

angelavdavis

Sounds like a big of a nightmare time for you - hope everything works out well.

You seem to have loads in - no problem keeping the "top up" bill under £30 for the rest of the month. I would concentrate on using this money for milk, eggs, bread and any ingredients you run out of.

Well, I would start by boiling up the greens/cabbage and potatoes and making some lovely bubble and squeak. You can freeze the greens/potato mash in portions to keep it longer. Bananas can be used up by baking a banana bread/cake. Look at anything else fresh that could be frozen, that isn't going to get used up before its sell-by (eg fresh ham).

Then, in addition to meal components such as burgers, etc, there are other ideas for meals from raw ingredients:

-Prawn chow mein - prawns, onion, carrot, soy sauce, noodles, sesame oil (if you have it)
-Chicken chow mein - same as above but with chicken.
-Serve with fried rice with spring onions and veg stir fry
-Make up a large batch of mince fried off with onion/garlic if liked. You can then use this as a base for spag bol, on its own served with mash and veg, lasagne, moussaka, chilli con carne.
-Chicken fajitas with pepper and onion (minus chicken for vegetarian)
-Soups & Stews - varied ingredients using the gammon, chicken, winter veg, leek, etc.
-Brocolli and Cauli baked in a cheese sauce - lovely accompaniment to roasts or eaten on its own.
-Roast chicken - after roast, make sure you strip bird and use as per rubber chicken.
-Chicken Schnizel/Goujons - using breadcrumbs and dried herbs/spices

I would seriously go onto entitledto.com anyway and find out what your family could claim for situations exactly like this.