Frugal February

This is a cracking idea. I have just come back to slimming world and am so skint since Xmas. It was my step-son's birthday in December and my youngest son's birthday in January. Got the car in for MOT this month so keeping my fingers crossed it isn't too bad!

I am going to budget £300 for the month, that is for 2 adults, 1 teen and 2 youngsters, that includes toiletries, cleaning products and nappies on top of regular food.

One question I have.... how long is meat good to eat when its been frozen? I have some pork loin in freezer that I got before Xmas, would it still be ok to have? Seems a waste to throw it.
 
Mrs.S. said:
Yeah we probably spend about the same. Although lots of it is junk or convenience stuff for hubby/kids.

May try and be a bit cleverer too and make jellies with fruit etc for lunch boxes. I reckon they'll be pennies a portion!

Do ya reckon this could help with portion control too?

So I'll be conscious when I make food to save some for lunch, so will serve slightly smaller portions for dinner?!
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I've found batch cooking helps with the portion control as well Mrs S, and reduces wastage on food as well. You can buy smartprice/basics veg and because you batch cook it the day you buy it it doesn't matter if it lasts.

Each week I make 2 different lunch for me (usually a soup & a lentil or bean based stew), plus I make 5 meals, which all have a portion left over for lunch for my hubby to take to work. Before i started doing this I would make a meal each night, use the same amount of stuff, but there wouldn't be any leftovers, soi I'd still end up making a massive batch of chilli or something for him to take ot work. So I've saved at least £15 a week by doing that.
 
I'm going to work out over the weekend what I do and don't have in, and what home-made 'ready meals' I still have in the freezer. Then I can plan meals for the whole of Feb and set a budget for myself.

However, I'm looking at setting myself a buget of £150 per month overall, breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks and wine each weekend. It will also have to cover toiletries, cleaning products, etc. If I can come in under that then even better!

The only issue I have is that I have very little storage in my kitchen - one cupboard for food, one for tableware and one for cookware. Saucepans have to live on top of the fridge and the slow cooker and tupperware under the bed! That kind of limited the amount of bulk buying I can do. I also only have a small table-top sized freezer.

But, let's give it a go and see how I get on. One of my main problems is that I sometimes nip into Tesco on the way home from work - never a good idea as it means I buy stuff I don't need and things get wasted!
 
I like to join you too in the challange for february. It is only me but I like to budget £20 a week as I eat a lot of fresh fruit & veg and this budget will include having family around a couple of times.

Already do my fruit shopping in Aldi & lidl and like to buy Free range chicken and eggs from Aldi.

My budget forr the month is £80.
 
Mini~Mummy~2~B said:
This is a cracking idea. I have just come back to slimming world and am so skint since Xmas. It was my step-son's birthday in December and my youngest son's birthday in January. Got the car in for MOT this month so keeping my fingers crossed it isn't too bad!

I am going to budget £300 for the month, that is for 2 adults, 1 teen and 2 youngsters, that includes toiletries, cleaning products and nappies on top of regular food.

One question I have.... how long is meat good to eat when its been frozen? I have some pork loin in freezer that I got before Xmas, would it still be ok to have? Seems a waste to throw it.
Click to expand...

Your pork loin will be fine - usually if it's wrapped well your meat will last 3 months at least - i've eaten meat that has been home frozen for 6 months before now and it was fine - it's safe - but may lose a little texture the longer you keep it!

If in doubt casserole it!
 
Just posting so I can find this later when I'm at home but so jumping on this with you guys! Money is dead tight atm and I am usually a good shopper but been a bit loose with the money and buying convenient stuff :( will post more info later xx
 
I'm going to jump in too, I've got a freezer that needs to be emptied and saving money never hurts :)

There's 3 of us and I have a loose budget of $100 a week for food (stuff is expensive here) right now, but I'll see if we can do $75 a week...including work lunches and breakfast.
 
I'd love to join this too. There are four of us - two adults and two kids and we must spend at least £500 at the supermarket (not just food, other stuff too, but still!!)

I would love to get this down to £200 for Feb. I don't think I could manage that every month, but the freezer and cupboards are rammed at the moment, so if I make a dent in them I could probably do it.

Game on!!
 
Count me in too! For the two of us and all the animals, I think we come in at £30 a week, but I would like to check this is true, and maybe shave a bit off too! Our freezers are so full, I have written the contents down on a white board, and now wipe off anything we use, and try my best not to replace it!
But I'm guilty of not doing a weekly shop, just popping out when I need something, like yesterday in Aldi I spent about £6 I think, then £2 in Farmfoods - it all mounts up. Our main killers are OH's addiction to cherry coca cola, and Whiskas pouches. Got the two little ones on cheaper pouches, but the big dude ain't budging from his Whiskas!
 
Cheap Family Recipes | Low Cost Meals | Reduce Food Bills | Eat For Less Money

try this site for some cheap adaptable recipes, another tip go to shops late at night to get the bargains i work for a big food retailer and i work a couple of nights, sometimes i get brill bargains like chicken and salmon for 10p once i got 5 punnets of cherry toms for 25p :)

to make a cheap tasty bolognese instead of using meat use red lentils and grated carrot, ceap veg soups topped with cooked pasta

i want a cheap as poss month, will have to cut out the luxuries like cereal bars - although i read a thread on making your own for the week eg out of healthy extras such as porridge oats and dried fruit may give it a whirl. i do have a full food store cupboard and freezer so i will use as much as i can from home. i will plan my meals round the food i already have in. i have a really bad tendancy to bulk buy bargains i must stop. if i think of anything else i'll be back! xx
 
i'm in i will set 150 quid budget, tesco have a deal this week if you spend 40 instore or online you get a 5 pounds off next week
£5 off - Tesco Groceries

also don't know if anyone knows but tesco value cottage cheese is free and the value natural yogurt is only 1.5 syns for the whole big carton. also i'm checking out the aldi super 6 and basing meals round these where i can x

a recipe with the yogurt that goes great will just plain boiled rice and sw chips and mushy peas if you like them:

syn free curry sauce

1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 - 1 tbsp curry powder
400g tin chopped tomatoes
2 floz veg stock
2 tbsp sweetner
yogurt 2-4 tbsp

fry onion, ginger and garlic in fry light for 2 minutes, add the curry powder, stir in the toms, stock and sweetner. simmer for 15 mins. take off heat stir in yogurt and blend.

serve with sw chips and mushy peas

I got this recipe from a sw magazine when i first did sw back in 2005, i usually add a lot more yogurt than it says. i have made it a few times for taster sessions and everyone always asks for the recipe
 
parfittaroles said:
I'll be buying tesco value stuff lol. And have mostly green days
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Ah right! Can't get hubby to consider a meal without meat in it to be a 'real' meal so probably explains it!
 
I find eating much cheaper since I became vegetarian :) off work sick for past 7 weeks and still got at least 6 to go since i shattered my ankle to pieces so any money saving tips are great! :)

Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins
 
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