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7 ways thrifty mum feeds family for $50 a week

When Queensland mum Jody Allen found herself out of a job while in the midst of building a home and juggling two young kids, she knew she needed to find a way to slash her spending.

The grocery bill was high on her hit list, and in order to keep her family afloat it needed to be cut back from $250 a week to just $50! Here’s how she did it.

Jody has been feeding her family for around $50 a week for the past 8 years!
Jody has been feeding her family for around $50 a week for the past 8 years!


Avoid supermarkets:

Shopping exclusively at Woollies and Coles isn’t the only way to feed your family, and it certainly isn’t always the most cost effective!

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You could even consider getting your meat in bulk from a lay-by and keeping extra serves in the freezer.

Shopping around is certainly more time consuming but can save you plenty!


Lean on leftovers:

Not everyone has time to cook three home cooked meals a day, so don’t!

Making extra food at dinner means you get leftovers for lunch or the following night’s meal.

Jody says that even when she doesn’t quite make enough for two feeds, she at least tries to carry something over for the next night.

“Even if I made spaghetti Bolognese, then I would use the remainder of the sauce for tacos the next night,” she tells the Daily Mail.

Make extras, leftovers are your friend. Photo: Instagram
Make extras, leftovers are your friend. Photo: Instagram


Shop like your grandmother did:

So go fresh and forget those Tim Tams and Shapes.

Jody says that if you do happen to venture into a supermarket, avoid the middle aisles as much as possible.

Shop around the outer sections instead, picking up the fresh fruit and veg, bread, eggs and milk. These fresh items help make up your pantry essentials, while all the packaged goods in the other aisles are just pricey extras that frankly aren’t all that good for your waistline anyway!

Well, except for staples like pasta and rice.

Stick to the outer supermarket aisles. Photo: Instagram
Stick to the outer supermarket aisles. Photo: Instagram


Cut back on waste:

Jody recommends keeping an empty container in your fridge and filling it with the vegetables that need to be cooked first to avoid them getting lost in the draws and going off.

“It's easy to buy and waste so much when you're working and have a disposable income, but that all went out of the window on the $50 budget,” she says.

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Another handy tip is to make the most of everything you already have in your pantry. So do a stocktake and start eating your way through whatever you already have before hitting the shops.


Make the most of discount apps:

Why pay full price for toothpaste and dishwasher tablets when apps like Groupon can offer discounts? It’s a good excuse to stock up and save.

Try growing your own like these potatoes from Jody's backyard. Photo: Instagram
Try growing your own like these potatoes from Jody's backyard. Photo: Instagram


Grow your own:

Jody made the most of her outdoor space and started growing lemons, mandarins and potatoes for her family.

“It wasn't hugely successful at first, but I got better and it saved us so much money in the long run,” she says.


Leave your kids at home:

While this last one isn’t always possible or practical, Jody suggests shopping solo whenever possible, as having your kids in tow often means you end up with much more in your trolley!

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