Eating on a budget

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  • autumnkuske
    autumnkuske Posts: 16 Member
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    Wow, that's really low...

    You might find some recipes and shopping tips on here to help you: http://agirlcalledjack.com/category/recipes-food/page/7/

    Thank you for the link I will definitely be checking that out!
  • autumnkuske
    autumnkuske Posts: 16 Member
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    Soup. You can buy a lot of onions, cabbage, carrots, celery and garlic, add a chicken and a few potatoes. Eggs, oatmeal, tofu. It can be done.

    It is just easier to buy bread, peanut butter and ramen.

    Really, which diet is healthier?

    I will try making large batches of soup and freezing them. A lot of people have mentioned that, thank you! ramen, bread, peanut butter, and mac and cheese are what I eat a lot of because it is quite a bit cheaper. But thank you for the soup recommendation.
  • autumnkuske
    autumnkuske Posts: 16 Member
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    Do you have something in a pantry or freezer? Or do you need to start from scratch?

    What I have in my pantry is ramen noodles, macaroni and cheese, and peanut butter, bread in my freezer and one chicken breast...I pretty much need to start from scratch. But I have used my grocery budget for the month, so will need to wait a week before I can go shopping for anything. Do you have any recipes/ideas for me?
  • autumnkuske
    autumnkuske Posts: 16 Member
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    Bananas. Carrots. Inexpensive frozen fish like swai or cod. Broccoli crowns. Eggs. Generic oatmeal (the big tubs). Tuna. Brown rice. Fresh lettuce (not the pre-cut). Canned veggies (low sodium).

    Thank you for the suggestions! I will definitely try and see if I can fit some of those things in my budget. And thank you for the oatmeal suggestion, I will try that for breakfast.
  • 2BeHappy2
    2BeHappy2 Posts: 811 Member
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    Can you get coupons from friends, family, neighbors?
    Can you get any sort of supplemental help...food stamps or something?
    Do you know any farmers that you can get fruits/veggies if you A: pick them yourself or B: exchange product for service (help them pick or plant)?
  • autumnkuske
    autumnkuske Posts: 16 Member
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    .
    My Brazilian friend always made the simplest beans and rice dish. All she did was cook the beans, after soaking them overnight. In a separate skillet she'd saute onions, garlic and Italian seasoning. Once the beans were ready, she'd add the onion saute ~ turned off the stove top and closed the pot. Rice was cooked. Ready to serve after 15 mins. She shared with me that this was a staple for her family before she'd married and migrated to the US. For special occasions, some pork or bacon is added to the onion saute and worked into the dish. Served with a tomato & cilantro salsa and sour cream.

    My suggestions for you:


    * Beans
    * Lentils
    * Rice [Please be sure to check the Asian + Latin American aisles before buying rice from the rice aisle ~ oftentimes it is cheaper]
    * Italian Seasoning + spices [Again > Look in the Latin American aisle > They sell the same spices in 60c to 80c sachets]
    * Onions
    * Frozen Veggies ~ Use coupons and you'll likely save more
    * Eggs
    * Oats
    * Pasta
    * Canned tomatoes ~ Again, use coupons
    * Cilantro
    * Bacon ~ It's almost always on sale
    * Flour - Very affordable and if you can make piadinas or tortillas > Burritos, tacos etc
    * Buy plain yoghurt around $2 and low fat milk $2.90 ~ Make your own yoghurt at home. Tonnes of recipes online
    * Vegetable oil ~ Latin American aisle is the most affordable


    Go online and print out coupons. <~ $35 is enough to feed you healthily, if you teach yourself to NOT be a picky eater. Look up vegan recipes for lentil/rice/bean burger patties and balls etc. Plant proteins will need to be your base protein source, interspersed with meat protein when you catch sales.

    Good luck!

