Your life hacks please

[Carewithlovefoundation]

Hello :)

I run a charity helping disadvantaged and vulnerable families with food, clothes and other essentials.

we have a family day coming up where families will get a hot meal, haircuts for the kids, Santa, presents for mum and dad and clothes and toys available. BUT when this happens we like to give a pack full of helpful tips, cheap recipes and anything else that might help with the cost of living.

please help - what’s your saviour budget tip please? Favourite cheap recipe? Life hack you wish everyone knew?

Thank you so much x

Toast: cheesy scrambled eggs with chopped up leftover meat/veg
melted cheese with baked beans on top
sardines/poached eggs/spinach/marmite/banana and peanut butter

Soup: cheap soup with added leftovers eg cooked rice/small pasta shapes

Potatoes: baked in the microwave and add any cheap filling, eg grated cheese/tuna mayo/chilli/casserole (tinned stuff is cheap)

Pasta: stir in cream cheese and salmon bits/tuna and ketchup for pink pasta-can stir in tinned peas or any veg as well

Smashed sausage pasta-cook and mush up frozen sausages, fry with onion and garlic, add tinned tomatoes, glug of ketchup, rosemary and worcester sauce

Carbonara: stir in cheap bacon bits cooked with onion and garlic and cream/creme fraiche-whack a couple of egg yolks in the cooked, drained pasta and keep the lid on for 3 minutes after stirring in and before adding the sauce

Pork loin steaks : pan fry, serve with spuds/mash and veg
🙃

Thank you so much :)

The Olio app is very useful

Give them micro fibre bath towels. Dry quickly so need much less washing and drying. Game changer for cold houses with a few kids.

When you buy a block of cheese, grate it and put it in a storage box. It’s surprising how much less cheese you use if it’s grated.

Give them a window squedgee (spelling?) After a shower, use that and you don't need to leave the fan on for long.
Mould doesn't build up as quickly
Also, use a flannel directly after switching off the shower and you barely then need to use a towel which will save on washing and drying.

The app 'Too Good To Go' would be a good one to recommend too

Use whatever veg you've got that's on the turn to make some soup. Couple of stock cubes, and throw in some lentils or barley to help it stretch.

Also, put whole carrots into soup, then mash them up towards the end. Really great, easy way to thicken it.

We also use up whatever we have in the fridge along with a couple of eggs for fried rice. Kids love it!

Toothpaste - only need a very tiny amount. The brushing action is more important than the paste. As per my dentist!

I love Vinted for buying and selling second hand clothes :)

I saw someone recommend decanting shampoo/conditioner into pump bottles (hand soap type) to make it last longer - saves kids squeezing out a huge amount!

Also kids and adult toothpaste generally have the same amount of fluoride - so no real need for lots of separate toothpastes for all ages!

Red lentil Dahl with rice. Cheap , nutritious and easy to make

Ask at your child's school if there is school uniform help. Or any chance of lost property being redistributed.

Meal plan starting with what needs using up.

Try to double up - eg a base for shepherds pie can also be a layer for lasagne. Make double mash for cheese whirls the next day. Cook double cabbage for bubble and squeak the next day.

We give families food parcels via this ap.

these are all amazing thank you x

Get some laptops set up with internet. Help people to compare prices of mobile phone deals / broadband / car insurance. Don't tell them which to get, just look at pros and cons together. Lots of people spend a lot on this because it's difficult to research.

Did this travelling years ago. You've just reminded me. What a little genius you are! Made my day. Cheers

Follow feed your family for £20 a week on Facebook. Website has a range of cheaper recipes but it was their meal planning advice that's saved me a fortune. It sounds so simple but people (like me) just didn't realise these simple changes would have such an impact.

@RaininSummer - Would you mind sharing your recipe for red lentil Dahl, please? I have tried several but I find it turns out either too bland or too spicy (or it includes ingredients I can't find)!

Look into the National Databank charity, part of the good things foundation. You might be able to refer families for free data. O2, Vodafone and 3 are all partners and donate data for those in need