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easy, i spent a over week on 4.80 once and had nothing in the fridge
scrap the idea of full meals though, scrap the idea of lunch
buy a big bag of pasta and live off that, you can mix in some tomato puree for a sauce which isnt bad
do your shopping late as this is when the bread and other stuff will be on sale, if you get lucky you can get loafs from 10p! then just add some margerine or even mayo to it
tescos value/basics/smart price baked beans and noodles are dirt cheap as well, sainsburys noodles taste like crap but are 10p each
in my opinion £5 for 5 days is easy if you dont insist on having set meal plans for lunch and dinner and skip breakfast
scrap the idea of full meals though, scrap the idea of lunch
buy a big bag of pasta and live off that, you can mix in some tomato puree for a sauce which isnt bad
do your shopping late as this is when the bread and other stuff will be on sale, if you get lucky you can get loafs from 10p! then just add some margerine or even mayo to it
tescos value/basics/smart price baked beans and noodles are dirt cheap as well, sainsburys noodles taste like crap but are 10p each
in my opinion £5 for 5 days is easy if you dont insist on having set meal plans for lunch and dinner and skip breakfast
(edited 13 years ago)
It should be fairly easy.
Rice, pasta, lentils etc. Let me think... Lentils are around £1.50 per kg.. That's enough for over 10 meals.. 500g of pasta is about 30p... I think a kilo of supermarket budget rice is about 70p. (I'm basing this off the top of my head at Morrison's prices..)
So say 500g of lentils at 75p, 500g of rice at 35p and 500g of pasta at 30p. Now you really don't need more than 100g of each to make a meal. So that's £1.40 on those.
Frozen vegetables are your best friends. I can't remember how much the value ones in Morrisons are but I've just checked on sainsbury's and they're 72p per kg. Use them in a soup along with the lentils, stir-fry them up and have with some rice (my staple meal.. I figured out that including the oil and soy sauce, it costs me about 9p per portion..)
Tin of tomatoes (400g) is about 30p. I would use that in two meals but you could make it last 3. (Mix them up with the pasta)
I don't know if you can use store-cupboard things that you already have. If not, get some really cheap veggie stock cubes (sainsbury's have 10 for 10p), some cheap mixed herbs...
Umm.. for lunches, instead of sandwiches how about couscous? Again from sainsbury's.. 500g is 61p. That's more than enough for 5 lunches. Fry up some veg (I usually use garlic, red onion and red pepper but the cheap frozen veg will work just as well), whilst you're frying it, make 80 to 100g of the couscous up with a veggie stock cube in the boiling water. Once the veg is cooked, separate the couscous with a fork, mix in the frozen veg and add some mixed herbs.
Or I suppose you could get a basic large loaf (800g) for about 60p (I think), then you could have toast for breakfast as well but I don't know what you would do for fillings for sandwiches...
As for what to drink.. That's the easiest thing to do cheaply. Just drink water. Or if you get bored of water get some of the supermarket value squash.. Say 30p for enough for a week?
OK... with 500g of couscous, rice, pasta, lentils, 1kg of frozen veg, 10p for stock cubes, 1 tin of tomatoes and 1 bottle of squash I make it £3.43 on the prices I've put..
So that leaves £1.57 for things like herbs/spices, salt, pepper (again I don't know if you're allowed to use stuff you already have in your stock cupboard or not...)
I would say, you are vegetarian which is great.. However, dairy, eggs and mock meats are stupidly expensive. Seriously, just don't eat dairy or eggs for the five days. Five days eating a near vegan diet won't kill you.
I mean I can live off about £6 a week (I usually spend £5 a week and then every month spend an extra fiver (or a tenner if I don't buy the really cheap stuff) on stocking up on herbs, oils etc etc ) for food. I do eat a lot better than what I've put above but like I said, I don't know if you're allowed to use stuff you already have or have to spend £5 on everything you eat in those 5 days including things like salt and pepper etc which is why I left some money over....
Rice, pasta, lentils etc. Let me think... Lentils are around £1.50 per kg.. That's enough for over 10 meals.. 500g of pasta is about 30p... I think a kilo of supermarket budget rice is about 70p. (I'm basing this off the top of my head at Morrison's prices..)
