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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think I could live on �20 - 25 per week?

157 replies

confusion77 · 26/05/2014 18:44

Is it realistic? If it were just me and the cat. The cat food costs 2.75 per fortnight for tins and 11 per month for biscuits approx. I could get cheaper biscuits for him i guess.

This would be for all food and stuff like shampoo shower gel, washing up liquid etc.

Not face creams make up or wine....

OP posts:
PrimalLass · 27/05/2014 07:25

Don't eat things like economy marge. Buy butter and eat less of it.

InternetFOREVER · 27/05/2014 07:39

Sorry if someone's already said, but it might be worth seeing a mortgage advisor and finding out if you've got any chance of being given a large enough mortgage on your own - with the new affordability checks you might find that you can't remortgage and are stuck on the SVR with your current company. Would be shame to scrimp and save for a year only to find out that you have to downsize anyway!
Good luck

ClashCityRocker · 27/05/2014 07:43

Yorkshire puds are dirt cheap to make and go with a surprising number of foods.

BreakOutTheKaraoke · 27/05/2014 07:46

I think it's more than manageable. Hit Aldi and Farmfoods on payday, spend £60 on a months worth of shopping. Get bags of frozen veg instead of fresh, as it will probably go off before you can use it all, freeze meat or batch cook. Spend a tenner a week on bread, milk, sandwich meat and a bit of fresh meat.

I don't think you will have to just make cheap, 'economy' meals either. If you make a lasagne, say it costs you a fiver, theres probably around 8 meals for you there! Go buy those tinfoil trays from poundshop for freezing.

I budget £200 a month for me and DD. I only spend it all if I pop to Tescos on my lunch hour, and buy the offers. If I limit my shops to once/ twice a week, I have money left over. Aldi will definitely work out cheaper for you then online shopping and delivery.

HippyPottyMouth · 27/05/2014 07:47

I think you could do it, especially if you're confident that it's only for a fixed period. I lived comfortably on £35 per week when I was on my own, and could very easily have cut it down a lot by shopping more carefully. My cats prefer Aldi biscuits at £2 a bag and I'm veggie.

ManchesterAunt · 27/05/2014 07:49

Look on Amazon, a couple of people have written books for living on £1 a day - your local library will have them. From memory they had tips like looking out for free gallery openings etc that had free wine and nibbles.

londonrach · 27/05/2014 07:50

I lived on £20-£30 per week for two people last year excluding bills. It's very easy and we eat well. Need to shop Lldl and no choc, wine etc.

RoganJosh · 27/05/2014 07:56

I agree about mortgage. Any early exit penalty might be offset by better rates. Now is the time to fix rates as interest rates will be going up soon.

poshme · 27/05/2014 08:09

Google live below the line recipes. Lots of ideas for meals costing less than 33p a portion.
Good luck!

sashh · 27/05/2014 08:13

Anyone can live on £25 a week if it doesn't include luxuries, heating, electricity, travel etc etc.

ExCinnamon · 27/05/2014 08:20

Oh yes, definitely go and speak to a mortgage advisor.

We came out out of our fixed rate early and have a new 5 year fixed with lower monthly mortgage even with the early repayment charge.

If you're on almost 7 % that's ridiculously high atm. Try and change mortgage now. Might be tricky with your h coming off the mortgage though. Good luck!

Wellwellwell3holesintheground · 27/05/2014 08:30

Yes, you can definitely do this.

Breakfasts - bran flakes or porridge. Both under 10p per portion. Milk plus milk for tea/coffee another 10p (buy four pint containers and freeze in pint containers). Piece of fruit 10p - 30p total.

Lunch - sandwiches or better still homemade rolls as they freeze well and are much more filling. You could make 12 for less than 10p each. Tuna mayo about 40p per portion,cheese about 25p.
Salad say another 10p. Crisps or mini cheddars 10. More fruit 10p. Slice of homemade cake or flapjack 10p. Total - 90p.

Supper - spaghetti 4p for huge portion. Bolognese 50p per portion with minced beef, peppers, mushrooms and onions. Apple crumble and icecream for pudding - 8p per portion. 62p - hey, have garlic bread as well! £1 in total absolute maximum.

That's £2.20 for a very generous day's food - I have overestimated most costs. And you get your five a day.

You would have to spend more and batch cook a bit on the first week of the month but once you've set yourself up with portions of stuff in the freezer it gets cheaper each week.

