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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

or maybe i've just been skint for too long ...

45 replies

YoniDaChillOut · 12/04/2013 14:27

but £10 for a homecooked meal for two isn't superscrimping. £10 is a third of my entire weekly food budget for me and two dcs (although i count them as one adult as they both would eat about half of an adult portion) if i spent £10 for each evening meal, plus food for breakfast, lunch and snacks i'd probably be almost tripling my weekly food spend!

i'm watching that superscrimpers show. it's a load of bollocks really isn't it?

OP posts:

mrsscoob · 12/04/2013 14:29

YANBU I can make 2 meals out of a packet of basics spaghetti some butter and a few bits of dried herbs/garlic costs about 50 -75p

ouryve · 12/04/2013 14:30

I'm not skint and it's not superscrimping. I can cook a bloody lovely meal for the 4 of us, with pud, and using a few shortcuts for that.

However, if it was £10 for something that's a bit special for 2, then it would save money compared with eating out, but part of the appeal of eating out (which we rarely do) is the lack of washing up, afterwards.

Molehillmountain · 12/04/2013 14:30

I agree! I rarely spend more than £5-6 for the five of us and often much less. But perhaps if you've been used to spending a packet, to go down to actual scrimping would be too much.

Flobbadobs · 12/04/2013 14:30

YANBU, I stopped watching it after 1 episode.

MartyrStewart · 12/04/2013 14:30

YANBU. I try and budget so it averages out £3 per meal to feed me, DH and 2 DC.

I could probably do a 3 course blow out roast for a tenner.

Molehillmountain · 12/04/2013 14:31

Out of interest - what was the "super scrimping" meal?

NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 12/04/2013 14:31

No that's a lot. I can feed 4 people very well with meat and fish and veg on a fiver!

DiscoDonkey · 12/04/2013 14:31

I suppose it's all relative isn't it? If people are routinely spending £20 a meal on take away or meals out then £10 for a home cooked meal is ok (although I'd want a fairly fancy meal for that)

But no £10 isn't exactly a budget meal for two people (may as well go to m&s and do dine in for a tender)

Molehillmountain · 12/04/2013 14:32

For two?!!! Just read properly-assumed it was a family meal at least!!!

Original poster

YoniDaChillOut · 12/04/2013 14:33

it was a chicken curry! that's so easy to make for next to nothing!

if it was mains, desert and wine then £10 would be good, but not for just a curry!

OP posts:

mrsscoob · 12/04/2013 14:34

DiscoDonkey has a point. For me spending £10 on a meal for 2 would be a blow out. For someone else, IE I can live on £53 a week, yet spent £39 on breakfast Iain Duncan Smith, that would be super duper scrimping

mrsminiverscharlady · 12/04/2013 14:34

Depends what they're trying to save money on though. If it's instead of a takeaway or going out then a tenner is going to save a reasonable amount of money. If it's an everyday meal then YANBU.

Chocotrekkie · 12/04/2013 14:35

It's a terrible programme and I feel bad that people are watching it and honestly following the ideas.

One was going to get fruit for a smoothie rather than buying 3 small bottles from Starbucks - ended up costing them well over a fiver but its ok cause they saved a fiver..

What's wrong with cheap orange juice and frozen berries - about £1.50. or the ready made ones in asda

Molehillmountain · 12/04/2013 14:36

Lord! If you roast a chicken the day before, a chicken curry is leftover delight! That's just ridiculous. We need a mumsnet does scrimping show. You don't even have to be silly about it-no need for "we get a year's meals out of one pack of chicken drumsticks. We had chicken breast yesterday which is hardly scrimping but if you bash them flat, a 500g pack does two meals for my lot and no one feels hard done by. A £1 pack of salad, some jacket spuds-it's not hard.

Original poster

YoniDaChillOut · 12/04/2013 14:37

well yes, it's a family who live on takeaway food (this is where i got judgy- Mcd's for a baby in one of those carriers you wear on your chest) so £10 will be a saving for them on what they usually spend on food. but i still thought they could have shown them how to make their £10 stretch far further than that if the idea is to make your money go further!

OP posts:

kinkyfuckery · 12/04/2013 14:39

YANBU - £10 to feed two isn't budget!

MammaTJ · 12/04/2013 14:39

I keep watching in the hope of inspiration. Not had any yet.

I loved the woman the other day who didn't think she could make a picnic for 'only' £17. So she chose to take pot luck with food for sale at the event.

I would always make a picnic under those circumstances and I have never spent anything like £17 on one.

forevergreek · 12/04/2013 14:40

I suppose it depends. It we have chicken curry it probably does cost that.

Chicken £4-5 for x2 organic chicken breasts
Rice - 50p
Onion/ garlic/ ginger/ spices - £1-3 depending on what spices/ how much/ if I need fresh coriander etc
Natural yogurt - £1.50
Naan- £1

The supersrimpers are just showing how to make a takeaway equivalent. So instead I costing £30 for a takeaway for 4, it's £10, big saving if you do it often

Molehillmountain · 12/04/2013 14:40

And actually, for people who live on mcd it needs to be easier. Like homemade burgers, or even shop bought for goodness sake. It's clearly not just the cost. They're still going to baulk at that much effort each day. Start off by showing them meals that take less time than going to McDonalds.

Original poster

YoniDaChillOut · 12/04/2013 14:41

and now theyre showing us how they spent 'only' £3.99' on a top in a charity shop just to cut the beading off it and use it as a belt!

OP posts:

Molehillmountain · 12/04/2013 14:42

Sorry -I mean the effort required to make a curry, not the burgers. I think one of the worst things about some convenience foods is they scare people into thinking home cooking is difficult and time consuming because otherwise why would you need it in a packet?

Original poster

YoniDaChillOut · 12/04/2013 14:44

"They're still going to baulk at that much effort each day. Start off by showing them meals that take less time than going to McDonalds."

yes that's it! the mum was saying it's just too easy to get takeaway and showed how easy it was to order online on her ipad with a few taps. i cant imagine them choosing to put the effort into making a proper meal when they've been happy to spend the money up til now to save them teh bother.

OP posts:

Original poster

YoniDaChillOut · 12/04/2013 14:45

and i say this as a lazy bitch who never wants to cook but still does every night.

OP posts:

Molehillmountain · 12/04/2013 14:46

Thing about scrimping is that actually you need to buy fewer things and you can't make a series out of a) if you have no cash don't go to shops b) try not buying stuff for a while and then you'll get used to it and everyone else will appear really extravagent. c) ignore advertising and decide fir yourself what you actually need. Can you tell we've tightened our belts? Won't object to loosening them at some point, though

cozietoesie · 12/04/2013 14:47

See if you can find some Catherine Tate comedy shows to watch - you know, the sketches of the Mummy with the two kids?

That will give you perspective.

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