Takeaways are 'Taking Away' our income

Plonk

We've also been trying to reduce our spends on takeaway, and initially we moved to getting takeaway/fakeaway bags from Sainsburys (cheaper) or M&S (more expensive but still cheaper than actual takeaway). Since then we've also started getting in the habit of always making sure there's a 'fast food' in the freezer - right now we have chicken pieces and chips, both from Aldi. We will often have pizzas in the freezer too. We are 'allowed' one actual takeaway in the month, but we've become less eager to avail of it now that we're on a savings kick.

I'm also obsessed with Jack Monroe's books, in particular Tin Can Cook (I'm chronically ill and before moving in with my partner found managing frequent grocery trips really difficult, and it was a life saver). I hate batch cooking to be honest, but we do sometimes cook a curry and a dhal and eat them over 2-3 days in combination. My takeaway of choice is Indian so these pretty successfully kill my cravings. Stir fries are also a super quick option, especially if you use prepared sauces and precooked noodles. (Tesco used to have a combination deal I think?) We also do pasta bakes with lots of roasted veg loaded in - the oven does most of the work!

Basically, we've found it easier to preempt ordering takeaway by addressing our triggers essentially - be it tiredness, cravings, whatever, and have given ourselves ready-to-go alternative options in those cases. And we also implemented new food habits bit my bit so we weren't so overwhelmed. It would be really hard to make the switch from regular takeaways to eating exclusively cooked-from-scratch, so we haven't tried to do that, even if it is something we are trying to do increasingly.

Anyway, best of luck on cutting down on the takeaways and with the debt reduction!

EssexHebridean

Such great advice on the previous posts - how did this weekend go @Fingersoffish ? 

Ebe_Scrooge

CapricornLass said:

Actually, you could try making the pizza bases with the kids, help them shape them on the baking tray, spread some tomato puree on and then they could 'choose' their own topping for it and scatter it on themselves- just have four or five things that you know they like that they can choose from.  Pizza cooks quickly at a high temperature, and I've seen kids with their noses practically glued to the oven door watching their pizzas rise and cook.....

I couldn't agree more.  We did this a lot with our kids - and still do, even though they're most definitely not "kids" any more.  They loved it, and really loved the fact that they could tailor the pizza to their own ideal specification in terms of toppings.

Pizza dough mixes are pretty cheap in most supermarkets, and so so easy to make.  Yeah, sure, it's probably even cheaper to make it from scratch yourself, but even so....  the whole pizza works out to be a tiny fraction of what you'd pay for a take-away, or even buying one from the supermarket.  And it's fun.  And takes no time at all :-)

JGB1955

I find making a huge quiche is also very money saving.  Make your own pastry (perhaps 50p), roll out, pre-cook, add milk, eggs, pre-cooked bacon, some cheddar, and you have a meal for 6 once you add some new potatoes and veg or salad.

KxMx

If you have the time consider doing surveys for free/discounted takeaways- NewVistaLive pay out your choice of e giftcard at £50 including Uber Eats, Ipsos I Say pay out at £5 offering Reward Link e vouchers which I turn into Deliveroo credit, and Topcashback have Just Eat & Uber Eats (£15) plus Deliveroo (£10) as payout options.