Wellwellwell3holesintheground · 27/05/2014 08:36

Tempted to devise a month's menu for you but typing on photo and my previous post took an age.

Pannacotta · 27/05/2014 08:40

I also came on to say look at Jack Monroe's blog/book.
Also 5:2 is a good way to reduce your costs and lost weight.
Learning to bake is good if you enjoy bread/cake/treats.
Make sure you have enough fruit/veg though - buying frozen is much cheaper and still healthy.
Good luck.

Pannacotta · 27/05/2014 08:45

And yy to growing some veg or herbs.
Spinach/rocket etc are so easy to grow and very pricey in the shops.

Llareggub · 27/05/2014 09:01

A friend of mine exists almost entirely on the Tesco discounted food. He goes on a Friday night around 8pm or 9pm and stocks up on meat and fish that can be frozen. It's a big Tesco and gets some real bargains. You need sharp elbows though!

I used to spend £20 a week on food but this was around 15 or so years ago. You might need to do a lot of batch cooking.

Llareggub · 27/05/2014 09:03

A friend of mine exists almost entirely on the Tesco discounted food. He goes on a Friday night around 8pm or 9pm and stocks up on meat and fish that can be frozen. It's a big Tesco and gets some real bargains. You need sharp elbows though!

I used to spend £20 a week on food but this was around 15 or so years ago. You might need to do a lot of batch cooking.

SuchSweetSorrow · 27/05/2014 09:10

I think I would be able to if it was just me. I'm veggie though so that may help.

I have a friend who feeds a family of 4 on £50 a week. She does a monthly shop, then tops up fresh food once a week.

SuchSweetSorrow · 27/05/2014 09:12

I'll find a link to her blog for you which has some tips and her meal planner on, may give you some ideas

SoulJacker · 27/05/2014 09:24

I'd look into a water rates again, we're metered and pay 12 a month and that includes watering the garden.

SoulJacker · 27/05/2014 09:25

I'd look into a water rates again, we're metered and pay 12 a month and that includes watering the garden.

Pannacotta · 27/05/2014 09:29

agirlcalledjack.com/tag/jack-monroe/

thegreylady · 27/05/2014 10:23

The Co-op do frozen white fish fillets for £2 a bag. There are at least 6 fillets in a bag and they are lovely in a fish pie or just fried in a little oil. Try them. If you don't like it your cat will and half a fillet with a few biscuits is a great meal for a cat :)

WilsonFrickett · 27/05/2014 10:34

Stuff that you can freeze that you might not know you can freeze (ie buy when it's reduced and then stick in the freezer)

Most herbs (except basil) - chop and freeze in bags or freeze in water in ice cube trays
Whole chillies
Garlic and ginger (mince first, mix in with a tiny bit of oil then freeze in ice cube trays)
Wine (yeah I know, like you ever would have any left over, but we don't drink white so often have a glass or so left over if a white-drinking friend comes by - just pop it in a plastic bag to add to stews etc)
Coconut milk - sooo expensive, yet makes curries lovely, but you rarely need a whole tin, so freeze half
Actual milk - again, buy when on offer and freeze
Bacon - maybe everyone else knows that, but I didn't Blush
Chicken - that old MN classic. Much cheaper to buy a whole one, eat, cook up leftovers into curry/stew/pie filling, then freeze. Put picked bones in a plastic bag in the freezer, brown and boil from frozen for stock.
Apples/blackcurrants/brambles etc - puree then freeze in portions for desert or to go on top of porridge/yogurt.

Smilesandpiles · 27/05/2014 10:39

I'd say it's doable.

A few years ago I had to do that for a family of 4 (prices risen so much now that it would be impossible now) but you do have to have access to a lot of recipies and a very well stocked cupboard (bulk buy if you can) and freezer.

Aim for more veggie meals in your diet and meat is very expensive now and should be considered as something you have once or twice a week (not including the sunday lunch and left overs).

You'll learn loads and some of the meals I had to come up with have stuck as firm family favorites now.

Seeing as it's the type of diet you will loose weight on anyway I'd say start using proper butter and cream in the recipies. Aim for the best quality ingredients you can afford as this will make a massive difference in your nutritional and vitamin intake.

Dont forget:

Council tax single person discount
Call up energy suppliers and get on their cheapest tariff
Double check your mobile plan
Water rates as already said