25 pounds a week for food for one?

[BlackStrayCat]

Just that really.

Soon I will be in this position. After everything paid, I will have 25 pounds a week for me and a cat. I do not drive so would have to get a home delivery once a month (it is an expensive service where I live so could only do it once)

I think it is doable, any one else do this or any tips?

I am thinking lots of lentils, frozen and fresh veg.
Rice, eggs, frozen fish, big bag of potatoes, apples etc.

Absolutely doable on £25/week (without alcohol or cat) Feeding cat will make it tight, but check out community larders/oleo app if they are accessible without your car. Don't forget to ask for food or alcohol for Christmas/birthday presents if your family/friends ask for suggestions. Good luck!

I spend over £50 a week usually closer to £60, not including toiletries or pet food. If I start to run out of food towards the end of the week, I make soup or something out of the cupboard. Food is to nourish your body, you need a substantial balanced diet, and it shouldn’t be one of your last prioritises. You need to find a way to cut down on other expenses and not this.

Hi OP sorry if you already know this as a veggie but I find
a) Frozen vegetables so much cheaper than fresh
b) Fresh vegetables that are in season but also produce loads are so much cheaper

So pumpkin, squash etc for example just produces lots and lots.

c) Avoid buying spices and seasonings from the supermarkets. Go to a specialist supermarket (Indian/Chinese/Carribbean) you can find big bags of seasonings for a much lower price.

A big bag of rice for example lasts ages

Cat food from an animal sanctuary or food bank?

Oh and also, r.e. soap etc only works if you have space
I buy in bulk off Amazon etc and refill smaller bottles.
If you know anybody with a Costco membership that's handy

Also the supermarket stuff above assumed you have transport and can get to these kinds of places If not, no go.

I also find with some places like TooGoodToGo, I got a lot of food and I could do a 'top-up' meal. For example got a load of meat from a carvery once for £5, added some potatoes and veg got 5 servings out of it.

£25 a week is about £3.50 a day. So £1 per main meal and £0.50 for breakfast.

Another tip is I find drinking hot water made me feel more full too. Got a £15 thermos thing from IKEA that I boil water into and pour once a day. So no need for the kettle on lots. Obviously the outlay wil be an issue.

Oh and I make things in one pot. So rice, veggies steaming on top , or everything in the oven at the same time.

Do you have an Iceland nearby their home delivery is free and you only have to spend £25, if you are buying frozen veg etc anyway it'll be perfect.

If you aren't in this position yet I'd see if I could buy or be gifted / find second hand any of the following as they will really help,perhaps you could store them at someone else's house

24 x rolls of toilet roll - will last 6 months
Large bottles shampoo / conditioner / shower gel
Reusable sanitary wear or supermarket own brands which are great but a fraction of Always etc
Soup maker
Slow Cooker / slow cooker liners
Rice cooker
Containers for freezing
Bulk packets of rice / pasta / noodles / flour
Tinned tomatoes
Coconut milk
Oats / seeds / peanut butter / apple sauce / frozen fruit - overnight oats, can be made with milk/water or apple juice
Spices and seasonings

Basically if you can set yourself up with the basics that will make eating on a budget easier when on a lower income.

Buy dried rather than tinned beans and pulses. You can cook the whole packet and freeze them in portions.
If you like fruit yoghurts, buy a big tub of natural or Greek yoghurt and add pureed fruit to it (I puree a whole mango and freeze it in ice cube or mini muffin trays and then decant to a bag once frozen).
Frozen veg will keep much better (fresh peppers won't last a month).

I get through 24 rolls in less than a month. 1 or more a day. But I have IBS. Imagine 24 rolls lasting 6 months, I’d save so much

Another vote for community fridges or pantries. Local to us we have a community fridge which is free, and community kitchens where you pay a monthly or weekly fee and collect a fair whack of food. I thought ours was less useful for singles than for families, but you could ask - see if they will let you look at what's available before you sign up.

Do you know anyone who would have you over for Sunday lunch, and box up the leftovers- mum, granny, friends mum? Do you have a Sikh temple or any other place of worship nearby that does some free meals? Email your local vicar for ideas. You could offer to 'pay' in volunteer time if you can - but ask anyway.

You need to go to a free money advice service like citizens advice to do a full incomings and outgoings check.

Even bankrupts are given more than this to live on.

@ZanyPombear poor you, 1 roll lasts DD and I at last a week. Although let's not derail the thread with loo roll usage.

Sign up to every supermarket loyalty card you can, if you haven't already and also look at online delivery.

This jogged my memory, Asda have a loyalty card and you get quite a bit for your first few shops with them over £5 and then extra for certain things you buy as well, I think they change regularly but for me I've got some in my cash pot for toiletries and meat and there's one for veg as well this month.
I've got about £15 already and only signed up less than a month ago, you only get 6 months to use the money you accumulate, just check the T&C's to make sure they include home delivery.

Definitely get in touch with a food bank,the one I volunteered as at done cat food pouches also a pantry shop..£3 membership £2.50 shop between 7 and 10 items and far superior to the bog standard food parcel which a lot of the time was very little.

In the unlikely chance your in Nottingham I have a soup maker your welcome to.

I am not, but that is so kind! Thank you.

I am going to leave the thread now but keep coming back as I check out things to do. Definitely switching cat food for the better and more economical one.

There is a strange troll on here, I didnt see what they wrote but it makes me worry who it might be. Hence leaving and maybe name changing.

Thank you everybody and I hope this helps some other posters too. We should write a cookbook or something!

Have a lovely day everyone.

A bit of a tight squeeze, but doable.

For reference, when I was student I fed myself of the equivalent of £3 a day (according to the Bank of England's inflation calculator, so it might not be accurate for food). That would leave you with £7 for treats (which, apart from the odd packet of biscuits, came out of my 'entertainments' fund) and cat food.

I used a lot of dried herbs and stock cubes to jazz things up and ate pretty well. I was able to afford butter, but that, like cheese and peanut butter, had to last.

@WitchyBits FYI Greek style yoghurt doesn’t have the protein content of Greek yoghurt .

I do the equivalent amount a week outside of the UK. It ain't fun. I only do it because I have no other choice, obviously. And I don't have pets.

I eat porridge oats (hot and cold) and a lot of beans and rice and frozen vegetables so they last. The occasional batch of eggs. Rarely meat. When I cook hot food, I eat the same thing up to three days. I eat twice a day and not hot food every day.

If you have a choice, don't do it.

People shouldn't have to live like that in this day and age.
I remember the only food to hand out for food parcel's was a tin of carrots and carton of passata.

If you are reasonably fit and healthy have a wander down to any nearby allotments. I can assure you that if you ask around there will be older people there that would be delighted to have the help of an extra pair of hands for a couple of hours a week in exchange for lots of fresh produce. You'll also get some exersize and meet some new people.

I was thinking Costco for bulk buying toilet rolls in advance too!

Op, I currently spend about £55 for two adults, no cat. I work on 50p breakfasts, £1 lunches and £2 suppers, per portion.

So £25 will be tight but doable. Easier if you are veggie. The issue comes when once a year you need a large bottle of oil and it blows your budget.

Look at Pets & Friends Breederpack dry cat food 15 kg bag £23.99 & their Breederpack wet food 12 x 400g £8.99 the meaty ones goes a long way as it is like pate. Also, if you sign up to their mailing list and order on line you get 10% off.