Cheap Dinner Ideas: 10 Easy Recipes from 15p/person

Learning to grocery shop, let alone cook in a new country is an adventure. New foods, different ingredients and incongruous price tags can leave you feeling a little lost. You may feel like some of the recipes you brought from home are suddenly not very practical anymore. Below are ten recipes made from ingredients readily accessible in the UK and available for less than £1 per person: in some cases, considerably less. Most are fairly quick and easy, though if you're not used to cooking from scratch, they may take a little adjustment.

Pizza with Bacon & Caramelized Onions
Spicy Indian Dahl with Mashed Potatoes (vegetarian)
Grilled Open-Faced Sandwiches
Curried Lentils Over Rice (vegetarian)
Delicious French Onion Soup in Thirty-Minutes
Couscous Salad with Black Beans (vegetarian)
Creamy Pesto Pasta
Lentils San Stefano
Thai Peanut Chicken with Coconut Milk
Spiced Bacon and Lentil Soup

Note 1: I have included a rough price per person at the bottom of each recipe. This is an estimate of how much it costs me to make the dish, though, as I'm always saying, it will likely vary a little depending on your location.

Note 2: You will be able to see that I'm caught between two worlds right now. Some of these recipes use American measurements and others use British. One or two may even include some of each! I'll continue updating to try to make sure each recipe includes both British and American measurements. Just leave me a comment if you have questions.

Money Saving Tip #5: Buy a Magic Jack

I previously wrote about the money-saving benefits of using Skype for calling home while away. Of course I'm still a big Skype supporter, especially for totally free video calling and calling other Skypers for free. However if you need to call a land line from Skype, you are subject to their international calling rate of something like 3 cents/minute. While this is a still a really good deal, there is something better. The Magic Jack. (Thanks, Wes, for the suggestion!)

The Magic Jack is a small, simple device you plug simultaneously into your computer and your phone. It then enables you to pick up your phone and start making free calls to the US and Canada. It's pretty simple. Here are a couple things to know.

1. The Magic Jack service costs $19.95/year. There is a one time fee of $20 to purchase the device. So, the first year, your total cost will be $39.95. Subsequent years will be only $19.95. (By way of contrast, we spent about $60 last year buying Skype credit.) You are entitled to make and receive as many phone calls as you like--your total annual cost will still only be $19.95.

2. You will be given a free phone number with an area code that you get to choose. This means people can call you too. We chose our parents' area code in Washington State. That way, though we live in the UK, they can call us and it's a local call for them.

3. According to the website, you can make calls only to US and Canadian numbers for free. However, registered users can also purchase low cost minutes for international calls.

4. Along with the free local number, the service also includes free voice mail, call waiting, three-way calling and call forwarding.

5. This may just be a personal thing, but I thought the Magic Jack website looked kind of sketchy. If we hadn't known people who've used the service successfully, I would have been inclined to think it was a scam. Check it out, though, for more information and to order. Note, they do not currently ship to the UK--only to the US and Canada. If you're already in the UK, just have it shipped to family or friends and have them forward it to you.

Money Saving Tip #4: Don't Pay for Housing

One of the best ways to save money is to reduce your major monthly expenses, and one of the expenses at the top of the list is definitely housing. Just think of the money you'd save if you could eliminate that expense! Not to put too fine a point on it, but it would be somewhere between £5,400 (£450/month) and £9,600 (£800/month) per year depending on the housing prices in your area. And that's to say nothing of utility costs which might be around £1000/year.

The trick to eliminating this expense is to find a live-in position that offers free accommodation as either your entire compensation or part of your compensation. In my experience of looking, these jobs are actually in plentiful supply, you just have to know where to look. I recommend Gumtree, Craigslist and caretaker.org as good places to start. To give you an idea, below are three different positions that I was offered when we moved to Edinburgh. All were willing to accommodate both my husband and me, though two out of the three weren't willing to house a baby too.

Nanny: I was offered free accommodation and utilities along with £200/week payment and plentiful holidays. The work expected was 5 days a week, light housework and minding children who spent most of their day at school. The accommodation was an entire flat in the basement of the home, including our own bath and kitchen.

B&B Caretaker: Free accommodation and utilities with very limited additional pay (probably enough to buy groceries). Accommodation consisted of a double bedroom with shared bathroom and kitchen area. Work was helping prepare breakfast, cleaning rooms and looking after the front desk when the owners were away.

Homeless B&B Caretaker: Free accommodation and utilities plus £200/week. Work required serving breakfast to select homeless people staying in the B&B, light cleaning and locking up at night. Accommodation consisted of spacious flat with own kitchen, but shared bathroom.

