Seriously struggling - any advice would be appreciated!

luckofthe_irish

I need some suggestions fast on how I can survive the next two weeks with very little cash.

Due to a couple of unplanned expensive weekends and poor decisions on my part I am left with about £26 to last me until payday (25th). Totally my fault and I take responsibility for it, I was devastated when I checked my bank account this morning.

My rent and bills for the month are paid, and I don't have to make any more big payments until after next pay day. It is only me at home and I have some tins of beans and red lentils in the cupboard, as well as oats, but I will need to go shopping for some more food.

I have cancelled all my spendy plans for the near future and am trying to work out how I can eat healthily for the cheapest possible. I am coeliac so can't take advantage of cheap bread or pasta but I am not a fussy eater at all.

I do have some small savings but am wondering whether it is better to just use my 0% credit card to tide me over rather than dipping into those? What do people recommend?

Does anyone have any imaginative suggestions on how I can make it through the next few weeks without ruining myself financially again?! Would love any advice.

tattycath

http://www.freefromheaven.com/2015/08/gluten-free-on-a-budget/

tattycath

http://www.glutenfreekblog.co.uk/2013/08/gluten-free-on-budget.html

https://chroniclesofagrumpycoeliac.wordpress.com

PasturesNew

£26 to eat for 17 days is easy peasy.

DON'T be tempted to stick it on a card.

It's made even easier for you as it's the end of summer, so you're not feeling a need to shove big/hot meals inside yourself.

A big plate of roast potatoes, gravy and veggies would be cheap and filling.
A chicken, roasted, then turned into a curry, with rice, would work.
Mince, with chilli, served with rice, would work.

Spuds are good: lots of mash, potato salads, chips, rosti, roasties.
Omelettes: cheese, spanish.

You could even do a lot with cauliflower - as "bases" for pizza-style things, or roasted, or even cauliflower cheese. Mind you, caulis are a bit pricey these days! I'd limit those to never spending more than 50p on one and if I can't get one at that price walk away.

luckofthe_irish

tattycath wrote: »

http://www.glutenfreekblog.co.uk/2013/08/gluten-free-on-budget.html

https://chroniclesofagrumpycoeliac.wordpress.com

Thanks so much, will check these out today!

tattycath

luckofthe_irish wrote: »

I need some suggestions fast on how I can survive the next two weeks with very little cash.

Due to a couple of unplanned expensive weekends and poor decisions on my part I am left with about £26 to last me until payday (25th). Totally my fault and I take responsibility for it, I was devastated when I checked my bank account this morning.

My rent and bills for the month are paid, and I don't have to make any more big payments until after next pay day. It is only me at home and I have some tins of beans and red lentils in the cupboard, as well as oats, but I will need to go shopping for some more food.

I have cancelled all my spendy plans for the near future and am trying to work out how I can eat healthily for the cheapest possible. I am coeliac so can't take advantage of cheap bread or pasta but I am not a fussy eater at all.

I do have some small savings but am wondering whether it is better to just use my 0% credit card to tide me over rather than dipping into those? What do people recommend?

Does anyone have any imaginative suggestions on how I can make it through the next few weeks without ruining myself financially again?! Would love any advice.

I'd be more tempted to see if there's anything I could sell on either the bay or FB pages, shp0ck or similar to be honest.
I'm trying to make enough money at the moment to buy all our groceries for next week. I sold approximately £7 worth of stuff yesterday-not huge amounts but it gets stuff out of the house and the money is very handy. I hope this helps.

luckofthe_irish

tattycath wrote: »

I'd be more tempted to see if there's anything I could sell on either the bay or FB pages, shp0ck or similar to be honest.
I'm trying to make enough money at the moment to buy all our groceries for next week. I sold approximately £7 worth of stuff yesterday-not huge amounts but it gets stuff out of the house and the money is very handy. I hope this helps.

