When it's freezing and you can't put the heating on and breakfast is porridge made with water...

[UndertheCedartree]

AIBU to wish so hard the uplift was never taken away? We were doing so well with that extra amount! But now that has gone and utilities have gone up we are left with little for food and heat.

Sorry, this is just a vent! Nothing anyone can do but I'm just feeling a bit upset this morning.

@lifeinlimbo2020

I'm not entirely sure but I definitely know that heating the room you are in in short bursts has got to be cheaper than the central heating hasn't it. And also it has a thermostat too so switches off itself to whatever you've set it to 👍 I love mine. Have it on the floor behind me and it blows under my desk. Also yy to snugly socks and keeping your feet and ankles warm. Nothing makes you feel totally chilly like cold feet. My sons both have fleece bedding too as they hate having heat in their bedrooms but like to be snuggly. Asda do really good quality cheap bedding.

Yes, that makes sense.

@wobblywinelover

It's very hard OP i'm sorry you're going through this. I am currently in a situation where i'm limiting my heating as I haven't got much money but have been much worse than I was in the past. I used to get changed in bed as there was ice on the inside of my bedroom windows in a flat I lived in. Hot water bottles and layers are your friend. I used to huddle around one gas fire i'd put on for two hours in an evening but no other central heating. Several layers of blankets on your bed. It is thoroughly miserable. It boils down to being as resourceful as you can with what you've got. Bulk buying cheaper ingredients to make meals and getting creative with cooking on a budget can help. Several groups on FB about this. hugs to you x

Thank you @wobblywinelover

@Chocolatecoatedkettlebell

People have added such amazing advice so this feels a bit lame but it’s a recipe for a very filling yummy nutritious soup that you can batch cook on a long covid “good” day (fellow sufferer): One onion One carrot One stick celery One clove garlic One pint of stock (from a cube) One hundred grams red lentils Roughly chop and fry the veg, add stock and lentils and simmer for 20-30 mins and if possible blend. Those quantities for a generous portion for two with bread or a good portion for three.

Not lame atall! And I'm sorry to hear you suffer with Long Covid too. I will definitely make this.

@greta4563 - my teen is pretty good at cooking tbf. The little one has started to help too. I think I do need to have a plan so if I can't cook there are ingredients in that my DS can make a meal with. We do usually have eggs, though so that's often an easy dinner.

@RosesAndHellebores

Spuds: Grease a large casserole, dish, hard bottomed cake tin Peel and slice 2lb Add layer of onion Bit of ham hock if you have it Pour over 1/2 pint chicken stock Pour over 1pt cheese sauce (liven up with mousetrap and a tsp of mustard) Bung in oven for 90 mins Serve with cabbage and Carrots.

Should do 8 meals.

Sounds good...but what's mouse trap?? Not sure I want bits of dead mouse to eat!

I echo so many of the above posters - it is disgraceful that in a wealthy country like the UK, we have people who do not have adequate food and adequate heating, and in some cases have no home at all.

I despair of the people who vote Tory - usually with the claim that 'I don't think the others would be any better'. It makes me sick to see the likes of Paterson basically getting away with accepting bribes (because that is what they are). Not to mention the latest about Boris having a free holiday at Goldsmith's £25k a night (yes, £25k a NIGHT) estate in Spain.

However, none of this helps the OP. So many excellent suggestions from PP's here.

Another from me - from my younger days when I truly had so little money I wonder how I managed. I had a neighbour in a similar situation and we had a deal where one week I'd make a pot of soup and the next week he'd do the same. The amount of energy to cook a larger quantity is fairly similar, and a good pot of vegetable soup - perhaps with some lentils in it - can be made to last several days. It's nutritious and, even better, it's warming and filling. Is there anyone you know you can do a similar 'turn-and-turn-about' deal with ?

Other suggestions:

Wear multiple layers rather than 1 thick garment. The layers trap more warmth and, so, keep you warmer. Make use of places like public libraries if you have one near you - they're warm and cosy and save you having to heat your own place. Where I live, many of the chapels and churches offer a lunchtime meal and they co-ordinate it so they all do different days. Another poster mentioned Sikh communities and many Gurdwara's do meals as it's a tenet of the Sikh faith.

I didn't want to just read and get cross, I hope you find some of the suggestions here help you out, and I truly am so sad that people in this country are in this situation in the 21st Century. It's disgraceful.

@greta4563

Are you cooking from scratch? Youtube has lots of cook for £2.00 recipes. I just made three loaves of bread. (I shop at Aldi) 1 bag of flour 45p 3 packets of yeast 21p (from a pack costing 59p) salt nominal Olive oil (20p) 86p in total so 29p a loaf.

This is just -- I have no words

Sorry *@UndertheCedartree Mousetrap is really cheap cheddar. Sometimes you can buy cheap rindy ends from the deli counter. Freezes really well if you pick it up for pennies.

In morrisons they do boxes of Too good to go fuit and veg for £1.00. The ones I have brought the stuff stays fresh for about 4 days. Also they di an instant cheese sauce mix for about 40p that you just add water too. Also if using the cooker I put my veg in a dish with a lid and water save using the hob. Xx

Thanks to everyone posting recipes. I’m noting them down.

I’m wondering if we could have a very budget recipe thread?

I wouldn't bother with too good to go, it's too unpredictable what you'll get if you are actually relying on it to save money. You might get a brilliant selection for £3 or you might get a tube of Pringles, 12 little gems and 6 radishes.
Olio OTOH is fab, you can choose what you're getting and it's free. Tesco smaller stores use the app amd there is always loads of bread/danish pastries etc available.

