3 days ago
I'm a mum-of-5 but feed the whole family for just 68p per meal – we never scrimp on our snacks & still enjoy takeaways
A SAVVY mum-of-five has revealed how she keeps her food costs down to just £100 a week without compromising on the food they love.
Danni Calvey is able to feed her entire family of seven for just 68p per meal and has now shared her tips and tricks.
3
3
3
Danni and her partner Stephen, 32, have five kids; Chloe, eight, Ethan, seven, Joshua, four, Reece, three, and 10-month-old Mia.
With such a large brood, the 28-year-old – who recently went viral in a TikTok that has over 1.1m views – has been forced to find savvy ways to budget when it comes to the food shop.
'Financially, as a large family we just work within our means,' the mum told What's The Jam.
'We meal plan and budget for bills throughout the month. Food shopping averages somewhere around £100 a week," which equates to around 68p per meal.
'We do days out and takeaways when we can afford it," Danni added.
'I feel it's very important to make memories, regardless of the money you've got to spend.
'Yes we are a large family but our house is always busy, which I love – and the children are never lonely.
'Unexpected bills or buys can really throw a spanner in the works – but we just make do.'
From meal planning to digging out yellow sticker deals, here's how Danni, from Lincolnshire, scores a cheap meal.
I made a weeks worth of sandwiches for just 30p - my hack means I have my lunch sorted whenever I need it, people think it's revolting but it saves me money
YELLOW STICKER BARGAINS
The mum says to always grab yellow sticker items, even if you don't think you'll need them.
She said: 'Buy those yellow sticker bargains.
'Even if you're not going to use it straight away, there's not much that can't go into the freezer for another day.
'Buy it, save it.'
SHOP AROUND
Don't be too loyal to your local supermarket – visit different shops to save on pennies.
She said: 'I tend to shop at Asda, simply because of the convenience. '[But] I use Aldi for nappies and wipes.
'And will go to farm foods every two months to do a big restock of fizzy drinks.'
How to save money on your food shop
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save hundreds of pounds a year:
Odd boxes - plenty of retailers offer slightly misshapen fruit and veg or surplus food at a discounted price.
Lidl sells five kilos of fruit and veg for just £1.50 through its Waste Not scheme while Aldi shoppers can get Too Good to Go bags which contain £10 worth of all kinds of products for £3.30.
Sainsbury's also sells £2 "Taste Me, Don't Waste Me" fruit and veg boxes to help shoppers reduced food waste and save cash.
Food waste apps - food waste apps work by helping shops, cafes, restaurants and other businesses shift stock that is due to go out of date and passing it on to members of the public.
Some of the most notable ones include Too Good to Go and Olio.
Too Good to Go's app is free to sign up to and is used by millions of people across the UK, letting users buy food at a discount.
Olio works similarly, except users can collect both food and other household items for free from neighbours and businesses.
Yellow sticker bargains - yellow sticker bargains, sometimes orange and red in certain supermarkets, are a great way of getting food on the cheap.
But what time to head out to get the best deals varies depending on the retailer. You can see the best times for each supermarket here.
Super cheap bargains - sign up to bargain hunter Facebook groups like Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK where shoppers regularly post hauls they've found on the cheap, including food finds.
"Downshift" - you will almost always save money going for a supermarket's own-brand economy lines rather than premium brands.
The move to lower-tier ranges, also known as "downshifting" and hailed by consumer expert Martin Lewis, could save you hundreds of pounds a year on your food shop.
PRACTICE SELF-CONTROL
Stop yourself from buying unnecessary items.
She said: 'As soon as I have spare money, I want to treat the kids.
'So if I know I need to save the money, it is sheer willpower to not go and spend it on something the kids definitely don't need.
'Other than that, I use a savings account that I transfer odd amounts of money over to.
'Or put change into a money tin.'
PLAN AHEAD
She said: 'To keep costs low in a food shop I always use a shopping list.
'I meal plan breakfasts, lunches and dinners and work around that.
'I prioritise making sure we have big evening meals and all of the stuff for that.
'And it definitely works, it's very easy to go off track and spend more than you intend to without [one].
KEEP SUMMER HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES CHEAP
The mum even manages to stick to budgets during the summer holidays.
She said: 'Keeping the children entertained during school breaks can be a challenge, especially with their ages being so different.
'I like to keep the cost as minimal as I can.
'Our 'go to' activities are the library, local churches and nature hunts.
'I buy £1 brown party bags and write five items on each bag – then we go hunt for them in the park.
'We also go to Asda who have the 'Feed Kids for £1' [offer] so the children feel like they've been out for dinner – but it's only cost me £5.
'Feeding the ducks and going for walks are also things we do every holidays.
'When the budget allows we like to go on days out, to the farm and the seaside.
'I feel it's very important to make memories, regardless of the money you've got to spend.
'Yes we are a large family but our house is always busy, which I love – and the children are never lonely.
'Unexpected bills or buys can really throw a spanner in the works.
'But we just make do. 'We make changes and we adapt.'