    ETA: remove code

    **Do you have any friends or family who are members at COSTCO?

    Thank you for all the suggestions. We do not have Costcos around here. We have a Sam's club but it is an hour and a half away, so no one around here really uses it as the gas money is almost not worth it. I will definitely look into all the tips you gave me though, thank you very much.
  • autumnkuske
    autumnkuske Posts: 16 Member
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    Can you get coupons from friends, family, neighbors?
    Can you get any sort of supplemental help...food stamps or something?
    Do you know any farmers that you can get fruits/veggies if you A: pick them yourself or B: exchange product for service (help them pick or plant)?

    I do use coupons, that's one of the biggest rules of living on a budget haha. I 'make too much money' to get any sort of food stamps or help from the state, but thank you for the suggestion. In my area people are planting corn and soy beans this year, but I may look into seeing if there are any orchards around. Thanks for all the suggestions!
  • jennylilac
    jennylilac Posts: 30 Member
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    My friend works at a soup kitchen/food pantry and she has taught me (and my Girl Scout troop) that $2 a day is the absolute minimum to effectively feed one person. If you cannot manage that right now, you really need to look into food assistance. There are several programs available and things like soup kitchens and food pantries do not have income limits, but strive to provide healthy foods. $35 is just too much to stretch to really eat healthy!
  • wannakimmy
    wannakimmy Posts: 488 Member
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    It's not really that easy to just earn more money. I already work 55 hours a week. I can't really just get another job. But after I pay all my bills that's what I have to buy groceries with a month.

    I have never had lentils but it sounds like a lot of people have been suggesting them. So I will see if my store carries them and try that soup recipe of yours. Thanks for the input and the recipe!

    I know this is going to sound harsh OP, but if you are already working 55 hours a week, and $35 is all you have for food, perhaps it is time to look at how you spend your money. Might be time to check your priorities. Do you have cable/internet etc? Maybe get rid of the things that are not really needed to make more money available for the things you need to survive (food).

    I wish you the best OP :)
  • Illona88
    Illona88 Posts: 903 Member
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    Maybe rather than starving yourself on 90 cents a day, you should try looking for a cheaper place to live. Rent is usually where most money goes to.
    I have had to do the same, because I am on minimum wage and I just couldn't afford proper nutrition with my old room's rent.
    Now I may not live quite as "luxurious", but at least I am able to feed myself properly and I am much happier and feel much better for it.
  • mandymack14
    mandymack14 Posts: 100 Member
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    What sort of place do you live in? If you have a yard, or even a balcony, it might be time to become a gardener! You can grow heaps of things to eat, even in pots on a balcony. If you're interested I could find some links for you. It's possible to grow many vegetables in pots. You could grow the fresh veg and use your $$ for staples like lentils and bread.
  • autumnkuske
    autumnkuske Posts: 16 Member
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    I know this is going to sound harsh OP, but if you are already working 55 hours a week, and $35 is all you have for food, perhaps it is time to look at how you spend your money. Might be time to check your priorities. Do you have cable/internet etc? Maybe get rid of the things that are not really needed to make more money available for the things you need to survive (food).

    I wish you the best OP :)

    I appreciate the good thoughts from you :) All my money goes towards rent, car payments/loans I'm paying off, electric bill, car insurance. There really isn't much left after that, two minimum wage jobs don't go very far. No cable, but I have internet. I need it for the classes I take online...Which is really the only luxury I have at the moment. I'm hoping that someday I will be in a better situation where I don't have to budget my food so hard.
  • autumnkuske
    autumnkuske Posts: 16 Member
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    Maybe rather than starving yourself on 90 cents a day, you should try looking for a cheaper place to live. Rent is usually where most money goes to.
    I have had to do the same, because I am on minimum wage and I just couldn't afford proper nutrition with my old room's rent.
    Now I may not live quite as "luxurious", but at least I am able to feed myself properly and I am much happier and feel much better for it.