That is a great idea, well done you!! I just contacted a shop this morning where I bought a top on Saturday (see poor decisions above) to see if they would refund me the cost of them even if I don't have the receipt and they said they could. So that's an extra £5 at least! I will rattle around the flat this evening and see what else I could sell, although as I just moved I thought I got rid of pretty much everything already! There must be something though!

luckofthe_irish

PasturesNew wrote: »

£26 to eat for 17 days is easy peasy.

DON'T be tempted to stick it on a card.

It's made even easier for you as it's the end of summer, so you're not feeling a need to shove big/hot meals inside yourself.

A big plate of roast potatoes, gravy and veggies would be cheap and filling.
A chicken, roasted, then turned into a curry, with rice, would work.
Mince, with chilli, served with rice, would work.

Spuds are good: lots of mash, potato salads, chips, rosti, roasties.
Omelettes: cheese, spanish.

You could even do a lot with cauliflower - as "bases" for pizza-style things, or roasted, or even cauliflower cheese. Mind you, caulis are a bit pricey these days! I'd limit those to never spending more than 50p on one and if I can't get one at that price walk away.

Thank you so much for all the great ideas. I was thinking of going down the option with my card as it's 0% but I am so close to paying it off (£102.80 from around £800) that I hate to bring the balance up even more.

I have some onions and (slightly over date) mushrooms, so will do some veggies tonight for dinner I think. I will check out cauli's and see what I can find!

suki1964

A chicken will see you through most of a week as PN has pointed out. Cheap, cheerful and versatile.

Roast it or slow cook it, then divvy it up. Some for roast dinner, some for lunch, some for a curry, some in a risotto , some with salads, mixed with mayo and corn for jacket spuds, and of course the base for a soup

Porridge for brekki. So you need to buy milk for that. A bag of frozen mixed berries will also go nice as a topping and will help with the nutrition requirements

Eggs are also another very cheap food

Look at the ys aisle for cheaper veggies and salads. In my tesco there's always loads as vegetables aren't widely eaten here so I always bag a bargain. Even a bag of soup mix ( chopped up veg) reduced down will help feed you a few days

Do you have any herbs or spices? Lentils are very good for turning into filling dhal or hummus

luckofthe_irish

suki1964 wrote: »

A chicken will see you through most of a week as PN has pointed out. Cheap, cheerful and versatile.

Roast it or slow cook it, then divvy it up. Some for roast dinner, some for lunch, some for a curry, some in a risotto , some with salads, mixed with mayo and corn for jacket spuds, and of course the base for a soup

Porridge for brekki. So you need to buy milk for that. A bag of frozen mixed berries will also go nice as a topping and will help with the nutrition requirements

Eggs are also another very cheap food

Look at the ys aisle for cheaper veggies and salads. In my tesco there's always loads as vegetables aren't widely eaten here so I always bag a bargain. Even a bag of soup mix ( chopped up veg) reduced down will help feed you a few days

Do you have any herbs or spices? Lentils are very good for turning into filling dhal or hummus

Thanks Suki, I can pick up a chicken in Aldi later this evening. So far on my list is frozen berries (for porridge and yogurt toppings as you suggested), bananas and dairy free yogurt (I eat this nearly every day for snacks at work - buy a big tub and portion it out). All I can get in Aldi except the yogurt I think.

I have one carton of almond milk left for my porridge, I usually use more water and then supplement with that so I think I can make it stretch.

I am terrible at getting YS deals so maybe I need to focus on that for the next few days - I have a big tesco quite near to me. I do also have spices so I could jazz up the lentils or scrambled eggs to make them different each day.

WantToBeSE

I would buy rice, beans, potatoes and veggies for main meals, and porridge and bread for breakfasts and lunches.

Your lentils could make a big dhal (with rice) then on the 2nd night you could have it with baked potatoes (dont bother buying separate baking and white potatoes, the white potatoes are fine to bake).

Lentils can also be used to make veggie burgers, veggie meatballs, which you could have with home made chips.

Rice would mean you could have a big bowl of fried rice, and chuck some frozen veggies in there too.

What else do you already have in your cupboards? Make a list of EVERYTHING..spices, herbs, everything you have. Someone might be able to suggest things to make from what you already have