£7 a day the Paleo way

Wizzbang

elantan wrote: »

1) I got the £7 a day budget on each person from my £400 budget of this month, I would like to reduce this but I am not sure it is entirely possible we will see, I have tracked spends for years, I have budgetted for years, however I have never got on top of the food budget possibly due to food price changes, changes in lifestyle, eating habits people to feed etc but it has whizzed about all over the place, I have never done a daily budget before so this is a new attempt at getting it sorted once and for all.

Probably better if I deal with one point at a time to make it easier, from now on.

I'm assuming that your £400 is for food alone for two people, for one month - based on figures you have previously shared.

My point is - how have you arrived at that figure? Do you know that you can afford to spend £7 per person, per day. It's an incredibly high amount for two people and regardless of what diet you 'wish' to pursue in your dreams - reality is 'what diet can you afford to pursue?' Once you know that, you will know whether paleo is even a possibility for you or whether you can only afford to follow elements of it.

The amount you can afford to spend is not based on food price fluctuations, lifestyle changes, eating habits or flights of fancy. It is fixed unless your income changes. I'm not sure you have understood that as a factual basis and a starting point. It's pointless to pluck a figure from thin air and then document whether or not you are sticking to it. That's why you have failed to keep on top of your spending for years and will continue to do so, unless you address that as your starting point.

You have to sit down and write down all your incomings and outgoings. I use this to keep track of my household budget and I re-do it every six months at the moment, due to how much food prices have been rising. Ignore the title, it was recommended in another part of the forum, but it's still a useful tool. http://www.stoozing.com/calculator/soa.php That is the only way you will know how much you can afford to spend, per person, per day on food. You'll need to keep track of your spending for at least a month, all receipts or write in a small book - every little thing you eat.

I'll give you a figure for comparison - my household of two people, with one on a special medically advised diet spends £160 per month on everything, food-wise inc cleaning products, sundries like baking paper, bin bags, cat litter and clingfilm.

Really this is a futile exercise as is and I'm reluctant to provide further advice without a firm budget. Just as the CAB et always would refuse. It's all pie in the sky otherwise and a waste of everyone's time.

Does that make sense?

elantan

I have often thought that if someone could sell my stuff on ebay/ gumtree etc take all that hassle off me I would pay them ... it may sound silly but I'm sure I'm it the only person who thinks this ... I would be willing to pay good money as well ... clears me space and gets me money ... do u know anyone that might be the same ? oh and could u be annoyed with all the selling ?

purely thinking out loud here btw ... if it's no help then please totally ignore me xxxx

elantan

Wizzbang wrote: »

Probably better if I deal with one point at a time to make it easier, from now on.

I'm assuming that your £400 is for food alone for two people, for one month - based on figures you have previously shared.

My point is - how have you arrived at that figure? Do you know that you can afford to spend £7 per person, per day. It's an incredibly high amount for two people and regardless of what diet you 'wish' to pursue in your dreams - reality is 'what diet can you afford to pursue?' Once you know that, you will know whether paleo is even a possibility for you or whether you can only afford to follow elements of it.

The amount you can afford to spend is not based on food price fluctuations, lifestyle changes, eating habits or flights of fancy. It is fixed unless your income changes. I'm not sure you have understood that as a factual basis and a starting point. It's pointless to pluck a figure from thin air and then document whether or not you are sticking to it. That's why you have failed to keep on top of your spending for years and will continue to do so, unless you address that as your starting point.

You have to sit down and write down all your incomings and outgoings. I use this to keep track of my household budget and I re-do it every six months at the moment, due to how much food prices have been rising. Ignore the title, it was recommended in another part of the forum, but it's still a useful tool. http://www.stoozing.com/calculator/soa.php That is the only way you will know how much you can afford to spend, per person, per day on food. You'll need to keep track of your spending for at least a month, all receipts or write in a small book - every little thing you eat.

Really this is a futile exercise as is and I'm reluctant to provide further advice without a firm budget. Just as the CAB et always would refuse. It's all pie in the sky otherwise and a waste of everyone's time.

Does that make sense?

I sit down every month and work out my budget ... I take a note of what comes in and what goes out, we currently spend approx £400 a month on food sometimes more sometimes less .... I then divided that by 2 then divided that by the number of days per month ... I then decided to set myself a challenge of £7 a day eating close to Paleo as I can, I would like to decrease this bit we will see ... as I say it's a journey

the £400 a month is for food/ drink, take always and eating out, we used to eat out a lot, we don't so much now, but any days I underspend will be rolled over for maybe a treat ... fillet steak sounds nice

I take my hat off to you for managing to feed 2 and a medical diet for £160 a month ... I don't think that will ever be possible for us

so the budget is £7 a day with a hope that it will work down a bit ... kinda the reason i called it £7 a day the Paleo way

elantan

up early again, another day another dollar ... breakfast was the usual lunch will be the usual dinner tonight is spiced beef ham with vegetables ... it should work out well

lessonlearned

Hi Elantan

I am sorry but I am really confused. Do you cook for 2 or for 4.

Re the £7 a day pp which averages out at £200 a month each. If that is for 4 then that is a staggering amount. However, I notice you mentioned eating out and takeaways. That will rack up the food spend. So if you eat at home and cook from scratch I think you can easily slash that £7 per day.

Like you I eat paleo and unless I go somewhere where grain based foods are the only option I do stick very firmly to my no grain rule.

