Back when we first started none of us were flush. And if we are honest this whole things seemed like a good way to explain why we were not looking for a job. Anyway something that very quickly became apparent was that lunch is expensive. When I had a job I had no qualms at all about popping down to Pret and spending a fiver on a sandwich and a bit of cake, I didn’t blink an eye at dropping £3 for a coffee from Starbucks. However when no money is coming in all of sudden stuff like that is just throwing money away. For the first few months at lunch we would all trot off to Sainsburys and buy food. If I was good I could keep it under a fiver, but all those cakes are tempting. Finally I realised we can’t go one like this and we started a new rule that we actually stuck to. Cooking for three is cost effective so lets stop buying separately and instead cook for each other. Setting the budget at £2 per head we have eaten much better meals and saved money. So what can you make for £2 a head for three people?
Sunday Roast, chilli Con Carnie, Curriies, spicy chicken wings, fish and lentals, chunky soups and stews, posh bangers and mash, tacos, fajtas, even a full English.
So here are my top tips to eating well on a budget.
- Buy in bulk. Rice takes ages to go off so buy a sack or rice because it will save you money in the long run. This goes for pretty much any food, if it will go off, freeze it.
- The easier the meal is to cook the more expensive and less healthy it is. Some days we settle on pizza and after all that grease and cheese you wonder whether it was worth going over budget for it. It may take time to cook and prepare some dishes, but fortunately time is something we have, money isn’t.
- Cook in bulk. A full on Sunday Roast is fantastic, but to make it cost effective you have to have it over two days. With curries you can freeze leftovers to pull when you really need them.
- Look out for special offers. Often supermarkets discount items that are about to go out of date, this can be great way to get things you would never be able to afford normally such as salmon, lamb or even a good steak.
- Plan ahead. Although sometimes you can be saved by a good special offer, nothing beats planning the meals ahead of time. Knowing what you want at the supermarket ahead of time means you only buy what you need.
I look back at the days where I could drop £5 on lunch without blinking in horror and doubt I could go back to that habit anytime soon.
Tags: food, living, money, writing partners
