Only £10-15 a month for shopping :(

forgottendreams

Lidl do a large sack of potatoes for £3.50 - £4.00
Think it's 7.5kgs but I may be wrong.

Large bag of value Oats from one of the supermarkets.

Perhaps a large bag of pasta.

I think the key is buying in bulk as much as possible. This brings the cost down quite a bit, and although £15 isn't a lot, it could stretch a long way when purchasing this way.

dramarama

Oh my OP you sound like you and your other half are having a rough time of it. I will probably end up repeating what others say but hope o be of some help.

Basics/value everything including toiletries to cut down costs.
You say he rents- can he lower any of his bills/ switch providers?
Oats are amazing to fill you up: can be made into all sorts of things.
I'd day buy a big bag of lentils- they are cheap and filling, add some chilli's, onion, garlic and cheap tinned toms.
I know a value bag of rice is about 40p and filling.
When I had very little money I would get bread reduced for 10p and divide it, freezing the bits I wouldn't get round to eating.
Loyalty points are good for shopping when money is tight.

If the construction course is run through a college I'd assume there is a hardship grant he could apply for and not have to pay back.

Get some recipes from here or internet and print out to help him cook up some stuff.

I'd thoroughly recommend a slow cooker and freezer as the best things to have- there are bound to be cheap even free ones online.

Nothing is worth starving for and if things are really awful there will be food out there.

Can he do any favours for people in return for a meal or a small amount of money?

Hope this helps and good luck to you both.:)

HappyMJ

Why does he not just terminate the tenancy and move somewhere that is under the LHA rate for his area so he doesn't have to pay to top his rent?

Pooky

Has he spoken to the council regarding a discretionary award from housing benefit? I'm pretty sure they still do them. If he's eligible they may pay more towards his rent or all of it until he can get himself back on is feet.

Moving isn't always a viable short term option with trying to find deposits, moving costs, reconciling utilities etc.

HappyMJ

ILikeChocolateMilk wrote: »

Anyway, hopefully this year will be the year he can finally get a job and tell the JobCentre where they can stick it

Pooky wrote: »

Has he spoken to the council regarding a discretionary award from housing benefit? I'm pretty sure they still do them. If he's eligible they may pay more towards his rent or all of it until he can get himself back on is feet.

Moving isn't always a viable short term option with trying to find deposits, moving costs, reconciling utilities etc.

You are right it's a long term option. Discretionary housing payments are rarely granted and usually only made for a maximum of 2 months whilst the OP is waiting until the end of the tenancy after handing in notice. Housing benefit can be paid on 2 properties between tenancies so that's not a problem. Moving costs are cheap if he or someone he knows has access to transport. Utilities aren't a problem just give them final readings and final bills will be issued. I've quoted a bit from the OP's post above indicating to me it's long term unemployment. If it was short term then I'd expect the OP to say hopefully this month will finally be the month in which he gets a job.

Deposit's can also be guaranteed by charities/council/family members depending on where OP's partner lives and what resources the OP's partner has. OP's partner has a mother he could move in with and share in the short term even if kipping on the sofa whilst saving up for a deposit on another cheaper place or he could even move in with the OP or ask the OP to move in with him to help reduce costs.

£15 a month spare income isn't going to go far for very long so he'll have to make a big adjustment somewhere and rent is the easiest one to save money on....I'd like to see his SOA myself and make suggestions on what else to cut such as debt repayments, mobiles, tv licence...etc...

Austin_Allegro

What about foraging? If the gentleman in question is out of work, he may have a bit more time for it even if it requires fairly long walks out into the country (even better if he has a bicycle). It's a good way of enjoying nature, keeping fit and getting free food. Nettles, for example, are extremely nutritious and tasty and are really nice if cooked with pasta. Blackberries are everywhere in the late summer and autumn (and you can even smoke the leaves apparently, if you need a tobacco substitute...lol) You can find out most of the info on what to forage online, or Richard Mabey's book 'Free Food' is really good. Learning to fish might be an idea also (although he'll need to initially spend money on tackle). River licences cost money but if he's near the coast, I believe sea fishing is free.

Beckyy

Can he either move back wth his parents or move house?

It's never going to be viable for him the way it is.

zzzLazyDaisy

tina_malteser wrote: »

Since this op was done at 1.28am not once have they checked in and said Thanks,!!!! might just be me over thinking???

Possibly stayed up half the night worrying, and then got up and went to work?

maryb

zzzLazyDaisy wrote: »

Possibly stayed up half the night worrying, and then got up and went to work?

I was going to say the same thing. And probably can't access the internet at work.

sarah222

I have said on many a post I shop for fruit and veg at our local tesco at 7.15pm on a friday night. I often come away with a couple of full carrier bags for not much more than £1. You could then make a large lot of veg soup up and he could take in a flask for work for lunch each day. I can often get bread for 2p a loaf to! You can freeze some (doesnt have to be whole loaf in freezer if not room). Toast some for brekkie. You can also make veg curry and pasties. I did last week get 5 pork chops for £1 also so doesnt have to be just the veggies be prepared to look around and wait a bit to find out what time your particular store does their reducing. I have a friend who recently split from her hubby and she struggling with kids to feed etc I told her about this and she was anti it to start with. Now she goes every week and texts me all excited what she managed to get. I find fridays the best night as they tend to get a large dleivery of veg in for weekend so want stuff out the way for the newer stock but they do reduce every night so learn to look and you will get bargains.