How DO YOU feed a family on <£250?

Norfolk_Jim

I keep seeing these posts where people say how they feed their large family on like £200 or £250 a month and I can't help but wonder how you do it?
I know it says get on over the Old Time board. I've been there, theres a lot of posts and some are 100's of pages long with the info in there "Somewhere".
My family groceries spend is £60pw for 2 adults, 2 Teens and 2 dogs and thats for food and anything else that would come from a supermarket (Shampoo, razors, toothpaste deodorant etc) and I never manage to stay in budget - so I can't help but wonder where I'm going wrong.
Do you like live on beans and lentils? Porridge? 11p ASDA noodles or what? I find it a struggle, in fact I just can't manage to come in on budget now the kids are teens though I used to well enough. Prices go up. Wages don't, but if others can then I ought to be able to too.
I got a good cook book at the charity shop this weekend and theres some ideas in there and on the web
Any threads I should concentrate on?

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wyebird

Hi Jim

These two have been started recently so are up to date with prices etc

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4148389


https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4084527

wyebird

And this is weezls famous site

http://www.cheap-family-recipes.org.uk/

noahs1

Jim - also visit supermarket when they are reducing items. My local tesco reduces items to 10p on a Friday and saturday night so you can pick up good food items then

dktreesea

£60 a week for four people, two dogs and with toiletries and cleaning things thrown in?! I think you are doing pretty well. Our budget for supermarket shopping for the four of us (also two adults and two teens), and no animals, is £20 a day. And meat, which we buy directly from the butchers, is on top of that.

FBaby

You have to take account how much you spend on alcohol as that clearly can make a big difference. Whether you include lunch meals in it too, how much meat you eat, how much you cook from scatch etc...

antonic

I`m single and feed myself on approx £100/mth.

I am also an expert shopper in Asda in the Oops aisle & chilled cabinet as well as an expert buyer of BOGOF`s.

This will all end in 3 months time though ! (see my sig for details)..

Norfolk_Jim

FBaby wrote: »

You have to take account how much you spend on alcohol as that clearly can make a big difference. Whether you include lunch meals in it too, how much meat you eat, how much you cook from scatch etc...

Usually nothing on alcohol. Sometimes £1 or £2 on cider. I take lunch to work, sandwich, pretty plain fare as I'm diabetic, but it was never fancy. I don't smoke so nothing on that either.

As for reduced things, yes I lurk around the reduced aisle and can do well, but it is a bit down to luck as to who get there first. I do hang about while they reduce stuff but I do get a little tired of the dirty looks and feeling like a vulcher. I'm not that proud, if it feeds the kids and if needs must - but it's a bit hit and miss and there is competition.
Sometimes theres lots reduced, often theres not.

Meat - I try to buy little and what i do buy I use in recipes that stretch it out. What would have done me alone 3-4 years ago I now make go around us all with the use of rice, pasta and curry but I'm still seriously impressed at the claims here - It's not like vegetables are inexpensive any more.

Thank for the leads folks

happy_bunny_2

In the summer. Grow stuff. Dirt cheap and doesnt take long. Easy cheap stuff:
Lettuce
Spring onions
Tomatoes
Basil
Coriander
Oregano
Rosemary
Thyme
Courgettes
Radishes
Strawberries

I focus on the stuff that costs a lot and doesn't taste as good when bought.

quintwins

I'm confused, you say you can't understand how you feed a family on less than £250 yet you do it, unless you mean your aim is £60 but your always way over?

My budget is £200 i have 3 young kids and 2 dogs, milk and fruit take up a huge chunk of my budget, our dogs get a rather fancy complete dry food that we get direct and buy in bulk with family members which makes it cheaper than supermarket brands.

Takeaway_Addict

Quintwins- The op does say they never stay in budget in their first post