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AIBU?

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Original poster

To spend £30 a month on ALL food and drink?

409 replies

Jumell · 01/12/2024 12:38

I’m single and live alone. I want to set myself a good budget and admit I’ve overspent /been wasteful in the past.

As a single adult female living alone - is £30 per month on food doable do you think ? Includes eating out etc

OP posts:
Bumblebeestiltskin · 01/12/2024 15:38

Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:27

This is the first time due to family commitments I’ve really tried to get my house in order regarding my eating and spending .. so I’m going through a period of trial and error for the first month with admittedly much more error

Show quote history

The fact you're avoiding about 80% of people's questions is what's leading people to believe you're just trolling.

BlackeyedSusan · 01/12/2024 15:37

Years ago (8ish) I managed under £2 per day per person. Prices have gone up loads since then.

My only suggestions:

Essentials wholemeal bread and 1/3 tin baked beans on two slices. (Aldi are ok taste) (20 slices per loaf approx) (No spread)
Essentials porridge made with water and sultanas. (Only 30g per portion so packet goes a long way.)
Carrots and onions and essential tinned tomatoes based main meals.with dried red lentils added.
The odd tin of essentials kidney beans. (Cheapest tinned bean apart from baked beans. I know someone who uses those in Bolognese type dishes.
Smart price mixed herbs
You'll have to buy lentils in bulk and divide the cost over the month and the spices on world food as they are cheaper there.

Batch cook from scratch.
No meat. No cheese.
No snacks apart from toast
Either jam or spread not both.
Coffee or tea once per day. (Freeze 4pints milk into icecube portions? Because more than one bottle is going to be too much cost.)

Not very healthy as not a lot of variety.

Breadcat24 · 01/12/2024 15:36

Right I had to do my shopping today so I have costed it and you could actually nearly do a month of meals- I make it £30.99 (yes it was bloody close)
It is boring and repetitive but nutritious and balanced
From this you get the following for breakfasts either or (not together):
porridge, cereal, toast, yoghurt and frozen berries
Lunches:
Sandwiches (cheese), pizza slice- generally not much lunch though! (I do not eat lunch myself so not my priority)
Main meals:
3 x bolognese and penne
2 x chilli and rice
6 x baked potato with either baked beans or cheese
3 x roast chicken dinner
3 x spicy chicken rice and peas
2 x pesto and pasta
3 x homemade chicken broth with veg
2 x carrot soup
2 x pizza slice
2 x tomato pasta

This includes buying things like garlic, chilli powder, stock cubes, tomato puree
I can type out the prices if you make me but largely this is using the Aldi essentials range and wonky veg.

Original poster
Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:29

PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 01/12/2024 15:27

So no vegetables? No fruit?
no complex carbs?
most of this is ultra processed food. Will I ever shame somebody for eating like this if that’s all they can afford? Or all they can eat (arfid etc)? No.

But you’re doing this to “challenge yourself”?? Wow.

Show quote history

I know that really need to include fruit and veg .. I will next month . I know my diet is seriously lacking I’ve learned a lot this month

OP posts:
PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 01/12/2024 15:27

Jumell · 01/12/2024 13:50

Didn’t write a running daily total from Tuesday 12th Nov but from memory here goes best I can

slice Pizza Greggs - 2.30
tube Pringles 1.50
2 packet digestives - 55p x 2
custard cream packet - 32p
Around 5 /6 pints of milk at 85 p each or 69p if discount
Sainsbury’s x 6 packet sultana scones
Sainsbury’s mince pies packet (6?) - 1.95

sainsbury’s cheese slices 2 packets - 3,25 includes 4 slices - inc cheddar/wensleydale etc

with my nectar bonus points I’ve bought 2 x packets of the ready made pasta with tuna /sweetcorn Sainsbury’s -around 2.95 /packet

1 large jar own brand instant coffee - around £3?

had hand a jar of coffee and few tea bags already in BUT NOTHING ELSE!

free Greggs donut

small box chocs as gift

packet of 2 shelled, cooked boiled eggs

Some of my purchases gave me massive Nectar bonus points which would explain the mince pies and scones etc

so roughly this !!

Show quote history

So no vegetables? No fruit?
no complex carbs?
most of this is ultra processed food. Will I ever shame somebody for eating like this if that’s all they can afford? Or all they can eat (arfid etc)? No.

But you’re doing this to “challenge yourself”?? Wow.

Original poster
Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:27

MarvelJesus · 01/12/2024 15:24

…but for £1.57 a day, you’ve just basically bought snacks. There is nothing on your list which would constitute breakfast, lunch or dinner. So no actual food to nourish and sustain you.

How old are you, OP? Are you feeding yourself for the first time in your life for some reason? Do you understand basic nutrition and cooking? What did eating look like when you were a child? I can’t help thinking that, if this is a real thread, something is badly wrong in your relationship with food, and if you can unpick it, you’ll do better for yourself and your health.

Show quote history

This is the first time due to family commitments I’ve really tried to get my house in order regarding my eating and spending .. so I’m going through a period of trial and error for the first month with admittedly much more error

OP posts:
MarvelJesus · 01/12/2024 15:24

Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:21

That’s what I aimed for jnitially I’ve averaged admittedly £1.57/day

Show quote history

…but for £1.57 a day, you’ve just basically bought snacks. There is nothing on your list which would constitute breakfast, lunch or dinner. So no actual food to nourish and sustain you.

