Please can u help me

Butterfly_Brain

Firstly you need to see what you have and then meal plan, making a list really is a must. Only take cash when shopping - it really makes you focus on what you are spending. I get the majority of my food at Aldi because it has a lot of good deals.
Rubber Chicken is a great way to stretch things out Roast one day, curry, stew, pie etc the next day and then use the carcass for stock that will serve as a good base for soups, risottos and casseroles.
I only buy beef when it is on offer, then I roast it, slice it and freeze it into meal sized portions that can be reheated in gravy, this way I get three or four meals from one joint. The same goes for pork.
We eat veggie once or twice a week and even DH who is a real carnivore does not complain.
A good store cupboard is a great way of saving money, especially at the moment because prices are rising so quickly. A couple of tins or packets a week really do mount up.
Things like flour, sugar, pasta, rice, tinned veg, soups, yeast, coffee, tea, fruit etc will last for ages.
Keep about £20 -£30 from your weekly budget to buy things when on special offer.
Make your own bread, cakes and biscuits. I have a baking day once a week and just fill the oven so the electric bill is kept as low as possible.
How about growing lettuce, cabbages,runner beans, strawberries, raspberries or have you enough room to put in a pear, plum, cherry or apple tree.We put in a hazel bush last year and it looks like I will have a good crop of nuts later on in the year - we have good neighbours either side of us and we share our produce so we don't all have to grow the same thing and if we have a glut nothing goes to waste.
Foraging is a great way of finding free food in the hedgerows etc We are lucky that we live a 2 minute walk away from countryside and have had some great bounty such as blackberries (can freeze them ) damsons, cherries, sloes, filberts, sweet chestnuts and even walnuts.:D

Skint_yet_Again

I used to spend around £100 on payday to stock up my chest freezer and then around £40-£45 a week on fruit veg and anything else I fancied buying. Shopping was coming in at around £300 per month for me and DS (16yo)

When I had to cut down the first thing I did was get rid of my chest freezer. I know a lot of people would disagree but I found the freezer was always at least half full and that food was cash sitting in my freezer. I still have 3 drawer freezer in my fridge freezer and this is sufficient for us.

Then I switched from Moressons to A1di and found that we can manage on £35 a week. This includes fruit and veg - I try to buy offers, all meat including steak mince, whole chicken, gammon steaks, and milk, yoghurts, butter. I cut out fizzy drinks, crisps, and junk. I no longer throw away left overs and use up all food before it goes off. My DS eats like a horse and I find that with the lower cost "proper" food he seems to eat less often as he is not filling up on junk then hungry again an hour later.
Good Luck

ubamother

I'm sure with the great help you've had you are already feeling up for the challenge! I would add a couple of thoughts. Teenager often equals continual hunger - and it's often the most expensive stuff (i.e. open packet - put in mouth) that gets eaten first. If you cut back on this you may find the next thing teenager goes for is half the stuff you've planned to use in your next meal. One way to help avoid this while you are 're-training' the family is to think about what your teenager likes as "I'm starving" snacks and work this into your plans. Nobody likes a miserable hungry hard-done-by teenager. So if said teenager likes biscuits try batch baking (hide half in the freezer) things like flapjacks, digger biscuits etc) - savouries - home made cheese and potato pasties etc. (again batch bake for the freezer) can be economic. In my house, read '44 year old husband' for 'teenager'.

Toxic_Lemon

Here's my list for instant cut-backs...

Stop buying deodorant and replace with deodorant stone which costs £5 and lasts a person at least 1-2 years.

Switch from laundry detergent and fabric conditioner to laundry balls. Last about a year and cost about £7 for 2.

Bulk out mince and meat with lentils, beans and veg. Much more nutritious and healthier and cheaper.

Stop buying all the branded cleaning products and use something like Stardrops for almost everything.

Be very strict about electricity usage. Turn off lights when not in rooms, lower hot water temperature, heating etc.

Have beans on toast or egg, chips and beans type meals at least once or twice a week.

Stop buying as many branded goods as possible. You're only paying for the advertising (although some brands can't be replaced such as ketchup, beans, etc.

Freeze bread so it doesn't go stale and get wasted.

Stop buying crisps and snacky stuff and make your own flapjacks, snacks, etc.

ILoveEoin

welcome 2 the most friendly place i have had the pleasent to visit!!!

everyone is lovely & an MASSIVE help with saving money:)

i am very new to all this so i dont have any good advice but just want wish u well )

[Deleted User]

Hi thanks for all the tips, I will do a bit of research on the deodorant stones and laundry balls, and next week when the wages go in everything is gonna be from scratch, I feel really happy today and am postive I can do this.:)

Emmzi

I think it is harsh to say the DFW board were not supportive, looking at your prior threads. The *loans* board, that's a different matter, but they will always come down harsh on payday loan questions.

Really good luck. £200 a month is definitely doable!

Stephen_Leak

Welcome to the OS board. We don't tear people to shreds on here. Old sheets, pillows, duvets, etc. are fair game, though.

pelirocco

Skint_yet_Again wrote: »

I used to spend around £100 on payday to stock up my chest freezer and then around £40-£45 a week on fruit veg and anything else I fancied buying. Shopping was coming in at around £300 per month for me and DS (16yo)

When I had to cut down the first thing I did was get rid of my chest freezer. I know a lot of people would disagree but I found the freezer was always at least half full and that food was cash sitting in my freezer. I still have 3 drawer freezer in my fridge freezer and this is sufficient for us.

Then I switched from Moressons to A1di and found that we can manage on £35 a week. This includes fruit and veg - I try to buy offers, all meat including steak mince, whole chicken, gammon steaks, and milk, yoghurts, butter. I cut out fizzy drinks, crisps, and junk. I no longer throw away left overs and use up all food before it goes off. My DS eats like a horse and I find that with the lower cost "proper" food he seems to eat less often as he is not filling up on junk then hungry again an hour later.
Good Luck

I think this is an excellent point , its not about what people 'save' its about what they spend

lucy_lemon

The recipe I use is a Dan Lepard one I stumbled across a while ago. I was a bit dubious about it at first but then when I actually tried the bread I was convinced. It is incredible. You can find the recipe here: http://www.edenproject.com/blog/index.php/2011/09/how-to-bake-bread-by-expert-dan-lepard/