Feeding 1 adult and 2 children off barely nothing?

SunshineButterfly

pavlovs_dog wrote: »

would you be able to access any hardship grant through your university? worth speaking to your union, there is always money available to support people who may otherwise have to drop out because they cannot cover their living expenses etc

I have this week applied for an access to learning fund. Although I have no "proof" that the children are dependant on me as I have only just applied for tax credits and my residency order will take another week or so to get to me. But the closing date of the ALF was yesterday.. so I had no choice but to just fill it in and send it without evidence. I have emailed them in hopes they can make allowances and either continue with the form and ask for evidence at a later date or just make an appointment with me or ring me.

honeythewitch

SunshineButterfly wrote: »

Although education is not compulsory until the children are 5 I feel that not sending them to education currently would effect them badly and I think that they need this routine and stability whilst they get used to all the other changes that are going on in their life currently.

Also education means they are both fed 1 hot cooked meal at lunchtime for free... which frees up a little of my non-existent income to feed them breakfast, tea, snacks and weekend meals. But it also means that they are most likely getting protein at school / nursery meaning if I get seriously desperate and have to feed them pasta and cheese for a few days of something not so healthy it should not affect their health in the short term until things are sorted out.

I agree absolutely. I think you are wise to keep to the routine as best you can, if it is possible.
I mentioned it just in case the cost was too much out of the food money, and so you knew that you didn't "have" to send the four year old if it made things too difficult.

gizmo111

you asked the social worker for some financial support whilst benefits are sorted?

Tenyearstogo

salome wrote: »

Not meaning to be controversial here, but have you considered home schooling your children if you aren't working, or job hunting?? Would do away with nursery costs As they are young, the library would be fine for books etc to get you going. Even if you schooled them for their primary years, you would save on travel etc, be at home, and able to bake, maybe start a veg garden off with them. Those are two lessons with a lot of scope to start with. You can for maths involve them in your present situation, getting them to help with the budget, explain why money is tight etc etc, teach them how to cost a meal, if they're old enough to understand and so on, and they would learn precious life skills in the process :-)
I am just coming to the end of a 17yr commitment to home schooling my children. Schooled 7 of them at one time from senior school levels down to reception age. It can be done successfully and reasonably cheaply :-) Might be worth finding out if there's a home schooling group near you so you get support.
If socialising is a problem, visits to a park where other children will be. Maybe getting involved in voluntary work where the children can come along as well. If you have religious persuasions then maybe there are kids groups the children could go along to. If there are home schooling groups near you, they can socialise there as well :-)
Hope this helps a little. Just an end note, you don't have to be an academic to home school. Common sense is all a home schooling mum needs :-) All my children have done well, and are capable well adjusted members of society. They all work, except the youngest, who has just gained entry to college ready for September :-)
Willing to help if you want to PM me .
xx

Home schooling isn't something that should be considered because of financial reasons. The parents should be fully committed.

ash28

A meal plan that covers just about 2 weeks
Breakfast, toast & jam, banana sandwiches, toast & eggs, pancakes, etc

Lunches would be tuna sandwiches, left over pasta, left over soup, egg and tomato sandwiches, fishfinger bap, sausage sandwich.....there should be plenty of leftovers as the children are just 2 and 4 (even where the meal does twice)

Snacks, sliced apple, sliced banana, home made crispy cakes, rich tea biscuits

Puddings, fromage frais, tinned fruit, tinned rice pudding and jam, crispy cakes,

The shopping comes to just under £28 and includes the mixed herbs and chilli powder, stock cubes, tomato puree....not included is the teaspoon of sugar for the soup...it doesn't always need it.

So £14 left for milk and any extras like fruit or a loaf of bread.....only half the mince was used and there is a fair amount of mixed veg left too....

1x Tesco Everyday Value Ham 10 slices (125g) 0.61
1x Tesco Everyday Value Corn Flakes (500g) 0.31
1x Tesco Everyday Value Spaghetti (500g) 0.19
2x Tesco Everyday Value Pasta Penne Quills (500g) 0.60
2x Tesco Everyday Value Creamed Rice Pudding (425g) 0.30
2x Tesco Everyday Value Tuna Chunks in Brine (185g) 1.18
3x Tesco Everyday Value Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce (420g) 0.75
1x Tesco Everyday Value New Potatoes in Water (567g) 0.15
1x Tesco Everyday Value Sweetcorn (325g) 0.32
4x Tesco Everyday Value Plum Tomatoes in Tomato Juice (400g) 1.20
1x Tesco Everyday Value Gravy Granules (200g) 0.20
1x Tesco Everyday Value Vegetable Stock Cubes (10 per pack - 100g) 0.15
1x Tesco Everyday Value Beef Stock Cubes (10 per pack - 100g) 0.15
1x Tesco Everyday Value Strawberry Jam (454g) 0.29
1x Tesco Everyday Value Mixed Herbs (30g) 0.99
1x Tesco Everyday Value Mild Chilli Powder (90g) 0.99
1x Tesco Everyday Value Tomato Pur!e (200g) 0.35
1x Tesco Everyday Value Sliced Peaches in Juice (410g) 0.32
1x Tesco Everyday Value Mandarins in Juice (298g) 0.19
1x Tesco Everyday Value Fish Fingers (10 per pack - 250g) 0.60
2x Tesco Everyday Value Mixed Vegetables (1Kg) 1.50
1x Tesco Everyday Value Sausages (20 per pack - 1Kg) 1.00
1x Tesco Everyday Value Mince (1Kg) 3.00
1x Tesco Value Mixed Eggs (15) 1.50
1x Tesco Enriched Sunflower Spread (500g) 0.75
1x Tesco Everyday Value Soft Cheese (200g) 0.49
2x Tesco Counter Pilgrims Choice Vintage Farmhouse Cheddar (Approx 200g) 0.90
1x Tesco Everyday Value Assorted Fromage Frais (6x55g) 0.42
1x Tesco Everyday Value Rich Tea Biscuits (300g) 0.29
2x Tesco Everyday Value Milk Chocolate Bar (100g) 0.60
1x Tesco Gala Apples 0.99
5x Tesco Bananas Loose (Approx 1kg) 0.61
1x Tesco Everyday Value Tomaotes (500g) 0.89
2x Tesco Closed Cup Mushrooms Loose (Approx 70g) 0.38
1x Tesco Everyday Value White Potatoes (2.5Kg) 1.18
2x Tesco Garlic 0.60
1x Tesco Everyday Value Brocolli (180g) 0.38
1x Tesco Everyday Value Onions Pack 0.63
1x Tesco Everyday Value Medium Sliced Wholemeal Bread (800g) 0.47
1x Tesco Bakery Soft White Rolls (6) 0.70
2x Tesco Everyday Value Double Strength Apple & Blackcurrant Squash (750ml) 0.84

