[rikkus]

I spent a few months eating for £5 per week - not through choice. Most of what I ate was marked down (nearly out of date) loaves of white sliced bread and damaged cans of beans or spaghetti in tomato sauce. I’m quite tall so this wasn’t enough and after a few weeks I was in constant pain from hunger. There are many people in the UK for whom this is their life.

[toasterlovin]

Curious: why not beg or dumpster dive if you were starving? I personally know somebody who used to panhandle at a freeway exit for drug money. They said $80-120 per day was regular. I also know someone who fed themselves entirely via picking through unwanted food at the back of super markets and restaurants (kind of a loopy hippie, live in a tent in the forest while attending college, etc.).

[chrisswanda]

Head over to http://fallingfruit.org and do a filter for "Freegan". My locale has people marking dumpsters with food that is available. And if dumpster diving isn't your thing, then wild edibles is another option. I personally haven't dumpster dove for food, but based on what I have read, you'd be hard pressed to starve in the US.

http://fallingfruit.org/sharing?c=forager%2Cfreegan&locale=e...

[rikkus]

Begging is very dangerous (where this took place) and involves being healthy enough to get yourself to somewhere it's even possible. Eating thrown away food seems like a good way to end up with something nasty.

Eventually, both of these would become options, but when you believe your situation has to be temporary, it feels safer to starve a little.

[username90]

> loaves of white sliced bread and damaged cans of beans

Don't you realize that those are very expensive? Cook rice, pasta or potatoes for your calories and you could get by on that amount without going hungry. I lived on that amount for years, you'd get around 4000 calories if you just bought cheap things which is more than you need so you can buy lentils, meat, fish and vegetables for the rest which is enough to get all nutrients you need. Might not get 100% optimal diet on this, but it is healthier than what most eat.

[httpsterio]

In Finland, where groceries are quite expensive as it is, you can get an enormous bag of white toast for about an euro. Same for a can of beans, a regular can is about 60 cents. If they're going out of date they can be up to 60%. Rice or potato is going to be more expensive.

[mactrey]

Doesn't the UK have something equivalent to TANF/food stamps?

[Veen]

Yes, it has social security benefits. They aren’t especially generous but they’re a lot more than £5 a week (plus unemployed people can usually get a significant chunk of their rent paid).

[rikkus]

Unfortunately it doesn’t quite work like that. What’s left after rent and bills can be close to zero.

[_1tan]

Care to share any numbers? That sounds horrible and unexpected.