I don’t have enough money for food for the rest of the month

[Tiredasamf]

I know there’s lots of threads about this at the moment. But what the hell is going on. What is the world coming to. I’m stressing out!

we’ve lived quite comfortably for the last few years - not wealthy at all, working class family (total income of around £2,700 a month after tax) but have always been able to afford all bills, food, clothes etc for the kids and always done 1-2 days out a month, and been able to save a little.

with the rising costs of everything we are now in a situation where we’re struggling.

as of today, I don’t have enough money for the food shops for the rest of the month. Bills are all paid and there shouldn’t be any extra expenses this month. It’s just food shops and petrol left

we’re literally going to have to eat beans on toast or other things equally as cheap.

if it’s going to be like this every month I don’t know what we’ll do. How are we going to afford Christmas? No more days out, no more fun things, no treats, no new clothes (kids are young and grow so fast so that’s a necessity that we can’t even afford now)

It’s set to get worse too isn’t it. what the hell? What are you doing to save money or cut costs? Please give me all your advice

In your position I would go to work full time and take a loan to cover remaining childcare costs until the kids enter school. Whether that be by adding to the mortgage or a personal loan taken over 5-7 years. That would massively reduce monthly outgoings on childcare whilst upping your income.

please don’t forget you would be eligible for tax free childcare if you worked too.

I’m not saying this callously as I’m horrified by this current situation, but this is the option I would choose.

This

UC cover 85% of childcare costs up to a maximum of around £650ish for 1 child and £1100ish for 2+.

Shocked at the mince price….cut down amount of meat used in meat meals when possible….I use tescos 20% fat beef mince, it’s £1.89 for 500g and that’s plenty for the 5 of us for spaghetti Bol, when I do cottage pie I put in washed baked beans, onions, mushrooms and sometimes peas/sweetcorn to add volume instead of using more mince.

having a job either weekends or evenings is prob the only way to really bolster your budget. I was getting in a tizz earlier in the yr as the cost of everything going up, getting behind on fuel bills etc, I’ve taken a evening job, I get to bed in the early hrs, have about 3hrs sleep, wake up to sort kids and and do school run then go back to bed whilst their at school.

it’s hard and has put strain on our relationship as we only really see each other weekends now, we do a five min handover as he gets home and I leave, I partially cook tea and he finishes and serves it, does the evening routine etc
mines full time and full on tbh, but as others have said, lots of places just need hours in the evening-there are loads and loads round me for cleaning in evenings offices/schools etc

It’s just all so depressing isn’t it, having to now scrimp and save

Or you embrace the challenge and realise how little you do actually need to spend. This has been the story of my life and I have turned it into an art form!! I thought I was already living bare bones but when the energy cost rise was looming I managed to pare down my spending even more. You say you don’t have unnecessary subscriptions, expenses etc? Have you actually looked? I got to grips with my monthly expenditure putting it all into one spreadsheet. I was amazed how many things had just crept up over the last couple of years. Eg my BT broadband contract had ended. I managed to reduce by roughly £10 pcm by ringing them and knocking them down. I’d subscribed to a few little extras over lockdown eg National Theatre at Home… all that was knocked on the head. So even though I thought I was living frugally I managed to knock off something like £40 pcm!!

I believe for those of us who have always scrimped and saved, the current cost of living crisis might not be such a shocker. It’s those who have never really thought about penny-pinching but have lived a pretty extravagant lifestyle who are now feeling it the most.

@boffinmum posted an emergency diet and shopping list after the last financial crisis

I remember it was really good.

Anyone got it?

Im in this position too, can't increase my hours at work as we already work around each other. I could do Saturdays but if I did i would never see DH. I would rather scrimp than miss out on spending time as a family.

Mine are older now (14 and 10) I still buy alot of their Christmas gifts second hand or on offer (check out the Christmas bargain thread on here). I have lots of reusuable Christmas boxes/tins which things get wrapped in each year which is nice as it's familiar but filled with new goodies!

Eat as much vegetarian as you can. A bag of quorn mince is around £1.50 when on offer. I stretch this to 2 meals and bulk out with vegetables and lentils. I have intolerances to gluten and dairy and dd2 is vegetarian so could be expensive but I cook with things that are naturally free from. Our food/toiletries/cleaning shop usually comes in around £300 for the month (usually under but depends on whether we need wash powder/toilet rolls). 2 adults, 2 children and 2 cats.

My best purchase was a rice cooker as I couldn't cook rice on the hob. Cost about £15 but easily saved that buying 45p rice instead of boil in the bag or micro rice. Coupled with the slow cooker we have easy, cheap and filling meals for very little effort.

