£350 till end of the month. family of 4 + dog

[AnxietyLevelMax]

How do we survive? Needs to include formula for the baby. Other ds is almost 5 yrs old. Fuel to be included. We are sorted for this week and have few lunches in the freezer for the next week, but otherwise have to manage within the budget and just dont know how! Each grocery shopping is about £200 for a week with careful planning, we just cant afford it

We shop at Aldi and our shopping is around £100-£120 max that’s with buying extra treats in there and lovely fruit and veg and meats!!! We make delicious food with it. But now she’s declared that her husband eats for 5 people then this changes the whole situation. It’s not the food shopping that needs changing, it’s her husband’s diet. He needs to see someone asap. I’d be worried to death if that was my husband. She even wrote that she can’t even find shoes that fit him… if that’s not alarm bells?! What is?!

My DH is also tall at 6 foot 5. And a gym goer. And absolutely would not consume 5 jacket potatoes and beans in one sitting. He would eat 1.5 portions too I would say.

5 jacket potatoes? That’s obscene.

Lidl have their four pack of tuna chunks in spring water for £2.49 at the moment as I bought them today & was surprised that they don’t really seem to have increased at all during the cost of living crisis.

Regarding the baby formula, there is some guidelines / legislation re formula in that 1st stage doesn't seem to be advertised on TV and supermarkets are not ' allowed ' to be it on ' promotions '
I also think for that stage there isn't money off coupons either ?

Also get your dog food from Aldi or lidl I have 5 cats, only three are mine and the other two I foster but they seem to have forgotten about us and I have not had a food drop off for a while. Aldi food is okay but I also look online- zooplus is good and if your have amazon prime you will get free delivery. If you have a heron foods nearby or b&m they are pretty good. There is a really cheap cat food they do that all the cats love. Cat food has risen in price massively over the last few years so I expect dog food is the same

The problem is your husband is a greedy bastard.

No need to make excuses for him mine is 6'4 and at the gym 5 times a week. No one needs to eat that much.

I know people weren't keen on food banks, but check whether there are any food rescue groups near you. There is a fantastic volunteer group near me (you could even set up your own) where it is all about rescuing food that would go to waste, and anyone can use it. They get food from lidl, sainsbury's, gail's, tesco, M&S. I go at least once a week and get pastries for the week ahead. This is stuff that would go in the bin and the whole community benefits.

Cleaning products, pet food, household items loo roll, etc.

I know you have had many ideas given but coming from a different angle- Could you access a food bank? In the area I live health visitors can issue vouchers for food bank access- There is 0 shame in this. Sometimes they have formula however not always. There may also be a baby bank nearby that can support with baby items such as nappies. Are you entitled to any local hardship grants? I would look for local resources of support from children centres and healthcare professionals involved with your family. It won't be much but something to help support.

Surely he can’t eat baked beans if he can’t eat tomatoes? And 5 potatoes is ridiculous. Is this a joke thread?

Yorkshire puddings with any roast type meal plus stuffing.
I make pasta bake with a white sauce often use ham or bacon or whatever is available
stew with dumplings beer if you can to flavour
puddings are great, pancakes, bread pudding, bread and butter pudding, poor knights fritters, pineapple upside down cake, pies and crumbles if the fruit is cheap or the tinned fillings are on offer.
Have a look at World War Two recipes such as woolton pie, and old recipe books up to the 1980s for traditional filling food.
I often cook a couple of days worth of meals in the winter at once for efficiency

That’s exactly what I was thinking.

5 Baked potatoes is absolutely ridiculous.

You can’t seriously be suggesting that they start to ration the baby’s formula. That should be the absolute top priority and perhaps OP’s baby is hungrier than yours were (note the size of her husband).

I can't take this thread seriously after the 5 jacket potatoes, you can't be serious!? 🤣

Dog food is cheaper at the feed merchants and toiletries and cleaning products are often cheaper on the market or at a discount store. You have to shop around when you’re skint

But the husband is eating 5 jackets potatoes in one sitting. He’s eating 5 meals in one. It’s not really what the food banks are for - to feed someone who wants to eat 5 x a normal portion of food to the point where his family are going short. Even if they went to the food bank, he’d probably eat it all in a day

Check that your KIT days aren’t offset against your SMP, although your employer should be upfront about that but sometimes it’s a case of don’t ask don’t tell.

If he's a really tall guy, which sounds like he is then he will need to eat more to be full. Maybe adding some more protein will help him feel more full without chipping into too much of a meal. So if you're doing beans on toast I'd give him a couple of scrambled ages with it too. The bean based chilli is a good shout - we eat that a lot as we are veggie. If you know anyone with a Costco card you could bulk buy some things cheaper. We buy baked beans, kidney and chickpeas, toilet roll etc.

Maybe get a big bag of potatoes from a farm shop. I used to get them and they were massive.

I reccomend CSJK9 dog food, cheap
and v good quality.

I’m curious as to how he eats 5 baked potatoes WITH beans, if he doesn’t eat tomatoes.

I didn't say ration formula ffs I asked if baby was of an age where they are weaning and will start getting nutrition from other sources. The op said they have a few months left of maternity so baby may be of an age to naturally be starting to cut number of bottles

Yikes! We are a family of six and I don't spend £200 a week on shopping. I'd suggest things but I think we would be poles apart on what you could budget down to. Last year I needed two new tyres and a new clutch so did some weeks on £75 of food for six. If you genuinely don't have that cash you don't have it. Sometimes my gas and electricity was late and I was never chased either as overall, it was always paid off in full ( if late). I'd fill up the car, buy formula and non brand nappy and see what's left.

Lidl and Morrisons do a try of 10 massive chicken breasts for £12.99. Bulked out with loads of veg could do mains for 3 for 5 days. I air fry roast veg. Never use main cooker really, just hob. Stir fry, fajitas, curry, chicken pasta, hunters chicken. I am veggie but make the chicken for son. Also he likes mac n cheese with bacon in, chilli, steak(3 thin steaks £3.50)Lidl.Sausages with Yorkshire puddings.Frozen fish very cheap in Lidl.
Pancakes v cheap to make, What about a free month of dog food from tails.com.It get delivered. My dad, cocker, gets through a bag a month and normally £20.Own brand cereals £1 or less.
I think you can do this🙂