To ask if you could make £400 last 2 weeks?

I agree, it just takes a bit of planning. A slow cooker is very useful.

https://realfood.tesco.com/budget-meals.html?sc_cmp=ppcBing+-+Real+FoodMPXSEAMixed+AcquisitionGENReal+Food+-+ValueCampaign+Budget1012820cheap+recipes+UKe&&msclkid=e01b02a39a83128c5b536acd9af06697&utmsource=bing&utmmedium=cpc&utmcampaign=MPXSEAMixed%20AcquisitionGENReal%20Food%20-%20ValueCampaign%20Budget1012820&utmterm=cheap%20recipes%20UK&utmcontent=Real%20Food%20-%20Cheap%20Recipes%20-%20Phrase&gclid=e01b02a39a83128c5b536acd9af06697&gclsrc=3p.ds&gadsource=7

Where is the laughting emoji when you need it?

My cat agrees BTW.....

… I have £300 to last me 3 weeks so yes, it’s possible.

There’s plenty of outings that you don’t really need to spend much money on.

Yes , take off your average petrol costs. Work out your average food costs (cutting back if needed) and what’s left can be saved or used for activities.
So say-
petrol £50
food £200 (2x £100pw)
left for general use/saving £150

Would there be extra money if something big happens like car breaks down?

Has there been a change of circumstances that has left you feeling uncertain about your budget?

We shop carefully. Between Aldi, Lidl and Tesco's. If things are on offer I will bulk buy and store or freeze. We sometimes do "that bread and butter thing"if we can make it.
We eat a lot of lentils and beans and only get meat on offer or yellow labeled. If we say get 500g of minced meat, I will bulk it with carrots, onion, celery, lentils and tins of tomatoes and it can last 2 or 3 meals (usually spag Bolognese, Shepard's pie and jacket potatoes). We eat a lot of things like curry and pho where you can make a good base and freeze it then add whatever veg or meat is discounted or on offer.
They all love porridge for breakfast (I have natural yoghurt and fruit). Lots of homemade soups for lunch from either discounted veg or frozen or leftovers.
The £100 to £150 doesn't include alcohol or dog food!

There’s lots I could say but I CBA
Yes of course it’s enough

If I had £200 a week to spend on food for one adult and one child I would be laughing so much I wouldn't be able to use my mouth to put any grub in it.

I get ‘broken’ eggs from my local market at 5p each. The shells are cracked but the inner membrane is intact so they last just as long as normal eggs.

How do you manage that?

Quite easily. And surplus put in the bank.

£400 for food, petrol and activities for a 5yr old who is still in school for the next two weeks? Really?

Food:

You can get a full week’s worth of meals from Lidl for well under £60 for 2 people.

main meals -think spaghetti bolognaise, tuna pasta, roast chicken, baked potatoes, macaroni cheese, beef stew etc

lunch - Sandwiches and leftovers

breakfast - porridge/weetabix etc

Activities:

take him to the park, the beach, take a walk in the forest, go to the library or local museum. So many free or low cost activities that a 5 year old will love!

petrol - just stay local!

What were you hoping to do with your child that would cost over £400 for 2 weeks?

How much do you usuallyy budget for two weeks for these things? Why is you budget tighter than usual this month. What can you cut back on that ou usually spend on?
Cheaper meals? Free days out etc.? I think with minimum effort and a tiny bit of imagination you can do it.

Yeah, I'd expect more like double both those prices for cornflakes and eggs. Not to say they're not good choices, but I think Chat GPT might be working from prices 5 years ago..

Maybe if you only shopped in Aldi and LIDL

Absobloodyluetly!!!!

🤣

What are you planning on eating? Caviar and prime rib?

For one adult and one child I could shop at Waitrose and still not spend half of that in a fortnight, so I'm struggling to understand why you are in any doubt.

Download the Petrol Prices app to make sure you fill up at whichever station is offering the best price. There’s plenty of good tips on here re meals and £400 sounds more than enough to me, but good general advice is to buy staples that will do several meals - eg chopped tomatoes, mince (spag bol, chilli con carne), cheese, beans, bread, potatoes (beans on toast, cheese on toast, jacket with beans & cheese), tuna (tuna pasta, tuna jacket) just as a few examples. For outings, things like the park, museums etc are free. Some cinemas do kids specials on a Saturday morning too.

Me neither, it was ChatGPT.

Op this is crazy. My food bill for 5 (4 Very sporty huge adults and 1 teen) is 100 a weekz 15.on a bad week.

Of course, that's much more than we spend on a family for 4 for food. We'd eat like kings on £200pw. Am I missing something?

Edit to add, even with petrol and other expenses it is very easily doable. Little kids are pretty cheap to feed and entertain.

Meal plan for 2 weeks and stick to a list pop money away for fuel and activities for the 2 weeks too.

£400….. 1 child and an adult? …….. I like the nice things in life and could get by just fine with that after bills, especially as a one off. How much petrol do you really need? I would scrimp here to have more fun together.

The weather might be the challenge over the next couple of weeks I guess. It’s going to be too hot to spend too much time outside comfortably (where I live anyway. However the museums etc. are often quieter, and a free option for outings, depending on area.

Instead of always relying on outings maybe get your little one involved on preparing the meals. Cooking can be great fun for kids.

DependsZ is a massive salad and/or chicken involved?

Outings: this week is going to be hot.
Don your suncream and head to the park. A trip to the ice cream van whilst there won’t break the bank.

@Makingpeacei haven’t seen those prices - 500gr corn flakes for 60p? Dozen eggs for £1.25?? Where?