How old are you, OP? Are you feeding yourself for the first time in your life for some reason? Do you understand basic nutrition and cooking? What did eating look like when you were a child? I can’t help thinking that, if this is a real thread, something is badly wrong in your relationship with food, and if you can unpick it, you’ll do better for yourself and your health.

ATastingMenuButItsAllCrisps · 01/12/2024 15:23

eRobin · 01/12/2024 15:11

Do you keep a food diary
how are you functioning

in 19 days, since the 12th of November you’ve had

  1. One slice of Pizza from Greggs
  2. a tube of Pringles
  3. 2 packets of digestives
  4. A packet of custard creams
  5. 6 pints of milk
  6. 6 sultana scones
  7. 6 mince pies
  8. 2 packets of sliced cheese
  9. 2 tubs of tuna pasta sweetcorn
  10. 2 eggs
  11. a doughnut from Greggs
  12. a box of chocolates
  13. Coffee and tea

fuck me sideways. How have you not fainted

Posting about starving yourself for weeks while cosplaying as someone in utter poverty is in such poor taste I can't even find the words.

Original poster
Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:23

crumblingschools · 01/12/2024 15:22

Are you looking for another job? Claiming benefits you are entitled to until you earn again?

Yes

OP posts:
Original poster
Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:23

mickandrorty · 01/12/2024 15:22

So assuming this is real, are you very young? do you know how to cook? the food choices you have made are incredibly poor! You must know that a tube of pringles is a crap food choice when for the same price you can get a jar of pasta sauce and a bag of pasta for less and that would do a few meals, for an additional 35p you could get frozen veg to go with it as well so for £1.85 you could easily do 3 or 4 meals for 1 person.

No an not Young have cooked but out of practice

OP posts:
mickandrorty · 01/12/2024 15:22

So assuming this is real, are you very young? do you know how to cook? the food choices you have made are incredibly poor! You must know that a tube of pringles is a crap food choice when for the same price you can get a jar of pasta sauce and a bag of pasta for less and that would do a few meals, for an additional 35p you could get frozen veg to go with it as well so for £1.85 you could easily do 3 or 4 meals for 1 person.

Original poster
Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:22

crumblingschools · 01/12/2024 15:19

So why did you just basically buy biscuits and cakes if you like all food?

I admit it’s laziness which I’m not proud of which I’m now resolving to address

OP posts:
crumblingschools · 01/12/2024 15:22

Are you looking for another job? Claiming benefits you are entitled to until you earn again?

Original poster
Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:21

HappySeven · 01/12/2024 12:39

A pound a day?

That’s what I aimed for jnitially I’ve averaged admittedly £1.57/day

OP posts:
eRobin · 01/12/2024 15:20

Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:19

No tho I feel lethargic - but due to time of year I thought

don’t work just been made redundant

saving money for better housing choices

usual budget has fluctuated recently due to redundancy payout etc

Show quote history

Go to a food bank. Jesus Christ

Original poster
Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:19

eRobin · 01/12/2024 15:17

Do you not feel sick? Do you work? Do you go out? What are you saving the money for? What’s your usual budget? Why did you choose rubbish over real food?

No tho I feel lethargic - but due to time of year I thought

don’t work just been made redundant

saving money for better housing choices

usual budget has fluctuated recently due to redundancy payout etc

OP posts:
crumblingschools · 01/12/2024 15:19

So why did you just basically buy biscuits and cakes if you like all food?

Original poster
Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:18

NerdWhoEatsMedlar · 01/12/2024 15:17

What sort of meals do you like eating?

There are loads of people on here who do cheap, cheerful and easy meals everyday. You can get some help to sort your diet out.

Fish fingers, potato waffles and a heap of frozen veg would be a lot better than what you are eating.

Every thing apart from cauliflower cheese !

OP posts:
eRobin · 01/12/2024 15:17

Do you not feel sick? Do you work? Do you go out? What are you saving the money for? What’s your usual budget? Why did you choose rubbish over real food?

Original poster
Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:17

DecayedStrumpet · 01/12/2024 15:09

Was the idea behind this kind of that you normally struggle to control your calories... so you thought, "well if I spend 30 quid and then stop, that'll be basically the same thing"?

No not quite !

OP posts:
crumblingschools · 01/12/2024 15:17

Instead of prioritising cost you need to prioritise healthy to start with. Get into good habits, but don’t buy too much food to start so you end up wasting it.

NerdWhoEatsMedlar · 01/12/2024 15:17

What sort of meals do you like eating?

There are loads of people on here who do cheap, cheerful and easy meals everyday. You can get some help to sort your diet out.

Fish fingers, potato waffles and a heap of frozen veg would be a lot better than what you are eating.

eRobin · 01/12/2024 15:16

Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:15

You can add a loaf of bread to this

Show quote history

Unbelievable

Original poster
Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:15

eRobin · 01/12/2024 15:11

Do you keep a food diary
how are you functioning

in 19 days, since the 12th of November you’ve had

  1. One slice of Pizza from Greggs
  2. a tube of Pringles
  3. 2 packets of digestives
  4. A packet of custard creams
  5. 6 pints of milk
  6. 6 sultana scones
  7. 6 mince pies
  8. 2 packets of sliced cheese
  9. 2 tubs of tuna pasta sweetcorn
  10. 2 eggs
  11. a doughnut from Greggs
  12. a box of chocolates
  13. Coffee and tea

fuck me sideways. How have you not fainted

You can add a loaf of bread to this

OP posts:
Original poster
Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:14

NerdWhoEatsMedlar · 01/12/2024 15:13

Do you ever eat vegetables or fruit?

Yes but not this month

OP posts:
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