Super Scrimpers

Living_proof

Just the two of us this year and we will eat in the kitchen rather than go to elaborate preparation of the dining room where we would feel in supreme isolation (a touch of the David Camerons?). Turkey crown will probably be another four or five meals for us, or sandwich etc. I might roast half and curry the other half with some of the extra veg. which will be kicking around. We will buy a good quality small pudding and I will make a few mince pies (have mince from last year) and maybe a couple of nice cheeses. A good bottle of red wine or two and a bottle of cava. I would be extremely hard-pushed to spend £50 and if I did it would be for many meals frozen for use in January.

When I was young in the sixties food was more seasonal and the treats really were saved up for Christmas, which was Christmas Day and Boxing Day. New Years Eve was an excuse for a dance or boozy parties. Today we can eat turkey, drink wine, puddings etc. any day of the year and we certainly don't need more gluttony just because it is 25th December. Bah! Humbug.

chirpychick

We spent £35 on 2 of us BUT we have brought lots of veggies that we wouldnt normally have such as parsnips and butternut squash, a chicken and a gammon so its £35 for about 10 meals i could never justify £50 on one meal. I got value lagers for hubby and cider which i got on holiday in october for our christmas and new years drinks. we dont drink really except christmas and birthdays but we will only have 1 or 2.

we wont have starter but having croissants for christmas breakfast, chicken, roasties, yorkies, butternut squash, parsnips, carrot & swede, brussel sprouts, stuffing, pigs in blankets and gravy then a miniature christmas pud for me and apple pies for hubby with custard.

everything will be made to last right through until 2nd jan from 23rd.

Barneysmom

LilacLillie wrote: »

A Superscrimpers Christmas - Channel 4 - 8pm Wednesday 14th Dec:. How to enjoy Christmas without breaking the bank. One family tries to create a Christmas dinner on a budget of ONLY £50!
LL

Thanks Op I never knew it was going to be on this week

I'll be interested to see how the people involved make savings and see if I can apply any of it to our meal, though ours will be much cheaper anyway.

There's only hubby and me on Christmas Day but on Boxing Day we'll have 7 guests plus babe in arms.
I'm not sure what would be best to do that day as we normally have cold turkey, chips and betroot but cooking that many chips in my tiny fryer would take the whole day.
So should I do a buffet or a roast dinner?

I will be doing my Cheater's Stuffing which I've been doing for about 20 years and not been caught out yet.
1 large pack of sage & onion made up the night before so it is cold.
Next morning stir into it a pack of sausagemeat, some chopped nuts and dried cranberries, and a handful of chopped dried apricots, then cook as normal.

Rainy-Days

I cannot, honestly hand on heart, say how much we spend on Christmas food because I tend to buy it in gradually over the weeks from the end of October onwards. I bought two jars of pickled onions today and the cranberry sauce. I also used £10.00 of Nectar vouchers about three or so weeks ago when I got the chocolates, Jacobs Crackers box and the trifle sponges.

I agree with you though it would be less than £50.00 and other than buying a loaf of bread and some milk after Christmas and just before New Year we don't have a huge blow-out on the food shopping budget. I tend to use up whatever is in the fridge and the vegetable basket and create meals from those. We very often have the biscuits until the end of January anyway.

beautiful_ravens

50 quid? what?

I have bought an expensive large chicken for £8...to feed 6...the rest is like sunday roast stuff. I only have one hob working anyway, and Ive probably spent more on chrimbo crackers than food! Love 'em
Ive had some very frugal 'poor' xmas dinners in my time, which were also super cosy and very calm, so I do not feel the need to go mad sweating -or swearing - in the kitchen One year we had very overcooked roast pheasant because I was talking and drinking with my mum and brother instead of cooking hehe...No one really cared, because there was so many crackers to make up for it! Crackers always cover up a multitude of sins

Was this programme today?? Im sure I was watching channel 4 and didnt see it.

Butterfly_Brain

It is on tomorrow night at 8pm on channel 4

As I have read it, they reckon it is £50 just for Christmas Dinner :eek:

£50 in this house is for the whole of Christmas day, Boxing day and for BH Mon and Tuesday and I could probably stretch it to new years day as well

aklmatthews

I don’t think I have ever worked out how much I spend on Christmas dinner and it would be hard but not imposable to wreck it out as I do not by everything in one go and most things do more than one meal. we are all different and spend different amounts and have different priority’s someone on a tight budget my save up and splash out once a year someone with more money may prefer to save it for other treats as some said as long as it is money you have and are not getting in to debt for we should all spend what we like and enjoy it I do not think there is a right or wrong way but I do think to say £50 for a super scraper meal is very over the top I think someone on a very tight budget may have less than that to feed a family all meals for a week including Christmas diner

terra_ferma

lostinrates wrote: »

No, personally we just love fine wines, and buy the nearest we can afford. we like cheaper wnes too, sometimes depending on the wines, and when we find good wines on good offers we buy them.

Another big treat spend for me at christmas is a big bottled water purchase, because I CAN taste the difference, and its a treat.

There are people on the OS forum who can't afford what you are talking about, maybe someone lost their job etc.
To come here showing off what you can buy is not very nice.

jools27_2

terra_ferma wrote: »

There are people on the OS forum who can't afford what you are talking about, maybe someone lost their job etc.
To come here showing off what you can buy is not very nice.

I dont think anyone is showing off, the reality of life and OS is we all live within our means, big or small, and the savings along the way help with the splurges! Im not spending anything on christmas dinner this year because I have to work christmas eve, day ,and boxing day, family will fend for themselves at their own request, so have spent extra on presents for them and we will celebrate another time. I work full time, earn a good wage, but budget and bargain hunt to enable us to have holidays, send kids to college/uni, have a decent car to commute over 100 miles a day to work and back..........even in the years when really skint though we saved hard and with the help of family had a big blow out at christmas.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Mine's going to be about a tenner. No breakfast, no lunch, as I intend to be asleep from going out the night before, one 12 year old eating roast chicken, potato, carrots, peas and a yorkshire pudding having eaten chocolate all morning at her father's, plus a small tub of ice cream. Then scrambled duck eggs on toast for the next morning.

And I already have my bourbon, ice and she will have a bottle of cream soda, most likely.