So say 500g of lentils at 75p, 500g of rice at 35p and 500g of pasta at 30p. Now you really don't need more than 100g of each to make a meal. So that's £1.40 on those.
Frozen vegetables are your best friends. I can't remember how much the value ones in Morrisons are but I've just checked on sainsbury's and they're 72p per kg. Use them in a soup along with the lentils, stir-fry them up and have with some rice (my staple meal.. I figured out that including the oil and soy sauce, it costs me about 9p per portion..)
Tin of tomatoes (400g) is about 30p. I would use that in two meals but you could make it last 3. (Mix them up with the pasta)
I don't know if you can use store-cupboard things that you already have. If not, get some really cheap veggie stock cubes (sainsbury's have 10 for 10p), some cheap mixed herbs...
Umm.. for lunches, instead of sandwiches how about couscous? Again from sainsbury's.. 500g is 61p. That's more than enough for 5 lunches. Fry up some veg (I usually use garlic, red onion and red pepper but the cheap frozen veg will work just as well), whilst you're frying it, make 80 to 100g of the couscous up with a veggie stock cube in the boiling water. Once the veg is cooked, separate the couscous with a fork, mix in the frozen veg and add some mixed herbs.
Or I suppose you could get a basic large loaf (800g) for about 60p (I think), then you could have toast for breakfast as well but I don't know what you would do for fillings for sandwiches...
As for what to drink.. That's the easiest thing to do cheaply. Just drink water. Or if you get bored of water get some of the supermarket value squash.. Say 30p for enough for a week?
OK... with 500g of couscous, rice, pasta, lentils, 1kg of frozen veg, 10p for stock cubes, 1 tin of tomatoes and 1 bottle of squash I make it £3.43 on the prices I've put..
So that leaves £1.57 for things like herbs/spices, salt, pepper (again I don't know if you're allowed to use stuff you already have in your stock cupboard or not...)
I would say, you are vegetarian which is great.. However, dairy, eggs and mock meats are stupidly expensive. Seriously, just don't eat dairy or eggs for the five days. Five days eating a near vegan diet won't kill you.
I mean I can live off about £6 a week (I usually spend £5 a week and then every month spend an extra fiver (or a tenner if I don't buy the really cheap stuff) on stocking up on herbs, oils etc etc ) for food. I do eat a lot better than what I've put above but like I said, I don't know if you're allowed to use stuff you already have or have to spend £5 on everything you eat in those 5 days including things like salt and pepper etc which is why I left some money over....
Buy loads of vegetables to make soup, then buy some potatoes, pasta and noodles to bulk it up and give you your carbs Dunno if this would be <£5 but you could try it before May!
Dunno if this would be <£5 but you could try it before May! Original post by Hravan
It should be fairly easy.
Rice, pasta, lentils etc. Let me think... Lentils are around £1.50 per kg.. That's enough for over 10 meals.. 500g of pasta is about 30p... I think a kilo of supermarket budget rice is about 70p. (I'm basing this off the top of my head at Morrison's prices..)
So say 500g of lentils at 75p, 500g of rice at 35p and 500g of pasta at 30p. Now you really don't need more than 100g of each to make a meal. So that's £1.40 on those.
Frozen vegetables are your best friends. I can't remember how much the value ones in Morrisons are but I've just checked on sainsbury's and they're 72p per kg. Use them in a soup along with the lentils, stir-fry them up and have with some rice (my staple meal.. I figured out that including the oil and soy sauce, it costs me about 9p per portion..)
Tin of tomatoes (400g) is about 30p. I would use that in two meals but you could make it last 3. (Mix them up with the pasta)
I don't know if you can use store-cupboard things that you already have. If not, get some really cheap veggie stock cubes (sainsbury's have 10 for 10p), some cheap mixed herbs...
Umm.. for lunches, instead of sandwiches how about couscous? Again from sainsbury's.. 500g is 61p. That's more than enough for 5 lunches. Fry up some veg (I usually use garlic, red onion and red pepper but the cheap frozen veg will work just as well), whilst you're frying it, make 80 to 100g of the couscous up with a veggie stock cube in the boiling water. Once the veg is cooked, separate the couscous with a fork, mix in the frozen veg and add some mixed herbs.
