Much cheapness needed...

[rlucas]

Talk to your local proper butcher about shin beef, belly pork, neck of lamb, soup bones, liver and other offal. All are cheap(er) and tasty. Google up some recipes.

Have fun

[barefootlinzi]

Mrs F - we are in the same boat this month too due to my partner being off work with illness so his pay is much reduced. It seemed like we would only have £55 to feed us for the month but now we have worked out we have £100, better but not great!
i am going to do an audit of our fridge, freezer and cupboards and list all the meal i can make

[Green Aura]

I've probably posted this elsewhere, but when we both graduated we found ourselves in a pickle with the bank - whole other story.

Anyway we had a very small budget for the month, and had a few bits in the cupboards and freezer.

We sat down and made a very detailed menu plan for the full month - breakfast, lunch and dinner, based on what we'd got and then used the cash for staples - milk etc.

We found it quite an interesting exercise, which made it easier to get through and our standard of living didn't seem to be reduced.

[StripyPixieSocks]

Mrs F - we are in the same boat this month too due to my partner being off work with illness so his pay is much reduced. It seemed like we would only have £55 to feed us for the month but now we have worked out we have £100, better but not great!
i am going to do an audit of our fridge, freezer and cupboards and list all the meal i can make

We're in a similar boat to you, we have £80 / month... we cope admirably I think even if we do have to go without some things we would really like :)

[Berti]

I highly respect the people who get around with 100 UK pounds a month or less.
Sounds like I can learn a lot from you.
With how many are you all, who have to "make do" with this amount?
We are with the two of us and I don't seem to be able to keep things under 200 a month.......but wanting to.
I used to get by with 150 a month but then, that was two years ago, prices have now risen and this was with aldi only shopping....

berti

[JulieSherris]

It's amazing what you can do when things get tight - Mrs F, bearing in mind that things took another turn yesterday, I'm hoping that you'll be ok this month - I was formulating a similar plan for next week after our mortgage payment goes out & then hubby messaged me to tell me he's had a modest bonus from work! OK, not a fortune, but we'll make our mortgage payment with room to breathe, thank goodness.

But amongst my musings, I agree with other posters - pop to the local butcher & get some real meats - have a look for the cheaper cuts - why not try a never ender pot? By staggering the types of veg, you can make it taste differently too & with some nice crusty home made bread, it'll hit the spot lovely!

[invisiblepiper]

Hi there Mrs Flibble - been there too
Try a 'pastitsio'
Make a sauce - like a bolognaise one with tomatoes and chopped or minced meat and herbs - pork works well!
Then put dried macaroni in the BOTTOM of your oven proof dish - and pour the sauce over the top.(Make the sauce quite runny).
Bake in the oven - covered- gas 5 ish for an hour - add grated cheese in last five mins if affordable.
A greek dish - not Italian I believe - and serves up well on second and third days. Good with a bit of salad or veg.
Enjoy - and best wishes.
Piper.

[starchild]

One of our favourites is chickpea and tomato soup.

Simply puree a tin of each together whilst gently frying a clove of garlic.
Add 3/4 pint stock to the tomato / chickpea mix
Pour into the garlic and heat through for 5 minutes - you can add a handful of small pasta if you like.

I like this because it is filling, cheap to make, easy to make and requires little power to make it - it doesn't need to simmer for hours.

Hope everything is going well for you and thanks to everyone for their ideas - I'm learning a lot too