in thinking this very tight budget is doable for one week?

[Henrylj]

Name changed cause my previous posts are imaybe identifying and it’s a bit embarrassing!
not a begging thread, I’m just looking for advice!

I had to switch from income support to universal credit, I did take out the advance but it was mostly taken up by the rent so had £300 left for the 5 weeks.
I messed up by forgetting that my phone bill comes out this week so I’ve ended up with £7 left for the week (until Tuesday) it’s the last week so I think do-able. We are at my parents for dinner on Sunday so don’t need anything for that day and they will get Easter eggs etc from family so won’t miss out on that

It’s just me and two primary aged dc(one very fussy so going with the things he would at least eat)

I have a few things in but not a lot

Bread
Jam
Porridge oats
Butter
Grated cheese
Pasta
Pasta sauce

I’m thinking if I buy

More bread 60p
Couple tins of beans £1
Couple tins of soup £1
Milk £1.20
Cheap biscuits 50p
Cheap apples £1
Frozen mixed veg £1

I could do them

Tuesday- Pasta and sauce/cheese with mixed veg
Wednesday- pasta and sauce/cheese again (with the leftover sauce) with mixed veg
Thursday- beans on toast
Friday- soup and bread
Saturday- super noodles with mixed veg mixed in
Sunday- at parents
Monday- beans on toast

Breakfast would be porridge and lunch jam sandwhiches, biscuits and apples for snacks

I know it isn’t healthy, but is it ok as a plan?
I will buy them all the fruit and veg in the world next week to make up for it from a health point of view!

This looks ok to me.
If your kids will eat eggs I would use your 70p change to buy 6 eggs from Aldi if you're near one (59p); and have egg sandwiches for lunch rather than jam sandwiches on some of the days, or make french toast.

I really feel for you OP its so tough at the moment. Make sure you look into the food vouchers (UC with children you should qualify). Its fine short term, they wont be hungry. Would also second speaking to your mum. Make sure you eat as well.

Get some eggs , flour , sugar and marg.
That makes pancakes one day for fun.
Cakes, you can do with the children
Scones and jam, or pizza bases.
Buy the bread cheap and freeze it. That will last ages if you use it as toast. Or make French toast. Greek yogurt and flour makes tiny doughnuts. Ask Tesco for some yeast , they give it too you for free and you can make no knead overnight bread... youtube

Oh and check if you have Tesco vouchers. Also to good to go, has an app with free or cheap supermarket food.

You know when you go into the supermarket and they have free fruit for kids at the entrance. Put a few extra into your handbag.

Ask your parents for £20 to tide you over - presumably they know you are changing from IS to UC, so they will understand it's a one-off shortfall.

Yes, you will not starve on the £7, but there seems no need to have a frugal and stressful week when a tiny bit of family help could avoid it.

Hi Op
Please check your local council website they should have some sort of Local Welfare Provision for just this sort of circumstance with children
You may be able to get a pre paid card (Mastercard) for £20-£40 that you can use in a supermarket or local shop. It’s a grant (crisis) so doesn’t need to be paid back .

I have previously referred people for this especially when there have been benefit delays and most have been able to get this help.

Many are not aware it exists

Sandwell
Birmingham
Wolverhampton and Wakefield council do it to name a few

Other councils may have different name for it

Best of luck

Haven’t RTFT, only OP’s posts.

It looks doable for one week, unless your parents could lend you some money for fruit/veg/chicken etc.

It will be absolutely fine! Don’t stress over lack of fruit/veg - this is perfectly good for a week or two and will do no harm at all.

@TibetanTerrah

I can't believe this relatively short OP needs a TLDR because people can't read

She has £7 to last a week.
1 DC is very fussy - it's a waste of money to buy fucking lentils they won't touch!

I was literally just thinking the same. It was extremely clear.

This is exactly what the foodbank is there for. Please please contact them.

If you called ours we'd have a crate of food at your door by this evening. Most won't even ask for a referral voucher in these circumstances.

Your local church may well be able to help you too.

Yes, you can avoid starving for the next week with £7., but you don't have to do that.

@mrziggycoco

I've lived on very little. You're still buying too much processed stuff in my view.

I make bolognaise with a tin of tomatoes and bag of lentils, and a sachet of seasoning for bolognaise is 19p and bag of spaghetti about 40p. So for around £2 you have enough bolognaise for every night of the week.