Or I suppose you could get a basic large loaf (800g) for about 60p (I think), then you could have toast for breakfast as well but I don't know what you would do for fillings for sandwiches...
As for what to drink.. That's the easiest thing to do cheaply. Just drink water. Or if you get bored of water get some of the supermarket value squash.. Say 30p for enough for a week?
OK... with 500g of couscous, rice, pasta, lentils, 1kg of frozen veg, 10p for stock cubes, 1 tin of tomatoes and 1 bottle of squash I make it £3.43 on the prices I've put..
So that leaves £1.57 for things like herbs/spices, salt, pepper (again I don't know if you're allowed to use stuff you already have in your stock cupboard or not...)
I would say, you are vegetarian which is great.. However, dairy, eggs and mock meats are stupidly expensive. Seriously, just don't eat dairy or eggs for the five days. Five days eating a near vegan diet won't kill you.
I mean I can live off about £6 a week (I usually spend £5 a week and then every month spend an extra fiver (or a tenner if I don't buy the really cheap stuff) on stocking up on herbs, oils etc etc ) for food. I do eat a lot better than what I've put above but like I said, I don't know if you're allowed to use stuff you already have or have to spend £5 on everything you eat in those 5 days including things like salt and pepper etc which is why I left some money over....
Rice, pasta, lentils etc. Let me think... Lentils are around £1.50 per kg.. That's enough for over 10 meals.. 500g of pasta is about 30p... I think a kilo of supermarket budget rice is about 70p. (I'm basing this off the top of my head at Morrison's prices..)
So say 500g of lentils at 75p, 500g of rice at 35p and 500g of pasta at 30p. Now you really don't need more than 100g of each to make a meal. So that's £1.40 on those.
Frozen vegetables are your best friends. I can't remember how much the value ones in Morrisons are but I've just checked on sainsbury's and they're 72p per kg. Use them in a soup along with the lentils, stir-fry them up and have with some rice (my staple meal.. I figured out that including the oil and soy sauce, it costs me about 9p per portion..)
Tin of tomatoes (400g) is about 30p. I would use that in two meals but you could make it last 3. (Mix them up with the pasta)
I don't know if you can use store-cupboard things that you already have. If not, get some really cheap veggie stock cubes (sainsbury's have 10 for 10p), some cheap mixed herbs...
Umm.. for lunches, instead of sandwiches how about couscous? Again from sainsbury's.. 500g is 61p. That's more than enough for 5 lunches. Fry up some veg (I usually use garlic, red onion and red pepper but the cheap frozen veg will work just as well), whilst you're frying it, make 80 to 100g of the couscous up with a veggie stock cube in the boiling water. Once the veg is cooked, separate the couscous with a fork, mix in the frozen veg and add some mixed herbs.
Or I suppose you could get a basic large loaf (800g) for about 60p (I think), then you could have toast for breakfast as well but I don't know what you would do for fillings for sandwiches...
As for what to drink.. That's the easiest thing to do cheaply. Just drink water. Or if you get bored of water get some of the supermarket value squash.. Say 30p for enough for a week?
OK... with 500g of couscous, rice, pasta, lentils, 1kg of frozen veg, 10p for stock cubes, 1 tin of tomatoes and 1 bottle of squash I make it £3.43 on the prices I've put..
So that leaves £1.57 for things like herbs/spices, salt, pepper (again I don't know if you're allowed to use stuff you already have in your stock cupboard or not...)
I would say, you are vegetarian which is great.. However, dairy, eggs and mock meats are stupidly expensive. Seriously, just don't eat dairy or eggs for the five days. Five days eating a near vegan diet won't kill you.
I mean I can live off about £6 a week (I usually spend £5 a week and then every month spend an extra fiver (or a tenner if I don't buy the really cheap stuff) on stocking up on herbs, oils etc etc ) for food. I do eat a lot better than what I've put above but like I said, I don't know if you're allowed to use stuff you already have or have to spend £5 on everything you eat in those 5 days including things like salt and pepper etc which is why I left some money over....
Wow you really beat me on this one haha!
