What do you do on your struggle days?

Lovemehatemebytchez

So I would just like to know what does everybody else do when it's the end of the month and you're trying to stretch that dollar to eat health? Thanks for sharing!

Francl27

You plan all month. Stock up when things are on sale, buy bulk items like rice, beans, or oatmeal, etc.

shadowfax_c11

Agreed. I used to live on a really tight budget and would sometimes only have $10 to get me through the week. Things like brown rice, lentils, barley, split peas and dried beans are very inexpensive and healthy. They are good to keep stocked at all times. For protein a dozen eggs for a couple of dollars will be good for 6-12 meals. Also I stock my freezer with a bag of frozen chicken breast tenders. Not the breaded kind, just raw chicken. It is smaller pieces than whole breasts so it is easier to use less when cooking a dish and for about $7 you have protein that will last you a couple of weeks.

Also when you have the money buy meats in bulk and then portion into freezer bags. And look for farmer's markets for fresh produce. I had a small deep freezer which was great. I could stock up on bushells of veggies all summer and freeze what I was not going to eat fresh. Frozen bulk veggies like broccoli, california blend and mixed veggies are also good to keep on hand and inexpensive.

Also slowly build up your spice collection. Great herbs and spices can really improve plain old boring grains.

Now I get paid once a month and I used to get paid weekly but a lot less. My old habit was to stock up once a month. Now I am finding that if I keep the grains and dried beans and frozen chicken on hand I really save more money by going to the store once a week just for fresh produce and the occasional treat.

Need2Exerc1se

It's been a while since I had those days but I remember a lot of beans.

970Mikaela1

I ate all last week on stuff at home I'd already bought. The only thing I had to buy was bread and chicken. I'm trying to do it again this week. In calling it the cupboard cleanse.

Ladiebug710

970Mikaela1 wrote: »

I ate all last week on stuff at home I'd already bought. The only thing I had to buy was bread and chicken. I'm trying to do it again this week. In calling it the cupboard cleanse.

I do something similar. I call it freezer week. I will go to the store and pretty much just get milk and some fresh fruit. It is amazing when you realize what you probably already have on hand. Plus it helps rotate your staple items so you can get some fresh ones next time they are on sale.

Kalikel

Plan better. Don't forget that the end of the month is coming. Eat like you're low when your not so that you'll have a little left later.

Buy cheap food. That's a duh thing, but not everyone does it. Go to the skeevy discount food store and buy off-brand peanut butter and stuff. Get cheap, frozen and canned fruits and veggies. Buy meat on sale and freeze it. Use coupons in places that you can.

Make your own when you can. Home-made bread is healthier, tastes MUCH better and is about the same or cheaper than store-bought. If you can get your hands on a food processor and mixing equipment (even a hand mixer) the options of what you can make yourself are almost endless. Much, much cheaper...but food processors and mixing equipment aren't usually free.

Visit your parents. When I was young, I loved getting free food on the weekends. I'd have visited my parents, anyway, but the free food was a bonus. Mom didn't even realize how great it was until I pointed it out, lol. They weren't really hurting for cash, though. If your parents are broke, too, then that wouldn't be very fair.

Never turn down any guy who offers to buy you dinner. It's free food and you never know what people are like until you spend time with them (unless they're scary or set your Spidey sense tingling, then turn them down. Always trust your Spidey sense. It's smarter than your brain.)

Eat with neighbor friends who are single. Leftovers don't go to waste because there aren't any. The food won't go bad before you can eat it all. So it's cheaper and it's kind of fun, too.

Get a job in a restaurant. Even if there is officially no free food, there's free food.

ruthiebg

I like to stick to rice, chicken, fruits, and veggies.

I usually find myself in the same situation at times. Rice is pretty inexpensive, also try to look at your local grocery circulators. Markets near me offer at least one day with excellent fruit and veggie offers, along with one day with meat and poultry offers.

Another thing I like to do when I'm on a budget in to make salads. a head of lettuce is pretty cheap, plus you can add as many veggies or even beans and rice. Think of it as an improvised Chipotle salad bowl, minus the hefty price.

