how little money can a person live on

[estellyn]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22065978

 

 

http://liberalconspiracy.org/2013/04/29/the-political-reason-behind-why-its-difficult-to-survive-on-benefits/

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22263706#

Edited April 29, 2013 by estellyn

[estellyn]

And I have to say, the living on £1 a day exercise is just daft, as you can't just buy the small amounts, you have to buy the whole pack, so in reality, you need to add up the pack prices for the 5 days to get what the food really came to. You can't just assume that people have a store cupboard full of items.

 

ETA: also, she's used bits of packs of perishable goods that aren't used the other 5 days - are these things wasted? It's all totally unrealistic.

Edited April 29, 2013 by estellyn

[dyfed]

Bear Grylis could last years with nothing more than a knife and a flint n steel

Maybe DWP could run survivalist courses and we could become feral. Living in the hills and woods and only coming out at night.

[Nystagmite]

I have a friend doing this. But she went to church yesterday (?) and was fed there. Surely, if you do this properly, than that would count towards it?

 

When I was at uni, I managed to spend between £12 and 15 a week on food, not out of choice I have to add. But I didn't buy milk - it was milk powder. It was bearable; but not something I'd want to do again.

[estellyn]

So, having too much time on my hands, I did a rough calculation of what it would cost for the menu of the £1 a day bbc guy, and it would take just under £48 to buy all of those ingredients. Plus not all ingredients are used, some are not freezable, and some are perishable, and even if you make a large batch of some of the dinners, this involves a big capital outlay. Like many on this forum, I've lived on a really, really low income a few times, and unless you have savings for a capital outlay of store cupboard ingredients (I didn't), then there is no way this type of menu could be contemplated, and also neither could the waste be contemplated. A totally unrealistic menu by someone who appears never to have had to live on a low income before.

 

I lived on £1 a day once, for about 6 weeks waiting for my student loan to come through, prices were much cheaper then, but basically I lived on egg sandwiches, two meals a day, no snacks, tap water to drink. Also once lived on rice, pasta and butter for a few weeks here and there during student days. The best thing though was when I had a part time job as a student doing care work in a hostel, and you got free meals during your shift as we were expected to eat with the residents - I worked every weekend and always knew I had good meals plus pudding every weekend, then, even if things were tight during the week.

[impecunious]

I buy all my stock cupboard food from approvedfoods.co.uk .. and at the moment just top up with fresh meat/veggies/fruit .... and cook and bake endlessly. However, food not only has to be filling, nutritious and sustaining, it also has to be varied and pleasurable. Cutting back on food, etc is realistic short-term but it would soon become incredibly monotonous.

 

My mum taught me to cook and bake from a very early age, so it has become second-nature now and I never over-spend on food but eat incredibly well. I share an allotment now, so hopefully come the summer, I will be totally self-sufficient in salad/herbs/fruit and, later on, will be able to harvest fresh, organic veggies. I also grow salad stuff in hanging baskets and pots in the courtyard ... so cheap too and delicious - much better than bland supermarket stuff.

 

I'd be more than happy to pool resources with other people locally on benefits, buy/cook in bulk and share to save pennies.

 

Time to go .... dwarf pea seeds, carrots, tomato and strawberries to sow.

 

Impecunious!

[impecunious]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]43504[/ATTACH]

 

Slavery Sunday at the allotment ..... put in the hard work and get 150% back! Can't wait for my fresh produce.

 

Imp!

[Guest]

Having very recently been diagnosed with diabetes type 2, and along with meds and a list of foods that are "safe" and those that aren't, its really not easy to do on very little money. Unless you live near a market and can grab some fruit and veg late in the day etc....I have no freezer and my fridge has just decided to give up on me too. Fantastic. You can live very cheaply if you buy rubbish at the mum goes to ******* shop, but most packaged foods like that are not on my list. I have to have low fat, no sugar or very low, and need fibre etc. I hate this Government.

[impecunious]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]43505[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]43506[/ATTACH]

 

Man cannot live by food alone!

 

Like everyone else, I love being comfy at home and, even on JSA, it's still possible to have nice things. I've been creative today and managed to renovate one mirror frame (from charity shop), 7 picture frames (ones I had in the 80s and hidden away), a small box (unwanted gift - horrible colours) and 2 candlestick holders (converted from old 1930s table-lamps) for £1.68, a few scraps of fabric and wallpaper samples.

 

Great to keep or to give as gifts.

 

Impecunious!

[impecunious]

Having very recently been diagnosed with diabetes type 2, and along with meds and a list of foods that are "safe" and those that aren't, its really not easy to do on very little money. Unless you live near a market and can grab some fruit and veg late in the day etc....I have no freezer and my fridge has just decided to give up on me too. Fantastic. You can live very cheaply if you buy rubbish at the mum goes to ******* shop, but most packaged foods like that are not on my list. I have to have low fat, no sugar or very low, and need fibre etc. I hate this Government.

