How to live on 65 per week?

grumpyoldwoman41

Thanks for all the replies, just managed to catch up on the thread, after yesterday's hard work of trying to sort some things out I pretty much collapsed to bed....:o

Dog and cats eat a mixture of both dry food and raw, I do not have a "friendly" butcher that would sell scraps for pennies, read about it all the time but never came across one where I live unfortunately - they charge full price for every scrap they sell....

Will be calling O2 in a bit to see if I could have a phone line with them as someone suggested ....

Had 2 whole eggs and beans for breakfast

Thanks a lot for all the replies, really appreciated

loobyloo2

PasturesNew wrote: »

I don't mean to be rude, but generally, people living on £65/week aren't out buying things in Boots. As for Nectar points, they too wouldn't even add up for most people on this level of income either. I think I spend £3/month in shops that take Nectar.

Hi' just had to post a reply to this one.
I too don't do my main shop at Mr S, but I do call in quite late in the evenings and pick up lots of reduced meat, bread and veg.
Just before Christmas I went there for some goodies, and had £64 to spend on my Nectar card, so definately worth popping in for basics and reduced items.
This morning they had lots of reductions on Christmas goodies for pets too.
Boots also is a place I don't visit often, just when I see a good deal advertised on here, but I had enough on my card to buy the S&G tote bag for one of my DD's.
DD1 is also at uni, and works, as she did throughout 6th form, she pays board and lodging at £25pw.
I have 3 large dogs, I feed BARF, the cheap reduced veggies from Mr S help with the cost of this, and I collect chicken carcasses for free from a butcher, I did have to search for a while to find this butcher, but others more local do sell them for a measly amount, therefore a very minimal cost for feeding them. I also buy a sack of Wagg Worker from PAH every so often, just for when I forget to defrost the carcasses, or if we are travelling, this is a very cheap but good food.
I too am looking to change phone/broadband provider (with BT at £70pm) so will keep checking back to see what tips I can pick up.
New Year tomorrow, so lots of resolutions will be made on how to keep saving.
Good luck with the job search and a Happy New Year.

grumpyoldwoman41

Ah yes, New Year tomorrow.... Time to give up ciggioes as those are definitely not going to fit into the 65 per week

joolsybools

I heard they are giving out free patches on the NHS now?

grumpyoldwoman41

Treied the patches before, tried everything there is actually - no good....I have no strong will to give up and now smoke even more.
Have a few packets left at home when they are gon e- they are gone... sigh...

Happy New Year Everyone

stepharoo

Happy new year GOW, keep going, you're doing really well! x

grumpyoldwoman41

Thanks Stepharoo - trying to work out how to feed the cats on a max of £1 per day (possibly lover) now... sigh.....

Annie56

Well done on the savings youve achieved so far

Happy New Year

sp1987

grumpyoldwoman41 wrote: »

Thanks Stepharoo - trying to work out how to feed the cats on a max of £1 per day (possibly lover) now... sigh.....

How many cats?

I know lots of supermarkets do 'pet pieces' for cheaper prices...all bits of mixed meat. My mother has always picked it up when she has seen it as it's cheaper than the animals sharing meats with her. If you go at funny times you could get reduced meat from the supermarket too. As it is human food you could freeze/cook/share it with the animals.

Lidl for dried cat food? The pets board on here will be able to point you to cheaper food as they must have tried some of them. ASDA do dried cat food "ASDA Tiger complete with duck, rabbit and vegetable" £2.18 for a 2kg bag, so £1.09/kg. If you wanted to bulk buy the "ASDA Tiger Adult in Jelly/Gravy (24x400)" tins are 24 for £9.48 (98.8p per 1kg).

I understand you want to keep your animals. If I was you I would cancel the sky and put the amount owing into the bankruptcy if you are planning to do that anyway. If you cancelled the sky you could also cancel the tv licence and watch programmes on iplayer etc. You could sell the tv too if that were the case. I'd stop paying the phone contract and just get a pay as you go sim card too. What can they do if you can't afford to pay? Only chase you for money.

I know it is far from ideal but I think you need to pick your priorities and be ruthless with other non-essentials. You are worrying about feeding yourself and animals (I consider animals family too) but then are putting paying sky first as you are looking for leftover money after paying them. I know I would sooner owe a phone company and sky money than have to struggle to feed humans or animals. If you don't have any money they can't do a lot about you owing them either.

I realise this sort of logic only really makes sense to animal people but there are plenty of us around.

heatherks

Savvybunny2009 wrote: »

Income support would have been better as it pays alot more than jobseekers and you would find it easier to pay your bills. I was on job seekers a while back and was told I should have switched to income support for this reason, only benefit of being on jobseekers is at 6 months you get extra help to do training and work placements but you do get alot less money.

how do you figure this out they are exactly the same weekly payments

by the time you pay essentials ..gas, electric , water tax , tv licence . food there is not much left out of £65

id contact cccs or CAB to see what can be done about your non essential debt & outgoings

seems to be lots of posting re the pets ...loads of people have cats and dogs (pedigree inc) and dont have insurance ...i would have thought life , and house contents / buildings insurance would have been more important to have rather than pet