A COUPLE revealed that they sleep in their living room every night after giving up their bedroom so their kids could have their own space.
Paige Boakes, 29, and her husband, Ashley, 28, live in a two-bedroom house with their daughters, aged seven and 11, and sons, aged three and seven.
The couple moved into their living room in March 2024 and spent seven months on a king-size air bed.
Paige and Ashley, a binman, prioritised renovating the two bedrooms for the kids but have now invested in a pull out bed for themselves.
“I felt guilty they were all crammed in one room,” said Paige, a stay-at-home-mum, from Bexley, Kent.
“You always feel guilty as a parent, I didn’t want them to resent me.
“I have always prioritised them. You get on with it as a mum.”
Paige was a single mum to her two girls – aged seven and 11 – before she met Ashley.
The couple had their son, Teddy, three, together and Ashely has a son, seven, from a previous marriage.
With three to four children in the house at one time, the kids were getting squashed in one room.
“My eldest turned 11 – it’s a time of puberty,” Paige explained.
“I didn’t think it was appropriate them sharing, it’s quite a little room.
“My son is three now and going on a bigger bed and we didn’t have room for him.
“I decided I was going to start the boys’ room and take our bedroom.”
Paige and Ashley originally slept on the sofa but then found a king-size blow up bed to put in the living room.
The pair redecorated the rooms so their two boys and two girls have separate spaces.
“They loved it – the girls have always wanted their own desk,” Paige said.
PREPARING tasty meals for a family doesn’t have to be expensive.
Clinical Nutritionist, Suzie Sawyer from Feel Alive UK, has shared how you can cut costs and feed a family of four for just £20 a week.
She advised: “It’s always best to plan meals for the week ahead, whether you’re on a budget, cooking for a hungry family or just looking after yourself.
“However, it’s essential if you’re feeding a family of four on a budget of £20 per week – that’s just £2.85 per day! While it might take a little more planning, it can definitely be achieved.”
LOOK FOR ‘UGLY’ FRUIT AND VEG: Suzie says Morrisons is a great place to start.
She says: “The supermarket chain, Morrisons, in particular have launched a range of ugly fruit and vegetables and also ‘wonky’ fruit.
“We have all come to expect perfect specimens in the supermarket, therefore the less attractive ones get left on the shelf.
“However, they are still packed with essential nutrients and are considerably cheaper in price.”
BUY SUPERMARKET BUDGET BRANDS: A simple yet effective way to feed a family of four on a budget, advises Suzie, is to buy supermarkets’ own budget brands.
She says: “Buy supermarket budget brands – they will generally contain the same levels of nutrients, although they may not taste quite as good.
“However, that could often be down to more sugar, salt or artificial flavours so they might even end up being healthier!”
BATCH COOK: Nutritionist Susie says shoppers should cook in bulk if they’re trying to feed a family of four on a budget.
“Cooking in bulk is a great way of saving money,” explains Suzie.
“For example, a lentil spaghetti bolognaise can be batch cooked and frozen. Many dishes, especially curries, actually taste better after freezing.”
CLEVER SHOPPING: Suzie says there can be a vast difference in price in differing supermarkets – but Morrisons is famous for its low prices.
She says: “There can be a vast difference in price between the big chains so do price match.
“Plus, it’s worth remembering that small corner shops are always going to be much more expensive.
“And there will always be a price benefit from buying in bulk with larger quantities.”
BUY DRIED VERSIONS RATHER THAN TINNED: The nutritionist says buying dried versions of items like beans and lentils – rather than tined – are great family food staples that come within a £20 budget.
Plus – Morrisons have a great range available in all their stores.
Suzie says: “Buy dried versions rather than tinned – I’m talking beans and lentils, which are great sources of protein.
“Buy them in bulk and soak them before using as per their instructions on the pack. Plus, you’ll not be eating salt and sugar generally added to canned food.”
BUY FRUIT AND VEGETABLES LOOSE: Suzie also recommends shoppers feeding a family of four for £20 a week by their fruit and vegetables loose.
She says: “It’s a great idea to check the per kilogram price on foods so you can buy the cheapest but these will generally be lower on loose fruits and veggies, rather than those pre-packaged.
“Plus, you don’t need to buy fruits and vegetables ready chopped (they’ll have lost nutrients in any case), cheese ready-grated or other produce pre-prepared.”
The clinical nutritionist also added that it’s important to note that it’s not easy to get all the nutrients the body needs on a daily basis, (bearing in mind there are 45), particularly on a tight budget.
“My eldest wanted a desk and a whiteboard and my other daughter has got a dressing table.”
She revealed that her son’s were also excited to get their own space for their belongings.
“The boys have got toy boxes,” the mum explained.
“It’d comfy and cosy.”
Paige renovated the rooms on a budget over the last seven months – spending £200 on new mattresses and £100 on the boys’ bed from Facebook Marketplace.
The couple refurbished the girls’ bed themselves to make a storage space for their clothes.
Paige shared the renovations and her living situation on TikTok but was pleasantly surprised by how many others were in the same boat.
“I felt embarrassed I couldn’t afford to give everyone a room,” she said.
“It’s nice to know we’re not the only ones.
“You give it up for them to have their space, you have no space but you focus on them.”
