Who doesn't have a stock cupboard

the_frugal_frog

I dont have a store cupboard, I barely scrape by some weeks just paying bills etc without managing to stockpile. I have pre pay elec and gas which kills off any left over money!

However I have read through with interest and am aiming to buy 2 items extra a week, So far I have uht milks..and a reduced price christmas pudding lol.
I have enough food to last 3 days if that in the house.
I work hard dont drink or smoke, but bills and living /getting to work costs are high. I make food from scratch buy reduced and generally live to work. I am slighlty worried about how little I have if anything were to happen, ie job loss or the like.

Popperwell

mrs_motivated wrote: »

I used to keep what I thought was a large store cupboard of just about everything (think 2 fridges, large chest freezer and pantry. Oh and a small chest freezer). Plus cupboards teaming with everything imaginable.

In November last year I separated and the kids and I moved into a small 2 bed rented house while the marital home sold. I now have a small kitchen, a chest freezer (small) and an undercounted fridge. But now I actually have a store cupboard. I have to be much more organised, rotate things and really think about what I buy to store. Before, things got wasted, went out of date because I never really knew what I had.

I do have a cellar though and store toilet rolls, washing powder and cleaning products down there. So, although food is sorted I can still supply loo rolls to the entire street should there ever be a shortage

Well, kitchen cupboards have soups and lots of tinned stuff, bread, bread buns etc...the pantry is now cereals and booze and extra soap, detergents etc...I need to keep it easy to get into because the electric meter is in there and it's annoyng to have to keep moving goods...I'll have to put my spare light bulbs back in there...I forgot about them:doh:

Now the real stuff I have regarding my store room is in crates in the dining room. I have no choice. the chairs are up turned and not being used, the dining table closed up. There is a tumble drier and fridge freezer there too. it is a storage/utility room now. I grab my meals and usaully eat them in the bedroom or could if I stayed downstairs use the lounge. I have one of those tables that slide over beds(like in hospital)or chairs...I could move it upstairs at a push...

As my radio, pc's, beds, toilet and bath, I have a kettle for tea and coffee all upstairs and I am not watching any tv on the one in the lounge I live upstairs.

I could put a microwave in a bedroom and do quick meals upstairs too and I can wash some(the little I use)mugs and plates etc...in the bedroom sink.

What I cook in the kitchen or have cold is done very quickly in the kitchen. I don't have to keep going up and down the stairs I try to limit how often I do.

I'm single but have around 50 toilet rolls

fuddle

An extra 30p bag of pasta one week, extra tin of beans the week after. You'll soon feel a bit more comfy with your supplies. I wish you well. Stock piling is a bit addictive

Popperwell

Disdisbiff wrote: »

What would be the best items to stock up on i'm thinking pasta oats tinned peas and carrots and UHT milk should i include anything else.
BIFF

That's a good start...think how much space you have, how many live in your home, your budget and in general what foods you like or if you had a drop in income, illness and/or emergency what you probably would eat.

And if mainly dry or tinned goods you hopefully will get items with lots of dates that are ages away so they'll last you a long time.

Rotate what you have, use items and replace them. There is a good list earlier in thread put ther by Butterfly Brain and you can make your choice as large or as small. You could add baked beans, rice puddings, tinned fruit, custard, biscuits, crisps, cereals, herbs, flour, tinned potatoes, soups(unless you make your own)pastes, spreads, tinned tomatoes, marmade, jams, herbs...really whatever you wish. And then think about what frsh items you would use in the fridge. In the freezer things like fish, meat, frozen veg, ice cream, cheesecake...well you have to have some treats...

Butterfly_Brain

frugal frog little and often and you will soon build a stock cupboard.
I have posted how quickly you can fill a good stock for £5 a week but even £1 a week is doable.

Here are a few ideas for £1 - £2

Week 1.....4 tins branston baked beans (on offer in Asda at the moment)
Week 2.... A bag of SR and a bag of plain flour 52p a bag £1.04
Week 3.... A bag of bread flour 60p and a pack of yeast 67p (Aldi) = £1.27
Week 4....1 kg LG rice 40p, 500g spaghetti 24p 500g basic shapes 39p = £1.03
Week 5 ... Tin tomatoes 31p jar of olives (Aldi 39p) sm tin sweetcorn 21p a tin peas 8p = 99p
Week 6... A jif lemon 20p (Aldi special) a jelly 33p - 35p (depending where you get it from ) Cheese sauce ( Iget mine in the co-op 3 for £1 = £1.55
week 7... Bag of brown sugar (Aldi 69p) bag of caster sugar (Aldi £1.09) = £1.78
Week 8...2 tins rice pudding @12p, 3 pkts of instant custard @ 6p, a tin of peaches 29p, a tin of mandarins 27p = 98p

So in 2 months you have the start of a good stock for just over and sometimes under £1 a week.
I hope that this helps x

Butterfly_Brain

Just thought of some more
1kg porridge oats 75p, a jar of mixed fruit jam 29p = £1.04
A jar marmalade 27p, a jar lemon curd 22p, a sp ketchup 21p a sp bolognaise sauce 39p = £1.09
Sp vinegar 13p mayonnaise 48p mint sauce 24p A sp curry sauce 17p = £1.02p

Popperwell

Very good Butterfly Brain...

That site I linked to earlier has some great recipe ideas but for variety but on a budget and often using the Everyday range of goods even I may be able to eat well and spend very little, look for the Nifty Fifty area...

quintwins

Wow thats nifty fifty site is so over priced, serious a spag bol at £1.14 a portion for 4 people, i can make one for half that...goes off to wonder if maybe she's to frugal.

Poundstretcher does sugar at 2 for £1.50, if your on a budget i'd recommend poundlands tuna at 3 for £1, its worth keeping an eye on fillint station deals, at the mo our spar has half price 500g blocks of butter for £1.19 and 4 tins of hp beans for £1.

Dried milk powder is also good, i keep this and value strawberry whip as a back up pudding for the kids.

Popperwell

quintwins wrote: »

Wow thats nifty fifty site is so over priced, serious a spag bol at £1.14 a portion for 4 people, i can make one for half that...goes off to wonder if maybe she's to frugal.

Poundstretcher does sugar at 2 for £1.50, if your on a budget i'd recommend poundlands tuna at 3 for £1, its worth keeping an eye on fillint station deals, at the mo our spar has half price 500g blocks of butter for £1.19 and 4 tins of hp beans for £1.

Dried milk powder is also good, I keep this and value strawberry whip as a back up pudding for the kids.

I probably will find some ways to keep costs down too and adapt the recipes accordingly. i always find it's the initial cost of what you buy before its portioned out and used for a few meals...then it doesn't seem so bad.

Some good offers there...

flippin36

Where do you guys get your powdered milk from? I'm really struggling to find something other than expensive Marvel. TIA