A savvy student has shared her full shopping list and meal plan which shows how she spends £10 a week.
As bills continue to rocket and the high cost of living continues to cause a strain on our finances, many Brits will be looking for ways to save on their everyday spending.
Cutting down on energy usage and finding creative ways to save on their food bill are just a couple of ways to do just that.
One student, Mia Munro from Leeds, is here to help as she shared her £10 a week shopping list with the money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk.
Sharing her shopping list and meal plan, Mia commented: “If it’s coming to the end of the month and I’m really starting to count the pennies, I have a go-to £10 shopping list that’ll keep me well-fed for a week.
"It’s definitely not how I’d want to shop all the time, but for the odd month when I’m short on cash, it’s a real lifesaver”.
Mia’s shopping list from Asda
- JUST ESSENTIALS by ASDA Whole Chicken (Typically 1.5kg), £4.10
- JUST ESSENTIALS by ASDA Spaghetti 500g, 28p
- JUST ESSENTIALS by ASDA Skimmed Long Life Milk, 69p
- JUST ESSENTIALS by ASDA Bolognese Pasta Sauce 440g, 47p
- ASDA Crunchy & Sweet Carrots 500g, 35p
- ASDA Corn Flakes 500g, 75p
- JUST ESSENTIALS by ASDA Curry Flavour Instant Noodles 65g, 25p x 3
- JUST ESSENTIALS by ASDA Wholemeal Bread 800g, 45p
- ASDA British Fluffy & Golden Large Baking Potatoes 4pk, 70p
- JUST ESSENTIALS by ASDA Spaghetti Loops in Tomato Sauce 395g, 19p x 3
- JUST ESSENTIALS by ASDA Mayonnaise 500g, 79p
Starting the day, Mia explains what she budgets for breakfast, saying, “Breakfast is where the least of my money goes.
"I’ll just buy a box of own-brand cornflakes for 75p, and a litre of long life milk for 69p, and that should last me the week”.
Buying a whole chicken can be useful for dinners and lunches throughout the week.
Mia explained: “The ASDA Just Essentials budget range whole chicken is just £4.10, and I can usually make this last throughout the week.
"For dinner, I’ll have it with spaghetti (28p), tomato sauce (47p) and carrots (35p), in a sort of Chicken Spag Bol that’s actually really tasty.
“For lunch, I make sandwiches with it, alongside wholemeal bread (45p), and mayo (79p). And I also sometimes serve it with a Jacket Potato (70p) and Mayo as well”.
The savvy shopper revealed that she buys the four-pack of Jacket Potatoes for 70p, explaining: “You can’t beat a jacket potato, and I’ll either have them with the chicken, or just keep it simple with a tin of spaghetti hoops (19p)”.
To round out her weekly meal plan Mia added, “The Just Essentials Instant Noodles are a great easy option that keep me within my £10 budget.
"They’re 25p a pack, and I really rate the Curry flavour. Not bad for a quick but filling lunch”.
Mia finished by saying, “This definitely wouldn’t be my typical week of food, as it’s a bit repetitive and I’m really milking everything I buy.
"But, for weeks where I need to watch every penny I’m spending, I’ve found this list to be really handy.
"My total for these items was just £9.90, which is excellent for the quantity and variety I managed to get”.
Mia’s Weekly Meal Plan
Monday
- Breakfast: Cornflakes
- Lunch: Jacket Potato & Spaghetti Hoops
- Dinner: Chicken & Tomato Pasta
Tuesday
- Breakfast: Cornflakes
- Lunch: Asian Style Noodle Soup
- Dinner: Chicken & Tomato Pasta
Wednesday
- Breakfast: Cornflakes
- Lunch: Chicken Mayo Sandwich
- Dinner: Jacket Potato & Spaghetti Hoops
Thursday
- Breakfast: Cornflakes
- Lunch: Asian Style Noodle Soup
- Dinner: Chicken & Tomato Pasta
Friday
- Breakfast: Cornflakes
- Lunch: Chicken Mayo Sandwich
- Dinner: Jacket Potato & Spaghetti Hoops
Saturday
- Breakfast: Cornflakes
- Lunch: Asian Style Noodle Soup
- Dinner: Chicken Mayo Sandwich
Sunday
- Breakfast: Cornflakes
- Lunch: Chicken Mayo Sandwich
- Dinner: Jacket Potato with Chicken & Mayo
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Tom Church, Co-founder of money saving community Latest Deals added, “Mia has shown that it’s possible to live off £10 a week, and she’s still managed to get protein, veg, and three meals a day in there.
"Lists like Mia’s are great for inspiration for fellow budgeters. If you can stretch to a little more a week, add in some fruit or a sweet treat for not much extra. Or, just keep it as is for a week of cheap eats.
“For extra money off your shopping, make sure you’re signed up to ASDA Rewards, this is ASDA’s loyalty scheme.
"You can earn points on your shopping, get exclusive offers, and get 10% off Star Products. Just look out for items marked as Star products online and in-store”.
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