Really think about packed lunches, avoid pre packed stuff where possible. Big bags of crisps and decant into smaller tubs, big packs of value cookies/biscuits instead of individually wrapped ones. Couscous is a cheap and filling meal for lunch time and nice hot or cold. I often make it up while I'm sorting dinner, mix up the couscous with bouillon or other stock pour over the boiling water until its just covered. Cover bowl and let cook, takes around 5 mins. Chop up cucumber/cherry tomatoes/spring onions/sweetcorn or whatever yours will eat. Mix it up and stick in the fridge in individual tubs. Or we often have leftover dinner in a thermos. I use these lunch boxes, main section - sandwich/couscous/cheese & crackers, leftover pizza, cheese scones etc, 2 smaller sections- one for salad or fruit and the other for a treat. Then a small tub of crisps and an apple/orange/pear for snack time. Ive had these at least 3 years and still going strong and big enough for adult portions too.
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00LW20ORY/ref=sspa_dk_detail_4?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B00LW20ORY&pd_rd_w=mEYm0&content-id=amzn1.sym.8d91a06c-52c8-441e-afa4-963e53268566&pf_rd_p=8d91a06c-52c8-441e-afa4-963e53268566&pf_rd_r=Y8RH76D9FT2DV12APTJ3&pd_rd_wg=vX1Fq&pd_rd_r=709102ad-d41a-4998-a3ae-b49639249b26&s=kitchen&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWw

The picture didn't attach to my last post! These are the lunch boxes I use 😊

I’ve not read your whole thread, but if you have Instagram, follow MyFirstMeals, the lady behind it has done a whole series of videos on how to feed family for a week for £10, lots of good cheap meal ideas.

Amazon flex always advertise for drivers. You do it in your own time when you can. Not sure what the money is like though

<runs in>

Austerity Housekeeping Crisis Diet

There are a couple of versions of this on the site, and also ‘normal’ weekly menus with shopping lists too. I costed up the crisis diet and Asda were by far the cheapest.

<runs back to roasting Duracell chicken>

Please use food banks and also contact your local council as they have been given household support funds for this type of thing! Every council is using it differently but worth an ask!
Also days out don’t have to cost anything but the petrol to get to and from, loads online now about free days out for kids.

Please don’t get into debt by getting a loan with sky high interest rate to cover child care costs!!!
This is the most ridiculous suggestion!!!

Evening shifts at the pub or takeaway delivery at weekends? I’m so sorry things have got so tight for u, we are all feeling the pinch now

If you’re keen to do the stocking/sack of presents to open on Christmas but are worried about the cost one tip I’ve seen work really well is to include things that you would buy anyway.
New toothbrush, box of treat cereal, underwear, socks etc are all definitely wrapable for a stocking but if you would need them anyway don’t have any additional cost

I understand the struggle this was me as a student a few years ago and my DH income wasn't as much as yours along with £750 per month childcare I couldn't change and apparently wasn't 'eligible' for any help with as they put the threshold so so low for any sort of help as a student...loan counted as income to stop you getting tax credits but loan and placement hours didn't count (even though I was working 30 hours a week for free in placement) to make us eligible for the 30 hours free childcare so only got the standard 15 for the eldest and nothing for youngest son as he was 7 months when I started. Food was going on credit cards just to power through then I found out I was pregnant with DD the month I finished (had already secured a job at the hospital) so only had a couple of months on good pay before maternity...7 months on I've just returned to work ...it's hard I know but you can power through this tough time and there has been some great advice on here I've said with DD this year we're wrapping the baby toys she hasn't used yet from when her brothers were little so she can have fun pulling at paper because she knows no difference and we make a Christmas Eve box for the boys and do activities I print off Christmas themed pics for them to colour in..cheap sachets of hot chocolate and I get a packet of marshmallows that I cut up to make the mini ones as I've found the bigger own brand pack are cheaper, make decorations with paper and paints they had in their arts and crafts box that's been there a while ...cuddle up and watch a film together and put the carrot out..I bake cookies with them as the ingredients are so basic but it makes a huge difference to them. Present wise we do the something I want, something I need, something to wear and something to read poem. Then ask family to give experiences rather than more gifts that likely go unused like a year ticket to a zoo or theme park, swimming etc then we have more things to fill the half terms through the year especially summer that would usually be a big day out but it's actually free and a change from taking picnics to the beach or parks etc so takes the pressure off there too.

As others have said make a list of what you have in and come up with set meals and if you could get that evening job that would be fantastic so fingers crossed for that also...times are tough but as you say it should improve after next year so even though it's bloody hard try to focus on that thought on the days you feel like nothing is ever going to go right (I had a few of those throughout my degree as well as the massive pressure of realising I've screwed my entire family unit over financially if I didn't pass and get a job out of it) it's one of those where you don't know how but somehow you just manage.

This is a post I did on the £1 Christmas lunch ... I think it's so clever what these guys have done - it really looks special and it's such a good use of ingredients.

One pound meals

Definitely need to find more veggie recipes, I got a pack of mince yesterday for a chilli and it cost £5.60 just for that!! For the 6 of us that would only last one meal.

