£50 to last 9 days!!

[Rtfairy]

Please could someone offer some budgeting advice, due to unforeseen circumstances after bills and dh's travel costs we are left with around £50 to feed, clean and entertain us for the remainder of this month. There is myself, DH and 10 month old DD. We have enough nappies but will need to buy baby wipes and one tub of formula with this. Also have some items listed on ebay ending tomorrow which should generate some extra funds. Any advice on how to tackle this? TIA.

After the baby wipes and formula, what do you have left?

Do you need to spent any money on the "clean and entertain" parts of "feed, clean and entertain"?

What is in your cupboards and fridge and freezer?

Thank you for your reply. After formula and wipes we will have £37. No definitely not the entertain but I would have liked to take dd to sensory room which costs £1. And we need toothpaste and shower gel. And toilet roll. Im planning a trip to Aldi in the morning. I will have a look through freezer, fridge and cupboards and report back with what I already have.

You leave out the entertaining thing full stop. Farm foods do a big sack of potatoes for a couple of quid. 15 quid can get 5 meats or a tenner can get 3. 3 chickens can make at the very least 6 meals. B&m do arial gel for 2.99. Tesco and asda do cheap as chips baby wipes.

Definitely give us a list of what you have in already and we can try and come up with some ideas for you.

For now, get the cheapest of the cheap when it comes to toothpaste and shower gel. Will cost you pennies and you don't have to use it when you've got money again. I've got £50 to last nine days too (luckily I live alone though but have 3 cats to feed/litter).

Shower gel is false economy. Better off buying bar of soap ie dove.

Check what you have and work out what meals you can make with that, and what extras you need.

How far does dh commute? Any chance he can cycle or cycle at least part way to reduce costs? Ie in London cost is by zones, so if live in say zone 6, if can cycle to zone 4, then get tube it's cheaper. Or bus is cheaper than tube

You don't need baby wipes. Soap and water will do. And there's nothing wrong with good old fashioned entertainment such as card and board games in the evenings for a few weeks.

Cupboards:
Loads of cereal
Flour
Red lentils
Pasta, rice, egg noodles and cous cous.
tin of chickpeaa and tin of kidney beans.
Plenty of herbs and spices.
Spaghetti hoops and tin of beans.
Red pesto
Coconut cream.
Onions
2 baking potatoes
Tin of tuna.

Fridge:
2 packets of yoghurts
A bit of cheese
Joint of pork thawing out ready for slow cooker tomorrow morning
Carrots
Leeks

Freezer:
2 pork steaks
Falafels
1 chicken breast.
Various frozen veggies (peppers, cauliflower, peas and sweetcorn)
2 goats cheese and red pepper tartlets.

Gosh sounds like loads really, I am just awful at meal planning and end up buying more food cos I never know what to do with what I have!

Agree re shower gel too. Soap and a flannel is just fine!

Yes use face cloths/ flannels with water instead of wipes. Pop in washing machine after and reuse. May allow you to get by with just the few you have when out

Do you have to do packed lunches for your DH or anything like that?

That's loads what you need really is idea on what to put together.

With list above I think your fine. Spend the £30 odd on milk, eggs, some tin tomatoes, and fresh veg/ fruit. Buy some porridge oats as can make with water if needed

Can use above and have a few meals of say egg fried rice with frozen veg, basic tomato pasta with cheese.

Hi thanks for replies. We don't spend on entertainment for us, only for DD but I can stick to free things for rest of the month she won't know. Can't imagine life without baby wipes but I know some people don't use them. I will just try to meal plan with what we have then buy any extras we need at Aldi tomorrow.

If your in devon, I can give a load of wipes and some toys if you want them??

Yes please if anyone can help with ideas of what I can make with what I have and what extras I need that will be very much appreciated. DH takes a packed lunch to work everyday but isn't at work tomorrow.

Evilwater thanks for the offer but I am in NW England so very far from you.

You'll get two days dinner out of the pork joint.

Tuna + pasta + cheese = 1 dinner

Chop up chicken breast and make a stir fry with rice. Bulk up with veg.

Tartlets and cous cous/chick pea salad another day. Baby will probably need something different though.

That's 5 dinners and you still have the pork steak.

Thanks, will definitely be doing some kind of pasta dish and like the idea of the chicken and veg stir fry, maybe with noodles. Am using the pork joint to make pulled pork which will be dinner tomorrow then can go in DH's sandwiches for a couple of days. Also not all meals need to be baby friendly as have a couple of jars and pouches in the cupboard for these situations.

Foodwise, you can invest in a chicken and 500g of mince plus onions potatoes & frozen casserole veg. Bolognaise/chilli/pasta bake/cottage pie. Roast chicken breasts, with veggies from freezer.slow cook legs with veggies - casserole, strip breast remains for sarnies for lunch.
I'd go with the soap/flannel thing instead of wipes. I carried 2 with me when mine was small in a plastic bag. Just in case.

Thanks for reply, have been to Aldi today and spent £38 and got loads for my money so think we'll be fine. I did get wipes they were £2.39 for a pack of 4 in the baby event