Where do we go from basics?

goodgirl80

I'm trying to eat less. I try to get 4 meals out of a packet of Quorn mince or pieces rather than two like I used to

ps. also if the cheap option isn't available in tesco's I go without the item rather than getting the more expensive brand

patchwork_cat

'When our children were small we had a seven bedroomed house(6 children) with a very large garden and an enormous stone outhouse used for storage and as a playhouse.As they started to leave home we gradually down sized.First to a 4 bedroomed,then 3, then2.We now live in a brand new 2 bedroomed flat almost in the town centre.Very easy to heat and to keep clean,low(ish)council tax and for the first time in our lives we actually have spare money,which is something I never dreamed would happen.'

From a post made by OP in feb. What has happened OP since Feb?

threemuttleys

well, for us as a family. we are struggling. food prices are mental, and as for petrol, well what is there to say?

We are a family of three, and I really dont know how much further I can make our budget stretch. I am eating less and less (skipping meals at times) to ensure that my son has enough to eat, I am walking everywhere I can, and I am dreading July when I have to return to work (Nursery/Childminders, transport to work/cm/nursery)

We are lucky, we have our own home, charity shops are getting too expensive (£3 for a t shirt...thats the same as Primarche!) Most of my sons things have come from car boots, and I cant remember the last time my hair was cut

Flee_2

It is crazy that we are all cutting down so much just to live. I have cut my food bills down from £500 a month to £200 a month, and that is still not enough. I am trying to spend as little as possible.
Best tips I can give are to make your own bread or buy bread that is reduced and freeze it. Buy big packs of meat and make more portions of meals and freeze them. Try to go to the supermarkets just before they close and buy items at very cheap prices. I know that Mr M's sell apple pies for 18p and roast chickens for £1.
Grow your own potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce etc.
Buy clothes from cheap charity shops, there is one in Staffordshire (Help the aged) that I use, which sells mens and womens clothes for £1 each item, kids clothes for 60p, videos & books 10p, toys 40p etc. Ebay is good for bargains but use cashback for this. Carboot sales and jumble sales are the best and you can barter for the best deal.

Energy saving advice: If you use a timer for water and heating, then make sure that you are not heating the house or water when it is not needed. If you have a shower in the morning then set your timer for just before then only, and set it to warm the water for say half an hour. I did this and it saves me a fortune. Also get your boiler checked to make sure that it is running efficiently. Mine was not, and because of a bad winter I spent £1k on additional fuel last winter.

And of course a slow cooker is the best thing in the kitchen. **Thanks awaytogoyet**

awaytogoyet

A really helpful piece of equipment for frugal living, I find, is a slow cooker. I've got a largish one as I freeze what is left over. Asda quite often have them on offer, or you may pick up at a boot sale etc. Just throw in a small amount of meat, lots of veggies, stock & pad out with lentils, oats etc. - leave on all day (hardly uses any electricity) & a lovely hot 'casserole' awaits you at the end of the day.
Because it cooks very 'slowly', you can use less expensive cuts of meat.

Most people think I'm bonkers but I also feed my dog on this. I just buy dry dog food & dog biccies, which I leave down for 'nibbles' & feed her on these casseroles etc. Most tinned/wet dog food (which is pretty disgusting anyway!) is around 50-60p a tin now - this works out much cheaper & is more nutritious - she loves it!

dianadors

My suggestion would be very frugal food. IE Jacket potatoes and beans, something on toast etc Keep meat to a minimum - perhaps once a week for a while. When I was little, my dad was a coal miner and through the 70's was on strike with no pay or benefits. As mum didn't work, and with 3 kids to feed - things got very tight!. We would have meat on Sunday, and then this was used in "lefover" meals throughout the week. Spuds featured heavily in all our mealtimes - in every conceivable form. My favourite was when mum sliced them, dipped them in batter, deep fried them and served them with tinned tomatoes. Making a little go a long way was my mums speciality. A small tin of pink salmon would be mixed with spuds and made into fish cakes as a treat. Foraging from the hedgerow has always featured heavily in our diet - but you need to know what you are looking for. Cut out butter or spreads on sandwiches - you really can't tell that you have done this. x

sistercas

threemuttleys wrote: »

well, for us as a family. we are struggling. food prices are mental, and as for petrol, well what is there to say?

We are a family of three, and I really dont know how much further I can make our budget stretch. I am eating less and less (skipping meals at times) to ensure that my son has enough to eat, I am walking everywhere I can, and I am dreading July when I have to return to work (Nursery/Childminders, transport to work/cm/nursery)

We are lucky, we have our own home, charity shops are getting too expensive (£3 for a t shirt...thats the same as Primarche!) Most of my sons things have come from car boots, and I cant remember the last time my hair was cut

please make sure you are eating enough , its such a difficult situation .
are you getting all the benefits you are entitled too?

dianadors

I forgot to add, my mum alerted me to one of her neighbours - a bloke in his 70's that lives on his own and has 3 allotments. He can't possibly use all he produces himself, so I asked him if I could buy any surplus he grows. He is more than happy to give me the surplus for free in return for me picking it up and stopping for a chat and a cuppa and a bit of weeding - he misses the company. If things are really tight, it might be worth a wander around your nearest allotments asking if they will sell you fruit and veg. Desperate times call for using our imaginations - something we have not been encouraged to do for a long time. x

rigsby1967

dianadors wrote: »

I forgot to add, my mum alerted me to one of her neighbours - a bloke in his 70's that lives on his own and has 3 allotments. He can't possibly use all he produces himself, so I asked him if I could buy any surplus he grows. He is more than happy to give me the surplus for free in return for me picking it up and stopping for a chat and a cuppa and a bit of weeding - he misses the company.

Aww that's really nice bless him, and you, for giving him the company he obviously wants.
That reminded me actually, for any of you who have hens (like i have), I give some eggs away to close friends and 1 free cycler i have come to know, but any surplus, i take to work and sell for 75p per half dozen;), they always sell and i'm always told how much better they are than shop bought free range eggs and so much cheaper to:T, so while my girls are my pets and quite obviously need feeding, i still get a little money towards thier food and eggs in various forms in my diet as well:D;).

rigs

bargainhunterss

thanks for starting this thread OP! brilliant idea! i love these tip threads as i find things out that i would never have thought of! i hope everyone is managing...and things can only get better! i agree sistercas, make sure yuor eating enough threemuttleys! even if its just beans on toast or bread and soup!