If food prices have risen by - what? 20% - and fuel is sky rocketing then tell me WHY...

[objectivity]

...are those dependent on state benefits still subsisting on the same paltry weekly allowance?

As a lone parent I have been in work and out of work from time to time, sometimes supported by Tax Credits, other times dependent upon Income Support. The money never really stretches far enough, but how on EARTH are we supposed to survive if everything is now costing more.

An annual review isn't good enough. My weekly costs are rising and rising, from week to week pretty much, so if my allocated benefit is the minimum I need to live on in April, and prices have risen since then, how am I supposed to be surviving in June?

Anyone else REALLY struggling- more than ever?

I work 5 days a week. In school holidays, after I have paid childcare, I earn £5 profit....oh, but this school hols, school-club is full...no available child-minders in area

DH was out of work for 4 months this year but not eligible for benefits because he quit (for his own sanity )
Don't even get me started!

The car is on its last legs and we have no savings left to get a new one. Still, solves the petrol problem dunnit?
But of course, in changing his job, Dh now has to commute for 2 hours in car, whereas before he was 10 min walk away
We are quite fecked actually...

Freeze fruit when in season too, nothing nicer that a smoothie made with frozen strawberries, or an icelolly made from fruit that's on the turn!

Freeze fruit when in season too, nothing nicer that a smoothie made with frozen strawberries, or an icelolly made from fruit that's on the turn!

i am distracting myself from answering an email from someone who is interested in being my lodger

to be honest i hate the idea

but i am on the verge of biting the bullet

I don't like pinapple.

On a serious note.. I am currently spending ~£3.50 on fruit & veg a week.. neither of us are getting quite our 5 a day but dd isn't far off. She has 1 or 2 pieces of fruit in her lunchbox then gets veg with her main evening meal

I maybe have one piece of fruit a day but make vegetable soup or veg curry and eat that for my lunch everyday.

I then tend to make myself a cheap meal in the evening

It's easier for me I guess as it's only me to feed during the week.

Currently I'm spending ~£15-20 a weeek on shopping inc all food and household prodcuts.. I think I could reduce than even further by getting my household stuff from somewhere other than tesco - lidl maybe? but need to find out

Actually the rising fuel proces have made me gratefull i don't have a car at the moment.

something else I've started doing is looking on the reduced to clear for pies/pizzas/meant.. anything that can freeze then straight home into the freezer.. in tesco you can ofte pick up nice reduce meat that has been on the deli counter to throw in the freezer.. most of my sunday lunch meat had been bought like this lately

I have actually taken to shopping on a sunday at about 3pm.
the stores seem to reduce LOADS about then so i head straight for teh reduced counter and just freeze it all.

i spend more than 20 quid

i eat a lot of fruit

i am extravagant considering i really cant afford to be

i have never really got to adjust to my circumstances having been much better off in the past

well i have adjusted but then been tempted again

Have not read the whole thread.
apologies- anyway- to the point, I wipe arses and fend off attacks for £5.52 an hour- and that is on a night shift- no incentives for staying awake all night, no siree.

Would love a payrise- chances of that happening are NIL.

i use frozen veg and fruit too

it is a lot less wasteful as well

things like cheese and jordans granola tempt me

and making dinner for bf

in fact having a bf is costing a fortune

i have completely drifted off from the op

i know a rich man my exh

it is himwho has lent me the money i am living on

i like bf too much to ditch him..i missed the hcance

I've always done that Mascara, but my biggest sin is that the items often stay there for far too long. I have made a resolution though to use the stuff up, even if I have to make pies. Not going to do it after that. I'll buy the cheapies/reduced stuff but I'll make sure I use it by rotating what's in the freezer.

zippi: you can make your own granola bars (and granola as well). Pretty easy and cheap

mascara

you spend 15-20 a week on shopping?

god taht makes me feel terrible

I spend £150 and think I economise

What do you buy? What do your family eat every day?

Enid £150 a week??

£150?

i wish!

I know

I get £150 out of the cashpoint on Monday and its gone by Sunday - that does include all expenses [she says weakly] like ballet lessons

I still spend about £120 a week on food though

I have 1 week a month that i pay my gas and electricity so i am pretty skint, thats the week i try not to buy any food (other than milk and bread) i just eat what is left in the freezer.
its a great way of making sure you don't waste food.

ah see thats not so bad enid if it includes lessons etc

but im sure you could do better if you needed to

if you dont need to then, well, dont!

or economise and buy some treats with the savings

naily no I do need to

In fact last week when I wasnt working I had time to cook ahead and go to the market and farm shop instead of the supermarket, and we spent £80 so I know it is possible

We spend over £10 a week on yogurts ffs