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j4I don't know what to do about budgeting for food. ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sion_a and I have been sharing evening meals, and basically he's been paying for pretty much everything, which is clearly unfair; but when I suggested trying to allocate a set amount for food he was unhappy about the idea & said he'd prefer to go back to the way we used to do it -- on a completely ad hoc basis, buying food roughly once a week but often more, and sort of taking turns to pay. I can understand why he wouldn't want to do that -- there's no reason why he should have to go without everything he wants just because I'm skint -- but I don't think I can cope with that kind of system and still claw my finances back to a sensible point.
On the other hand, I have no idea how to budget for feeding just one person, because more or less ever since I've lived out I've been sponging off one boyfriend or another, and cooking for at least two people. Basically I'm just not used to living a single life, but it's about time I learned.
How much do people think is a sensible amount of money to allocate for a week's food (lunches and evening meals) for one?
For ages I've been eating at the pub on Thursdays with the rest of the crowd -- is it stupid to try to build that into a budget? (The pub food isn't expensive, but it's still eating-out rather than eating-in. Last night's meal cost £3.25, and that's not quite the cheapest option.)
So far this week I have spent the following:
£ 1.19 5 avocados and 2 bananas
£ 0.99 1 bag of new potatoes
£ 3.25 meal at the pub
£ 2.40 1 pint of beer
£15.00 karate lesson
The potatoes and avocados between them have made lots of salads for lunches. I feel like I've been reasonably good about money, but the evening meals have mostly been covered by stuff thatsion_a's bought, so really I'm just sponging still. :-(
Bank balance is looking more healthy, but there's still £86 owed to a friend to come out of that -- and no, I can't pay back in instalments, I just want to clear the debt in one go -- and money for a birthday present for somebody else. Salary comes through in less than a week now, but I know I mustn't see that as the point when I can start spending money again!
Food tonight is sorted: I'm working a shift at the pub so I'll have my usual sandwich or bowl of chips. And more money! Hurrah.
sion_a and I have been sharing evening meals, and basically he's been paying for pretty much everything, which is clearly unfair; but when I suggested trying to allocate a set amount for food he was unhappy about the idea & said he'd prefer to go back to the way we used to do it -- on a completely ad hoc basis, buying food roughly once a week but often more, and sort of taking turns to pay. I can understand why he wouldn't want to do that -- there's no reason why he should have to go without everything he wants just because I'm skint -- but I don't think I can cope with that kind of system and still claw my finances back to a sensible point. On the other hand, I have no idea how to budget for feeding just one person, because more or less ever since I've lived out I've been sponging off one boyfriend or another, and cooking for at least two people. Basically I'm just not used to living a single life, but it's about time I learned.
How much do people think is a sensible amount of money to allocate for a week's food (lunches and evening meals) for one?
For ages I've been eating at the pub on Thursdays with the rest of the crowd -- is it stupid to try to build that into a budget? (The pub food isn't expensive, but it's still eating-out rather than eating-in. Last night's meal cost £3.25, and that's not quite the cheapest option.)
So far this week I have spent the following:
£ 1.19 5 avocados and 2 bananas
£ 0.99 1 bag of new potatoes
£ 3.25 meal at the pub
£ 2.40 1 pint of beer
£15.00 karate lesson
The potatoes and avocados between them have made lots of salads for lunches. I feel like I've been reasonably good about money, but the evening meals have mostly been covered by stuff that
sion_a's bought, so really I'm just sponging still. :-(Bank balance is looking more healthy, but there's still £86 owed to a friend to come out of that -- and no, I can't pay back in instalments, I just want to clear the debt in one go -- and money for a birthday present for somebody else. Salary comes through in less than a week now, but I know I mustn't see that as the point when I can start spending money again!
Food tonight is sorted: I'm working a shift at the pub so I'll have my usual sandwich or bowl of chips. And more money! Hurrah.
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no subject
Date: 2004-05-21 04:00 am (UTC)Poor choice of wording on my part; anyone who gets by on less is at least as worthy of respect as anyone who spends any particular amount. Apologies to anyone who takes offence. I could delete, edit and repost, but that's not how real conversations work.
We're probably really getting into class issues here, which I don't profess to understand. I have no idea what class I am, or what class this family is, or what my quoted figure says about me; nor do I have a clue how much we actually spend. Still, I stick by my figure (no matter how much the chattering classes might tut and ask "who does he think he is?") and suggest that this isn't a competition to see who can get away with spending, or quoting, the most or the least, or who can get the best value for money, or who has the BIGGEST WAD. Worthington's Law! It's more fun than Godwin's Law!
Foot, mouth, hole, stop digging.
no subject
Date: 2004-05-21 06:54 am (UTC)I've no idea what "class" I am, I don't think it's relevant. My salary is a morally neutral amount of money, and isn't affected by whether I say "serviette" or "napkin", and whether I have flat vowels or not. And how I spend my salary is a lifestyle choice, not necessarily (and certainly not exclusively) a class issue at all.
Confused, sorry.
no subject
Date: 2004-05-24 04:45 am (UTC)Nothing to see here. Please move along.