AIBU to think £200 is enough?

[Pauuuuuuline]

AIBU to think that £200 a month on groceries is enough?

As of next month, as a family, we'll have £200 a month left over after essential outgoings to spend on our shop.

This £200 will need to accommodate two adults, a toddler, two cats. Will also include four teens EOW.

Can currently spend (and often do) roughly £400-500 a month, so for us, £200 seems quite small but it's doable right?

Any thoughts and tips on how to do it would be much appreciated.

We spend £40 per week most weeks with the occasional week when I might spend more like £60 if I need things like washing powder and toiletries and cleaning products. This is for 2 adults 1 teen and 1 child. He's some examples of how I do it.

I always make a meal plan for the week. Even if I need to swap a couple of days around during the week I have 7 days planned and buy the food for them. We actually tend to do pasta for lunches a lot because making up pasta and mixed veg or mixed beans etc in bulk works out cheaper than making sandwiches by the time you count bread and fillings. I get fruit from the market because I can often get more for my money and it often lasts much longer before going off. Meals do get repetitive because I've worked out what is cheap to buy and easy to plan and make so we have about 14 dinners that get out on repeat. Cutting back on meat or switching up the types of meat you have helps cuts costs. Cooking bacon for example is a big pack of bacon the you usually have to chop up into bits yourself but only costs about 70p and you can use one packet for several meals. Frozen veg is always handy for making meals seem bigger by adding veg to everything. Pasta is super cheap as is rice. Slow cookers are your friend because nearly anything can be made in a slow cooker. Waste nothing! Anything going out of date try to figure out a use for it. I make Banans pancakes, cakes, bread, cookies etc with bananas going out of date. Other fruit and veg I chop and cook and freeze to use another day or goes in smoothies for breakfast of muffins etc. I don't buy any ready made meals or sauces etc. I make all sauces from Passata or tinned chopped tomatoes or tubs of cheap supermarket own brand soft cheese. Have things like flour oats milk butter etc in at all times to make cakes bread biscuits. Any berries or mushrooms growing near you that are safe to eat? Go foraging! We often pick blackberries or mushrooms etc (obviously only berries and mushrooms that we know are safe it took some research) and boom that's a bit less fruit and veg to buy. Know anyone with an apple tree that needs to offload some excess apples? Apple crumble apple cake stewed apple.

It takes planning and organising and creativity. You might struggle to get those teenagers fed within your budget but you can certainly get close. Good luck!

Planning meals would be necessary but it could be done. A pasta bake costs very little to make & can be quite filling. Look for a good supermarket that gives you good value for money

I thought this was completely do-able, until I read the 4 teenagers bit... And then thought it was nigh-on impossible when you said they won't accept going veggie.

I actually spend about £40 a week in Aldi for two adults and a toddler and that's without any budgeting really.. That's just what we spend. However, DH is vegetarian so the only meat I buy is the odd pack of ham or bacon for sandwiches for me, and fish for me and the toddler. We eat porridge or cheap cornflakes for brekkie and yes just drink tap water mostly (+tea and coffee) That's through choice though, and quite amusing to think people think our lifestyle is 'pretty grim'.

I really recommend the Aldi own mars bars, called Titans. About 30pfor a pack of 6 I think and would be a great treat for the teenagers. We eat masses of pancakes for brekkie on the weekend, throw in some frozen blueberries too. I also really like Jack Monroe's recipes, particularly the carrot and cumin burgers and chilli.

I'm a huge advocate of cloth nappies, but unless you're planning more children, it's probably not worth it at this point for the cost alone, as even 2nd hand you'd be looking at £50set up cost probably. Plus if you're already using supermarket nappies they are pretty cheap.
However I would definitely go for reusable wipes, just cut up an old towel to use. Wetwipes aren't expensive but you get through so many of them that it all adds up. Reusable wipes genuinely clean bums so much better.

Can't add much to suggestions others have made - if you are very careful, plan well, use leftovers, have packed lunches and avoid snacks/treats then you might just be able to do it. You will have to shop at a reasonably priced supermarket, be prepared to swap big brand goods for shop's own brands (and unless cat food is on offer they may have to have a diet of own brand food too - if your cats like fish it is always worth checking the own brand sardines/pilchards as sometimes they are cheaper than specific cat food, mine liked the ones in tomato sauce but not so keen on brine and a bit indifferent to the veg/sunflower oil ones!). You say groceries and people seem to be concentrating on the food aspect, but if it includes toiletries, cleaning products etc again own brands, stuff on offer/ BOGOF/ 3-for-the-price-of-2/discounted - check if your supermarket does a reduced/damaged goods box/shelf as sometimes there are bargains to be found - some supermarkets reduce items towards the end of the day if the expiry date is close so worth looking at. Can you bake? If so you might be able to bake some filling puddings and treats, especially for when the teenagers arrive or if your toddler has a big appetite. Rice, pasta & noodles are cheaper and filling so a lot of meals might include ingredients like them. If you are a reasonable cook you can get creative -+ one dish meals with bread and/or dumplings to go with stews, casseroles etc. Look online for inspiration and cost-cutting ideas. You'll have to put a stop to fridge-raiding. Is it possible for the teenagers to bring food and toiletries with them when they come to stay? Oh, and if you can grow anything at all it would be good to have fresh, free, readily available ingredients and snacks - you could even get your toddler involved, maybe let them plant a few pots of things you know they like. Accept any dinner invitations (though some people might be stretched to extend the invite to the 4 teens too). Worse case scenario, if you really need it you might qualify for help from a local food bank or find somewhere that provides free or discounted 'women's products' to aid period poverty (if any of the teenagers are girls ask them to 'be prepared'!) Good luck, it'll be tight and you'll probably crave all the items you can't buy but it can be done, just.

