Can a family of four survive on 80 Pounds a week?

Question

Greetings from Canada! ;)

I read recently about the Sarah, Duchess of York, claiming that she could teach a family of four living below the poverty line, how to survive, eat well, and be healthy on a budget of 80 Pounds a week. She also apparently said she could live on that amount...but to me, it doesn't sound like much.

Not being familiar with differences in currency, and what food costs are like in the UK, I was wondering if you could tell me what you would expect to pay for typical foods - basics like bread, milk, eggs, cheese, beef, salad ingredients, some veggies and fruit.

Also, do YOU think a family of four could survive on that amount as easily as the Duchess claims she could, or is she full of beans?

Thanks in Advance!

:)

Answer 1

thats a lot of tesco value beans... (about 7p each i think..?)

tescos value bread costs about 13p i would guess, milk about 30p per pint i think (havent gotten any in a while) fruit and veg you wouldnt have a hope in h**l...

maybe she should give up all her money except for £80/week...

Answer 2

£80 a week would be cutting it very fine.  I spend about twice that a week for our family of four.  Ã‚£80 is approximately $160. A loaf of bread costs about £1.20, butter is about £1, a pint of milk is about 55p.  Eggs about £2.50 for a dozen.

I agree with the comment that says that there is something offensive about a rich (very rich) person telling someone else how to live on a pittance.  I would be very surprised to learn that the Duchess of york lives on £80 a week.

and I find it extremely hard to believe that anyone can live on £10 a week (as someone above claims).

Answer 3

Well, milk has gone up in price, but milk is about £1.10-£1.20

For 1 kilogram of cheese, the one i have got is £5.62

Grapes are £1.99 but sometimes are on offer.

Bananas you can get for £1 sometimes...

cannot think of anymore because it is early morning and i have got an all day exam today lol.

bye x

Answer 4

I know it does not sound like much, but the family is probably receiving benefits and working so it could be possible.

As for finding out how much things in the UK cost, you can search that yourself.

Answer 5

It would be a tight squeeze for sure. 80 pounds is almost 160.00 dollar in the UK. You could eat a lot of chicken and get away with it and plenty of vegetables.

She is full of beans though, because she has money, and she is in a make believe world.

Answer 6

well i have to survive on £10 a week so yes a family of 4 can easily survive.

Answer 7

If the £80 was for the food then they might. But other bills like electricity, gas, television licence, replacement clothes, and bus fares would soon eat into it.

I imagine Sarah would show the family how to make good nourishing soups, pasta, and the like.  Cooking like that takes time and some skill.

Poverty grinds people down.  They might not have the energy to go around the shops looking for cheap vegetables or other bargains.  It's sometimes easier to eat junk food.

There's something distasteful about rich people telling the poor how to manage on a pittance.  Maybe she should stick with Weight Watchers, telling the better off how to get thin.

Answer 8

Yes, you can easily feed a family of four on that budget if you cook fresh food from scratch and don't go for out of season luxuries..

Answer 9

As the family she is talking about is probably on benefits then they live in a council house and pay minimal rent.

They also don't have to pay the same level of council tax (a monthly tax we have to pay to local authorities here).

£80 is about $160 (give or take a few cents).

You can sort of live on it. But it wouldn't be much fun and prices are going up on everything in a short space of time right now so maybe in a month they wouldn't.

Perhaps they should get jobs? Then they can struggle because they will have to pay full rent or mortgage and full council tax.

In this country it's sometimes a better option for unskilled people not to work because they have more money living off the state.

I'm not judging them. I don't think all of them are just lazy I think if wages were better for unskilled workers then they wouldn't be on benefits that make life easier for them not to work.