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

linz

I work in a city centre and never understand how people can afford to buy lunch every day. Even for a Tesco meal deal you're looking at about £80 a month. I'd rather bring my own and use the money for something else. Today I took home made tomato and lentil soup from some of my home grown tomatoes I'd frozen, and tea was mackerel out of the freezer. I'm making room in there for Christmas. I've still got ice pops in there from the heatwave. Dont feel like eating them at the moment though 😄

Longwalker

I couldn't think of anything more boring then a supermarket lunch every day tbh.

I rarely get a lunch break but I can take a bite into work to keep me going, usually its fruit and yoghurt, sometimes a pasta salad. I make up a lunch for mr L, this week its vegetable soup, fruit, scones, sandwiches - other then the fruit its all home made. Also just frozen 2 chicken curry and rice boxes ( tonights left overs ) for him to eat on his days off. During the summer he gets salads with chicken drumsticks and rice, couscous or pasta. He hates it when theres no left overs or soup and hes reduced to taking sandwiches. Even in my last place of work where there was only a porta cabin with a kettle/toaster/fridge and microwave, Id leave cheese,  half a dozen eggs and loaf of bread so I always had a hot meal at lunchtime or for breakfast 

Im the most disorganised person in the world. My shifts change daily, could be a 10am or a 12:30pm start, could finish at 2;30, could be 5:30, I never know week to week So even meal planning is a bit of a mare at the moment but I do my best, usually I have the protein at hand, then when in work I think on about what to cook, come home, find Ive not got everything I need, so I have to improvise a lot. So my tools are a good selection of herbs and spices, always rice/pasta and couscous, tinned tomatoes, hopefully fresh garlic and onions, and I make judicious use of the air fryer and pressure cooker ( well its a 15 in 1, a considered expense but its paid for its keep ) Some meals have been "interesting " to say the least, but all been eaten with no complaint

Took a pair of boots to be heeled today. Now these boots have been waiting to be heeled for 3 or 4 year truth be told. I have to go to the next town for a Timpsons and I keep forgetting them. Anyway it was when I was saying to myself I needed some black boots I remembered these, and finally took them in today - £11 flipping quid !!!!!  I think the boots cost me £3 from a charity shop!!  My flabber was well and truly gasted. As bad as having to pay out the £16 dry clean of a £12 frock !!!

Its the increase in prices of services I use rarely that shock me now. We dont have launderettes as such, we have outside machines, usually attached to a petrol station. Well they are handy cos of the size of them to take duvets to. £10 for a wash !!! It really is cheaper to go buy a new duvet.

Just had to buy oil to keep us going till end of January. Electric bill is due the week before Christmas ( joy oh joy ) and of course Christmas. Top it all the freezers are nearly depleted , other then 2 legs of lamb, its just odds and sods in them now. Usually this time of year they are groaning under the weight of yellow stickered Christmassy bits , this year so far all Ive managed to snag is cocktail sausages , usually I have the stuffing and packs of the "party" foods that always come in handy through the year, seen nothing reduced enough to make me want to buy 

Going to have to find time to go to the chicken factory shop next week, see if I can find any real bargains ( even their prices are soaring ) 

-taff

Outside washing machines? I've seen those in France, i didn't know they were here too...cool...

Datchet

Thank you everyone for the interesting expansion of my thread on lunches & work. Doubly interesting that those in perceived well paid jobs ( and not ) are taking their own food in out of necessity on top of thrift. I too often can’t spare the time to leave my post to shop for a lunch. I often have road trips and can claim a limited amount for food, but still try to take at least one packed meal & snacks. One particular bought sandwich - Brie and cranberry was expensive, dry and foul! 

Breakfast before I leave today - owing to being on bus & train. However, a treat today; retirement lunch for a colleague, paid for by company 😋

Siebrie

I always bring my own lunch and snacks; we have a small fridge in our office space (it's just 3 people here - non-profit semi-gouvernmental 'company'). Sometimes there are left-overs from meetings the other companies in the building have and every one is invited to help themselves; left-overs are put in the communal company kitchen next to the communal canteen (it has tables, chairs and 2 vending machines). The nearest shop that sells anything edible is a 10-minute walk; that's way too far for my 30-minute break! And too expensive.

I don't mind having sandwiches every day for lunch, the variation is in what I put in them.

Pollycat

Siebrie said:

I always bring my own lunch and snacks; we have a small fridge in our office space (it's just 3 people here - non-profit semi-gouvernmental 'company'). Sometimes there are left-overs from meetings the other companies in the building have and every one is invited to help themselves; left-overs are put in the communal company kitchen next to the communal canteen (it has tables, chairs and 2 vending machines). The nearest shop that sells anything edible is a 10-minute walk; that's way too far for my 30-minute break! And too expensive.

I don't mind having sandwiches every day for lunch, the variation is in what I put in them.

And the type of bread.
When we were working, I used to vary the bread I used. Sometimes granary, sometimes rolls, sometimes pita bread.

I've never been one to buy lunches out (unless having a girly day with my sister or a friend) or even meal deal sandwiches or Greggs pasties.
I'm not a coffee and cake person either.
I don't think I've ever bought a coffee 'to go'.
I have no idea what latte, flat white, Americano etc are.

calleyw

-taff said:

Outside washing machines? I've seen those in France, i didn't know they were here too...cool...

they are in the uk.  https://stores.revolution-laundry.com/en-uk I have one about 7 miles away from me. 

joedenise

I've got one at my local Morrisons store.  Really useful if you have a load of washing when you come back from a holiday and the weather isn't good enough to get it dried outside.  Also brilliant for duvets.  Unfortunately we wanted to do a duvet a couple of years ago and the biggest machine had been used by some idiot to wash horse blankets so completely unusable by anyone until it was cleaned.  We reported it and they said they'd get someone over to sort it out which give them their due they did as we were able to use the machine a few days later.

elsien

For anyone who hasn’t seen the half price middle of Lidl thing, the non-food items are 50% off till 8th.
A lot of it is kids and Christmassy stuff, but I did pick up a pair of ski trousers for eight quid which will be really good for dog walking in the cold. And a hot water bottle for Nan for £2.50 to replace the one that Gitdog destroyed.
Many of parent’s Christmas presents this year, are going to be from Gitdog as replacements for things he’s had his his teeth into! 

-taff

calleyw said:

-taff said:

Outside washing machines? I've seen those in France, i didn't know they were here too...cool...

they are in the uk.  https://stores.revolution-laundry.com/en-uk I have one about 7 miles away from me. 

Well, would you look at that, there's four where I live...four! Thanks