    I don't actually have very high rent for where I live, but in the winter it gets high because of the heating costs. I don't know about where you live but it's hard to find a place under 400 where I live. And in the winter it goes up to 700 because of the heat. The hardest part for me about trying to find a different place to live is trying to come up with the security deposit and first months rent right off the bat.

    It's great that you found a way to improve your situation! I'm sure I would be much happier if I didn't have to budget my food so hard right now! I also have two minimum wage jobs so I definitely know what you mean about it not going very far. Thanks for the reply!
  • autumnkuske
    autumnkuske Posts: 16 Member
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    What sort of place do you live in? If you have a yard, or even a balcony, it might be time to become a gardener! You can grow heaps of things to eat, even in pots on a balcony. If you're interested I could find some links for you. It's possible to grow many vegetables in pots. You could grow the fresh veg and use your $$ for staples like lentils and bread.

    I live in a duplex, where I have a small yard, but no where for a garden. Is it possible to grow vegetables in pots indoors? I don't have any experience with growing anything so any insight would be much appreciated :) I do have a patio door that gets pretty good sunlight in it, so if I could keep my plants inside by a window do you think that would be a possibility?
  • autumnkuske
    autumnkuske Posts: 16 Member
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    My friend works at a soup kitchen/food pantry and she has taught me (and my Girl Scout troop) that $2 a day is the absolute minimum to effectively feed one person. If you cannot manage that right now, you really need to look into food assistance. There are several programs available and things like soup kitchens and food pantries do not have income limits, but strive to provide healthy foods. $35 is just too much to stretch to really eat healthy!

    Yes, that's the problem I've been having, I have enough to eat, but can not eat healthy. Fruits and vegetables stretch my budget way too far. We do not have any soup kitchens or food pantries around my area, but some other repliers have suggested orchards and things and I was going to look into that :) Thank you for your reply!
  • FitFroglet
    FitFroglet Posts: 219 Member
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    Wow, that's really low...

    You might find some recipes and shopping tips on here to help you: http://agirlcalledjack.com/category/recipes-food/page/7/

    The woman who wrote the blog had £10 per week to feed herself and her son, so learnt to budget and cook cheap and healthy meals. Her early recipes use lots of cheap veg and tinned beans etc. The goal was obviously not weight loss, just survival, but they're generally pretty healthy.

    Generally, you need to fit the following things into your diet:
    -Carbohydrates - for energy. Pasta, rice, potatoes, bread. All reasonably cheap especially if you buy a large pack. People who are trying to lose weight often limit these but on your budget, keeping your body fueled is going to be the priority so I wouldn't worry too much (so long as they're not the only thing you're eating).
    -Protein. Most meat is not going to be an option on your budget, so focus on pulses (beans, chickpeas, lentils) and maybe some tinned fish (tuna, sardines). Look out for meat that's reduced to clear (on its expiry date) as it may be much cheaper (I've bought things for 1/4 of the price) and freeze it.
    -A range of vitamins and other nutrients - try to eat a few different types of veg. Buy things that keep well (like carrots) so you don't end up throwing things away. Also use frozen veg. Buy cheap tinned tomatoes to make sauces so your food has a bit more flavour. I wouldn't worry too much about fruit because it's not very filling and you don't want to waste money on things that will leave you hungry. Maybe a banana a day as they're cheap and filling.

    Another vote for this.
    Also
    swap canned beans for bulk-bought dried beans
    vegetables are usually cheaper than fruit (in the UK at least) but offer similar nutrients
    consider frozen out-of-season veg (in the winter I could buy 4 frozen corn-on-the-cob for 10p in my local supermarket)
    learn to make soups and casseroles - they make food go a lot further.

    Best of luck - it sounds like you're in a tough place at the moment.