As you can see, there are a variety of different options. Others that could be explored are caring for an elderly or disabled person in their home, doing gardening/landscaping on an estate or helping as a farmhand on a nearby farm. These are all opportunities that I have seen available in exchange for housing. Often the position will include a car. Sometimes it will be outside the city center and you'll have to evaluate whether the commute would be worth it. The point is to get you thinking outside the box for solutions to one of the biggest regular drains on your bank account. Happy house hunting!

Getting a National Health Service (NHS) Number

Remember, as an American studying in the UK for more than six months, you have access to the UK's National Health Service (NHS). This means that you do not need seperate health insurance like you would in the US because the NHS is government operated and functions without the involvement of private insurance companies.

Obtaining your NHS number is pretty simple. All you have to do is register with a GP. (GP means General Practitioner, or doctor.) After your successful registration you will receive, by post, a yellow mailing from the NHS--hopefully within a week or two. This mailing will contain your NHS number in the upper right hand corner. It will also contain your surgery (a.k.a. doctor's office) details and Community Health Index (CHI) Number. Make sure you keep it in a safe place.

Unfortunately, since you need to register at the GP in order to get your NHS number, you cannot apply for it long distance. You must already be residing in the UK.

Obtaining a National Insurance Number

Everyone who works in the UK, regardless of nationality, must have a National Insurance Number. Most Britons obtain one when they begin work, or around age 16. However, chances are if you're reading this, you haven't yet obtained one and need to know how. Here's a little background first.

A National Insurance Number is different from a National Health Service (NHS) Number. If you're looking for information on getting a NHS number, click here. The NHS number will give you access to free National Health care during your stay in the UK. A National Insurance Number, which is our subject here, is the equivalent of the American Social Security Number. This number is important mostly for tax purposes, though there are special benefits for UK nationals.

In order to apply, here's what you need to do:

1. Contact Jobcentre Plus at 0845 600 0643 (8.00 am to 6.00 pm Monday to Friday) to have your situation reviewed. If they determine that you need a NI Number, they will either set up an interview for you at your local Jobcentre Plus office or mail you an application. (In some cases, you cannot apply for a NI number without a firm job offer.)

2. EITHER Attend your interview on the appropriate day. This shouldn't take more than 30 minutes. They will ask you questions to determine your eligibility to work in the UK, etc. Nothing scary. OR If they don't require you to attend an interview, complete the application and mail back along with copies of your passport and visa.

3. If my experience is normative, they will send you a letter within a week or two containing your new NI number. In about 4-8 weeks, you will get an official NI card for your wallet.

Also note, in my experience, employers are not strict about you having a NI number in order to secure a job, as long as you tell them that you're in the application process, or about to apply. You should be able to give them your NI number as soon as you obtain it.

For more information on applying for a NI number, click here.

Gumtree vs. Craigslist

Just a note about Gumtree vs. Craigslist since I've made several references to them already. We were big Craigslist fans in the States and were excited to see that it had expanded to the UK too. However, we quickly found that while it does exist here, it has nowhere near the following here that Gumtree.com, a very similar site does. If you want to look for housing, jobs, furniture, etc., you can check Craigslist, but will likely find your options much more extensive at Gumtree.

Setting Up A Bank Account in the UK

I have just a bit to say about banking. We signed up for basic checking and savings accounts when we got here through Lloyds TSB. Since we've had some friends who've had hassles with other banks, I'll just talk about Lloyds--not because they're the only way to go, but because they are all that we know and they've worked really well for us. They are certainly one of the easier banks to open an account with if you're not a UK national.

Here's what we needed:

Passports
Proof of Address (an official bill or rental agreement)
A £200 deposit (I'm pretty sure it was only £200--it may have been £250 but certainly no more.)

A few minutes later we walked out with our own UK bank accounts!

Lloyds has great options for online account management, including automatic bill pay.

They have a small overdraft protection for no charge.

They will also coordinate with your US bank to bring funds over directly into your new account if you want. Note there will likely be a charge associated with doing this, but that will come from your US bank. I think we paid something like $35 for the transaction.

If readers have suggestions about other banks to use/not to use, please chime in!

What's in a Fully Furnished Flat?

In case you're wondering what the term "fully furnished flat" means in the UK, here's a basic idea of what you can expect. It's a lot more than just furniture. Obviously, these things will vary somewhat from one place to another, and for your own sake, you'll want to check before you sign anything. Most flats will have gap items that you'll need to go and pick up yourself, but from our experience and that of our friends, this is what you might be able to expect. (For those gap items, don't forget to look at charity shops.)

Pots and Pans
Dishes
Glasses
Silverware
Cooking Utensils
Hot Pot (for boiling water)
Toaster
Microwave

Comforter and Cover
Bottom Sheet and Pillowcases (it's not very common to use top-sheets here)
Pillows

Lamps

Vacuum
Broom and Dustpan

Registering with a Doctor: the Gateway to the Healthcare System

One of the first things you will want to do upon your arrival (after you've secured housing) is to register at your local surgery (doctor's office). As you've no doubt heard by now, most health care in the UK is free if you (or your spouse) are studying for more than six months. However, there are some things you need to do in order to be able to access it. Registering with a GP (General Practitioner or Doctor) is the first step. It is important to do this as soon as you have housing because it can take up to several weeks to get the process sorted out. If you are pregnant, or have an ongoing medical condition, those weeks can be really frustrating.