I forgot to add. If you want breakfast... Porridge!!! Something like 75p for a kilo which is more than enough. Try to see if you can get 500g. Don't get the instant porridge stuff as it's more expensive. Get oats and make it with water instead of milk and add sugar. Now, if it was going to be a long term need to eat cheaply thing then I would suggest getting powered milk to make the porridge with which tastes just as good as making it with milk (I know, I spent a month having it for breakfast) but the whole idea of this thing is to not have really nice tasting food and it's fine made with just water.
I think what you might have to do, seeing as it is far cheaper to buy things in bulk, is to spend a bit more than a fiver to buy the stuff but work out how much you can actually afford to use of it at £1 a day. For example let's use the porridge oats. You don't need more than 100g per breakfast.. Really 50g is enough. However, because the cheap things are in bulk, it would be more expensive to buy the smaller bags. The cheapest 500g bag of oats I can find is 61p whereas 1kg of value oats is 75p... Like I said you only really need 50g but if you're making it with water it's not *as* filling as with milk so maybe 75g per portion. 5x75g = 370g.. If you get the 75p/kg bag then it will work out at about 27p for 5 portions worth. Whereas, if you get the 61p/500g bag then it will work out as 45p for 5 portions worth.
Sorry if I sound condensing... I haven't had any sleep and I'm actually thinking of doing this myself so most of this is actually me figuring out how I would do it...
Oh and potatoes! Great for bulking up soups etc as well as the lentils...
Ummm... the OP is vegetarian...
I think what you might have to do, seeing as it is far cheaper to buy things in bulk, is to spend a bit more than a fiver to buy the stuff but work out how much you can actually afford to use of it at £1 a day. For example let's use the porridge oats. You don't need more than 100g per breakfast.. Really 50g is enough. However, because the cheap things are in bulk, it would be more expensive to buy the smaller bags. The cheapest 500g bag of oats I can find is 61p whereas 1kg of value oats is 75p... Like I said you only really need 50g but if you're making it with water it's not *as* filling as with milk so maybe 75g per portion. 5x75g = 370g.. If you get the 75p/kg bag then it will work out at about 27p for 5 portions worth. Whereas, if you get the 61p/500g bag then it will work out as 45p for 5 portions worth.
Sorry if I sound condensing... I haven't had any sleep and I'm actually thinking of doing this myself so most of this is actually me figuring out how I would do it...
Oh and potatoes! Great for bulking up soups etc as well as the lentils...
Original post by Smurf2.0
Something like large pack of pasta could fit the bill. Some ham?
Ummm... the OP is vegetarian...
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by Hravan
Ummm... the OP is vegetarian...
Ummm... the OP is vegetarian...
Who says ham has to be vegetarian?
Original post by Smurf2.0
Who says ham has to be vegetarian?
All the vegetarian "ham" that I've seen is stupidly expensive so still wouldn't work for this
Yes, it can be done. This is a really nice website for any deals on supermarkets and such http://www.hotukdeals.com/groceries/deals/hot
Just be careful, don't buy too many vegetable at once in bulk because they might go bad if you don't eat them up quick enough which would be a waste of money. Pastas/tinned foods/lentils and such will last longer and you can leave them for another time.
Just be careful, don't buy too many vegetable at once in bulk because they might go bad if you don't eat them up quick enough which would be a waste of money. Pastas/tinned foods/lentils and such will last longer and you can leave them for another time.
Cheap pasta, cheap rice and 9p Jelly Cubes from Sainsburys 
Original post by Lantana
I'm thinking of doing this in May. I'm vegetarian which may or may not help. However, I'm trying to think of a meal plan - particularly lunch as I normally take a packed lunch which isn't cheap enough. Any ideas?
5x veggie rustlers + water.
Original post by mintmocha
Original post by mintmocha
Yes, it can be done. This is a really nice website for any deals on supermarkets and such http://www.hotukdeals.com/groceries/deals/hot
Just be careful, don't buy too many vegetable at once in bulk because they might go bad if you don't eat them up quick enough which would be a waste of money. Pastas/tinned foods/lentils and such will last longer and you can leave them for another time.