I have also at times checked out the 99 cent stores. The ones near my town now offer produce. It can be a little hard to find the best quality, but sometimes I get really good looking produce. If all else fails check out food banks in your town.

Hope this helps.

Lovemehatemebytchez

shadowfax_c11 wrote: »

Agreed. I used to live on a really tight budget and would sometimes only have $10 to get me through the week. Things like brown rice, lentils, barley, split peas and dried beans are very inexpensive and healthy. They are good to keep stocked at all times. For protein a dozen eggs for a couple of dollars will be good for 6-12 meals. Also I stock my freezer with a bag of frozen chicken breast tenders. Not the breaded kind, just raw chicken. It is smaller pieces than whole breasts so it is easier to use less when cooking a dish and for about $7 you have protein that will last you a couple of weeks.

Also when you have the money buy meats in bulk and then portion into freezer bags. And look for farmer's markets for fresh produce. I had a small deep freezer which was great. I could stock up on bushells of veggies all summer and freeze what I was not going to eat fresh. Frozen bulk veggies like broccoli, california blend and mixed veggies are also good to keep on hand and inexpensive.

Also slowly build up your spice collection. Great herbs and spices can really improve plain old boring grains.

Now I get paid once a month and I used to get paid weekly but a lot less. My old habit was to stock up once a month. Now I am finding that if I keep the grains and dried beans and frozen chicken on hand I really save more money by going to the store once a week just for fresh produce and the occasional treat.

Thanks so much for sharing! Yeah that's what I do as well.

Lovemehatemebytchez

970Mikaela1 wrote: »

I ate all last week on stuff at home I'd already bought. The only thing I had to buy was bread and chicken. I'm trying to do it again this week. In calling it the cupboard cleanse.

I feel it. Lol!

Lovemehatemebytchez

Kalikel wrote: »

Plan better. Don't forget that the end of the month is coming. Eat like you're low when your not so that you'll have a little left later.

Buy cheap food. That's a duh thing, but not everyone does it. Go to the skeevy discount food store and buy off-brand peanut butter and stuff. Get cheap, frozen and canned fruits and veggies. Buy meat on sale and freeze it. Use coupons in places that you can.

Make your own when you can. Home-made bread is healthier, tastes MUCH better and is about the same or cheaper than store-bought. If you can get your hands on a food processor and mixing equipment (even a hand mixer) the options of what you can make yourself are almost endless. Much, much cheaper...but food processors and mixing equipment aren't usually free.

Visit your parents. When I was young, I loved getting free food on the weekends. I'd have visited my parents, anyway, but the free food was a bonus. Mom didn't even realize how great it was until I pointed it out, lol. They weren't really hurting for cash, though. If your parents are broke, too, then that wouldn't be very fair.

Never turn down any guy who offers to buy you dinner. It's free food and you never know what people are like until you spend time with them (unless they're scary or set your Spidey sense tingling, then turn them down. Always trust your Spidey sense. It's smarter than your brain.)

Eat with neighbor friends who are single. Leftovers don't go to waste because there aren't any. The food won't go bad before you can eat it all. So it's cheaper and it's kind of fun, too.

Get a job in a restaurant. Even if there is officially no free food, there's free food.

Thanks for sharing. Spidey senses! Lol

Lovemehatemebytchez

ruthiebg wrote: »

I like to stick to rice, chicken, fruits, and veggies.

I usually find myself in the same situation at times. Rice is pretty inexpensive, also try to look at your local grocery circulators. Markets near me offer at least one day with excellent fruit and veggie offers, along with one day with meat and poultry offers.

Another thing I like to do when I'm on a budget in to make salads. a head of lettuce is pretty cheap, plus you can add as many veggies or even beans and rice. Think of it as an improvised Chipotle salad bowl, minus the hefty price.

I have also at times checked out the 99 cent stores. The ones near my town now offer produce. It can be a little hard to find the best quality, but sometimes I get really good looking produce. If all else fails check out food banks in your town.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for sharing!