www.iva.co.uk

This is the first time since IVA go live that I am panicking! We have £175 to live on (food, petrol and sundry) for the next two weeks - our petrol alone will be £100 (mine £60, his £40)! Any suggestions apart from beans on toast ?

That does sound very tight and minus petrol you will be left with £5.36 per day, is there just 2 of you?

Yes thank fully....I feel it might be time for a few trips to mothers and in laws for dinners! reason for shortness this month is I managed to snap my glasses and they could not be mended - the contigency fund went last month on moving costs so we have had to use our "normal" money to replace my glasses! It can't get any worse (can it!)

pasta and more pasta?

Hi lulu
Look at what you have in the cupboards and freezer and try to write a list of meals to get you through. Just buy what you need to add to them to make your meals. You will be surprised what you can come up with.

Ang

thanks - only so much pasta one can do! I went to Asda today and bought mince for £1, tin of chopped tomatoes, tomato puree and two peppers and some mushrooms - cost in total £3.65 - came home and made a lasagne big enough for 10 portions! So suppose it is possible you just have to be resourceful!

It is possible, beleive me. I went to the market today bought celery, tomatoes, lettuce, big bag of potatoes,carrots, spring onions, brocolli - grand total 3.85 I was paid on Tues and skint already due to owing 100.00 to friend, I borrowed to pay for MOT. Next month much better (pay rise)

before the prevebial hit the fan, I borrowed 100 pounds off my mom to last two weeks, there are five of us. I also had to get petrol and if on Doms at work it was touch and go. I got ham and mince and loads of pasta, I made sauce with what I had. It cost 20 pounds per week for us all and I have to admit, I sat in the car on the dom visits as I was too afraid to use the petrol, it was a 30 mile round trip just to to work. I just put they didnt answer the door, naughty I know but I was desperate at the time. I still had to pay school dinners and packed lunches.

I am sure you will be supprised at how well you will cope.. and it will be a challenge...

My dog went o sleep on my bed on top of my glasses[:0] and snapped the arm off.
I look like Jack Duckworth at the moment when I have on glasses as they are held together with tape!!
Luckily I only wear them around the house and I found a nice pair at my local Costco and they will be ready soon[:)]

I've got £20 the next weeks shopping. So, £175 seems okay. As mentioned before, make a veggie stew. Eat it with rice/pasta/jacket pots over the week and melt some cheese over the top.

Get a large chicken and roast it. Have a meal from the legs and then get the rest of the meat off and have stir fries or curry if there's enough for 3 lots of meals for 2. I managed 7 meals out of one chicken just for me and I'm not exactly mean with my food !!!

Thank you all for your ideas and suggestions - much appreciated - it always seems to happen over a bank holiday period!

What I sometimes do is when we've had chicken, I boil the carcass until the meat has dropped off. Seive the stock and if there's any chunks of meat pick them out. Put in more or less anything you can, last time I made it I used potatoes, carrots, turnip, garlic, leeks, lentils, herbs, stock cube, salt & pepper and finished it off with some quick cook pasta, was a sort of soup/broth/stew but tasted absolutely lovely, hubby was well impressed. Most of the stuff I had in anyhow and you don't need that much as it mounts up.
It's a good idea from aguise, that way you won't be panicking about what you can rustle up, you'll know in advance.