Just be careful, don't buy too many vegetable at once in bulk because they might go bad if you don't eat them up quick enough which would be a waste of money. Pastas/tinned foods/lentils and such will last longer and you can leave them for another time.
Frozen veg are very useful and use to portion. (tesco peas are about 70p a kilo sweetcorn the same brocoli and cauliflower a bit more.
Noodles and pasta are cheap enough especialy value range. Breakfast get porridge oats or value cornflakes. milk is also cheap if you go to tesco 6pints for £1.18 (creamfields purple top) Admittedly being vegetarian is quite beneficial as meat is very expensive whilst pasts and pulses are very cheap.
As many have suggested before you could have stir fry for evening meals and cous cous/ pasta for lunch. Pasatta is very cheap and makes more than a tin of chopped tomatoes. Tomato puree really is a bit useless as it doesn't really go far and trying to make it into a sauce its just a little bit to sharp. If you want a bit extra in always get some bananas (79p for value pack) that way you can bulk up your breakfast or have as a snack. (average 10 bananas per pack )
It would be a good idea to use mysupermarket just so you can pop items in and find the cheapest place to buy it all from.
Like people have said, pasta is your friend. If you can run off one meal a day like I could;
Asda Conchiglie 500g x 2= £1.54
Asda Smart Price Chopped Tomatos 400g x 2= 66p
Asda Brown Onions 1kg= 97p
Asda Garlic Bulb= 30p
Filipo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil 250ml= £1.41
Total= £4.88
Whoever said "variety is the spice of life" obviously never tried living off a fiver. That's pretty much everything you need for a nice bowl of pasta and sauce everyday, shouldn't be too difficult to live off. Fry off an onion and a clove of garlic, add a third of a can of tomatoes, season with herbs, chilli etc if you have anything. A handful or two of pasta and you're away. That's just my choice, but if you can sleep through breakfast, cope with skipping lunch and put up with the same stuff everyday, you can live off a fiver using loads of different combinations.
Asda Conchiglie 500g x 2= £1.54
Asda Smart Price Chopped Tomatos 400g x 2= 66p
Asda Brown Onions 1kg= 97p
Asda Garlic Bulb= 30p
Filipo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil 250ml= £1.41
Total= £4.88
Whoever said "variety is the spice of life" obviously never tried living off a fiver. That's pretty much everything you need for a nice bowl of pasta and sauce everyday, shouldn't be too difficult to live off. Fry off an onion and a clove of garlic, add a third of a can of tomatoes, season with herbs, chilli etc if you have anything. A handful or two of pasta and you're away. That's just my choice, but if you can sleep through breakfast, cope with skipping lunch and put up with the same stuff everyday, you can live off a fiver using loads of different combinations.
(edited 13 years ago)
I also did a test shop.
3L milk £1.18
2x 1kg (can be cut to 1) frozen mixed veg £1.30 or 65p per bag
2x 500g passata 76p
500g cous cous 60p
1kg porridge oats 75p
2 x 500g pasta 36p
total of £4.91
That can cover all 3 meals per day for 5 days
3L milk £1.18
2x 1kg (can be cut to 1) frozen mixed veg £1.30 or 65p per bag
2x 500g passata 76p
500g cous cous 60p
1kg porridge oats 75p
2 x 500g pasta 36p
total of £4.91
That can cover all 3 meals per day for 5 days
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by phill232
Original post by phill232
Are students really so poor they have to live off a fiver a week; quite worrying as I like fresh chicken and veg most days 
no this really is not the whole point of this thread. Basically in the uk many people face extreme poverty, and basically need to live off £5 for 5 days (not just students but a lot of people) and there is an awareness week where they are inviting people to live off £5 for 5 days To understand the trials those suffering extreme poverty have to face
Original post by thru sun and rain
no this really is not the whole point of this thread. Basically in the uk many people face extreme poverty, and basically need to live off £5 for 5 days (not just students but a lot of people) and there is an awareness week where they are inviting people to live off £5 for 5 days To understand the trials those suffering extreme poverty have to face
Wow, I'm sorry I misunderstood. Seems such a tough way to live. Best of luck to anyone who does it. Some of the suggestions were great, I plan to just use alot of garlic to make all the pasta etc taste a little more tasteful.
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