@greta4563

Are you cooking from scratch? Youtube has lots of cook for £2.00 recipes. I just made three loaves of bread. (I shop at Aldi) 1 bag of flour 45p 3 packets of yeast 21p (from a pack costing 59p) salt nominal Olive oil (20p) 86p in total so 29p a loaf.

Excellent post but you haven't factored in fuel and time. These are vital factors, if you can't afford the heating on you will be very anxious re cooking fuel costs.

@VladmirsPoutine
Not sure why you have no words!?? Have a look at Jack Monroe.
Cooking from scratch is the cheapest way to live!

£50 goes a long way in ingredients.

Can you stretch to a few tins of potatoes OP ? They make a good breakfast especially if you can find some reduced eggs.
6-6.30pm is a great time for food shopping as that's when most supermarkets do their final reductions

Sorry I should have clarified - the tinned potatoes make a reasonable sauté potato

Bargain pasta, homepride sauce and bung in some brocolli/cauli and grate cheese on top. Tasty, easy and cheap.

Homemade coleslaw: shredded white cabbage, grated carrot, 1/2 finely sliced onion, tiny bit red cabbage - add mayo and lemon juice.

Pasta salad- great for hungry teens: bag of bargain pasta, bunch spring onions chopped (quarter onion if cheaper), smoked mackerel shredded. Combine with juice of a lemon and mayo.

The rest of the red cabbage: shredded it, add a cpl chopped apples, handful raisin, dsp red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, ground cinnamon or cloves. Yummy with a cheap braise.

Frozen veg, frozen strudel, tins of custard are your friends.

I cook 2/3 times a year for a homeless charity. Every year on Xmas Eve (4ish). I buy a couple of 12lb turkeys for a tenner and bung in freezer. Not sure this year will have such rich pickings but a turkey thigh joint is as cheap as chips and does a v nice roast for three. Also 8 chicken thighs are about £3. Should do two meals for 3. Sprinkle with oil, garlic, salt pepper and lemon juice. Bake for 40 mins. Yummy with aforementioned slaw and cous cous.

[quote UndertheCedartree]@SpookyPumpkinPants - I'm ok but yes overwhelmed! In a good way that so many people care but also just because I have executive functioning skills so I often don't know where to start! I understand the MN warning. Thanks for checking in! I'm still working my way through the thread![/quote]
That's good. I've name changed a lot in the past few years, but I've been here forever & I remember some of your other threads. You're doing well x

I'd say just read the thread tonight without worrying too much about remembering everything, then when you can, go through it and make a list of 1. places that have been suggested to try for help 2. Hints/tips for staying warm that you think will help you 3. Meals/ideas

But only write down the ones you're interested in trying.

I know locally some trades were offering help to people who couldn't afford to pay them last winter for repairs etc. You'll probably find them on Facebook/next door whatever local sites you have. Maybe even your local CAB, (sadly ours is the most useless place I've ever known).

One of the decent sized boiler places was one of the ones offering & a plumber to fix leaky taps etc

I hope the DC's Dad is still doing what he can?

Take up any offers. People wouldn't offer if they didn't want to help! You've been around long enough gir some of us to know your struggles...

Be kind to yourself!! X

It is heartbreaking in 2021 that we are swapping tips from decades ago about such situations. I grew up in fairly austere times and how we livid then is still relevant now.
I second all your tips, fellow Mnetters, especially the powdered milk and keeping beds warm! We had our coats on the beds to keep warmth in, hot water bottles (cosy lifesavers!) and keeping bedding well tucked in. We also popped our clothes in bed with us to warm them up before school.
During the day, we always had vests or t-shirts tucked in and used the HWBs downstairs to save on heating.

I’m am so sorry for your situation, OP, and hope things improve for you 💐

Have you got a community larder or community pantry near you Op? Normally pay as you feel Sort of vibe. Not the same as a food bank. I have been before to our local one and come away with loads of food and toiletries saved from landfill. Sometimes I've only put 50p, sometimes I've put more in. Nobody minds.

@RosesAndHellebores

Sorry *@UndertheCedartree** Mousetrap is really cheap cheddar. Sometimes you can buy cheap rindy ends from the deli counter. Freezes really well if you pick it up for pennies.

Oh I get it - it's cheap bits you might put in a mousetrap! Haha, I'll look out for it!

Does your school have a nursery attached? Might be worth asking if they have any left over milk. We rarely get through ours as not all children take it and over the week it builds up. Same for fruit and veg. We always invite people to take it at the end of the week, so it doesn’t go to waste.

@StopGo
I didn't factor in cooking costs, but if you are turning the oven on to cook dinner then leaving it on for another fifteen/twenty mins to cook bread won't cost that much more. Plus it adds some heat to the house.
How much does 20mins of cooking cost?
I think spending on cooking costs would be cheaper than buying processed foods.
I made potato cakes this week (potato/flour /butter) They worked out at about 80p for 20 large portions.

@SpookyPumpkinPants - oh, thank you so much. My self-esteem is still terrible so just to hear someone say 'you are doing well'...I can't describe what it means to me. And thank you for the suggestion of how to organise all the information - super helpful!

And another big thank you to everyone who has responded! I've not been able to reply to everyone but I really do appreciate each and every reply!

Also you can do a slow, cool prove on your bread. It doesn't need to be somewhere warm, it will just take a bit longer. It improves the flavour as the yeasts develop

Check if your area has a community kitchen my area has 3. You can ge a decent meal there as well as some company. Also try the local Sikh temple who cook vegetarian meals for everyone & nobody is refused a meal regardless of background.