Ok so here go's - I've lived most of my life with my family, I always gave money to my mum on side for like "rent" to go towards the mortgage and my only other fixed deduction was my gym membership.

So last 3 months I've been here in Switz

Now I have a goal and an aim - Goal is, as soon as I get paid on the 25th of every month, I want to LOCK AWAY 50% of my wages.

The thinking in that - if you don't see it in your account, you won't spend it ;p

Now my main monthly fixed deductions are - RENT and GYM.

If I take those two away and also obviously the 50%...I am left with £700 a month...or that's like 1100CHF

That 700 quid / 1100CHF needs to cover me monthly for...food/cleaning things maybe like washing up liquid/I have little dog too so dog food.

I'm not used to being away from my fam so if anyone can give me tips would be appreciated.

I'm not much of a cook also but I know I have to get into the kitchen instead of eating out.

One good thing - I like the active life, playing footie,gym etc and the other side of me I'm always online so I don't have that much energy so to say to go "window shopping"

1100CHF to work with on a monthly basis for me and my dog - I'm an active guy and am into bodybuilding so I eat quite a bit too ;p

This Thread on eating cheaply has some brilliant ideas in.

Nice one Long

Come on the shopping tour - Zurich (forum calendar) - 31st October. I'm happy to give lots of tips and advice and show you where to buy cheap stuff, and what's expensive and what's not...

shameless plug

Potatoes...Rice...Pasta...Carrots...tomatoes...oni ons...and a few spices...

Migros do mince for 10chf a kilo. We serve 200g per person and feel like we are having a 'feast'...I stretch it with beans and grated vegetables for bolognese or mexican-style...

Cool I think I might take you up on that - I'm lost when it comes to buying food. Sometimes one round at Migro's is coming to 80CHF...the next I'm spending 120....then I'm spending another 60 etc etc...;p

But be warned, I'm on a little health freak diet - High Protein/Low Carbs - I can't eat Pasta/break...high carbs

But yea, I like the sound of the shopping tour thingy

That's your problem right there - Migros I popped in to get a few things today - 7 items in total and it came to CHF 22. At Lidl I do the weekly shop for around CHF 70, but not including all meat that I visit the local butcher for because they are cheaper and have more variety.

If you're lifting and actively trying to grow muscle, you'll need a lot of protein and a lot of calories. Red meat is tasty, but it's about the most expensive way to get lots of protein in this country.

Cheapest protein is probably eggs and milk, and every weight lifter's favourite, canned tuna. In terms of fresh meat, chicken and turkey are reasonably inexpensive, at least compared to red meat.

Most people who lift weight seriously here supplement with protein shakes. Aside from being more convenient than eating a ton of meat / eggs / milk, in Switzerland it's also a cheaper way to get lots of protein. You can mail order from abroad -- cheaper than buying it here.

If it's calories you're after, olive oil is the key. There's 120 calories in a tablespoon, and you can throw it on / in just about anything. A fresh baguette + olive oil is a tasty way to consume 500+ calories, either on its own or topped with fresh tomatoes and basil.

Healthy carbs aren't too expensive, either -- whole wheat pasta, long grain rice, potatoes. Avoid anything pre-processed and you should be okay.

1100 goes a very long way for a single person for food ! (or didn't I understand correctly ?)
I can find ways to feed a family for a month with that much with all of the nutritional basics: grains, fruits, veggi's and meat.

This website has offers of the week

http://www.aktionis.ch/