ALDI Red Pesto in the little jars (they also do a Tomato & Mascarpone one and a Tomato & Roasted Peppers - all 3 are gorgeous!!) with lots of pasta! One jar should do you all (2 jars when teens are there). It's about 75p a jar. A pack of spaghetti is 75p. So you could feed all of you for £1.50 or £2.25 when teens are there 👍🏻

Cheapest meal ever and is actually my favourite!!

There is always Aldi!!! It’s pretty cheap in there

@Weymo Contact your local council and ask for the 'Local Assistance Fund' they will issue you with £40 supermarket vouchers and gas & electric if you're on a top up meter.

Hope you're going to get Universal Credit at some point? You're definitely entitled. When you apply, as soon as you've proven your identity they can issue you with an immediate advance of an entire month's allowance then they'll take repayments in instalments. If you ask nicely they'll even send it as a same day payment.

Yes it's doable - and possibly slightly easier mentally because you have an end date. Not rtft, but I can recommend thrifty lesley -lots of fully costed meal plans and recipes for living on a pound a day. And she appreciates the importance of cake and biscuits when things are tight😁

Eat seasonally as much as possible and try all the tips previous generations used to make food go further. If you have a freezer Make big batches of soup and freeze in portions for lunch or to help fill people up before the main course. Make batches of basic bolognese bulked out with grated vegetables and freeze those for use in lasagne with spaghetti or as the starter for shepherd's pie. Anna Jones student vegetarian chilli recipe (on guardian website) is cheap, tasty and very versatile. Make Yorkshire pudding (always make things like batter and cheese sauce etc from scratch - far cheaper and much nicer than packet mixes) to bulk out the meat element of a meal. Try homemade rice pudding. Use frozen vegetables or plan carefully to avoid wasteage, and if you are buying fresh fruit and vegetables don't choose the ready prepared ones generally. They're also usually fresher if you prepare them yourself. If you are having jacket potatoes hunt through the loose unwashed ones to find the largest - they're generally much cheaper than buying the ready washed trays of four.

Think about buying cheaper when there is a glut of something eg I buy damsons every September from the pyo farm, wash them and freeze them in portions for crumble (and I always have a box of an oaty crumble topping in the freezer too so that I can throw together a filling pudding with very little effort.)
Get the teenagers involved in planning and trying recipes etc, and try to stretch the budget a little eow to allow for the occasional treat.
Good luck

Shop at aldi or lidl, so you'll buy their brands and vegetables. Great savings on cereals, tea, coffee, meat and pastas etc.
I'd say it is doable but these teenagers could eat that amount themselves.
There are loads of budget recipe pages on Facebook, join them, meal plan and stick to it.

Theres websites on things to make. Cooking from scratch.

There was an amazing programme on cooking for a family on like £10 a week. Indian woman.

Lots of tips on google

@Ticketybootoo Has been mentioned already I think but cookingonabootstrap.com by Jack Monroe is great.

@dea56 It is doable...many of us do it. You spend more because you can, and you choose to. I eat healthily and plenty, for much less. I spent £25 as a student 5 years ago, in london. Again, doable.

@Pauuuuuuline

it looks like everyone has beat me to it with the £10 a day threads! Pop over when you feel up to it and I'm sure we can suggest something to tide you over for a bit. Off the top of my head, I know I can point you in the direction of £150 ish straight away.

I just wanted to stick my beak in as I saw a few MLM's have been suggested to you for making an extra £200+ a month please don't buy into any of that. The vast majority of people sucked into these schemes end up losing money.

Miguel Barclays One Pound Meals series has some great recipes, for one person but easy to scale up...might be worth looking at anyway 🙂

If you live in an area with Scotmid shops, it’s worth signing up to be a member.

Sign up costs £1 and they send you a £10 voucher with your membership pack. Not a “£10 off if you spend £50 voucher”, just a voucher worth £10 you don’t need to spend anything else on.

Oh, everyone over 16 in the household can sign up.

That will be very very tight even with planning. 4 teenagers every second weekend will be a huge drain especially if boys and mid teens. No useful or helpful ideas to offer you.

