How cheap can you live?

[Arimeh]

Thanks guys. Can you tell me what kind of meals you eat for that kind of money?

[thepixie]

Melly baby google "$120 food challenge" (cue shameless plug for my friends blog)
She spends $120 a fortnight on meals to feed a family of four (her family is 3 but her son is a teenager so eats enough for 2) and she cooks delicious meals, recipes on the website. Every week she puts up a list of bargain buys to start you off for your fortnight.

[Liviam]

I'm going to subscribe because I spend way way way too much money on groceries. DH and I got ourselves into a little financial bind (not serious but I don't like it) so I'm trying to do a budget. I need to cut our expenses but I don't want the meal quality to drop off too much - IYKWIM.

[sconeonamission]

oooh! I love $120 food challenge!

We live on anywhere between $120 and $170 a fortnight on food for the 3 of us... Meals have left overs, so thats what dh takes for lunch. And things for daycare and uni...

[Mummato2]

Thanks guys. Can you tell me what kind of meals you eat for that kind of money?

Depends on the menu - but if it's steak as in steak, mash, vegies - the we buy t-bone or sirloin - but remember this comes from bulk at the butcher portioned and frozen.

If it's to go in casseroles, stews, stirfrys etc - I slow cook ALL of it - so the cheaper cuts are fine since they'll get really tender in the slow cooker

[deletedit]

Getting large bills is a good way to force you to go cheap. This fortnight we have a $2000 bill and a $750 bill and of course $400 mortgage too. So something is going to have to give ...

Would have been nice to get more warning on the $2000 one, they booked an appointment for us and THEN a week later told us we had to pay up FIRST.

[YoYo]

When I was home and living with Mum, I would shop for her and managed pretty well.

I bought bulk meat, which is expensive, but you can split them and put them in the freezer for multiple meals. I kept an eye on the junk mail to see what meat is on special, and sometimes going shopping late in the day loads of things are marked down too.

Also bought the cheaper fruit & veg from the greengrocer

I wrote a list and STUCK TO IT....the minute you start scowling the isles, you end up with so many other things you just don't really need....like grain waves...mmmmm grainwaves!

[Roryrory]

I love the $120 food challenge - I'm taking it up!

My problem is I am used to not having to budget on food, so I am used to using expensive ingredients. Time to go back to student mode!

[Liviam]

I love the $120 food challenge - I'm taking it up!

My problem is I am used to not having to budget on food, so I am used to using expensive ingredients. Time to go back to student mode!

:yeahthat: Off to do some research.