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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:
Original poster
Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:13

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

No I don’t keep a good diary - but cis I’ve eaten /spent comparatively little - I’ve remembered most things

OP posts:
NerdWhoEatsMedlar · 01/12/2024 15:13

Do you ever eat vegetables or fruit?

Bumblebeestiltskin · 01/12/2024 15:11

Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:05

Ok I was overeating and vowing to start diets tomorrow all the time - VERY bad

Show quote history

But overeating on what? Processed cheese slices and biscuits, or actual food?

Like others have said, you need to resolve your issues with food before you start thinking about how to save money.

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

Original poster
Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:11

CrunchyChocolate · 01/12/2024 15:09

Give over. You really thought half a dry scone, half a slice of cheese and a few biscuits and crisps was the best use of your daily budget? It didn't even occur to you to shop with actual meals in mind - even boring/unhealthy ones? I can't get my head round that at all.

Show quote history

No I know it’s wrong but I’ve been a convenience food addict

this is going to change

OP posts:
Original poster
Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:09

crumblingschools · 01/12/2024 15:08

So what did you eat at the beginning of November?

Too much junk food and sweets and not sticking to diets or budgeting AT ALL - WRONG

OP posts:
CrunchyChocolate · 01/12/2024 15:09

Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:03

Not trolling nor ED just 1st month of serious budgeting and it’s been a serious case of trial and error - admittedly with the error element prominent.

no WAY will I be making these choices next month. Just NO

Show quote history

Give over. You really thought half a dry scone, half a slice of cheese and a few biscuits and crisps was the best use of your daily budget? It didn't even occur to you to shop with actual meals in mind - even boring/unhealthy ones? I can't get my head round that at all.

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"?

crumblingschools · 01/12/2024 15:08

So what did you eat at the beginning of November?

WhySoManySocks · 01/12/2024 15:08

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

That’s a horrible list and contains so little real food - protein, healthy fats, ingredients for hone cooked meals. If you really have little money pr are trying to be frugal and lose weight, buying Pringles and biscuits is ridiculous.

Scirocco · 01/12/2024 15:08

@Jumell you need to learn the basics first. Learn healthy cheap recipes, then try the budgeting.

Original poster
Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:06

NerdWhoEatsMedlar · 01/12/2024 15:01

Money spent per day £1.57
Calories eaten per day 650
Entirely in snacks

Have you been going home for dinner?

NO!! I’ve been literally AT home !

OP posts:
Original poster
Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:05

blackbird77 · 01/12/2024 15:04

@Jumell What was your diet like before 12th November? Can you give us an example of what you’d eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner each day? What was your normal average monthly spend on food like and what would you spend it on?

Ok I was overeating and vowing to start diets tomorrow all the time - VERY bad

OP posts:
Original poster
Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:04

Mylifeisamesssuchamess · 01/12/2024 15:02

Start small but reasonably healthy e.g. beans on toast, eggs on toast, jacket potato and tuna, chicken breast and veg, pasta, tuna and veg, some of the nicer supermarket soups etc. cooking doesn't have to be fancy when you live alone but it should still be reasonably healthy. Even starting small like the above will get you in better habits of eating 3 meals a day.

Show quote history

Thanks this is good advice

OP posts:
blackbird77 · 01/12/2024 15:04

@Jumell What was your diet like before 12th November? Can you give us an example of what you’d eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner each day? What was your normal average monthly spend on food like and what would you spend it on?

Original poster
Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:03

CrunchyChocolate · 01/12/2024 15:01

I honestly wouldn't expect anyone over the age of about 10 to make those choices with your budget. You're either trolling or have a serious eating disorder.

Not trolling nor ED just 1st month of serious budgeting and it’s been a serious case of trial and error - admittedly with the error element prominent.

no WAY will I be making these choices next month. Just NO

OP posts:
Allthehorsesintheworld · 01/12/2024 15:02

And you’re not eating meals, your list is just carbs with a lot of sugar.
On about £120 a month I have home made soup, lots of fresh and frozen veg, fruit daily, yoghurt either shop bought or home made. At the moment I have lentils, chick peas and I’ve bought protein powder as I’m not eating eggs or cheese bc of a health problem.
You need to look at some sites like Thrifty Lesley to get meal ideas.

Mylifeisamesssuchamess · 01/12/2024 15:02

Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:00

I admit I’m very lazy re cooking from scratch and I need to organise myself and address this

Show quote history

Start small but reasonably healthy e.g. beans on toast, eggs on toast, jacket potato and tuna, chicken breast and veg, pasta, tuna and veg, some of the nicer supermarket soups etc. cooking doesn't have to be fancy when you live alone but it should still be reasonably healthy. Even starting small like the above will get you in better habits of eating 3 meals a day.

Original poster
Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:02

crumblingschools · 01/12/2024 14:58

How come you had nothing else in your cupboards or fridge before you started this? No herbs or spices? Tinned food?

Before this did you eat fruit and veg? Cook meals from scratch?

Ok totally admit I haven’t got into the good habits of cooking meals from scratch

too lazy - and j TOTALLY need to address this, admittedly

OP posts:
CrunchyChocolate · 01/12/2024 15:01

I honestly wouldn't expect anyone over the age of about 10 to make those choices with your budget. You're either trolling or have a serious eating disorder.

NerdWhoEatsMedlar · 01/12/2024 15:01

Money spent per day £1.57
Calories eaten per day 650
Entirely in snacks

Have you been going home for dinner?

Fizbosshoes · 01/12/2024 15:00

When you say you've wasted money in the past, there is a huge difference between wasting money (and potentially food, if you bought stuff you weren't going to eat) and coming up with an arbitrary budget which will be hard to stick to.

Even if you do need to stick to a strict budget the types of food listed are much more expensive than making things yourself. What is your normal eating (if not on a budget) like, and do you generally cook your own meals?
That's generally (not always) cheaper than buying processed foods.

Original poster
Jumell · 01/12/2024 15:00

SapphireOpal · 01/12/2024 14:59

Then yes, you are being really bloody unreasonable and clearly have some kind of disordered eating.

It is possible to live off a low food budget - probably not £30 for a month, but maybe £60 (which is basically what you will have spent by the time you've actually done a month.

But buying ready prepared hard boiled eggs, scones, ready to eat tuna pasta etc is obviously not the way to go about it and you know it.

Just buy some proper food, including vegetables, and cook proper meals.

Show quote history

I admit I’m very lazy re cooking from scratch and I need to organise myself and address this

OP posts:
SapphireOpal · 01/12/2024 14:59

Jumell · 01/12/2024 14:55

Nothing apart from this, I’m afraid

Show quote history

Then yes, you are being really bloody unreasonable and clearly have some kind of disordered eating.

It is possible to live off a low food budget - probably not £30 for a month, but maybe £60 (which is basically what you will have spent by the time you've actually done a month.

But buying ready prepared hard boiled eggs, scones, ready to eat tuna pasta etc is obviously not the way to go about it and you know it.

Just buy some proper food, including vegetables, and cook proper meals.

Allthehorsesintheworld · 01/12/2024 14:58

I don’t think so. £30 a week is doable I live alone, vegetarian, don’t drink and I can probably get away with £100 a month if I put my mind to it.

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