To ask if you could make £400 last 2 weeks?

[FreshStrawberries97]

For 1 child, 1 adult. Any meal ideas? Rent and bills paid already.

I get ‘broken’ eggs from my local market at 5p each. The shells are cracked but the inner membrane is intact so they last just as long as normal eggs.

If I had £200 a week to spend on food for one adult and one child I would be laughing so much I wouldn't be able to use my mouth to put any grub in it.

There’s lots I could say but I CBA
Yes of course it’s enough

We shop carefully. Between Aldi, Lidl and Tesco's. If things are on offer I will bulk buy and store or freeze. We sometimes do "that bread and butter thing"if we can make it.
We eat a lot of lentils and beans and only get meat on offer or yellow labeled. If we say get 500g of minced meat, I will bulk it with carrots, onion, celery, lentils and tins of tomatoes and it can last 2 or 3 meals (usually spag Bolognese, Shepard's pie and jacket potatoes). We eat a lot of things like curry and pho where you can make a good base and freeze it then add whatever veg or meat is discounted or on offer.
They all love porridge for breakfast (I have natural yoghurt and fruit). Lots of homemade soups for lunch from either discounted veg or frozen or leftovers.
The £100 to £150 doesn't include alcohol or dog food!

Yes , take off your average petrol costs. Work out your average food costs (cutting back if needed) and what’s left can be saved or used for activities.
So say-
petrol £50
food £200 (2x £100pw)
left for general use/saving £150

Would there be extra money if something big happens like car breaks down?

Has there been a change of circumstances that has left you feeling uncertain about your budget?

… I have £300 to last me 3 weeks so yes, it’s possible.

There’s plenty of outings that you don’t really need to spend much money on.

Where is the laughting emoji when you need it?

My cat agrees BTW.....

I agree, it just takes a bit of planning. A slow cooker is very useful.

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Well it kind of depends. If you usually spend £150 a week on petrol, you're going to find it a bit tight. If you spend £20 a week on petrol, not so much.

Your child is 5. Take her to the park.

That's three weeks food shopping...for six of us (two of whom are teenage boys so eat A LOT), two dogs and two cats!!

2k a month and you sit up all night panicking? You need to seek help with this.

You’re getting the expected comments about how £400 is loads for two weeks. I mean yes you will be fine but £200 does not go far now at all for a week and it would give me anxiety as well. I’d do a £100 shop at aldi probably a £40 top up shop leaves £260 for petrol any activities and unexpected expenses

For 1 person and a child though? Really? It doesn't go far no, for a family of 4, but for 1 adult and child?!

For one adult and one child?

Yeah - I'm sure this is real 🙄

How much difference is this to what you would usually have in this period?
What would you usually do?

Easily! I have £200 until the end of the month and no further bills. It’s plenty!

What activities does a school age child need that chat that much? They’re in school until the 19th

Maybe shop at Tesco instead of Fortnums 😁

A spreadsheet and a mealplan is your friend along with a weekly travel ticket if you don't have a car. Forward planning should be a way of life.

Sorry but I am getting upset and rather ffing furious at the naivety or button pressing of the op. This, for many people including me, would be an amazing amount of money for 2 weeks. I would be buying treats, stocking up and putting aside presents for dare I say it .. Christmas. You are very lucky to be in this position; grow up and stop feeling hard done by.

Yea many us could only dream of having that much to spend. You could go to a take away every night, so never have to cook dinner once in the 2 weeks with thay budget.

For one child and one adult then this is lots of money in my opinion. Especially as the child is getting a free lunch at school.

So food wise: breakfast - cereal and milk, or bread to toast and butter. Buy own brands and that is cheap.
Your lunch. Use the bread to make a sandwich. Get a spread like marmite as a jar lasts ages.
Dinner pasta, jacket potato, bulk cook, as a family of 4 if we do spaghetti Bolognese the meat lasts for 2 meals, so for you that would be 8. Same with chicken curry.

Petrol. Depends on size of car and how much you use it. I can usually get by on £35 for 3 weeks. You just know roughly how much to put back for that.

Outings. Go to the park. Check out the library - ours do Lego club at the weekend. The reading challenge also starts this Saturday so they might have other activities on too.
Do you have a local museum? Ours is lovely. Free to enter (donations welcome) and they have trails and puzzles for children to do.
Bike ride if your child has a bike. Walks round the local area. A friend does geocaching which can make a walk more interesting.

£400 more than covers our food for two adults for a month. Unless you are eating out every day you should not have any problems. Do you meal plan? Are you using budget supermarkets like Lidl or Aldi? Do you do takeaways or eat out a lot? £200 a week is plenty.

Cancel your reservations at the Savoy and get a McDonald's or two. You might even have change.