1.) Find the surgery that is nearest to your flat. You can do this online by clicking on the following links. For England click here. For Scotland, click here.

2.) They will need to see:

a. Your proof of address. You MUST take either a copy of your rental agreement or a piece of official mail (such as a phone bill) with you to the GP's. A hand-addressed envelope will not work. Believe me, I tried it.

b. Your passport with visa inside.

c. It's worth mentioning that they will need to see you too. You cannot register for your spouse. Again, tried it.

3.) They will give you paperwork to fill out--nothing too long or scary. You should be able to fill it out while in the office.

4.) If you don't need to see a doctor immediately you’re done. If you do, you can try making an appointment while you’re there.

If you are pregnant or need to see a specialist, there may be a further wait as you will now need a referral from your new doctor.

Here is a timeline from my experience for accessing specialized care:

1.) Two weeks after settling in at our flat, we received our first official piece of mail. (Want a tip for speeding that up? Sign up for a phone and/or internet plan as soon as you move in. The phone company should send you a piece of mail within a couple of days. This will be helpful, especially if you don't receive a copy of your rental agreement right away as proof of address.) As you know from above, official mail meant we could register with the GP which was the first step.

2.) At the time of my registration, I made another appointment with the GP to go over my general medical history. Just more paperwork, really. This was a necessary prerequisite to being referred to the midwife. The first available option for this appointment was a week after initial registration.

3.) Only after this appointment, did my GP make the referral to the midwives. A week and a half later, I got a letter from the midwives offering me an appointment for the following week.

So, I had been in the UK a total of 5 1/2 weeks before I was seen by my midwife. I believe the process would be the same with any specialist, though with some specialists I imagine the wait would be longer.

My point in telling you this is so that you will not arrive in the UK (as I did) with the expectation that you can go right to the doctor. It may be several weeks before you can be seen, especially if you need to see a specialist.

Money Saving Tip #2: Get to Know the Local Cuisine

While you are certainly going to want to bring your own recipes with you--especially for those times when you just need some comfort food--you will end up saving money if you're willing to branch out into the local cuisine. For example, as much as you may love chicken burritos and as cheap a meal as they may be at home, you will likely find them to be on the more expensive side of a meal cost in the UK. The reason is that most burrito fixin's here are specialty food items. Taco shells, tortillas, refried beans, black beans, tortilla chips, salsa--these are not part of a standard UK diet (at least as far as I can tell!). Even if you can find cheap substitutes for things, your burritos are not likely to taste how you had hoped. Black-eyed beans do NOT taste like pinto beans and a cheap jar of salsa may taste closer to a syrupy tomato jelly than a satisfying, fiery salsa.

By contrast, most Indian-style cuisine is remarkably cheap to make here. At little Indian stores you can buy a 5 kilo bag of lentils for so cheap that the cost per serving ends of being something like 6p. And, lentils are healthy, a good source of protein and quite tastey when prepared well.

Couscous, when purchased in bulk at Asian food stores is also a great deal, not to mention a great thing to have on hand because it's so quick to make.

"Cooking bacon" (quite a bit different from American bacon) is a really cheap way to get meat--if you're making soup, quiche, pasta or pizza, you'll find it's a great flavour booster.

These are just a couple of ideas. The cheap items in your area are likely to vary, so look around. The point is to try to incorporate the cheaper ingredients into your diet, rather than to stick to all your American recipes which may very well end up costing more.

Money Saving Tip #1: Make Use of Charity Shops!

One way that you could really rack up the expenses on your arrival in the UK would be to go out and purchase a bunch of household stuff brand new. This is especially true if you decided not to ship anything, but your flat is still not furnished with everything you need. Our first month in Edinburgh, I was down at the T.K.Maxx every couple of days. (Yes, that's T.K--not T.J. Don't ask me why!) While I didn't have that many things to get, I look back now with dismay at the price I paid for the few things I got.

The antidote? Charity Shops!!! The charity shops (i.e., thrift stores) here are wonderful! I have noticed them in every town we have visited in Scotland, and I imagine they are just as prolific in England. Unlike the typical Goodwill in the States, the shops here are often quite small, which is why I missed them at first. Keep your eyes peeled as you're walking down the street--they will likely just be little hole-in-the-wall places.