I suppose you could say I eat Paleo Light in that I do have some dairy. If my tummy is playing up then I go for the lactose free dairy options which do cost more than normal dairy.

I live alone and I have just worked out that so far this month I have spent £126 on food. I have plenty of meat and fish in the freezer so I reckon I only need a top up of milk, vegetables and fruit. I am hoping I can get away with spending around £20 and I should still have food left in the freezer to give me a head start on next month.

I do not eat much fruit because I have to watch my blood sugar levels, so generally no more than two portions a day, usually less.

I definitely think you can get that figure of £7 a day down a bit, especially if you can make economies of scale because you are not cooking for one.

I shall keep reading to see how you get on.

beanielou

It's for 2.
El wont mind me answering(I hope!)

lessonlearned

Ok ...thanks for clarifying.....Now where did I get 4 from.

Must be losing my marbles, :rotfl:

beanielou

lessonlearned wrote: »

Ok ...thanks for clarifying.....Now where did I get 4 from.

Must be losing my marbles, :rotfl:

Happens to me all the time:rotfl::rotfl:

Wizzbang

elantan wrote: »

I sit down every month and work out my budget ... I take a note of what comes in and what goes out, we currently spend approx £400 a month on food sometimes more sometimes less .... I then divided that by 2 then divided that by the number of days per month ... I then decided to set myself a challenge of £7 a day eating close to Paleo as I can, I would like to decrease this bit we will see ... as I say it's a journey

the £400 a month is for food/ drink, take always and eating out, we used to eat out a lot, we don't so much now, but any days I underspend will be rolled over for maybe a treat ... fillet steak sounds nice

I take my hat off to you for managing to feed 2 and a medical diet for £160 a month ... I don't think that will ever be possible for us

so the budget is £7 a day with a hope that it will work down a bit ... kinda the reason i called it £7 a day the Paleo way

Perhaps I'm not being clear enough, but it's 100% certain that you don't understand how to create a budget from what you've said here. I'm afraid that you're not going to get on top of your money woes- food spending to otherwise, until you understand how to budget. I would strongly suggest that you visit the CAB, CAP or similar. Never pay for debt advice.

I need to be blunt, as otherwise you will never get on top of your problems. As I've tried to explain, a budget IS NOT what you are currently spending nor what you wish to spend. It is WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD TO SPEND. You have to write down all your incomings and outgoings, FOR EVERYTHING and then work out what you can afford to spend. If you're £1,000 a month in the red (for example), then you've got to cut back in lots of areas, not just food. I'm certain Martin has tonnes of advice for free in his guides on this very site.

We are all still none the wiser as to whether you can even afford and therefore, whether you should even be attempting this Paleo diet. If you fill out the sheet I linked to (and I guarantee it will be the best hour you ever spend), you can link to it here and then people can really begin to help you.

Christian's Against Poverty (ignore the name, they are a well recognised debt counselling charity).
https://capuk.org

Citizen's Advice Bureau
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/scotland/ (I've linked to Scotland because I believe that's where you indicated you were located).

I also don't understand how the above poster thinks you are only spending £200 a month. £7 per day, per person is £14 per day on food. That is more than £400 a month (which again indicates how you really don't know how much you're actually spending, let alone how much you can afford).

14 x 365 days in a year = £5,110

5110 divided by 12 months in a year = £425.83 per month on food!!!!

To show you just how much you are spending, the Office for National Statistics states that the average spend for a family of 4 people per day is only £11.52!

You might find this article interesting:
https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/eat4cheap/Pages/family-of-five-cut-food-bill-by-half.aspx

lessonlearned

Whizzbang. I think you mean me.

I pointed out that Elan is spending £200 per month, PER PERSON so yes an average total of around £400 to feed 2.

Sorry if I did not make that clear.

Which is why I was so concerned.....because I thought it was £200 per person and she was cooking for 4 (Lord knows how I misread that) then £800 per month would have been a truly staggering amount. Although on some of those tv programmes they have families of 4 spending that kind of figure so I can see how it is very easy to overspend on food.

I think though, even when cooking for 2 rather than as I do just catering for 1 person, it might be possible to make economies of scale.

The other thing as I pointed out, if Elan can manage to avoid takeaways and random eating out for convenience then she could make some savings.

It is nice to eat out and I enjoy nice restaurants but luckily I am now in a position when I can eat out for fun rather than convenience because I am too tired to cook, but then I am retired now and have more time on my hands and I no longer have to eat out when working away from home.

Elan you seem to work long and often unsociable hours. It cannot be easy, you must get tired. I think the best you can do is try and batch cook sometimes when you have the time and energy but also have some easy standby quick meals. Omelettes, bacon and eggs or even good old egg and chips now and again are quick, easy and cheap.

It is a pity you do not like fish because that would give you further options and some variety.

As you get into it you will find that protein keeps you fuller for longer. A Meal that is protein based with lashings of vegetables or salad will keep you feeling sustained for far longer than a carb based meal such as pasta or sandwiches. It will also help avoid blood sugar spikes and crashes.

And there is no worry about not getting enough carbs. Vegetables, salad and fruit contain enough to meet your daily needs provided you eat them in sufficient quantities.

A tip if you are concerned about blood sugar levels. If you are eating some fruit as a snack be sure to eat a few nuts first. This prepares the digestive system for food and stops the blood sugar spiking too much.