It's getting tough out there. Feeling the pinch?

TracyS66

Good Morning all I don't post very oftern still new to this forum, i am due to be redudant at the end of August after 15 years, fingers crossed i get another job as i am the bread winner for a family of 4 adults 2 are my inlaws who are in their 90's and my husband is their full time carer. I have been trying really hard over the last 18 months the keep my spending as low as possible and like some of you i have stock piled some tins etc. I spend most evenings searching online for the best deals and prices and this year i have grown a few vegetables, new potatoes, tomatoes, courgettes and lettuce!! Planning to plant winter potatoes, carrots and onions later in the year!!
I love reading all the comments and we are all doing a fab job so keep it up one and all 

annieb64

Welcome Tracy6S66. I' m sorry to hear about your redundancy and hope you get another job soon. You will find that everyone on this forum is very helpful and friendly.I've learnt a lot over the years.

TracyS66

annieb64 said:

Welcome Tracy6S66. I' m sorry to hear about your redundancy and hope you get another job soon. You will find that everyone on this forum is very helpful and friendly.I've learnt a lot over the years.

many thanks Im sure i will be ok i am a fighter

Longwalker

Welcome aboard Tracey

Im in the same kind of situation, had to stop work due to an injury at Christmas and finding a new job thats not going to kill me at the age of 59 is not so easy. Im managing on a very tiny pension and a few hours a week in a coffee shop - seasonal and pays very very little 

Mr L works 3 days a week and sometimes does a wee private job that will pay very well so we do manage quite well, but the pennies have to be accounted for. Mum is a rich pensioner but other then her share of the electricity and rates, we dont take a penny from her 

Being time rich, cash poor, I do spend a lot of time on food - buying, planning and cooking. I shop around, I have Lidl, Home bargains and Tesco all near enough next door to each other and I use all three. My local spar is also a place I pop into because they do some fantastic reductions - I yellow sticker shop. My freezers are full with YS bargains, I dont care if Ive already got 2 chickens in the freezer, if I find them reduced by enough, I buy them and stick in the freezer Ive 3 legs of lamb sat there since Christmas  - picked up at £7 each. I only ever buy meat and fish yellow stickered, never waste my money buying bread and cakes because " they are a bargain" not unless I know for sure they are going to be used ( got a cake out of Marks once reduced from £15 to £1.50 and we had the grandkids staying so it was bought )  If I have to go to the next town I always walk through M&S scanning for yellow stickers  

I never shop just willy nilly - apart from YS Everything else is bought strictly to need. I have a one open one spare policy. Once the one spare is in use, it goes on the list to be bought - at the right price, theres no rush. I try to buy rice and pasta in bulk, I stopped buying 3 different types of pasta years ago - pasta is pasta , I buy whatever is the best value. The only food I buy ad hoc is fruit and veg - once again I look at whats on offer ( eating a lot of aubergine this week ) and what is good value. If Im buying a single priced item like a cauliflower - I buy the biggest - it will do two or three meals

I dont have a set budget for shopping. Sometimes I spend around £30, another week it might be £60, last week it was £17 because it all depends on what YS items I find

Slinky

YorksLass said:

@Indout96 - We like tinned tomatoes on toast too and, if there's a part tin in the fridge, I mix them with some baked beans and top with a bit of grated cheese.  The last decent fresh tomatoes I had were from M&S, not my usual shopping haunt since it's a bit out of the way for me - a bit more expensive but well worth it.

I'm sure you don't do it, but just wanted to check. Once you've opened your tins the leftover bits do need to be decanted into a glass or plastic container as the metal can will react with the acidic food and the oxygen in the air and the results are toxic.

euronorris

If you have a Vodafone plan, one of the perks today is a £2 voucher for a treat in Sainsburys. It works like a standard voucher, and I used 2 in one transaction today (one from my sister, and one from DH).

YorksLass

@Slinky - I do indeed, in fact any tinned leftovers - whatever it is - get decanted and the tin recycled.  DH often moans about how many containers I have - especially when it's his turn to wash up.     Better safe than sorry though.

We're completely out of fresh fruit so I did an extra Co-op shop today and bought a punnet of strawberries (50% extra plus 25p off for members) and a couple of bananas.  I had a little bit of money left in my weekly cash purse so had a look round to see if there was anything at a good price that would boost the pantry stores and bought a box of Weetabix x 24 for 2.50 (member price).  I think they're about £3 to £3.50 elsewhere.  No doubt SM own brands would be cheaper but we're not keen on those, nor do we have an Aldi or Lidl.  I also got a bag of strong white bread flour as an "extra" and a ys 4-pint carton of milk for 46p.  I'll use that for rice pudding, custard and milky coffees so it'll not be lingering for long.  

Pollie

I freeze tinned tomatoes, baked beans etc rather than having to use up  the rest of the tin within a few days.

Auntycaz

I buy the small size Sainsburys baked beans. They are half the price of the full size tins so no more expensive than buying the large tins. They are the nearest in flavour to heinz that i have found in own brand beans.

gran3

TracyS66 said:

Good Morning all I don't post very oftern still new to this forum, i am due to be redudant at the end of August after 15 years, fingers crossed i get another job as i am the bread winner for a family of 4 adults 2 are my inlaws who are in their 90's and my husband is their full time carer. I have been trying really hard over the last 18 months the keep my spending as low as possible and like some of you i have stock piled some tins etc. I spend most evenings searching online for the best deals and prices and this year i have grown a few vegetables, new potatoes, tomatoes, courgettes and lettuce!! Planning to plant winter potatoes, carrots and onions later in the year!!
I love reading all the comments and we are all doing a fab job so keep it up one and all 

Tracy, I hope you are getting attendance allowance for the elderlies. It will affect council tax and rent, if you pay it, Also not means tested.