To survive rest of month on £200

[Violashift]

With Christmas asnd our gas cost I usually spend £500 on food but with the cold snap keeping the house at 17 degrees cost ovet £200.

Is it possible to survive in £200 until January 31st

That takes over a month to come through as you have to pay in a certain value etc.

Should be alright, it's just that you'd have to really plan it and perhaps a couple of foodbank shops, sell some things.

There’s loads of begging threads at the moment!

It would go right over my head if it was subterfuge asking for money 🤣

I started a thread recently about if I should sell some things to cover bills but it wouldn't have occurred to me that that might be misinterpreted, don't think it did. I didn't sell in the end and got through.

Where did OP go?

Just one or two.... 😳

I am here. I think it is possible if I have too. I still have loads of food in for Christmas.

It will normally be ok just one thing or another it will be a tight month.

Thanks all for the ideas. Just to reiterate I am certainly not begging and I have people I can ask to helo around me.

Have to even.

That's a good plan!

Do you need a good credit rating for First Direct? This could be very handy for some of my clients.

If you're on a prepayment meter, have you had your vouchers for it? You should be getting £67 for the next few months.

No but will have the 66 added to my account in the next few days.

There have been a zillion meal plan on a budget threads over the years, so you can track down some of those or start your own in the food section. Basically the answer is always lentils, especially if you've got a cupboard full of spices, but potatoes, budget porridge oats, tinned sardines and chicken thighs are also great basics. It starts with a proper cupboard and freezer audit, and an audit of any loyalty cards to see if you've got any cash on them.

Thanks we don't really eat meat so there will be some savings there. Dd is ASD so has a limited reportoire of foods. She doesn't eat like a 15 year old boy more like a sparrow.

Lots of ideas here: fyf20quid.co.uk/

Thanks that's a good site.

It doesn't sound like a begging thread at all!

We have at the start no idea of what op needs to pay.

At the moment 50 per week doesn't sound too bad for food. What else needs to come out?

Thank you. That's it. Just food. I have paid everything else.

I have family should things become difficult. I was just wondering if it was possible to ger back on track.

Hi,

First of all a massive hug!

I’ve been paid to day from work and in a similar position.

200 pound is plenty! You will and can do it.

Keeping positive is going to be key and like you said you do have things left over from Christmas!

I need to loose some weight too so going to make up some soup with left over veg and have that instead of a main meal that my son has.

you will get through it! We will get through this!

£200 for a months worth of food for two adults and a teen sounds doable to me.

Porridge with frozen fruit for breakfast, soup (homemade soup is pennies a portion) and toast (buy a discounted loaf and freeze it on the same day) for lunch, batch cook veggie chilli, spag bol and a shepherd's pie. Jacket potatoes with beans and cheese. Use up what you have in the freezer. Use the "too good to go" app or go yellow sticker shopping.

Thanks for joining in with a bit of positivity for this poster.

If you're struggling to pay your heating bills, make sure you're getting all the support you're entitled to. If you're in debt, you might be able to reduce the amount you pay to what you can afford, as well as being able to buy sufficient food, or be entitled to a grant.

What sort of payment plan are you on? I can see you're in debt, but are you paying by direct debit? If so, don't worry about the debt, they'll just increase the DD later - it's the whole point that you spread the cost throughout the year, rather than having to take the budgeting hit of paying for higher winter costs all in one go in winter. Have a look at:

www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/how-to-get-help-if-you-re-struggling-with-your-energy-bills-/

Thank you what a lovely post.

What food do you eat regularly?
Start there.
For example, if you eat a lot of pasta and rice, tinned tomatoes, porridge, tea, mincemeat then go to a shop like Lidl or Aldi and buy a whole months worth. So that might be 3 or 4 packs of pasta, 6 tins of tomatoes etc.
freeze any meat and fish in portions.
The money you have left over, divide it by the number of weeks then you'll know for example that you have £15 to spend on fresh produce for that week.

I actually find it unpleasant when people can't post a thread ranting/asking for advice about money without nasty 'begging thread' comments. I agree it's a good idea to donate to charities/food banks rather than ever give money to individual posters on an anonymous forum. That said money issues are stressful and it's natural people may want to start a thread about them just as they would about any other life issue.

Have to be positive or we will cry. We make do and will be through this.

Our heating bills and other bills have all been high over Christmas. We have barely had the heating on but still so high and shocked me opening my bills.

We have all had it on a little more because of kids off and some days off were not been at work. We will get through this spring is around the corner now where we won’t have to have the heating on, dry our clothes on a washing line and eat less x x

id recommend doing click and collect or online shopping.

Why I say this is because you can search for lowest item of something by filtering your search on the websites. It’s so hard to do in the shops as it’s no longer lowest items on the same shelf they are scattered everywhere.

Also you can triple check your basket before you make the order and go round your cupboards at home while you’re making the order.

This way you have no nasty surprise at the checkouts at the supermarket till that you have over spent or I’m going to have to put x y z back moments.

You also don’t come back home finding you have bought double or something, can find the cheapest products and really think about the offers if they are worth it.

Your also avoid any impulse buys in the shop and feel bad about anything as your not in store seeing all the new clothes and things that you might want too.

x