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Original poster

OK - I have (approx) £25 to last me until the 29th..........

90 replies

TheQueenOfQuotes · 20/08/2007 13:13

We use

roughly 4 pints milk a day (sometimes less)
1 loaf of bread last 1 1/2 days (we buy Warburtons as it's the only one available in the local shop that the DS's will actually eat )
I'm going to need to buy one tin of baby milk (£6.40)
I can only get away with one vegetarian meal (DH a big meat eater) 2 at a stretch
I'll also need one more box of (48) Wheetabix - DS's go through 5 a day between them!

and I currently have

2 lots of mince, 1 lot of braising steak (2 if you include the lot I'm using today), enough sausages for 2 meals.

All basics (sugar, washing powder, dishwasher tablets, wipes, nappies - although DH buys then anyhow - coffee, sugar, cheese, potatoes already pretty well stocked up.

Can I do it - (well I know I can - I've fed us on £15 in one week - including having to buy nappies - before now) - but how best to do it??

And what else can I do with braising steak other than make a stew type thing with it, and what else with the mince except for bolognaise type meal/meatloaf (there's not enough to make burgers/meatballs).

OP posts:

whoops · 20/08/2007 13:15

beef curry with the steak? (not sure whether that meat would be ok!)
Cottage pie with the mince

EscapeFrom · 20/08/2007 13:20

Stretch the mince with tins of beans. Make a beany cottage pie, or beany bolognaise.

scorpio1 · 20/08/2007 13:22

that bread is BOGOF in morrisons at the mo...

bulk up mince with toms, veg etc. you could make cottage pie, jacket pot fillings and spag bol from that 2 lots.

sausages-sausage casserole,(sausage, baked beans, chopped toms) toad in the hole, sausage and mash/chips.

braising steak is just really for casseroles, isnt it?

you could make potato bake with pots, cream & cheese and serve with veg, bread?

pipsqueeke · 20/08/2007 13:23

steak pie? pad out with mushrooms and onions etc can you make the pastry from scratch.

mince one spag bolg, one cottage pie?

how about getting some corned beef and doing corned beef hash one day?

which shop are you going to? can you get to tescos or something (the meat is reduced - as is bread about 6pm I think it is so it's normally a bit cheaper - even for warbertons.)

GreatAuntieWurly · 20/08/2007 13:24

bulk out mice with onions, mushrooms, diced carrot etc etc.

I have just made mince-beef pie with quite a small amount of mince

pipsqueeke · 20/08/2007 13:24

also tescos have 1kg of strong cheese on offer at the mo for £3 - yes £3 I was amazed - and it's the nice stuff.

Nemo2007 · 20/08/2007 13:25

You can do it, just been the same, had £30 to last week and half and am on my last £4 with money expected on wed.
Do you have anything in the freezer??
mince can make a shepards pie and pad it out
with potato and some tinned/frozen veg
could also make a chilli?
milk buy it on offer 2 x 4pints £2 in asda
buy a whole chicken£2 in asda as should do for a evening meal, lunch and maybe another evening meal with pasta.

pipsqueeke · 20/08/2007 13:25

how about making pasties? (again if you're good at pasteries - you can use some of the steak for a casserol/soup or soemthing but keep some back chop it ionto chunks bit of potato, bit of swede and there's one with a few veggies.

Original poster

TheQueenOfQuotes · 20/08/2007 13:27

oo some fabulous ideas - I think you can do a curry with the braising steak, - I usually shop at Morrisons (only 10 minutes walk) but they didn't have the Warburtons on special when I was in their the other day - have to have another look.

I've actually cooked most of these idease before - just had a complete mental block (not helped by the fact I'm supposed to be paying a missed payment on my CC tomorrow (completely forgot about it ).....but instead of receiving cash today I got a cheque - which won't clear until next week........which means I now have to call my CC company and tell them that they'll get the money next Wednesday instead of tomorrow - eeek.

OP posts:

Wisteria · 20/08/2007 13:32

Soup is cheap and easy and my dcs love it. I always make it with the leftover veg at the end of the week - and I put everything in, broccoli stalks, leftovers etc.

gscrym · 20/08/2007 13:34

Do you have Lidl nearby? They have loads of cheap fruit and veg. You can get a shop really cheaply in there.

Nemo2007 · 20/08/2007 13:35

QoQ been there a few times too many but most CC company should be ok with that as long as you let them know!!

Mercy · 20/08/2007 13:37

You could do a curry with the mince - bulk it out with diced potatoes and some peas, serve with plenty of rice!

Sausages - toad in the hole with plenty of mashed potato and veg

oregonianabroad · 20/08/2007 13:37

Chilli (vegetarian or use some of the meat) over rice one day, as a jacket filling the next (think someone said this already, sorry)

Tuna Noodle Doodle? This is what I make when we're short.
Make a white sauce, mix into cooked pasta and tins of tuna, add some frozen veg (peas are nice) and then cover with cheese and put in oven till cheese is melted. Very American Trailer Trash but I love it.

Original poster

TheQueenOfQuotes · 20/08/2007 13:38

Nemo - just come off the phone to them and they were fine about it (even though when they called the other day I'd said "definitely by Tuesday"). phew - that's one worry out of the way (strangely the money (cheque) I got was EXACTLY the same amount I have to pay them with missed payment, missed payment fee, and overlimit fee added together).

Got loads of fabulous ideas here thanks everyone (now if I can blag a £10 loan out my parents tomorrow when they pop in on the way home I'll be home and dry

OP posts:

Nemo2007 · 20/08/2007 13:41

QoQ
do you have paypal?If you do I can lend you £10-15 if you can pay it back when you have the money at end of the month

pipsqueeke · 20/08/2007 13:42

or ask if they can pick up some milk and bread on the way over - mine do that and always bring a bag of shopping wiht it! lol.

Original poster

TheQueenOfQuotes · 20/08/2007 13:43

that's so sweet of you. I do have paypal - but it usually takes 5-7 working days to clear - which would take us almost until my payday anyhow - thank you VERY much for the offer.

OP posts:

Mercy · 20/08/2007 13:45

Could you make a pie with the braising steak or a goulash (I know it's a casserole really!)

Nemo2007 · 20/08/2007 13:46

thought iyt was 3-5 days was just about to send it to my account but will have money on wed anyway

Wisteria · 20/08/2007 13:48

Can you invite yourself to tea somewhere??

Original poster

TheQueenOfQuotes · 20/08/2007 13:49

lol Wisteria - I probably could quite easily .......except that would mean that DH would go hungry (he works until 9pm - so wouldn't be around to go with us) - not sure he'd appreciate that

OP posts:

Dropdeadfred · 20/08/2007 13:50

baked potatoes...really filling...

Original poster

TheQueenOfQuotes · 20/08/2007 13:50

Mind you the irony is that on the afternoon of the 29th we're driving down to deepest Dorset to stay with my SIL and her family for a few days so I'll save money there LOL.

OP posts:

Lorayn · 20/08/2007 14:09

beans, beans and more beans!!!
also, make a lasagne with one of the lots of mince, the pasta for lasagne is really cheap, and the white sauce is so easy to make.
Try buying some sausage meat? and making a sausage plait???

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