Oh may I please be sent the ££30 meal plan?, I'd really appreciate it.
My tips in return for it are here:
Cleaning saving tips:
Use own brand (cheapest) coke where I would normally use bleach (so a glugg in the toilet, a glugg in the sink). It very highly acidic so does the same job. A 2 liter bottle of the cheapest ownbrand stuff is very cost effective if you don't use all of it in the loo. Leave over night if possible.
I also reuse old tooth brushes to get to creases in tiles, use a tiny bit of bleach for this - saves you having to redo the filling between tiles and makes a bathroom look like new. Works wonders on the drains in the sink, around the metal parts of the toilet seat, that sort of thing.
Someone mentioned clothes coming out of washing machine smelling bad, I've had this too. Its a sign some bacteria has developed and you need a very hot wash to sort it out. So take your sheets, towels or similar hot-wash type landry and chuck it in on 90degrees. Only need to do it once in a blue moon and you don't have to get the special washing machine cleaners either.
Food saving tips:
I find that near-off veg can be cut up and frozen for use at a later time if you don't have time to make something to freeze right there and then.
Someone mentioned loving fish pie. My advice is to use frozen fish for a fish pie as its cheaper (though still not entierly cheap) and you can't tell the difference so well. Use a tiny bit of smoked haddock to get more flavor though I'm stingy with it. Use veg to bulk it out. I've also stopped using a cheese sause as its too expensive (and not good for me!). Jamie Oliver has a great recepie in Ministry of Food for a fish pie without sause, its absolutely delish! (He suggests using shrimps in it too but I ignore that).
I also buy big chunks of cheese when they're on offer, grate them and freeze. That way I can grab a handfull of frozen cheese to add to sauses or top pies with without risking the cheese going off.
I've noticed that passata can now be bought in relatively small one-portion sizes but they're really expensive so what I do is buy one own-brand one for 27p and then pour it into ice cube tray and freeze. Once frozen I tip them into a freezer bag and then take out one or two cubes when I make a quick pasta sause for dd. I also make big batches of food and freeze obviously. Bake things and make jam or whatever when I can.
When I was growing up we had two or three things for sandwhich fillings, such as cheese/ham/jam though never cheeese and ham in the fridge at the same time. We would also have cheap spreadable cheese as a staple in the fridge and things like tinned sardines/mackrel in the cupboard. I've just become so used to fresh and a broad choice that I've forgotten that its quite possible to live without breasola and parma ham... Must do that in our household now too.
Tried growing some own veg this year but only my herbs seem to have worked. One day I will have a proper kitchen garden and some chickens
Dp and I are on a diet now so we don't eat much at all, just very basic and small portions, found it has really helped our food budget as well as our waist lines too so that's a big bonus. We cook from scratch, never go out and never have a takeaway but apart from eating less we can't think of anything else to do.
Thanks for all the tips guys!