Struggling due to money :(

[MumTums]

Im really struggling sticking to SW at the moment as we've got no money

We really cant afford to go shopping to get any fresh foods, meat, fruit, veg etc so we're having to 'make do' with what we already have in the freezer which is not very SW friendly at all. I havent got much choice really and i've been trying to stick to it as best i can with what we've got but its just a bit frustrating when I really wanna stick to plan and cant:cry:

We can do a bit of shopping on Saturday so i'll be ok from then but until then we've just gotta make do!

How does everyone else manage on a very low budget?

(Sorry for mini rant about being skint!) x

 

[JestersTear]

It's a nightmare having no cash.
At one point we were so bad (and may be again) that we literally had no cash for groceries and had to buy them on the credit card each week! Not good, believe me...
I tended to opt for bag of frozen veg and any meat that was on offer in the supermarket - asda is good for 3 for £10 type deals. If you go for 3 x packs of pork loin, for example, you can turn that into a few meals, keep 'em frozen when you get home and you're sorted. Eggs are cheap, I eat loads of those in different forms.
It's hard - very hard honey, and I feel for you.
If you need/want a chat in private, give me a yell, I know where you're coming from perhaps more than you realise x

 

[MumTums]

Yeh i'm really careful & take advantage of offers etc with lots of planning but we've run out of stuff and havent go any money until Saturday (I dont wanna use credit card unless i have to) so we've just gotta make do!

We do get our potatoes & eggs from hubbys parents for free so i'm sure we'll sort something! Hubby did well last night and rustled up something SW friendly(ish) but tonight & 2mora we might struggle!

I also cant really afford the £4.50 to go to class anymore but it seems such a shame as i'm so close to target *STAMPS FEET!* lol

Thanks guys, its good to know i have your support x

 

[Sarah-Jayne]

Totally understand where your coming from babes. Im also pretty strapped for cash so do mainly green days. Buy a massive bag of pasta, huge bag or rice, millions of tins of budget baked beans, million eggs and lots of potatos = life saver for a green day/week and low cost too!

 

[MumTums]

Hmmm think i might just have to go shopping on the credit card, i aint bloody going hungry! x

 

[frugal fifer]

I like the others tend to stick to green to keep costs down. The only other thing I would say is be canny with your leftovers, if you cook a bit extra one day you can rustle up something else with whats left making the most of what you have - what do you like to eat? It is hard to give suggestions sometimes as everyone has different tastes. I am always on a low budget and find it really hard sometimes to get good food cheap.

 

[judimac]

Markets usually reduce their stuff in the last half hour as they don't want to take it home. Veg soups, add lentils for protein. I get packs of dried pulses and do them in the pressure cooker after soaking them overnight. You can get pasta very cheaply. I've been there! It isn't much fun.

 

[GymClassHero]

Hey MumTums, why not try going to the supermarkets at about 8pm, they usually start reducing the stock that needs to be used in the next day or 2.

Tesco near me always has a section bursting with fruit, veg, salad, meat and fish reduced to less than half the original price. Stuff like sir fry can be used the day after and you could freeze any meat/fish if you pick any up

 

[Sallyannie]

ALDI are great for cheap veg etc you can have lots of pasta and sauces. I agree with gymclasshero late night they have some great bargains I would have staved when i was on the dole a few years back with out this!

 

[JestersTear]

Hmmm think i might just have to go shopping on the credit card, i aint bloody going hungry! x

Yep, that's what we had to do for a while.
not fun, but sometimes you have to do it..

 

[princessria]

i do it on a shoe string hon, asda noodles are 10p each and they are 2 syns i have one everyday also quorn or other veg products are always on offer in asda veg from Aldi or i get the one pound salads, pasta n sauce are 80p and free on a green. it's not easy but you will find your own way of doing it hon, and don't worry most people are in the same boat XXX

 

[kazpeza]

aww hun i think we have all been there

Can you stock up with Mince,pasta,Potatoes things like that cause i think you can always throw something together with mince and its a pretty cheap meal same goes for pasta

 

[jaylou]

Tinned mixed beans are my lifesaver, they are about 35p from Aldi/Lidl and are great with tinned tomatoes and are great spiced up with chilli, garlic, onion and served with either pasta, mince, in a jacket etc.
It is hard esp when we are being told to eat oily fish (expensive) and lean meat (more expensive!). If you want meat, go to the butcher and ask for the cheaper cuts, make a big casserole with root veg (cheap) and serve with mash. Also, shop on the market for veg, it will be seasonal and therefore cheaper.

Hope this helps, you could always list what you have in the cupboard and see if we can come up with some meal ideas?

Potatoes and eggs means spanish omelette to me! SW friendly and served with baked beans is a cheap meal. xx

 

[kazpeza]

also get potatoes least then you can make mash,jackets,sw chips and wedges

 

[Alyce]

I know how you feel hun i buy tinned veg - like carrots and pots for 45p from asda (they usually have good offers on them) and frozen veg too.
I also buy meat when its on offer and freeze it - then its there when i'm really skint!!

Aldi is fab aswell - best to go with non branded items- they are just as tastey!!!


Alyce xx

 

[frugal fifer]

Tinned mixed beans are my lifesaver, they are about 35p from Aldi/Lidl and are great with tinned tomatoes and are great spiced up with chilli, garlic, onion and served with either pasta, mince, in a jacket etc.

I did not realise they sold these in Aldi/Lidl will have to look closer in my local store as one of my goals is too add more pulses to my diet. Thanks for the info.

 

[charlottegrace1]

It sucks being broke but with a little knowledge you can strectch the budget and live reasonably well. Check out Aldi for fruit and veg 49p. Asda start reducing there meat about 3.00pm. Summerfield around 1.00pm and the Co.op mid morning. Markets will start reducing their fruit and veg around 3.30pm to get rid of it. Stretch food out such as mince by adding baked beans for cottage pies and red kidney beans for bolognaise and chillis. Frozen peppers are good for cooking and no waste as are mushrooms. Be savey with left overs and do frittatas, bubble and squeek or a lasagne (they hide a multitude of ingredients lol) or chuck a tin of tomatoes into the mix and pour over pasta. It takes a bit of organising to run a fridge and store cupboards but you soon get the hang of buying only what you need so there is no leftovers. Good luck and hopefully you will have a bit left over to spoil yourslef xx

 

[GracieMai]

There was a Vegtable Pilaf recipe in the magazine last month which was really cheap per serving, I made loads of it and it was good as lunch for a couple of days, plus the rice was really filling. Just chuck a loads of frozen veg and some garlic and onion and cook it all together. I tend to live on it for the last week in every month. x

 

[Ninja]

When I was strapped for cash I would buy a med sized chicken (£4 ish) to feed the 3 of us and would be able to make several meals from it. Pasta with chicken, tinned toms, garlic and onions. Soup with mixed veg or/and pulses. Chinese fried rice with chicken, sweetcorn, peas mushrooms - whatever is cheap and you can get your hands on etc thrown in. Risotto.

Boil the bones up for stock and I think it's only 1-2 syns but it makes your food taste much better and it's free.

Obviously by the end of the week you may find yourself looking like a chicken But all of these meals can be frozen.

 

[jaylou]

I've just remembered this, our consultant always tells us to refer to the student pages on the SW website, they have some great budget meals on there and it's well worth a look.
Jay x