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Original poster

Can we have a food is so expensive atm and this is how to save money thread?

61 replies

jenk1 · 15/04/2008 21:53

cos i did a shop last week and i was staggered at how much prices are going up.

i know lidl and aldi are cheaper but you cant always get everything there.

am on income support now and have to count my pennies carefully.

TIA

OP posts:
chocolatemummy · 15/04/2008 21:56

make a weekly menu, write a luch and main meal for each evening of the week and just buy what you need for that plus breakfast cereals.It stops you from spending money on random stuff

Ilovehousemusic · 15/04/2008 21:57

I am joining this. I have decided to try and shop for £50 a week. Going to withdraw £50 cash and that's it. So not tempted to over spend with my card!

KerryMum · 15/04/2008 21:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mazzystar · 15/04/2008 21:59

meal plan deffo

base 2 or 3 meals per week on pulses - lentils, chickpeas, beans

buy meat and fish when on special offer and freeze or make into bolognese/chilli etc and then freeze

bulk buy rice, pasta etc - get someone to take you to costco

avenanap · 15/04/2008 22:01

Buy a whole chicken. You can make so much. Roast chicken, chicken curry, stir fry, chicken pie. Freeze what's left so you are not all chickened out though. I've slowly filled the freezer for times of hardship.

canofworms · 15/04/2008 22:02

Buy meat/fish from the reduced cabinet and put straight in freezer when you get home.

The following week menu plan so that you use it all up.

chocolatespiders · 15/04/2008 22:03

I am loving ALDI atm.... nevere thought i would but i am very impressed....
I agree you cant get everything but the stuff i do get in there is great

chocolatespiders · 15/04/2008 22:03

I am loving ALDI atm.... nevere thought i would but i am very impressed....
I agree you cant get everything but the stuff i do get in there is great

chocolatespiders · 15/04/2008 22:03

I am loving ALDI atm.... nevere thought i would but i am very impressed....
I agree you cant get everything but the stuff i do get in there is great

chocolatespiders · 15/04/2008 22:03

I am loving ALDI atm.... nevere thought i would but i am very impressed....
I agree you cant get everything but the stuff i do get in there is great

chocolatespiders · 15/04/2008 22:04

wooops

Chuffinnora · 15/04/2008 22:04

Buy frozen veg. It is often cheaper and stops waste.

avenanap · 15/04/2008 22:05

The basics stuff from the supermarket are not too bad. I've thought about growing some vegetables aswell.

harpomarx · 15/04/2008 22:05

ok, rigorous meal planning a must.

cook from fresh if you can.

pick up some good veggie recipes.

soups, stews etc.

I'm on IS too and i always make a list, I am so sad i even know how much most items cost, I work it out to within a fiver before I go, draw the cash out and that's it.

not many treats, but we eat pretty well cos I love cooking - that helps!

I have done weekly shops on £20 - £30.

harpomarx · 15/04/2008 22:06

chocolatespiders, do you work for Aldi?

OverMyDeadBody · 15/04/2008 22:06

Prices went up at the same time as my income took a massive drop, so DS and I are now surviving on:

porridge made with value oats and water for breakfast, with milk added for DS.

Value brown bread with cream cheese and salad for lunch

Lentils, rice, carrots, value tuna, chick peas, couscous tinned tomatoes for suppers, in random combinations.

Value bananas and apples for fruit, plus other stuff on special offer or reduced.

Lucycat · 15/04/2008 22:11

aldi have 6 types of fruit and/or veg on offer for 49p - so 6 apples, broccoli, vine tomatoes etc - bargainous.

we also eat a lot of soups!

berolina · 15/04/2008 22:20

The simplest meals can be the yummiest. Yesterday we had potatoes microwaved in their skins and finished in the oven, with broccoli sauce (broccoli, water, onion, blended) and sprinkled with toasted sunflower seeds. Was lovely.

Soups are cheap and can be made in bulk.

oh KerryMum I am sorry. Is there anything anyone can do to help?

Lubyloo · 15/04/2008 22:26

Definitely plan the meals for the week or just for five days. On the two days left then I get creative with the contents of the fridge/vegetable rack that need eating up. I don't go out and buy anything extra.DH loves my "Rotting Vegetable Suppers" as we call them.

I also buy a chicken every week and that does us for three nights. So we have it roast one night, then curry, jumbalya, soup, etc on the other two nights. I also bung the carcass in the slow cooker and make stock.

Flibbertyjibbet · 15/04/2008 22:28

After months of mnetting I did menu planning on Sat, took ds1 shopping to the market, Netto, butcher and Aldi (have a good selection here) and am very proud of how little clutter there is in the fridge and how good it feels not to open the cupboard door at 5 and not be able to think what to cook from a full cupboard.

Today we had corned beef hash. 1/4 bag carrots, half bag spuds, one onion, tin of corned beef and accompanied by frozen peas.
£2.50 max for 4 of us. Hmm and about another quid for all the brown sauce dp put on it.

Sainsburys do their own value brand cornflakes 29p a box so we buy those in bulk.

KerryMum · 15/04/2008 22:41

This reply has been deleted

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harpomarx · 15/04/2008 22:47

agree with KerryMum, don't trust that stuff at all. Local butchers usually better and cheaper.

KerryMum · 15/04/2008 22:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

cornsilk · 15/04/2008 22:54

Agree - our local butchers works out cheaper than Tesco. Meat is fresher and doesn't shrink when it's cooked so I use less.

expatinscotland · 15/04/2008 22:58

we eat a lot of pulses.

i tart up tinned pulses by making casseroles with them - fry up onion and veg with some spices, add to the tinned beans and bake for a while.

meat we buy from a butchers, but once a week we eat tuna. i do a casserole, but this website had lots of good recipes for it:

justusedriedbasil

do you have a garden? it's pretty easy and cheap to grow some stuff.

and fun, too!

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