purplerabbits

I am extremely unlikely to complete the month on under £30. Firstly because I slipped badly and had a takeaway on a particularly bad day, but also because I have already spent £28 and I only have two bananas and zero cereal bars left, and the milk expires on the 29th, assuming I don't finish it before then. Of course I could have other things for breakfast - I have some tinned and frozen fruit which will help, and I also have some instant lattes, but I am usually super dependant on milk and bananas, and I can't afford both, or anything else.

During the month so far I have become very aware that food prices at the "cheaper" end are even worse than I thought, even when I thought I was being pessimistic. And my capacity to cook the stuff in my store cupboards is lower tan I thought, because my self-image hasn't caught up with my disability.

I have got this far only through a combination of super easy free food from Shrub (Pret sandwiches ftw!), leftover work food, and my carer chopping stuff up for me for a more traditional cook once a week. When I do cook a "recipe" it will be something like a stir fry with a packet sauce,so I've barely touched he spices for years but still feel bad about getting rid of them because Reasons.

I have succeeded in using some thing from the freezer, and have thrown away a few more, like some very freezer burned veggies. I have used some cupboard things, like cheese sauce, corned beef, tinned cod roe and some ambient desserts, and I have a better picture overall of what I will ever use and what I would maybe be better donating to a food bank.

I will persist for a bit longer, maybe even to the end of the month, but I'm not going to shame myself over the odd takeaway or for going a couple of quid over...