eat for 30 quid a week

quintwins

if you aren't a great cook i'd recommend buying (or asking on freecycle) a slowcooker you really can just throw everything in and it always comes out lovely but really cooking isn't something you can be bad at it just takes practice and imagination

*confused*

I'd say £30 a week would be easy. I spend around £17-20 on me, 2 cats and a hedgehog (including toiletries, washing powder, etc). Means making a lot from scratch, but I've got into the habit now so spending more would seem wasteful

awaytogoyet

*confused* wrote: »

I'd say £30 a week would be easy. I spend around £17-20 on me, 2 cats and a hedgehog (including toiletries, washing powder, etc). Means making a lot from scratch, but I've got into the habit now so spending more would seem wasteful

:rotfl:Brilliant - you sound as mad as me - Inhave a collection of wild animals in the garden that I feed - I do it all for under £30 too :beer:
Absolutely nothing gets wasted.

Agree totally with the other Poster about Slow Cookers as well. I'm not a brilliant cook - but find it so easy & inexpensive using a Slow Cooker. Just throw in some meat (as cooks so slowly, can use cheaper cuts), add veggies, potatoes, tomatoes, stock, pulses, lentils, oats etc. & lo & behold a great casserole at the end of the day for me & doggie (she much prefers it to dog food).

Gothicfairy

I don't have a freezer and only a caravan fridge so hardly much in the way of room now but I do keep lentils and pulse in all the time plus garlic / chillies / onions and tinned toms, you'd be suprised how much you can make with just the basics and a good stock power goes a long way.

I also think a pressure cooker is a must as it reduces the cooking time of potatoes and lentils down to minutes rather then hours ( in the case of kidney beans )

As for recipes there are thousands and thousands online from the most basic and simple to the more complex ( some even come with a youtube video ) so it is well worth looking through them as you will soon learn if you make the effort.

I don't buy bread unless it is on offer as I either make my own or use something else like tortillas (again can make your own which is always fun)
Home made pasta is only 00 flour (I have used plain and although it is not as good it still worked perfectly well with a thick sauce) and eggs and if you can find the flour cheap it can be made for next to nothing

TryingHardToSave_2

I spend between £60-£70 a week on our shopping and we are a family of 5. This includes nappies, pet foods, cleaning products etc.
Like alot of people have already said dont get everything from one shop, shop around.
I look on all supermarkets websites/leaflets and see what offers are good for us and if you can afford it stock up whilst they are on offer but just double check because ive found lately that some offers are actually cheaper to buy outside of the offer, if that makes sense?
I love my slow cooker would be lost without it, can buy the cheapest cuts of meat and they just fall apart after being cooked in there. Do lots of stews, curries, casseroles, spag bol, cheap joints for sunday lunch.
Dont be afraid to try own brands, its abit of a hit and miss thing but with alot of them you cant tell the difference.
Im finding aldi very good for both their meat, fruit and veggies at the mo especially when they have the super 6 offer on. I also get veggies from local car boot, i tend to go when they are starting to pack up and literally giving the stuff away. Check local butchers for meat, sometimes they have some good offers on like the 3 packs £10 supermarkets do.
Try and get yourself a good little stock of staple items, for me these are pasta/rice/pulses/lentils/herbs and spices/beans/tin toms/potatoes and eggs. Can make so many different meals with these and they are all rather filling.
Check supermarkets when they are due to reduce things, can freeze as soon as get home or make meals out of purchases and the freeze.

eleanor73

I spend way way less-some weeks £20. Some weeks as little as £3 (obviously with use of storecupboard and whoopsies in the freezer. I've worked out that on average I spend about £11 a week. I do it by never doing a big shop, checking whoopsies shelf, just buying what I need, making dinners from what I have and looking out for offers and when they are on buying in bulk. My freezer and Lidl are my best friend! I never go without and always have proper dinners. I also eat meat and fish probably 3-4 times a week. I see it as a bit of a challenge:j

rachbc

I spent £234 this month on groceries for my family of 4 - 3 eating adult portions and 1 child. That inc al breakfasts, lunches and evening meals. So yes, its more the doable to spend £120 for 1

Geordie_bear

kentguy07 wrote: »

Do you think its possibly to live on £30 a week "by living I mean food wise" could you live on £30 a week or less? just for 1 person.

If so what is the cheapest place to shop for food out of the supermarkets.

Easy, trick is to shop around & hammer the bargains & promotions. Our fortnightly shop between us averages around the £40 mark & we get our daily sandwiches made out of that too! It can be done :beer:

Geordie_bear

SimIsOnTheUp wrote: »

Even the price of basic stuff, like bread has rocketed recently

Kingsmill 50/50 loaf is currently 75p at Asda, Morrisons make a nice white loaf 800g for 69p :beer:

Gothicfairy

Sim..if you need any help with recipes or ideas then please do feel free to drop me a PM and I can walk you through some basics.