Total 27.96

Meals
Tuna & cream cheese pasta bake/ 4 adult servings - should do twice
300gm penne pasta
180gm cream cheese
180gm tinned tuna
280gm tinned sweetcorrn
25gm cheddar cheese
200ml vegetable stock

Easy pork meatballs/ should do twice
400gm tin tomatoes
onion from pack
5 sausages from pack
180gm spaghetti
200ml vegetable stock
half tspn mixed herbs
2 tbspn tomato puree
25gm cheddar cheese
1 garlic clove

Bangers and mash
6 sausages from pack
onion from pack
mixed veg from pack
gravy granules
500gm potatoes from bag
marg/milk

Fishfingers, chips and beans
7 fishfingers from pack
500gm potatoes from bag
tin baked beans

Sausage casserole/ should do twice
5 sausages from pack
tin baked beans
tin new potatoes
mixed veg from pack
mushrooms from pack
tin tomatoes
clove garlic
gravy granules

Shepherds pie / should do at least twice.
2 onions from pack
500gms mince from pack
mixed veg from pack - half pack
900gms potatoes from pack
Beef stock cube
2 tbsp tomato puree
milk for potatoes
marg for potatoes

Pasta all'Arrabbiata
1 onion from pack
tin tomatoes
200g of penne pasta
half tspn mixed herbs
tspn of chilli powder (or to taste)
clove of garlic finely chopped
50gms cheddar cheese grated

Pasta with ham, cheese, broccoli and tomato / add extra pasta and it will do lunch
200gm penne pasta
180gm brocolli into florets
3 tomatoes diced
packet ham chopped
50gm cheddar cheese
knob marg.

Tomato Soup/rolls /should do lunch
400gm tin tomatoes
1 onion from pack
garlic clove chopped
tbsp tomato puree
tspn mixed herbs
tspn sugar (store cupboard)
vegetable stock cube
water/dilute until desired consistency is achieved

MILLYMOLLY

Whereabouts in Manchester are you? Would help if I can?

Oscar_the_Pug

I'd also vote for Aldi/Lidl - in particular Aldi tinned new potatoes are currently 15p per tin - they're already prepped and don't require long cooking, so may be handier in the short term? We like them in tortillas/frittatas (or roasted with garlic and dried herbs) - very tasty and happily inexpensive too!

ash28

Oscar_the_Pug wrote: »

I'd also vote for Aldi/Lidl - in particular Aldi tinned new potatoes are currently 15p per tin - they're already prepped and don't require long cooking, so may be handier in the short term? We like them in tortillas/frittatas (or roasted with garlic and dried herbs) - very tasty and happily inexpensive too!

The meal plan I did was based on Tesco because it's easy to cost using the big four and mysupermarket.

My preference would have been Tesco/Asda and Aldi or Lidl I know quite a lot of the stuff would have been cheaper and better quality.

paulineb_2

Aldi super six, you can get cheap fruit and veg I do more of my shopping in aldi than tesco and they have their own value range.

I also agree with the person who said, eat less meat for the time being, its cheaper in my view to make veggie meals than it is ones with meat.

Potatoes, pasta, noodles, veg, rice, you can make a risotto cheaply, as I said before soup, a pot of soup costs less than £1 to make, fill up with bread with the soup.

When Im making a dish with veg, everything thats leftover gets shoved into a pot of soup.

Today I went to Morrisons and managed to get about 20 items for £7, all yellow stickered, spinach, lots of bread, rolls, salad, if you buy basics such as bread, pasta and potatoes and go to Asda, Tesco or Morrison around 7pm you'll be able to buy veg to go with the pasta or the rice, potatoes

You can make stews and soups with lentils. You could also bake your own bread.

bubbs

In tesco at the minute they have Parioli tin tomatoes@ 50p each, there is a coupon for 50p so freeeeeeeee They also have Parioli pasta at 1/2 price with coupon 15p :T:T:T i will see if i can fine the printable link, if not they are in the real food magazine you pick up in store.
Everytime i pass i pick a few up