Spaghetti bolognese or 'spag bol' is a staple in most British households, and whilst I have already done 2 different variations of this dish - a more western type, and a more traditional type - I wanted to strip it back, and take it back to it's bare bones to make it affordable in these testing times. The cost of living has soared in the last few months, especially with food, and although this might not be the best or most authentic bolognese you've ever had, it will certainly be the cheapest and will still hit the spot. Best thing, is that this version comes in at under a fiver and will feed a family of 4 easy, maybe 5 if you whack some garlic bread on the table as well.

To make my budget bolognese you will need:

• 500g of beef mince

• 1 medium onion

• 1 medium carrot

• 2 small sticks of celery

• 2 x 400g cans of chopped tomatoes

• 1 tbsp of tomato puree

• 2 cloves of sliced garlic

• About a tsp of dried oregano

• About 150g of dried spaghetti PER PERSON, so if feeding a family of 4 you will need a total of around 600g

• Grated cheese of your choice

• Salt & pepper

• You may need a small amount of oil if using lean beef