Challenge: Feed yourself for less than £2 per day!

[Ghozer]

On post #12 of this thread you said you paid £350 for a graphics card. You did well to save up for that with only £9 a week to live on after 'essentials'

 

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=9913769#post9913769

 

It was when I was working.... and it wasn't £350 for the GFX card, it was for the whole computer...

 

---------- Post added 11-08-2013 at 08:35 ----------

 

I really appreciate all the help and info everyone has offered on this thread...

 

I'll be going to Tesco (the closest shop to me) later today (Sunday) and seeing what I can pick up nice and cheap, based on the ideas from this thread... (depending if I wake up on time, as I couldn't get to sleep, it's 8:30 am and I'm still awake, but now yawning)

 

and now, i'm swallowing my pride, I thank you all for all the advise and help offered, and if you have offered to help me beyond the forums, thank you...

 

If you have offered to help in some way, i'll PM you later today (Sunday) and see what's what and go from there, people such as Medusa, Gazza58, sheffieldliz and mafya etc...

 

 

 

(I don't like taking help, even if offered... some say i'm awkward, but some people just don't like it.... me, I like to try and deal with things myself, don't like accepting help usually...)

[stereolab]

Watching a very late News programme on TV last night. It looked at the following day's newspaper front pages. One (I think it was the Daily Mail) had a huge headline 'Summer of Hunger' about the massive rise in people having to use foodbanks.

 

But today that headline was nowhere to be seen.

 

 

That's because you are looking in the wrong place...

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/summer-of-hunger-huge-rise-in-food-bank-use-as-demand-linked-to-welfare-reform-8755101.html

[melthebell]

Try living off 30p for three days

a 10p mix everyday Oo

[Allen]

It's not really a game, I didn't want to do it as a "woe is me" or "help, with my dire situation" type post...

 

What I have put though, is honest, in terms of the utensils I have available...

 

Yes, you may have a £20-£25/weekly shopping bill, but that's you, and you probably have all the utensils at your disposal, as well as general household things like cooking oil, salt, pepper, blah blah blah...

 

It was the word "game" that made me suspicious, perhaps unduly so.

Apologies, and good luck.

[bassy]

Ghozer all supermarkets have a reduced section for fresh items that need to sell or items that are on or near the sell by date you can get some good bargains there and also maybe you could pick up a couple of oven dishes or utensils from a charity shop for pennies so you would have more options in how you can cook the food you buy

[andyofborg]

in general most of the above advice is quite sound and if you are only doing this for a few days you probably wont suffer but in the longer term you need to make sure your diet is more balanced.

 

if you dont want to live on the cheap supermarket gloop but want to cook decent food then here's some advice which was given to me many years ago:

 

firstly divide the food budget into 4 and spend a quarter on fish and meat, a quarter on fruit and veg, a quarter on the milk/egg/cheese dairy type stuff and the rest including any savings from the other three parts on other groceries.

 

secondly, shop around and take advantage of offers, and find the cheapest stuff. morrissons may have the cheapest carrots but they might not have the cheapest onions. Also, try and find places where you can buy things in ones and twos rather than bags and packs of lots which will go off. This does take some effort, but it gets you out in the fresh air rather than sat at home brooding.

 

thirdly, to a large extent shop first then worry about what to cook, rather than deciding what you want to eat then looking for ingredients

[RootsBooster]

Ok, lemme lay down the "rules" of the game, and explanation why first..

 

The explanation why, is, I lost my job just over a month ago, have debts to pay (Council tax left by a previous housemate at my old place, and the place was under my name... but that's a different subject) and the usual bills..

 

After all outgoings, I am now left with £9 in the bank, and no food, I have to feed myself for 5 days, on £9

 

 

Rules:

 

You have VERY limited utensils to cook with, No microwave or things like a slow cooker, only 2 pans, 1 frying pan, and not much in the way of cutlery etc... No measuring Jug, or pyrex dishes for the oven...

 

So it's not as simple as just buying fresh produce and making meals that way.

 

So, that's your challenge...

 

How can I feed myself, for 5 days, with £9 and limited cooking utensils...

You'd need to make in batches and freeze the excess, but take a look at this site... A Girl Called Jack

 

...and this one too

[Steptoad]

Have a look around The Castle Market around closing time on Saturdays. Especially for soft fruit. I came away with a carrier bag full of bananas and four punnets of strawberries for £2. That'll keep me in desserts and snacks for week or two.

[chem1st]

18 eggs £1.50 ish. Bread 60p, much less/practically free if you go before closing and buy knockdown. Teabags 28p, UHT milk 53p.

 

Eggs sandwiches and tea will see you through...

 

£6 spare, nearly enough for a days travel pass to see friends/family.

 

---------- Post added 12-08-2013 at 01:26 ----------

 

Ghozer all supermarkets have a reduced section for fresh items that need to sell or items that are on or near the sell by date you can get some good bargains there and also maybe you could pick up a couple of oven dishes or utensils from a charity shop for pennies so you would have more options in how you can cook the food you buy

 

I've seen second hand quite worn pots and pans in charity shops for more than what they cost new. I recall one instance of a friend buying a 2nd hand toaster in a charity shop for more than it would cost new.

 

Reduced sections at supermarket good, but charity shops not so good.

[psynuk]

easy, go to the pound shop

-3 packets of super noodles=£1, buy 9= £3 (that's enough to survive right there)

(you can save money ((about a £1))by getting cheeper noodles, or a bag of pasta/tinned tomatoes.) you could spend this extra £1 on; biscuits= digestive=35p, beans for jacket spud = 30p, or a beer?? or cordial or a frozen pizza ect ect)

 

also milk £1

 

spend the rest on...

cheep corn flakes-50p = breakfasts

some cheap bread -50p= sandwiches

some ham slices/paste/or similar cheap stuff £1

boiled eggs+ toast or to slice for sandwiches £1

 

with the remaining ,

I'd probably go for fishsingers or chips to go with supernoodles-£1

2 tomatoes, 1/2 cucumber to go in sandwiches (and a potato for jacket spud)could be got from the market cheep <£1

 

I'm assuming you've got; margarine +some ketchup, and maybe some other bits to add in,

Hendersons?

also guess you've got tea/coffee making abilities?

 

you should be able to figure simple measurements out without a jug

1/2 pint =280ml pint=568ml ect

just need oven/grill/kettle

 

 

in fact first scour the house for extra cash, sofa, all pockets, car?, bedroo, look absolutley everywhere. tip the sofa up to see if moneys got inside it, look in the rubber ring of the washing machine+ the fluff trap..

Edited August 12, 2013 by psynuk