You don't need biscuits. I would get some oats and make porridge using water OR a bag of cashews will go a long way for milk, cream,

Go to the youtube channel Atomic Shrimp! He lives off £1 frequently as an experiment and the things he does are actually really insightful.

Oats, lentils and cashews are a waste of fucking money if her children won't eat them.

@ODFOx

This is exactly what the foodbank is there for. Please please contact them.

If you called ours we'd have a crate of food at your door by this evening. Most won't even ask for a referral voucher in these circumstances.

Your local church may well be able to help you too.

Yes, you can avoid starving for the next week with £7., but you don't have to do that.

This too.

No shame at all in asking for a bit of help in these circumstances!

If you're on free school meals hopefully you'll get vouchers to compensate. Asda did some amazing deals, think the schools emailed them. Also Iceland are doing veg ? fruit for items normally up to 99p for 1p finishing Thursday.

We have free food from short dated items, see if you have one of those near you, ours charges £1 (to keep fridges going) and take what you like. Good luck, it's tough at the moment.

Is there a community fridge near you?

We have one - people leave unwanted in-date food in it and people in need can help themselves.

worth checking.

A block of cheese rather than grated cheese will be cheaper. Also hunt for any yellow sticker items and check Poundland. I always find food staples in there.

@mrziggycoco

I've lived on very little. You're still buying too much processed stuff in my view.

I make bolognaise with a tin of tomatoes and bag of lentils, and a sachet of seasoning for bolognaise is 19p and bag of spaghetti about 40p. So for around £2 you have enough bolognaise for every night of the week.

You don't need biscuits. I would get some oats and make porridge using water OR a bag of cashews will go a long way for milk, cream,

Go to the youtube channel Atomic Shrimp! He lives off £1 frequently as an experiment and the things he does are actually really insightful.

A bag of cashews? When you have £7 all told and a smallish (200g) bag will cost about £2.50? This is really not the kind of suggestion that helps OP, however well meant. I think a good few posters are just not reading what she's posted.

What about buying bags of potato, carrots and parsnips (Aldi special buy for the latter this week at 19p per kg) and mashing them up with a little bit of milk and butter. Very filling & you'd make quite a bit for £1.

The packs of 7p noodles from Lidl or Tesco (the "supernoodles" but in a packet, not a tub) could also be useful as a base for a meal if you need more pasta than you have.

Would it be an option to ask your parents if you could take home any leftovers from Sunday?

Have you considered wrap pizzas when I was skint these were a life send and my DD asks for them as a treat. A pack of wraps , 0.79 p for 8 , passata cheap version 32p add a bit of dried herbs from your cupboard bit of grated cheese and any toppings you can find in the fridge. One would fill us up ! Much cheaper than buying pizza .

When I found myself in a bind with £3 to last the week I went on the money boards on here and found an absolute lifesaver. I use this website/app

qm.ee/F04EAEA4
It's basically paid surveys on your phone but you don't have to meet thresholds etc and can withdraw literal pennies straight to your PayPal. I know it sounds mad but genuinely for me the pennies made all the difference. I love made about £80-£100 over the month but im not doing it much, just when I have spare time and am sitting doing nothing anyway. It keeps the wolf from the door when times are desperate and I've appreciated it more than I thought possible if im honest 😬

Sounds great OP, could your mum have the kids over for dinner another night or lunch?
Could you take any leftovers from Sunday lunch?

Yes, it is doable OP.

What you are feeding them is absolutely fine for a week. You may find that you can find some yellow sticker bread and/or things cost slightly less than you expect (e.g. double pack of custard creams is 35p at Aldi, beans and mixed veg might be less too) and you might be able to get a bit more. As someone else said upthread, please do make sure that you eat yourself too.

I understand not wanting to ask for help. But if you feel you can, please do. Either from your parents or a food bank (or food pantry as others have mentioned - ours is brilliant, we use it all the time even when money isn't as tight, as do lots of other people round here).

I know everyone's trying to help but all you suggestions of improvements and healthier options must surely be making OP feel rubbish and under pressure. It's for one week. As long as they have something to eat they'll be fine.

Desperately sad that you're in this position and do make use of a foodbank/ask your mum to feed you all if you can OP, but don't worry about what they're actually eating for a few days.