School Dinners

[wonder]

I wish we could shop together. It would make my life easier. Wish hubby would cook on occassion too. He used to do both. So I dont think he should moan about what I put on the table for him, he should stop being so fussy about food. [:)]

[Skippy]

I must be so lucky - Dave and I do the shopping together and he does the cooking!

I love things like pasta and noodles, but I wouldn't want to eat them every day for 5 years!

[mole]

I love my wife but shopping together is not recommended for us. We alternate the work but now always try to have a list before we go and try to stick to it. We share the cooking 2 days each and the other 3 days we eat at friends/parents. Although, I am ok at cooking I seem to have a limited range and get bored easily. Luckly, I like cheap stuff, stews, offal, pasta, we don't even mind ready meals (when of offer) and just load the meal with lots more veg. A recipe exchange on the social posts area would be fun

[David Mond]

By the way I had fish and mash potatoes last night!

I'm not sure Roast Turbot and Potato Puree counts David ! [:D]

It was mediterranean sole (very small and thin) and real potatoes mashed up by my wife with a fork! [:D]

[Julie]

Hubby does all cooking and shopping[:D].......I do the ironing [:)]

[ivas4us]

Melanie you may well be right, I still think I could manage on the shopping front and still save a little left over. I don't cook very often these days as much as I used to probably because my wife changed jobs and now works in the day rather than the evening and I'm also doing a degree distance learning. It's really is about counting the pennies now, yes it is a challange, but one things for sure my family will not go hungry just in order that I achieve the goal of the completion of the iva. £400 a month is achieveable but not if you want rump steak every night.

[kallis3]

Mine is at home all day, so does the cleaning, cooking and shares with the shopping.

I do the washing and the ironing and share the shopping.

[ivas4us]

Must admit I am looking forward to retirement, not long now only 25 years.

[ivas4us]

Melanie, Just out of curiosity if somebody put in thier IE sheet £400 for food for a family of 5, how would you deal with it.

[wonder]

I do the shopping, washing, ironning, look after kids & dog, wash up and go to work 3 days. And not forgetting looking after the hubby too. He sits at his pc while I fetch his endless cups of tea. And his snacks! [8D]

[ivas4us]

fetch me the violin

[kallis3]

I can retire in 4 1/2 years and I can't wait!

[MelanieGiles]

To answer Paul I would firstly consult CCCS guidelines to see what the payment bands are. For a family of five the recommended minimum expenditure is £347 per month with a maximum of £550 per month. So £400 fits within the guidelines, but in my opinion is low - and I usually operate at the maximum level.

Secondly I would ask my client what they generally spend on shopping on a weekly basis, to include incidentals such as bread, milk and convenience items which are generally forgotten but can add up. If the figures quoted generally fell within the guideline figures then I would satisfy myself that the budget was actually affordable.

I would also ask the question of both husband and wife to ensure that both were singing off the same humn sheet.

[Skippy]

I think I've 'only' got another 31 years until I retire!

[ivas4us]

I very much like your approach Melanie. I have to hold my hands up it was me that put £400 which I thought was right and I still beleive we can work with it. Where I have let myself down with my argument as you have probably guessed its not actually me that does the shopping. I am still 100% convinced our proposal was the best possible in the circumstances and will succeed.