when you reach breaking point

GreyQueen

It's hard one to call, Chirpychick, since not all households eat exactly the same things.

I'd look at what you and yours eat, what is going to be scarce due to known shortages in the market down to crop failures, how long various things have as shelf life and what storage you have available and weave all those factors into whatever funds you can put into it.

I'd be looking at rice, grains (flour and rice), pasta, tinned veggies esp spuds and carrots, teabags, cooking oil, sugar and a few other things like that. I'm also adding tinned fish and tinned meats. Think abou the little extras like stock cubes/ granules etc.

Meat is going to go up due to dearer grain making animal feed more costly, which will have knock-on effects on milk and eggs, If you find it palatable, dried milk perhaps (whatever you do, don't go off-piste with feeding bubs unless you've checked with your Dr or heath visitor first).

I have limited freezer space as only have a counter-top model so at the moment it has a large supply of h.g. broad beans and peas, a stash of whoopsies butter (Anchor at 45p a block) and a rotating selection of whoopsied meat products. All the other stuff has to be shelf-stable.

Definately don't buy what you won't eat and if you're not sure of a product, try one before buying 10 of them. HTH.

quintwins

chirpychick wrote: »

Sorry board hogger alert :rotfl:

It really scared me today reading about the increase in food prices.
I knew it was coming but was kind of hoping we had a little more time.
We live really hand to mouth because we literally cannot afford to stock up the stores, every time I try something happens and we end up living off them for a month and then we go back to having nothing in the house again.
I have enough food in for about 2 weeks if we really scrape by and that would be using up everything.
The only thing I have a really lot of is Orange Squash & Tea bags, my husband said to me last night that we didn't need to buy 2 more Squash's because we had plenty but I rarely drink anything else and he lives on tea so they are the 2 things we currently have a lot of.
I just can't seem to afford to ever stock up on food and as soon as I do we need to use it.
I am so worried now.

We have just sold some stuff on eBay and have totally finished buying everything we need for our baby and so I am going to try very hard to get a few things in over the next few months before the real increases hit next year (which is what they expect).

My husband thinks it's a waste of money and that the money could be put to better uses though so I might have to be a bit sneaky and hide some ... is that terrible?

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what would be the things they most recommend stocking up or what to start with or should I just do a shop of some tins and packets?

it doesn't take as much as you think a spare £1 a week will get you

2 tins of spuds, a tin of carrost and a bag of rice

or

a bag of pasta and 2 cartons of passata

or

4 tins of baked beans

or

3 boxes or cornflakes


try not to stress and take it in baby steps yes prices are going up, but aslong as you still have food in yoru belly it doesn't matter how it gets there.

Tiddlywinks

Many years ago my OH's nan said to me that she couldn't take advantage of the offers when they were on because she didn't have the extra cash to 'invest' at that moment... so we used to do the BOGOFs and split them with her and it did save quite a bit.

Have you any local family or neighbours that would like to bulk buy and split the costs? I know our local Asda and Morrisons are always offering deals on chilled stuff but some of it needs to be eaten quickly and can't be frozen but the deals are really good if you can share them so you'll all get the benefit (and save the difference),

gettingready

Personally I do not have anyone to share shopping with.

Just me , my 4 cats and a dog.

Furies do not want to contribute...hmmmm

Tiddlywinks

gettingready wrote: »

Personally I do not have anyone to share shopping with.

Just me , my 4 cats and a dog.

Furies do not want to contribute...hmmmm

The furries all give you their love and devotion though... normally close to dinner time

Maybe we've hit on a good idea for a social network? BOGOF Buddies - think it'll float?

threemuttleys

I have to say, I was so proud of the OH last night. Sent him up the road to get some Milk (Co Op) gave him a £5 note, and he came back with.....MILK.

He said that he saw a few packs of crumpets, custard donuts and a few other bits rtc, but that he remembered that I have some "treaty bready things" in the freezer. So he didnt bother

:beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j

chirpychick

Thank you so much for the tips on what to stock up on and the idea of £1 a week! I will definitely do that.

We don't have anyone to share with either, everyone we know must be either rich, too ashamed/embarrassed to discuss money problems or getting into debt.

Nobody I know seems to struggle at all.

A friend came to me (knowing we live on £35 a week for groceries for 2 of us) asking for help with her food shopping, so I spent ages helping her and showing her where savings could be made to learn that saving money for them on groceries for 2 people would be cutting back to between £80-£100 a week :eek:

Now don't get me wrong, if they can afford this then it is completely up to them and by doing this they are saving £100 a month but for us that kind of spend is not even close to being an option!!

We don't smoke, we once a week I buy hubby value lager for £1 and me 2 bottles of orangeade for a £1 and once a fortnight will buy some value biscuits and maybe some crisps on special offer alongside value squash that is our total luxury items.

I see friends having steak and going out to pubs and restaurants every weekend or a trip to mcdonalds or spending £100 on highlights and haircuts - when I have hubby cut my hair except once a year when i go to a "cheap" place to have it thinned out as it is very thick and he gets his cut every 2 months as thats when we can afford it, the only going to restaurants is when his mum and dad take us to their local pub.

We wear holey trainers and trousers and they go shopping for new clothes every weekend and i thought so many people were in the same situation but clearly not :S it really confuses me.

I am not jealous, I have no right to be, if we hadn't have been stupid and gotten into debt and subsequently our IVA then we would be able to live more comfortably but I just don't seem to know anyone other than people on this website who seriously struggle with money.

I came on this thread and it was such a relief to know others felt the same and that you all were there to help! Hubby's work trousers are fixed, i have black dots on my legs :rotfl: :T and I know now that if i focus on just £1 a week for store cupboard things I will get there eventually.

I really cannot thank you all and the op so much!!

gettingready

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

The furries all give you their love and devotion though... QUOTE]


Yup, and I never think they cost me so much that I have so little left for myself - I am just thinking that one day I will go back to my previous salary (was on double of what I am now) and things will get better.

Would never ever "rehome" any of my furies just for the sake of money issues....

chirpychick

gettingready wrote: »

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

The furries all give you their love and devotion though... QUOTE]


Yup, and I never think they cost me so much that I have so little left for myself - I am just thinking that one day I will go back to my previous salary (was on double of what I am now) and things will get better.

Would never ever "rehome" any of my furies just for the sake of money issues....

and they save on heating costs :T

gettingready

absolutely - nothing beter that a long haired GS dog and 4 cats on the bed with you in winter