I have £50 per week for food in February

[Lovelybitofsquirrel3]

After 2 big unexpected bills in a few days since getting paid, I have £60 a week for February for food for myself and 1 child, dog food and toiletries not included. I usually spend about £80-130 a week. I usually batch cook so that’s fine. Will eat a lot of things. The first week of the month I don’t need to buy anything as I’ve got enough in. I feel really overwhelmed.

Do you have much in your cupboards / freezer ?

Even if not, £50 pw for just 1 adult and 1 child is easily do-able, even more so if this is a temporary blip.
It is just dh and I left at home now (so 2 fairly active adults) and I have no need to watch the total spend, but I often don't spend £50 on our weekly shop.

It will be fine - I mean, you wouldn't want to have to do it repeatedly but once or twice a year will be ok.

Start by making a list of stuff you have in already. Post it here if you like,you'll get lots of useful suggestions.

To be honest that's very doable and might help you in the long run as your shop seems expensive for one adult and one child.

Just do a lot of meat free meals and buy own brand.

And have apparently prioritised food for the dog over food for your child? Or have you already factored in dropping down to the cheapest possible diet for the dog?

Sorry that should say £60 a week since I’ve got £200 and divided by 3 is £60 a week

Fear not. There will be people come along who tell you they spend £10 per week.

I’m not willing to cut her dog food cost because if she’s on rubbish she’s more likely to develop health issues and cost me a bomb at the vets. She doesn’t have insurance and has had pre existing conditions

Would it not be better to go spend £100 and stretch what you buy and use the rest for top ups.

I really don’t know I’m really overwhelmed and feel panicky

Olio is a life saver for us. If you have a local volunteer it's great. Have a look at the app.
Otherwise yellow sticker stuff is good.
It's hard but it's doable. I make most of our dog's food with yellow sticker meat and veg and carbs. But I have the time, would struggle if I was working.

plan meals, weight portions and check prices online in all supermarkets available to you before buying.
if you log in into supermarket website and put a delivery date it will show you prices for this date, so you will be able to check if there are any upcoming offers on the way. What supermarkets you can easily go to ?
What do you have in stock?
what are you requirements e.g no eggs, need packed lunches, don’t eat rice etc etc

£60 a week is fine for an adult and child
I'm not sure what you are worrying about, it will be fine just buy essential food and no sweets, fizzy etc those little add-ons that ramp up the price and it won't be a issue.

when I feel overwhelmed it helps me to make a plan.

Can you go through freezer, fridge and store cupboards and list what you have.

You can make meal plan for the full
month

What have you got in your freezer? I'd definitely yellow sticker and freeze. Pasta, buy big bags. Make your own tomato sauce, bolognaose can be padded with lentils, I assume you have dried herbs etc. Remember to check your stock cupboard and write a list of what you already have then you can plan. You'll be fine.

Does £60 have to cover dog food as well?
If so how much is the cost of the dog food?
Personally I think longer term you should consider whether having a dog is a luxury you can afford.

Eat from your freezer and cupboards. Meal plan. Beans and lentils to bulk out meals.

it’s £60 for each week, for 3 weeks in February, because for the first week I’ve got enough in. So it’s a bit pointless counting what’s in my freezer or wherever today just now because it will probably be getting used. It needs to be from Tesco online I get it delivered no way around that I’m disabled. It doesn’t have to cover dog food or toiletries

£60 per week is perfectly do-able for 1 child and 1 adult. I spend about that much and buy mostly organic and more pricey meat and fish. I was thinking I should be less frivolous and look at my budget. I have 2 cats as well and bulk buy their food when there's offers on at Amazon or Pets at Home.

Are you spending too much on dog food?

Best thing is to make a plan and minimise waste. Start with everything you have in the cupboard and work out what the gaps are you need to fill in.

Breakfast: could be Porridge or overnight oats with frozen berries, or toast with various toppings. Freeze bread so it doesn't go off.

Dinners: Frittata, pasta bakes, baked potatoes with cottage cheese, chilli with rice (could bulk out with lentils etc. to stretch it), whole chicken can stretch a few meals too. Use frozen veg to avoid waste. Make extras and have leftovers for lunch, especially if there's just two of you.

If not having leftovers for lunch - sandwiches/wraps, beans on toast or could make a big batch of veggie soup. Can still have plenty of variety without breaking the bank.

how old is your child coz obviously theres a massive difference between a 2 year old and a 14 year old.

Do they have school dinners?

Whilst not for everyone, do you have a credit card to purchase food/dog food on, that way you should get 4 weeks leeway to maybe put some costs on it, to tide you over. DH and I could live off this amount, our dog food is £90 per month. We often just have jacket potatoes with beans and cheaper meals with pasta and rice, buying our own pizza bases, adding our own toppings on, own brand biscuits.

I think the big question is how old is the child? A fifteen year old with hollow legs could be problematic but £50-60 for two people is a fairly normal budget for many people.

I don’t have a credit card but I’ve got an over draft and I’m worried that if I go into it It’ll be hard to get out of debt if you see what I mean so I’d rather just try and live on what I have left

They’re 6

Very doable as previous posters have said. I survive on £50 a week and it's me and two DC, which does include toiletries. Omelettes, pasta meals and jacket potato's are cheap and filling meals.