Budge it

[j4]

I don't know what to do about budgeting for food. 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.

Comments

[ghoti.livejournal.com]

I think that an averae of a pound per person per meal is generally doable but boring. Buying rice, pasta and lentils in bulk helps, as does eating frozen veg, and not buying fresh veg in supermarkets. I've always found the greengrocer on Milton road to have good prices and reasonable stuff.

Are you vegetarian? I can't remember. If not, then frozen mince and tinned fish, while not the nicest of things are fairly cheap.

Herbs and spices are your friend, but I suspect you know that already.

So, if you manag eto use cheap stuff for most of your dinners and lunches, nd just eat cornflakes or something for breakfast, then you can probably manage to have your thursday pub meal, and maybe another nicer meal a week, and still be under 20 pounds (particularly if you can face a couple of dinners of spaghetti-tinned sardines-fresh tomatoes which wouldn't cost more than fifty pence, or lentils/onions/tinned tomatos with rice, or something, and if you can cope with lunch consisting of cheese or ham sandwiches on death bread, some fruit and maybe economy crisps, you can cut lunches down to less than a pound, too, and you can always have omelettes or other more excitin things at the weekend. That way you can have more in the way of yoghruts and biscuits without feeling guilty)

Personally, I sponge rather than do that, but I have no conscience.

[oldbloke.livejournal.com]

The frozen mince is very adaptable.
chili, lasagne (with the supermarkets' cheapest nastiest lasagne sheets... ugh), shepherd's pie, burgers, dolmades. etc

[j4.livejournal.com]

Not veggie, no, but don't mind being veggie, IYSWIM. I have no moral or dietary problem with eating dead things but if I can't afford it I just won't eat it. Tinned fish? -- I don't mind tuna, but sardines are revolting. Can't think of any others except red salmon which is like tuna only more expensive.

I don't have breakfast, so that's okay. What's "death bread"?

[kake]

Tinned tuna is utterly marvellous for cheap quick meals.

[ghoti.livejournal.com]

*nod* I hate sardines, and generally just add sufficient herbs that it doesn't taste of sardines any more. There's also herring, mackerel and pilchards, all of which are sometimes but not always cheaper than tuna.

Death bread is cheapest nutrition free sliced bread.

[k425.livejournal.com]

Oh, tinned or jarred anchovies, if you like them, make a good pasta sauce too. Soften onion and garlic in butter/marge/oil, throw in some anchovies, let that turn to a really fishy mush while you cook the pasta, then toss the pasta in the mush. If you can get hold of some fresh parsley, throw that into the mush when you drain the pasta.