    ETA: If you ever have some extra money and want some spice to make bland foods more palatable try the ethnic aisles. If you buy cumin in the spice aisle here it's £2 for a tiny jar, If you buy it from the Asian foods aisle it's £2 for a 500g bag.
  • autumnkuske
    autumnkuske Posts: 16 Member
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    Another vote for this.
    Also
    swap canned beans for bulk-bought dried beans
    vegetables are usually cheaper than fruit (in the UK at least) but offer similar nutrients
    consider frozen out-of-season veg (in the winter I could buy 4 frozen corn-on-the-cob for 10p in my local supermarket)
    learn to make soups and casseroles - they make food go a lot further.

    Best of luck - it sounds like you're in a tough place at the moment.

    Yes, it sounds like making soup is going to be something I definitely start trying. A lot of people have suggested that. Is 10p similar to 10 cents in the United States? I'm just curious because that seems incredibly cheap! If I could get 4 corn on the cobs for 10 cents that would all I would eat! And yes, soups and casseroles are something I will be trying. Do you have any recipes for soups or casseroles with a small amount of ingredients that aren't very expensive that still taste good? Thanks for the wishes!

    I have never really shopped in the ethnic food aisles because I always thought that would be the expensive aisle. I will have to try and scope that out more because you are the second or third person that has mentioned things to be cheaper in that aisle compared to the other areas of the store. Thanks
  • FitFroglet
    FitFroglet Posts: 219 Member
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    Yes, it sounds like making soup is going to be something I definitely start trying. A lot of people have suggested that. Is 10p similar to 10 cents in the United States? I'm just curious because that seems incredibly cheap! If I could get 4 corn on the cobs for 10 cents that would all I would eat! And yes, soups and casseroles are something I will be trying. Do you have any recipes for soups or casseroles with a small amount of ingredients that aren't very expensive that still taste good? Thanks for the wishes!

    I have never really shopped in the ethnic food aisles because I always thought that would be the expensive aisle. I will have to try and scope that out more because you are the second or third person that has mentioned things to be cheaper in that aisle compared to the other areas of the store. Thanks

    10p is approx 15c - I was amazed and ate a lot of corn!
    this is lovely:
    http://agirlcalledjack.com/2013/01/30/spiced-carrot-and-lentil-soup/

    This is good - just omit the yoghurt/cream and use whatever fat you have if you have no butter (leeks are often cheaper frozen or substitute onions):
    http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4852/honeyed-carrot-soup

    Again, frozen veg is your friend for this recipe and omit the cream to save money:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/broccolisoup_76607

    If you don't have a blender, don't worry - a potato masher does a reasonable job and often I prefer to have texture in soups anyway. It's what I did before I had a blender.
  • steinsopp
    steinsopp Posts: 14 Member
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    I live in a duplex, where I have a small yard, but no where for a garden. Is it possible to grow vegetables in pots indoors? I don't have any experience with growing anything so any insight would be much appreciated :) I do have a patio door that gets pretty good sunlight in it, so if I could keep my plants inside by a window do you think that would be a possibility?

    I grow vegetables year-round in the Arctic (with no sunlight for several months), so it's definitely possible to grow them indoors if you get good sun. You should be able to grow enough to occasionally supplement your meals, at least. It's a long-term project though.. even the fastest growing vegetables take a couple of months before you can harvest anything.

    Large buckets make great pots for vegetables, and you can move them out/indoors depending on weather. I recommend looking up "indoor gardening" or "bucket gardening" online, there's lots of helpful information. Root vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, turnips, and radishes are very easy to grow and give good yields. Salad leaves grow quickly and can be planted around other plants.

    It may be worth checking out any local ethnic or farmers' markets.. some foods are more expensive, but others may be much cheaper.
  • rainrain83
    rainrain83 Posts: 82 Member
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    i just want to say i feel for you.
    your situation just
    really sucks.
    hopefully things get better for you soon

    also another idea is to make your own yoghurt.
    you can make a never ending supply.
    once you make your first yoghurt you
    only need a spoonful of that to make more
    yoghurt and so on....

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