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Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 2:03 pm
by patty
I just wanted to post some tips for eating cheap.
we have been on IVA for just over a year and are doing fine. we get £62.50 per week for food but we both smoke at a cost of £60 per week which is not considered in IVA so really we have only £2.50
OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T EAT FOR £2.50 it comes from other allowances like food at work, clothing, perscriptions, emergency and other things


for food, PLEASE READ ON
Go to aldi and lidl, try their own brands they are often the same if not better.
my father is a haulage contractor, he goes to the food cleaning product manufacturers, there are not loads of them, they use the exact same food but just package them differently for each retailer!! it is the same stuff, i never buy anything branded.
it is just psychological with most people.
try the gran aroma coffee from lidl, i had to trick my husband with this he always said he could tell cheap coffee, so i put it in an empty nescaff jar, he did not notice, i told him after he had drank the lot, it is £1.69 a jar. SOME OF THE COFFEE YOU CAN TELL BUT I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT ONE

DON'T BUY COOKED SLICED MEAT FOR SANDWHICHES BUY A JOINT OF MEAT COOK AND SLICE YOURSELF THEN PUT IN AN AIRTIGHT TUB AND KEEP IN THE FRIDGE, MUCH CHEAPER AND BETTER MEAT NO ADDED WATER AND OTHER CRAP

for the kids, buy 1 pack of say kellogs rice krispies, then just refill with the cheaper ones if they are refusing to eat the unbranded stuff, they will never know.

cleaning, i buy a bottle of cleaner with a good trigger spray, then refill with the thin bleach from lidl, it is 69p for 5 litre, i just use it as a spray and it works great, i know you should not mix chemicals but i just add a bit of lavader oil and shake it so it smells lovely!!!



NEVER PAY FOR BRANDED MEDICINES THEY ARE THE BIGGEST RIP OF EVER, JUSR READ THE INGREDIENTS ON THE BACK THEY ARE EXACTLY THE SAME AND THE SAME DOSAGE,


get up early on sundays and go to carboot sales, i get LOTS of DESIGNER CLOTHES AND SHOES FOR ABOUT £1 each, they are often like new, I got a brand new next suit for my husband to go to a wedding, it was £4 not a mark on it, berghaus gortex jacket £5

next jeans £1, ben sherman shirts £1, lacoste shirt £3
brand new sketchers boots £3 never worn the list goes on.

when buying food always look at the price per kilo or per 100 grams, its the best way to see which is cheapest. you will be surprised.

use a slow cooker for cheaper cuts of meat they will just melt in the mouth.

keep all fresh veg in the fridge it lasts for ages, no sprouting potatoes, the last for weeks.

bye for now best wishes, think positive and do not feel bad, no body ends up like this on purpose x x x

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 2:30 pm
by luluj
Brilliant post giving forum members some things to think over - it is amazing how resourceful you can become when you have to !

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 3:25 pm
by patty
Thats right, another thing is pet food, I adore my boxer dog and want the best for him but food it sooo expensive like science paln at £50 a bag.
I spoke to a vet and was very frank that I could not afford this food but did not want to compromise the health of my dog. He told me that ANY pet food labelled COMPLETE has to meet certain nutritional requirements BY LAW or it cannot say complete. I said I was thinking of the lidl complete food it is £6.99 for 10 kilo,

HE SAID IT WOULD BE FINE AND NOT TO WORRY
MY DOG HAS BEEN EATING THIS FOR 1 YEAR, HE HAS THIS WITH HALF A TIN OF ALDI EARLS MEAT FOR FLAVOUR, HE LOVES IT

MY DOG IS A PICTURE OF HEALTH PEOPLE ALWAYS COMMENT ON HIS CONDITION THAT THEY CAN TELL HE IS WELL CARED FOR, SHINY COAT EYES ETC, HE WEIGHES 38 KILO AND NOT A BIT OF FAT.
AS I SAID HE IS LIKE MY CHILD SO I WOULD NOT GIVE HIM ANYTHING BAD.

Also I know some people may not want neighbours or family and friends to know they are living on a budget, just take your own bags to aldi lidl, asda or even marks and spencer!!!

buy the branded shampoo cleaning products then fill them with the cheap stuff, my bathroom looks great with all my fancy products on display, not, lol x x x

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 11:13 am
by plasticdaft
Whats steps are you taking to give up the oily rags?

Paul

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 2:51 pm
by patty
we have tried allsorts but I have bipolar so it is extremely difficult my doctor has even advised AGAINST it, unbeleivable!! my illness is what got us into so much debt in first place. we have cut down and now roll our own but living with such a disability of the mind makes stopping very difficult. good luck with everything and take care thanks for reading my post

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 2:53 pm
by patty
how do i find your all i wanted was a baby blog, would love to read it but i am new to this?

Brilliant post giving forum members some things to think over - it is amazing how resourceful you can become when you have to !
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Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 3:02 pm
by kallis3
Click on the Member blogs link on the left hand side of the page and you will find it there.

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 9:28 pm
by Shining
There are some good pointers there, I buy Lidl thin bleach 5 litres for 69p and add it to the mop bucket. I also buy the complete dog food, not tried the coffee but may just do, my hubby is the same he likes a 'nice' coffee.

My daughter been on tablets for a couple of weeks to stop smoking and both her and her hubby are one week without cigarettes to date. They are continuing to take the tablets.

Have you tried roll ups they can work out cheaper, when I smoked, I preferred a roll up.....not always the best look for a female but I personally enjoyed them. x

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 11:14 pm
by plasticdaft
My wife took champix and ended up off work with depression caused by the tablets!!!

Paul

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 8:22 am
by footiemad
I still miss my ciggies after 6 years of giving up. Sometimes I dream about packets of Superkings, hiding in the garage and smoking them all until I'm sick - how sad is that!!

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 8:28 am
by kallis3
I gave up about 16 years ago. Still miss them on the odd occasion but would never go.back to them. I went cold turkey when I did it. My only regret was the weight I wacked on afterwards.

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 8:44 am
by carole2662
I gave up smoking 32 years ago the day my daughter was born and I must say I hate the smell of ciggys now but it took a while.Also I dont drink tea or coffe and again cant stand the smell. I gave up refined sugar in an attempt to beat the bulge about 3 years ago and dont miss it now but about 3 months in I could have mugged for a bag of Harribo but I have lost 2 stone.

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 8:49 am
by kallis3
I don't like the smell either. I do.drink coffee although it is mostly decaff. Rarely drink.tea and haven't taken sugar for a very long time. Don't eat anything sweet at all and even the thought of it makes me feel ill.

Well done on the weight loss.

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 9:23 am
by Skippy
I've never smoked - I've never seen the point of it. I don't drink tea or coffee, only peppermint tea - I can't stand the smell of coffee, it makes me feel sick.

I have to say that I wouldn't change Harry's cat food from James Wellbeloved as I was quite shocked at the ingredients in some other cat food. I'd rather Dave and I cut back!

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 9:32 am
by kallis3
Our dogs are fed Chappie complete together with Butchers tinned, and any leftovers from our meals. They have treats and a daily dentastix as well. I'd also go without rather than change.