£10 a week food budget

TeenyBash

Hi everyone :hello:

I hope you'll be able to assist me. To cut a long story short, I was made redundant on 5th July (along with everyone) from my job. Had 8 interviews (3 with one company, 2 with another included!). But no job, yet :-(

I'm now receiving JSA. I've cut my outgoings down to the bear minimum, but I'm still in -£8.99 deficit a month :-( Currently selling anything not nailed down!

Basically, right at this moment I have £14 left from selling on eBay. This needs to get me through the next week, and possibly the next and I really need some creative ideas to get me through with food!

I've bought porridge oats, milk and bananas. So that will do for breakfast for a week. It's lunch and dinner I need to think about. Any ideas, links etc, much appreicated. I'm thinking beans and bread... Ha!

Many thanks.

Bogof_Babe

Have you got a Poundstretcher or Poundworld store locally? These sell many food basics much cheaper than normal supermarkets.

Kirri

Buy some flour and get making your own bread. What about dried pulses, split yellow peas make a good and quick houmous like dip with a bit of oil and garlic, very cheap and 100g of them will make enough for a few lunches.

You could try asking on freecycle if anyone who grows their own has any spare veg, I'm always happy to give away veg but never know anyone who wants it!

gnasher18us

The best thing I can suggest is to cook loads of something (stew, bolognese, Chilli - things that are quite easy), and then freeze any leftovers into individual portions.

You can often buy veg really cheap at Tesco near closing time (and other s/markets) so BULK buy the reduced veg and make vegetable options, to try and maintain the "goodness" of fruit and vegetables. Veg lasagne can be ace (freezeabe also)!

Really good luck to you at this time and I really hope you get a job soon

elsien

I would suggest that you have a look at the oldstyle part of the forum, there's people on there who I am in awe of with what they manage to achieve on miniscule amounts of money.
If you post your question there, you'll get some helpful advice, and I'm fairly sure there's some threads on eating for next to nothing that someone will point you in the direction of - I can't find my way round there well enough to find anything very useful for you.
Good luck.

gnasher18us

Kirri wrote: »

You could try asking on freecycle if anyone who grows their own has any spare veg, I'm always happy to give away veg but never know anyone who wants it!

Ask Kirri to send you some free veg - its far better than buying it! :beer:

kittiej

I would suggest looking out for free fruit eg blackberries, apples etc. It might be worth asking at the local allotments (if there are any near you that is) if anyone has a glut of produce they want to sell.

I have an apple tree with loads of fruit on atm and if someone knocked on my door and asked for some I'd tell them to help themselves to a bag

Other than that, sacks of spuds around here are £4.99 which you can make loads of meals with, not just for chips lol.

Noodles in tesco are 11p. Curry sauce at asda and morrisons is 9p (yummy). It depends on what you like to eat. If you did consider making your own bread then Lidl's bread flour is the best imo as it already has ascorbic acid in it. Have you got any clubcard vouchers lurking in the drawer?

See this as a challenge and you will succeed, see it as 'I don't have any money' and you will struggle.

Wishing you all the best x

Sunflower1227

Hi TeenyBash, make a list of what is in your cupboards, fridge and freezer. Then post on the old style thread your request with lists of food, they are great at giving ideas on how to survive on a small budget.

ladylouise62

Kirri wrote: »

You could try asking on freecycle if anyone who grows their own has any spare veg, I'm always happy to give away veg but never know anyone who wants it!

I know what you mean - I always have too much of some types of veg and I've only a small garden. Join Freecycle/Freegle and ask if any allotment users have any spare veg.. maybe offer to do some donkey work in return? Many people have apple trees in their garden that they don't harvest much, and would be happy to offer if you just ask.

Check out the area for places that may have fruit-producing hedges. It's a little late for most things in my area (in the south), but damsons should still be available - stew with some sugar and you have a nice cheap pudding.

Sunflower1227

Also check out the discount code and vouchers thread, using money off coupons or in some cases free items can reduce your food bill.

alex21

I onion, 1 good sized carrot and a couple of potatoes. Make a soup using these and yellow split peas (way cheaper than lentils) this will do quite a few lunches. Hang in there.