 

 

I wish you lived closer Ruby_Tuesday, you could raid my allotment!

 

Imp

[Guest]

Aww me too Imp I would be your best customer too.

[jadeybags]

Me & my hubby to be lived on £5 a week food, but that was back in 1989 when we were teens & living in a caravan. Bread & potatoes mostly. Also got to like pasta on its own with nothing with it. No kids then of course.

[estellyn]

Me & my hubby to be lived on £5 a week food, but that was back in 1989 when we were teens & living in a caravan. Bread & potatoes mostly. Also got to like pasta on its own with nothing with it. No kids then of course.

 

I can get quite nostalgic for plain pasta, butter and salt - of course GI issues mean I'm not supposed to eat it now, probably why I get cravings.

[jadeybags]

I can get quite nostalgic for plain pasta, butter and salt - of course GI issues mean I'm not supposed to eat it now, probably why I get cravings.

 

Plain rice is another one I got into, only white rice I like though. I think that may have been cheaper or something.

[osdset]

I found myself eating curries made from pulses (chana dal) when very, very skint, and whilst these are quite palatable, after a week of the same fare one tends to get a tad irritable, actually very irritable because of a four letter word, MEAT!

[Nystagmite]

This challenge makes no sense - it's only about food and not things like bills, etc.

[antone]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22065978

 

 

http://liberalconspiracy.org/2013/04/29/the-political-reason-behind-why-its-difficult-to-survive-on-benefits/

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22263706#

 

The second link is key. If only some wise Site Team member would make a reference to the concept in his profile....

 

[pitcher]

The second link is key. If only some wise Site Team member would make a reference to the concept in his profile....

 

Oh yeah?

My dear departed dad, during WWII, lived on a thing called wasser suppe for several months . It did him no harm at all, apart from his comrades using his ribs as a xylophone,hair,tooth and toe/finger nail loss he had no problems!

In one of the richest countries in the world,we have food banks, what more can you ask for?

Are you not grateful for the crumbs, cast from the table of the rich, for the rest of us?

Just asking,

pitcher

[speedfreek]

Where's the organic brown basmati rice, cocaine, midget pre op TV hookers and the Knightrider completely digitally remastered Bluray box set?

 

They never think of these things nor Giraffes! When was the last time you saw the Daily Fail get Indignatious about them foreigners/disabled/scroungers (delete as appropriate) nipping to the supermarket on the back of a 60 foot electric nuclear penguin eh?

 

Priorities people!

[estellyn]

Did I take too many painkillers today (and am hallucinating) or has speedfreek lost the plot, I swear I thought I read he was talking about penguins and giraffes - but thats what strong opiates do to me, I think I read the strangest things.

[LongHairedLily]

I really struggle, I get JSA with £10.00 deduction per week for water rates, I get child benefit at £81.20 per week, HB max £484 ish . CTB and CTC £249.80. It sounds a lot but I have to pay toward my rent which is £650 (for a 2 bed house which I moved into when working and could afford easily). The rest has to feed a teenage son/myself (never stops eating), clothe myself/him and pay the other utilities/council tax of £20.00 per month. I can't move as a) costs too much b) no one in this town accepts housing benefit. I dn't and never had any child maintenance off my sons Father, he's a Professional Golfer in Hereford and states he only earns £50.00 a week!

[antone]

Did I take too many painkillers today (and am hallucinating) or has speedfreek lost the plot, I swear I thought I read he was talking about penguins and giraffes - but thats what strong opiates do to me, I think I read the strangest things.

 

I think most of us are concerned about the 60 foot nuclear electric penguins that are routinely provided to immigrants from Romania.

[speedfreek]

kids today and I'm only 40

 

Monty Python; Scott of the Sahara explains some of it... maybe..

 

[Sparks_]

I want a giraffe! Please And I agree you cant provide food for £1 a day when you dont have a stock cupboard, wish they would stop doing articles like that cause so many sheeple believe what is printed!

[speedfreek]

when you dont have a stock cupboard

 

Nail head!

 

I've taught myself to cook 3 times last year. Thai Jasmine fragrant rice (boiled with any combo of cumin, cloves, turmeric, ginger, garlic, coconut, cinnamon, veg/chicken/beaf/pork/duck stock) with some frozen peas/sweetcorn mixed in once cooked is tasty! Takes 20 mins and is all in one pan too!

 

I've moved on to couscous, pasta, brown rice n seasoning with oils although this is still a vision when I can actually cook tbf!

 

£1 a day can be done but only with the spices/etc to make things interesting!