January - the month tighter than Mr Tighty's hosiery

Grimbal

JoJo, you have a PM from me x

savingqueen

I have been racking my brain trying to think of something to help and not getting very far. Probably silly question but I'll ask anyway but do you have anything you can sell? If you have any gold you are happy to part with, broken jewellery is ideal, you can get a few pounds for even a tiny amount.


EDIT : tried to send you a PM but your in box is full!

purpleshoes_2

I make a lot of soup. The other day I made a massive pot from two leeks, an onion and a ys tomato that was on its last legs. Parsnip soup is lovely, curried. I also buy frozen veg, if you have a farmfood near you their frozen veg is cheap, I buy a lot of their spinach. Aldi do the super six on fruit and veg where they reduce prices on six items. Approved foods, if you don't mind eating foods that are close to or past their best before date you can get loads of stuff discounted. I still have a full store cupboard thanks to them, dried coconut milk powder is v cheap and you can make curries with it if you buy some thai paste. Home bargains and b and m are great if you can find one. I hate cooked porridge but I love breakfast oats, I use almond milk, oats and chop up an apple, shove it in a jar with some soya yogurt, you can leave the yogurt out and just add the milk. Fajitas and enchiladas are another way to use up spare veg. I make loads of soup, a big pot lasts me 3-4 days and if you can find reduced veg to make it with, costs pennies.

purpleshoes_2

Approved food also have specials on sometimes, I got 5kgs of pasta for a fiver and 5kgs rice v cheaply as well. They also sell cases of stuff like packet Thai sauce and sharwoods stir fry sauce, I'm sure the offers I got at that time were a case of curry sauce, 12 pouches for a penny. There's a fifteen quid minimum spend and its six quid delivery but you get a lot for your money. Might be worth your while doing an order on payday just so you can re stock your stores, for 20 quid you'd probably get an order that would retail at around 60-70 quid in the shops.

purpleshoes_2

Shampoo, if you have an eBay account, when you have money spare, buy a solid shampoo bar, they last ages. Loo roll, maybe acquire some from the pub? Super drug own brand shampoo is reasonable and they often have 2 for 1 deals on. Value pitta bread is cheap.

JodieCampbell

2015 is the year of saving1

candygirl

Jojo after this crisis, it might be an idea to buy a couple of extra non perishable items per week, so you don't have to go through this again hun.Also maybe make a few hm freezer meals to have there just in case x:A

NewShadow

I had a box of lovely free food from hello fresh as I was given a code from someone here, So maybe post asking on the referral thread?

Graze do first box free, which might give you some snacks to feed the LO/OH

Glutafin will send you a free sample box (gluten free pasta/ bread/ rolls) if you sign up for their club - http://www.glutafin.co.uk/glutafin-love-food-club-register/

Milk and more did a code for £5 or £10 free with the first order - you can check on the site if they deliver to your post code, and they do eggs/ bacon as well as dairy.

I don't know if any of these are any good, but one is a nandos voucher for completing surveys - http://www.latestfreestuff.co.uk/free-food-and-drink/

samanthaneww2d

Jo Jo wrote "And the food bank isn't a Trussel one. Just my luck. Have to admit that makes me feel a bit awkward about the amount of stuff I've put in the collection point in the past. But I'll get over that soon enough. "

ring the food bank near to you they probably have a different criteria for how they give out and amounts from the trussell trust but at the end of the days food banks regardless of who runs them are set up to help those who find themselves in situations where they are vulnerable to ill health through food poverty. JoJo I wish we could exchange info so I could help you a bit more but its against the forum rules. Please explore if you have things like a junk food cafe in your area( you only pay what you can for a meal and all sorts of people go some paying more for the food than what its worth as it keeps food out of landfill its anonymous if you give or not and how much ) if churches give out emergency food near to you and with the added mouth to feed this weekend you have an even greater case in terms of food aid agencies. Ring the cab or welfare rights if theres a good network in your area they will be able to direct you places where you can get help.
Just remember you have done nothing to deserve this and your bravery is commendable and support for your partner. Realistically you need a bit of help all food aid network agencies are set up to alleviate temporary situations and they are completely on your side and are non judgemental.

If you pm me ( sorry your inbox is full) I can give you further advice.

purpleshoes_2

I didnt realise it was against the forum rules to exchange personal info, there have been a couple of couples who have got married through meeting on this website as it were and other people have met up, Ive seen posts on the boards arranging meet ups, saw one on this section of the forum.

Ive also seen people post very recently about sending other people stuff through the post they no longer wanted. I don't send stuff to people or speak to people off the boards but didn't know people weren't allowed.