Frugal tips / recipes

[Hdkatznahtw125sgh]

Hi,

I’m paying off debts / reducing my outgoings and it’s been a struggle to say the least.

I have £75 of supermarket vouchers (plus £80) to last me for basically all living expenses til the end of the month. All bills etc are covered, this isn’t including petrol either. I’m desperate to not default into using my overdraft or the credit card I’m paying off.

I have enough toiletries to last so this is basically for food. It is also only for me, so I think is more than enough. I am vegetarian and eat relatively in a calorie defecit.

I have a lot of stuff I can use up, and will do overnight oats/ overnight weetabix which I have most of the stuff for. I’ve given up takeaways completely as was in a terrible habit.

Basically any tips and ideas welcome I’m trying to get it to 250 a month for food, clothes, toiletries types expenses as this is the area I’m impulsive with. The supermarket vouchers are Aldi and a £10 M&S, I predominantly shop at Aldi or Asda.

Thanks, I’m aware I probably spend more than most on these things for just me so am trying to control it and this time of the month is always the hardest.

Chickpea and lentil dahl. I made it last night for our tea and it made 4 portions, we had it with rice, very filling and tasty and cost very little. Peppers stuffed with rice/couscous, jacket potato and beans. Looks like you are sorted for breakfasts, could you make some veg soup using cheap veg for lunches or have toast and fruit, they have bags of apples and fresh pineapples in the Aldi super 6 deal this week.

I'd check out the Aldi super 6 offers, currently mushrooms, tomatoes and asparagus cheap, uou could work some meals out from there? I'm not sure if you eat eggs though.

Mushroom stroganoff
Mushroom Bourguignon
Mushroom risotto
Spinach and mushroom lasagna
Mushroom stew
Chilli, cheese and garlic mushroom omelette
Vegetarian mushroom chilli

Creamy lemon and asparagus pasta
Roasted Tomato & Asparagus Crustless Quiche
Asparagus tart
Lemon asparagus risotto
Asparagus & Potato Rösti

Oat crepes and harrissa beans and tomato
Tomato rice pilaf with chickpeas
Summer veggie omelette
Ricotta stuffed pasta shells with freshly made tomato sauce

Just some ideas.

If you're an impulsive shopper, order online. Then you can easily remove the items you accidentally put stuff in your basket.

Beans of all varieties, frozen veg, baked potatoes, pasta, rice dishes. Salads, omelette etc. I should imagine £75 for 1 person for the rest of the month is fairly easy. Make recipes for 4 and freeze them, then you're not cooking repeatedly too.

She’s slated on mn but I found Jack Monroe’s book “cooking on a bootstrap” invaluable

Take a look on Instagram too, I'm always finding interesting recipes there.

Join olio

Buy whole milk and water it down. Try 2:1 mix, even 1:1.