To ask you how to make £30 last

[tearsandtiaras]

I have £30 to last until Wednesday
Im ok for petrol for work
My DD needs £8-10 on Monday
I have £22 to make meals from tomorrow - Tuesday night and one packed lunch Wednesday

Please help. I have porridge, brown rice , eggs, and a little bit of pasta

This is a good idea

Also check this to see if there are any grants you can pick up in relation to current or previous jobs.
https://grants-search.turn2us.org.uk

And anyone, working or not, can contact their local Citizens Advice to request a free benefits check. Have a Google to find your local branch. Or use this postcode search that doesn’t save your details for area specific information: https://www.worryingaboutmoney.co.uk

Lots of advice here if you prefer to DIY: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Also have a look on your local council’s website for cost of living help. Some have a Household Support fund that you can apply for. And make sure you’re getting any council tax discounts due if you’re a single parent.

Finally, it’s a myth that working people cannot access food banks. Our local one will help as a one off, no questions asked. Beyond that, a referral is needed, but Citizens Advice can normally arrange this if you need it.

No he has no contact with either of is since he cheated and walked out when she was 2

A cheap easy meal you could make of tomato spaghetti, the spaghetti is about 28p from Aldi and will last you a few meals, cherry tomatoes or I've even used the little plum tomatoes just whatever's cheapest little ones, and a garlic bulb, boil the spaghetti with some salt, in the air fryer or oven put all the tomatoes in an oven dish and however many garlic bulbs you want, salt and pepper and a splash of oil and put it in the oven until they are all soft and mush it all together with a fork and add it to your spaghetti, you could have it a few times and maybe add the cheapest garlic bread if you can afford it. Another option is aldis own weetabix that's nice and filling with a banana? Lentils are really cheap too and last ages, if there's an Indian grocers near you probably will find it at the best price and a bag of rice. You could make lentils and rice which would last days. Koka noodles are tasty I eat them when I'm on a budget, often in home bargains and Indian shops for cheap. ALDIs own eggs and bread? You could have an egg on toast. Cheese on toast / beans on toast. You might be able to have some better meals if you list what's in your cupboard and freezer if you have anything knocking about in there. Maybe reach out to a food bank x

Cereal milk own brand beans frozen peas

Food bank.

Make a casserole: couple of chicken breasts, Carrot, Parsnip, Potatoes and gravy granules. Cheap and nutritious and should last a couple of days. Add some broccoli stems to the mix on the second day.

I'd go for frozen food, pizzas, chicken burgers, frozen veg. Then buy a jar of tomato sauce for the pasta, you could do omelette, soup, beans on toast, sausage and mash. Most of these can be done very cheaply.

I also want to say I don't think you should be critisised for prioritising your daughter's trip, I would do the same.

Food banks are definitely for people who are hard up at the of the month. Please get help from your nearest one.

Your job is hard enough. You don't need to worry about this too x

Unless he's dissapeared he should be supporting his child. I'm not in the UK but I imagine there's a process for some arm of the State to track him down.

Alternatively, can you move somewhere cheaper to live? With your qualifications and experience you could get a job anywhere in the country, and you could potentially buy a home on your salary.

@red5678 please don’t be so gullible, some people online are not who they say they are and you have no way of knowing if this thread is true or not.
No offence OP, I’m definitely not saying you’re lying but some people need to be saved from themselves before they get scammed by ne’er-do-wells.

Do you have an Iceland / food warehouse near? If so that’s your best bet I feel, and Aldi for cheap things like savoury rice, cheap veg.

Those are the type of people I really hope my donation goes to. Those that are working and simply doing the best they can to survive in a cost of living crisis.

Iceland have the 10 items for £10. Might be trickier for you not eating wheat but have a look and see

Chesp lunches - baked potatoes, ham sandwiches/toasties. Tuna pasta, tomato pasta, pesto pasta.

One pack of mince - make a bolognese and mix the pasta through it to make it go further.

It’s doable.

Thank you for the support. I thought tbh it was an essential for her wellbeing.

Have you scoped out your house for potential extra money? Change in bags, pockets, in your car etc? Any gift vouchers?

I’m also with you about dd going on the trip.
You’ve got this @tearsandtiaras.

Laughing at the pasta suggestions. Do people understand how much (and how awful) gluten free pasta is?

The Sainsbury one is actually nice, I prefer it in fact. But it's definitely not cheap.

Ive had a
Look about we need toilet roll/ tooth paste to add to the list. I reckon its still do able.

Im on 16:8 so don't eat 3
Meals

Ive been looking up olio and took good to go again, will be petrol i need for work though.
Calculating miles If ii had to walk.

Our local church has a food bank on a Saturday morning that anyone can go along to. Food is from local supermarkets and there is always a good mix of items. Might be worth looking to see if there is anything similar near you?

Op if you need car for work mileage and can’t wait for reimbursement can you speak to your manager and see if there is an up front option. I recall my local authority having something in place for caring staff - they can’t afford to be waiting to be repaid and from employers point if view it ensures they can do their visits.

Supermarket own brand stuff is relatively cheap.

Do porridge for some breakfasts and lidl/aldi do filling and cheap Greek-style plain yogurts where you can buy a really big pot for well under £2 which could do the other breakfasts. If you have honey you can add a drizzle to both the porridge and the yogurts.

Sainsbury's do nice gluten free pastas for just 75p a bag - probably works out as 4 portions a bag. I would as others have suggested, make a bolognese - I would put cheap veg in it to add nutrition and to bulk it out - maybe a big bag of frozen mix veg, plus some red lentils. Pack of cheapest mince is around £3 if you buy 20% (full) fat - which is actually more filling. Use 2 tins of chopped tomatoes - again to bulk it out. Batch cook your sauce over the weekend so it lasts up until payday too, and have that for all dinners until payday. Batch cooking has saved me a lot of money - and then you know you have in the fridge all the food you need until you get paid. I have stretched one pack of mince to an 8/9 portion bolognese sauce using the tips above. I'd just add some grated cheese to serve and it's a lovely, tasty and nutritious option.

For lunches I would go for jacket potatoes with cheese and beans or omlette and homemade chips. Egg fried rice too. For fruit as snacks I'd recommend the aldi/lidl weekly offers and sticking to the season - so satsumas over berries etc

Thanks will check this out now

Can't see this mentioned anywhere but could have missed it, have you checked any loyalty schemes/card you might have to see if there are any points available to spend.

Tesco you don't need to wait for your statement, you can convert points to vouchers whenever you like through the app, Boots advantage points could be used for sandwiches/crisps/fruit bags from the food to go section.