Here are a few examples of some savings:

Blankets: I paid £20 for a new blanket at T.K.Maxx. (We were really cold when we got here and the single comforter on our bed was not doing the trick.) In contrast, later on, when we had visitors coming I was looking around for more blankets and found a charity shop selling really nice, good quality blankets for £1-2 each. I threw them in the washing machine and, presto! They were good as new!

Kitchen Stuff: I found the cheapest teapot I could at T.K.Maxx for £6. I have since seen them at charity shops for under £1. Recently I was at a charity shop and bought a large handful of silverware (forks, knives, spoons), salad servers, a cheese knife, a butter knife, an hors d'oeuvre fork, a beautiful creamer and sugar bowl and a large wire fruit bowl for £2 total.

Wall Hangings: When we got here we spent £10 on a picture for our very bare walls. You can buy them for 50p at charity shops.

Those are just a few examples. You can also look for bedsheets, curtains, clothes, baby items, CD's, DVD's, books, children's books, kitchen appliances, etc.

All charity shops, however, are not created equal. I have two on my street and one of them has significantly lower prices than the other. In fact, the cheaper one often feels more like a garage sale than a typical thrift store. They will often offer a cheaper lump sum for several items purchased together. Be sure to shop around for the best deals!

The Cost of Living in the UK: the cheap student version

It's hard to address the issue of budgeting because everyone's lifestyle expectations are a little different. Your specific location will also be factor. For instance, these figures are based on our life in Edinburgh. I imagine you would have difficulty getting by on this little in London. The point is to show that it is possible to get by on a small budget in the UK, if you need to.

Housing: £475/month (This was a pretty good deal when we arrived. We have found that many friends pay around £550. However, we have recently noticed more and more flat prices falling down into the £400's. Don't forget to explore alternative options too. Are you or your spouse interested in nannying? Being a caretaker? Helping at a B&B? Check out my post on how to avoid paying for housing. There are options out there for free housing. We would have done this ourselves had they been interested in taking us with a baby on the way.)

Food: £30/week (This is not easy, but it is possible, depending on the stores you have available. We eat healthily and we think it's tasty, but it's not particularly luxurious. We eat meat only a couple nights a week (sometimes less). We do not eat out, except on a VERY rare occasions. And, I plan our meals and grocery list pretty scrupulously each week to avoid unneeded items and to ensure that nothing is being wasted. For people with less time/interest in scrimping, £40-£50 might be a more reasonable figure. Sometime, maybe I'll do a post on cheap menus especially crafted for life in the UK...)

Electricity/Gas: £60/month (We used the heat pretty sparingly this winter before the baby came. Not so much afterward... I think that's a fairly good average of summer and winter months, though.)

Water/Sewer/Garbage: £0 (This is covered under the Council Tax, which as you'll remember from this post Council Tax Exemption for Students and Spouses, you are not responsible for paying. Yay!)

Phone/Internet: £30/month

Diapers (a.k.a. Nappies): £3.33/week (Thanks to ASDA!)

Other Toilettries/Household Items: £10/month

Transportation: £10/month or less (We really do walk just about everywhere. No need for a car.)

The total here is £8755/year for a family of three. And, of course, this does not include tuition which, depending where you are studying will probably be around £10,000/year.

Claiming Your Council Tax Exemption

I wrote previously about ''Council Tax Exemption for Students and Spouses''. The next thing you need to know is that you are required to inform the council of your exemption status. They will not automatically know that you are a student or, if you have a spouse, that your spouse has no recourse to public funds. It is your responsibility to communicate with them. If you do not, you will likely begin to receive scary notices some time in the spring indicating that you owe the council a lot of money.

The best course of action, is of course, to settle the matter as soon as possible. However, if you wait till the last minute (which I did!), you should still be able to get it all sorted. Here's what you should do:

1. As soon as you secure accommodation, inform your landlord or the letting agency of your exemption status. As stated previously, they will probably not know that your spouse is also exempt from the Council Tax and will try to convince you that, while you may be eligible for a reduced rate, the spouse will still be required to pay something. They are wrong. If they don't believe you, send them this link Council Tax: A guide to your bill (also included in the previous post). Once you have convinced them, they may be able to help you in your communications with the council or let you know what to do next. If not:

2. Write to your local council informing them of your exemption status. Most have email addresses and are willing to communicate, at least partially, in this way. It may take a couple of weeks for them to respond to your query. If no email address is available, send them a letter.

3. In response to your correspondence, they should eventually send you a letter requesting that you either send them your passport by mail or that you take it in person to the council. Copies are not usually accepted. They may also require a letter from your University confirming your student status. This can usually be obtained by phoning your Registrar's Office.

4. Once you have either mailed these things or gone in person, they should grant you the official exemption status and you should have nothing further to do.

5. If you have waited till the last minute and have already begun to receive bills, don't be surprised if you receive several more bills after you have been granted your exemption status. It often takes several weeks for them to update their systems. If worried, best to phone the council to confirm.