Plan meals...
Hide the goodies ....
You can eat on that, but you need to work out what your having and freeze leftovers,
Freeze bread as well.
Buy big sacks of potatoes, much cheaper.
We love mash with the skins in it, you just chop the potatoes smaller.
Only take cash shopping and a list...
You can't spend on impulse then...
Your looking at about £5 a day...
As there will be washing things as well...
A premade pie, mash and loads of veg.
Chicken legs in a slow cooker with sauce, we like dumplings with ours
You can have steak, Aldi do it....
Beans on toast is nice sometimes....

Lots of pasta!

Beans and pulses are cheapish if you buy them dried and soak overnight before cooking. I lived like that for 6months and you get in the way of it.

I have a blog that may help called EatNotSpend .com it had meal plans and recipes including breakfasts and lunches. It’ll be tight and you’ll need extra bread and milk as the teens will hoover up food, but maybe take a look. It’ll be about meal planning carefully and no extra treats. Maybe extra pasta and bread to pad it out a bit more.

Haven’t RTFT but just wanted to say that you should factor in transport costs when you look at savings. If you can walk between different shops/have a bus pass that’s great to go between supermarkets. If you are using a car or paying per bus journey make sure that you really will be saving driving here and there to get bargains such as reduced sticker goods at supermarkets.

Teenagers have a tendency to just eat whatever they fancy, even if it’s earmarked for tea #GlaresAtTeenageSon 🤬🤬 I think your budget is definitely too small. I would struggle on £200 for us and that’s 2 adults and 1 teenager (practically an adult) and 1 teenager and 1 9 year old EOW. We spend on average £500pcm.

@SunniDay

Yay! so glad I've been of some help. I think even come next year when money is easier I'm still going own brand and cheap and cheerful for me and MrBC (the cats however are bloody living the high life, fussy sods)

Own brands are ace!

I shop online (no car) and I find filling up my online basket and then removing and checking prices quite fun (I need a new hobby) until I reach the Max I can spend and then I try and reduce it even further. I will not let my lack of cash get me down ATM.

MrBc fav meal is when I make savoury rice (I do a chinese or curried version). You can add in whatever you have to hand (including those sad veggies at the back of fridge) and have it either veggie or add in leftover meat for a one pot meal.

I guess portions as everything gets eaten on the day (MrBC has hollow legs and can eat for 2 people!) or the next day if I go OTT with the rice!

1 decent sized onion, diced (we like onions so I may even use 2)
Garlic (either fresh/ puree or even garlic salt/powder or granules; whatever is to hand or leave out if you hate garlic!)
Chopped or sliced mushrooms if you have them
Any sad veg in your fridge like mildy depressed looking tomatoes or slightly runny leeks (peel off the slimy bits!) DO NOT WASTE YOUR VEG!
frozen peas and any other frozen veg you fancy
Chickpeas or kidney beans (again if you have them, not needed though)
rice
5 spice for chinese or medium curry powder for curry or even Taco seasoning (anything you fancy! go mad) to taste
tomato puree or cheap tomato ketchup (good squirt)
1 chicken or veggie stock cube
oil
rice
teaspoon of sugar (helps counteract tartness of tomatoes etc)

Put the kettle on to boil
Slowly cooked onion in oil until soft (low heat and cover pan, can take 5 to 10 mins!)
Add in mushrooms/ garlic and cook for a bit until mushrooms are soft.
Turn up heat. Add whatever seasoning you are using (I normally use a heaped tablespoon of whatever I'm using except 5 spice which I use a lot less) and grate in a chicken or veg stock cube.
Add in rice (however much you normally use! I'm rubbish at measuring rice) and fry everything for a few minutes stirring all the time.
Then bung in all your frozen veggies, liberated fridge veg or tinned if using (and meat if you want to), a good squirt of tomato puree or cheapo tomato ketchup, a teaspoon of sugar and add in boiling water to about an inch above rice mix and mix well!.

When it starts to bubble turn down to low and cook for about 15mins (only stir to make sure nothing on the bottom is catching) until rice is cooked, water is gone and it's not a sloppy mess!. It may take longer depending on how much water you sloshed in (I never said I was any good at this "make it up as you go along" cooking)

Taste as you go! add in more spices/ tom puree/ tom sauce until YOU are happy with how it tastes!

I like mine naice and dry so I normally cook with lid off so the water evaporates quicker and have been known to dry it off in the oven whilst other things cook. Crispy corner bits are fought over! :)

Can also be made with cooked cool rice, just don't add any water ands mix everything together and heat it all through!!

Nom nom nom nom. (also a bloody good way at hiding veg if family members fear the veg.. yes MrBC, I'm looking at you.... )

Apologies if this has already been said a hundred times but can you air bnb put the room the teens stay in when they're not with you? We've been amazed how successful its been

This is quite useful if you are on a budget or short of time , possibly not as low as you need to be but if you came into a few extra ££s one week.

thebatchlady.com

Also use a benefit checker to see if you are entitled to benefits, but remember that when you are putting in children you only have one if the teens are only there EO weekend

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/benefits-introduction/what-benefits-can-i-get/