Can you survive on £135pm?

Asiacat

Just imagine if some eccentric billionaire had contacted you and given you a challenge. "I will give you one million pound if you can survive for one month on 130 pounds."

Would you take the challenge? Of course you would. You're creative juices would start flowing and you would manage it with ease.

Okay so you haven't got that massive incentive but you still have the same brain whose creativity knows no bounds.

See it as a challenge and find some way to reward yourself at the end of it.

_Persephone

I guess I could if forced to, I would end up being very well read over that period, as I would struggle to go out and stick to a budget like that.

Foodwise I would batch cook to the extreme - one vat of Spaghetti bolognese cooked on Sunday, and eat that each night until it runs out.

moneysavingmonkey85

Yes, do meds first, then food, I manage about £25 a week food for 2 people - go later in the day for reduced stickers! Also approved food is good for dry goods. I would have to look for vouchers for going out/ small treats, but it is do-able - especially as a one- off. Get friends around for a film night - they can bring pizza! Good luck

MoneySpendingExpert2011

Thanks for all your responses.

This was kind of meant to be a one-off (just May), depending on how I might get along I might try to do this on a monthly basis but I am not sure I would be able to as there are a few things which have been excluded this month (top-up, haircut - clippers have already been suggested, not happening etc)

MoneySpendingExpert2011

adindas wrote: »

I fully believe you could. Here are the tips:
- Always walk, never pay taxi / public transport.

I never take taxis but I think walking from zone 8 (home) to 1 (work) (c25 miles trip) and back again would be ambitious for most people and I don't think fare dodging is an option so I am afraid I do have to pay the extortion (sorry tfl travelcard) :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

PasturesNew

It's loads. You say your rent/bills/transport are already covered and you have some food. Single people on JSA would have less than £135 per month after they'd taken their bills out of their £65/week.

MoneySpendingExpert2011

Rebekah24 wrote: »

£30 for food

:eek::eek::eek: That is hardcore! My monthly fruit bill is probably more than that!

the_cat

I would say it is very easily done for the essentials, although I would define 'going out' a luxury..... if I didn't have the money, I wouldn't spend on entertaining especially if it is only for a month

Meds first obviously.... then food. I would budget around £15 a week for this which if you have a bit in already should be more than ample. Whats left is for any non essential hobby/entertainment that you want

Good luck

Doubtful_Guest

If you base it on £3 per day for food and the rest for prescriptions and incidentals then that's loads. Seriously, that's about what we spend on two of us. There's lots of relevant threads on the Old Style section. For example, there's currently a 'Living below the Line challenge' for people living on one pound per day.

Basically, cut right back on alcohol/meat/prepared foods. Cook from scratch. Base your meals on basics like pasta/rice/potatoes with plenty vegetables (from big frozen bags) and a small amount of cheap protein (pulses/fish/veggie mince). Homemade soups for lunch. Porridge for breakfast is very cheap and keeps you full for ages.

A hypothetical weekly shop in ASDA for £21.

Total: £20.21

CHECKOUT
Quantity Product Price Remove 1
Kingsmill White Thick
£1.00 1
ASDA Smart... SP Broccoli
£0.76 1
Sea Isle Chick peas
£0.37 1
ASDA Mixed peppers
£1.48 1
ASDA Salmon fillets
£3.00 1
Asda Smart... Porridge Oats
£0.75 1
ASDA Smart... British potatoe
£0.87 2
ASDA Smart... Frozen mince
£1.80 4
KTC Plum tomatoes
£1.00 1
ASDA Spinach leaves
£0.96 1
ASDA Smart... Sausages
£1.00 1
ASDA Stock cubes
£0.78 1
ASDA Smart... SP Sweetcorn
£0.87 1
ASDA Cous Cous
£0.59 1
ASDA Fresh Eggs
£1.68 1
ASDA SemiSkim Milk
£0.89 1
ASDA Smart... SP frozen peas
£0.85 1
ASDA Smart... Easy cook rice
£0.49 1
ASDA Smart... Kidney beans
£0.18 1
ASDA Green beans
£0.71 1
ASDA Smart... Pasta shapes
£0.18
You would have porridge with milk for breakfast each morning. Homemade vegetable soup with bread for lunch. For dinner, you could make cottage pie, chickpea and veggie curry, sausage and mash, pasta bolognese, vegetable couscous with salmon, chilli con carne, pasta salad with chopped sausage and veggies. Should be plenty of food leftover to give you a headstart on the following week.

MoneySpendingExpert2011

As mentioned in my previous post, I am looking to sustain this in the long term and if I do end up undertaking this then this is how the £135 breaks down:

Groceries - £75
Meds / Dental / Glasses - £25
Entertainment - £35

Obviously every other month or ever so often I will need to have the following:

Top-up for my mobile - £15
Hair cut - £10
Presents - £20
Clothes - £15

I appreciate that some may be able to trim the costs even further (investing in a pair of clippers for hair cut etc), or consider items such as entertainment and presents non-essential, IMHO £35pm (c£1 per day) is not excessive.

I hear people who say that there are free options, my question is how do I take advantage of these free things when I am working c12 hour days and have 3 hours of commute time? Secondly, there is no such thing as a free lunch for example even telly would cost money - my room has a lock so I need a tv licence if I am watching live (I am not going to watch live telly without one because it is illegal and unethical), going for a run costs money - you need a half decent pair of trainers (which will need replacing ever so often) if you want to avoid injuries, getting books from libraries - after the cuts there don't seem to be any libraries open and the local ones that are still there don't open on weekends, buying books from charity shop costs money, the list is endless. There is always a trade-off, going to art galleries etc would require a 1.5 hour commute into central london and anyone living in london will tell you what trains are like on weekends.

I need to stress that the living on £135 pm is by choice, it partly sprang from my enthusiasm for overpaying debts today.

Keep the suggestions, ideas and advice coming.

Thanks

MSE