Prepping on a tight budget

[GinaCampbell]

This past few weeks has been really interesting. I am disabled and have to run a household on a very low budget. Every week I try to add to my component groups - Food stock, equipment, gardening etc.

I am exploring Approved Foods for dry goods. Spices, noodles, powdered soups. Great website but downside is £5.99 delivery (prompt and done well though).

Equipment - Very exciting! Wandered through Ebay and found for next to nothing, loads of survival camping gear. Fire kits, fishing kits, compasses etc at a £1 a piece.

I also bought a solar charger for all my phones and electronics. It came from China but it is fantastic at £10.30! Well worth it.

I got a tiny trevi shortwave receiver and tecsun antennae for £10.00.

I look at equipment that costs pennies, is geared for no electric supply and can help maintain normality for kids, elderly and disabled.

First time ordering from China and will definitely do it again.

Bought clearance seeds from B & M for .10 p each packet!

The feeling of security it gives me is profound. And if I ever have a gap in my benefit (I am still in an area assessed by Atos), I don't feel so vulnerable.

I have enough bugout supplies for if I have to.

And approved foods kindly over packaged in lovely sturdy boxes to pack it all in!

[jansman]

That is good. I don't think you have to spend a fortune to be honest. £10 can buy a lot of tinned or dry food for instance. When you think a kilo of rice is less than 50 p, you can soon get a stock together.

[bettersafethansorry]

Little tip: dont get all you canned food prep-s shopping online. the guy from asda totally thinks im mental now!!! and tbh i should have thought about that compromising my secret.

From now on its a few at a time.

LOL

[Deeps]

Little tip: dont get all you canned food prep-s shopping online. the guy from asda totally thinks im mental now!!! and tbh i should have thought about that compromising my secret.

From now on its a few at a time.

LOL

To be honest mate, I'm not really arsed what the guy down Asda thinks of me when I've bought a lot of stuff, he probably thinks far worse of me for the amount of wine I'm getting than anything else. If he lives next door to you and has an idea of your lifestyle then fair enough but they probably see all sorts of weird shopping baskets. I'd say its unlikely he's keeping an eye out for large hoards unless he's another prepper.

[Arzosah]

The thing to be wary of in deliveries of tinned foods is that the tins can get bashed about really easily, and that makes them no good for longish term storage I've just switched from Sainsbo to Asda, because I'm fed up with how badly the Sainsbo website lets me down in different ways all the time, and since I'm on a tight budget, like Gina, I also noticed how much cheaper everything was - the only thing that wasn't was organic honey so far, and that was 10p more expensive on a £2.88 cost per unit - something like 3%, whereas all the rest is 10-20% cheaper!

Approved Foods has improved a lot over the last couple of years - they never used to signpost out of date foods - the foods are safe, as we know, but I don't really want to put something into storage if its *already* over date.

[tanstaafl]

i had a look at approved foods and for the basic prepper stuff (rice pasta tinned stuff etc ) could not really find a saving, but for branded stuff and a big order (to ofset p&p) its a great site............


We all have different ideas of what prepping is so each to his own,, but mine is basic survival so bags and bags of rice , pasta noodles etc, the tesco asda cheapo stuff is well,,, very cheap lol, also tins of cheapo stuff , sardines I think were 16p or so, basics meatballs not much more..etc etc..............just look on the low shelves, some absolute bargains to be had............

I dont buy for taste just for possible survival (if you are truly hungry you will eat anything)


Some bargains on ebay and chinese websites but shop careful , as there is also some absolute tosh.........


Like the OP I am looking at being on benefits in the near future after nearly 20 years a worker but luckily (or not lol) I was one of thatchers children in the early 80s and spent a long time struggling so have been there before and got very good at managing on not a lot........

Soooo.....


1) Buy what you NEED not what you want

2) Buy in Bulk when you can (it hurts at the time tho)

3) Budget

4) Do a "use up" week/month.... ie dont go shopping til you have used everything in the cupboard (Handy to put money by for treats for the kids etc)

5) Freecycle or suchlike fantastic for all sorts

6) Moneysaving Expert http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/ great site and the books he has done are also great

7) Its amazing what you dont need , you just think you do (Trying to tell the misses she does not need separate cleaners for each room lol)

8) If on benefits you have to get out of the mindset you had when working, you have less money, you cannot have the same lifestyle......(no matter who is to blame)

9) Have a treat occasionally, its good for the soul




I could go on and on but its all about common sense and getting the basics right, its amazing how far a big bag of spuds some eggs bread and veggies will go........



And finally lol , top buy... tescos off cuts of bacon 80p per pack , split up and frozen does about 10 meals

[Bubbles]

Hi, I was reading through and my only real thought was about water.
A lot of dry foods require water and since water is more important than food I would say prioritise water and for food go for tinned goods as especially fruits are soaked in liquid so can provide important sustenance.
You make a good point about the budget tho. what do people do for water storage/ acquisition / filtration on a budget.

[cornerstone]

This past few weeks has been really interesting. I am disabled and have to run a household on a very low budget. Every week I try to add to my component groups - Food stock, equipment, gardening etc.

I am exploring Approved Foods for dry goods. Spices, noodles, powdered soups. Great website but downside is £5.99 delivery (prompt and done well though).

Equipment - Very exciting! Wandered through Ebay and found for next to nothing, loads of survival camping gear. Fire kits, fishing kits, compasses etc at a £1 a piece.

I also bought a solar charger for all my phones and electronics. It came from China but it is fantastic at £10.30! Well worth it.

I got a tiny trevi shortwave receiver and tecsun antennae for £10.00.

I look at equipment that costs pennies, is geared for no electric supply and can help maintain normality for kids, elderly and disabled.

First time ordering from China and will definitely do it again.

Bought clearance seeds from B & M for .10 p each packet!

The feeling of security it gives me is profound. And if I ever have a gap in my benefit (I am still in an area assessed by Atos), I don't feel so vulnerable.

I have enough bugout supplies for if I have to.

And approved foods kindly over packaged in lovely sturdy boxes to pack it all in!

I am in a similar position, it is my grown up son who is disabled, and i am his carer, it also gives me a feeling of security, evrytime we go out i pick up something to bring back, even if it is noodles or rice, it still gets brought back.

[cornerstone]

I am getting the winter supply of medicines in at the moment, paracetamol and cough linctus, the own brand boots is very useful and only one pond for the simple linctus, it is certainly better than nothing.

[cornerstone]

That is good. I don't think you have to spend a fortune to be honest. £10 can buy a lot of tinned or dry food for instance. When you think a kilo of rice is less than 50 p, you can soon get a stock together.

If you live near Iceland or Pondland £10 will get a big bag of dried stuff.