You need to shop at Aldi! You can get mince for under £3 that will make a lovely chilli in the slow cooker.

I'm failing to see how you are such a quandry with your income. Need to see your breakdown of what you're spending. You earn more than us (granted you have 2 more kids, but guessing they're young, so not costing you too much yet) and we have huge debt payments going out - and we're managing. Never buy anything new (clothes always second hand or free), no luxuries like hair colour/nails/eyebrows etc, live on the freesites.

My biggest tip is you take cash out - do not use your cards. £10 here and there adds up very very quickly.

Check out Food share. It's not a food bank, but is excess stock/short life from local supermarkets etc.
Ours is £2 pp and you get potatoes nd onions. Choice Of 2/3 veg. Choice Of 2 fruit, some herbs , bread such as sourdough, then packet bagels/pabcakes/hot cross buns.
Then theres bread rolls, pastries, some cakes, something from greggs/lidl/Aldi (sausage rolls/sandwiches/pizza slice).
A random table. Could be porridge, books, clothing and then there's the frozen food.
Last week I got some quorn escalopes, filled tortellini, chicken thighs, Indian snack selection, bacon and Yorkshire puddings.
You can't plan what you get but its a huge amount for £2.

There's yoghurts from Muller and my parents got a leg of lamb from Waitrose once. It was priced at £16!

Very cheap basic meals
Homemade leak and potatoe soup. Crust of bread.
Tomato and lentil soup.
Tin of chopped tomatoes over pasta.
Baked bean toastie.
Jacket potato with baked beans.
Super noodles
Pate/marmite on toast

Those are all super cheap but hot meals.

I use Top Cashback over the year for car insurance, house insurance, any purchases on eBay, Currys etc. I switched from Sky to Virgin. I made £240 altogether which I will be using for Xmas.

SIM only deal for mobile. Mine is £9 on 3.

Can your DH share a lift with someone going to work? Or advertise a lift in with him in morning in return for some fuel money.

Could you let a room out? Some people do it weekdays only.

Keep heating off. Temp is going to be 17 this week.

I do yougov polls. It is slow but I get £50 each year. It all mounts up.

Advertise ironing, cleaning in evenings, babysitting, dog walking or cake making if you have skill.

As now getting £66 paid on fuel bill, ring energy company and ask for reduction in dd. Say you need reduction of £50 per month.

What food so you have in freezer and store cupboards? A jelly and a tin of custard the kids might love it.

Sell a few things, books, clothes, old children's toys.

Check old handbags, side pockets, the car, down back of sofa. Anywhere you might find bits of cash.

Credit card if all else fails.

Except she has two young babies / toddlers so also has to be awake all the time DH isn't there to care for them. And he does night school twice a week. And she does 16 hours work around the kids. Lots of places want flexibility, not "I can do X days at Y times only". It isn't as easy as rocking up to your local pub and offering to work

My sister always used to do a cowboy pie. It is cheap supermarket sausages, cook them, cut them up into mouthful sized chunks, put in large bowl, then add layer of baked beans, then top off with mashed potatoes and grill top to make it crispy.

Look at changing banks. Several offer £175 for switching.

This thread has honestly been so so helpful, thank you so much everyone.

DH and I are going to sit and go through our finances later today as I’m sure there’s bills I’m not aware of, it didn’t seem to add up when I did it yesterday.

I’m going to sit and go through the comments now while DS’s are sleeping, make a meal plan for the rest of this month and put some ideas together going forward. I found £30 on my tesco clubcard and £6 on Asda rewards so that will hugely help. Cheaper cuts of meat or no meat, bulk cooking, simple suppers for the kids rather than a cooked meal that gets wasted.

I’m feeling much better about it all today, so glad I made this thread. Yesterday my head was in a bad place but I’m actually almost excited to try out these new strategies and save wherever we can.

My grandparents are well off, always have been, but she penny pinches on EVERYTHING. I’ve never understood why - was very much a “if you don’t have to, why would you” type person about this before, but not anymore. Now I get why she does it.

I’m also excited to see where I can save for Christmas, what I can make instead of buy, creative ways to gift, and cooking a Christmas dinner on a budget.

please continue to share any more ideas you have, I’m so unimaginative when it comes to this!

@AloysiusBear 30K isn’t an amazing salary no, but as I said if we both earned that we’d be bringing in 60K which would be more than comfortable, so that’s why I said it was a good wage. He isn’t a graduate, he was in the army for many years so sadly hasn’t got many qualifications which is why he’s studying now. He’s a tradesman, has recently been hired exclusively by someone to renovate homes which is why he’s now on a salary but does private work where he can. His qualification will mean he will earn the full amount from private jobs and will be able to do bigger, more well paying jobs.
I’ve applied for 2 evening jobs I found, I just hope they can work to the hours I’ve got available. There’s no one I can ask to have the kids on the evenings DH is studying due to the timings unfortunately.