How to survive on 40-50 dollars per month on food.
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I feed 3 people (2 adults and 1 six year old) three meals a day(we all pack our lunches daily) and snacks on $25 a week. I coupon like crazy and since starting it saves me a ton of $$. I know thats $25 a week is more than your budget but i am feeding three so with a little planning a couponing I know you can do it.
The secret to couponing is clip them weekly but save them until the item is on sale, when ever possible combine store coupons with manufacture coupons and I shop at multiple stores and stalk up when prices are dirt cheap exsample reacently I was able with a store sale and a manufacture coupon to get cheerios for $0.36 a box so I boaught enough to last us a while.
Menue planning helps big time and when I plan my menues for the week I plan based off the sale ads. So if a whole chicken is $0.98 a pound guess what we are having chiken this week. And 1 whole chiken will make three meals for us so for about $5 I am able to get protien for three meals. I'll roast up the whole chiken and have it roasted with a veggie one night, make chicken tacos another night, and put the rest on a salads for lunch.
Sorry so long! But feeding my family for cheap is something I am supper passonate about. I have tons of resourses and tips for couponing if your intrested!!!
Wow, thanks!!! I always wondered how people can do that, thanks so much for explaining! I will for sure message you!
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Find out if your supermarkets have slightly damaged fruits and veggies - often hardly any damage, but greatly reduced prices. A few bruises or dents are easily dealt with, and the cost savings are enormous!
I have often purchased large quantities of just-over-ripe bananas, took them home, and did one of two things. Both options really extended the shelf life of foods, and enables me to have more nutritious foods available:
1. peel, break into thirds, store in large zip-locking freezer bags - use for smoothies: they are excellent in smoothies! Good for 1-2 months in freezer.
2. peel, slice (2-3 mm thickness), and dehydrate. Store your delicious homemade banana-chips in freezer to maximize shelf-life. Good for up to 4-5 months if frozen.
Dehydrating works for vegetables really well, too: you can use dehydrated vegetables in soups and/or add to bean dishes. (Crumbled vegetables can be surreptitiously added to dishes to increase nutrition and taste, and even family members who "hate" veggies won't complain.
Dehydrators made specifically for the purpose of drying foods out are the most convenient way to dehydrate, but if you can also dehydrate foods using your normal oven. Set oven at the "warm-up" temperature (150F). Remove when pliable, and before they become crispy.
Tip #1: use a cookie sheet as a drying rack.
Tip #2: spritz some vegetable oil onto drying rack before putting fruits/vegetables on it to make removal much easier!
Good luck!
Wow, thats an amazing tip! Thanks!!!!
My pleasure!0 -
I bumped this yesterday. Someone mentioned a good website on making Indian food and now I can't find it!0
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Plant a money Tree !
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To save money on fresh produce try going to a farmer's market! You can buy a TON of produce for super cheap. 0
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Plant a money Tree !
Hahaha, working on it!!! 0 -
I'm going to be needing this advice soon!0
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bump0
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look at flyers/internet for sales each week and find the best deals.
stock up on freezer and pantry items when there is a good sale. ie: stop & shop 10 for $10.
I shop at a store called Price Rite, it's really cheap. Aldi's is also cheap, see if you have any discount grocery stores where you live.
Eat mostly chicken and pork for protein (nix expensive cuts of meat like steak), but try to buy only on sale days (reading the flyers come in handy for this). Freeze and take out your portion the day before to thaw. Look at the UNIT PRICE to make sure you are getting a good deal! When I buy meat i look for around $1-2 per pound on sale. Some fish is pretty cheap too, but i don't buy seafood often. I've tried frozen fish, but it is just not good to me, so i'd rather splurge sometimes and buy the fresh fish. Also generally I've found that shrimp is pretty expensive so I never buy shrimp. I don't eat other seafood.
Use frozen veggie bags (i stock up on 10/$10 days or when Price Rite has em for a dollar) to stretch your meals. Especially follow using my other tip below, cutting your meat portions in half.
I generally have snacks/breakfast as whey protein shake with water or milk. A huge tub is $10-20 and it will last me maybe 2 months. I'm counting my macros so I need the protein to reach them -- shakes are a good way to sneak it in cheaply. Generally though, protein bars are really expensive in comparison - a single bar can be $1.50++. Do shakes instead.
EGGS. They're pretty cheap and have a good amount of protein to fill you up. I cook eggs all the time -- not just for bf.
Try to nix cheese. It is pretty expensive and is a lot of calories without offering a lot of nutrients. Other expensive and/or empty-cal things: mayonnaise, butter, oil (if you like cooking with it though, olive oil is worth the cost), peanut butter (really good for quick lunches/dinners though, your choice to buy or not -- the jar does last really long), soda, juice (just drink water), bottled water (just buy a washable bottle), bagels/etc (the only bread you really need is a whole wheat loaf), and junk food like chips/ice cream/cookies.
Shop the perimeter mostly, except when you need pantry items.
On a good sale day, get some canned fruits/veggies to keep for good cheap options. I also like tuna as a cheap protein source.
Have meals that do not include meat at all, meat is expensive. I can make plenty of meals using noodles or rice and some frozen mixed veggies, with a bit of creativity. Or half your "usual" portion of meat. My fiance and I do this and our meat now lasts twice as long, because we're eating 1/2 chicken breast each instead of 1 each.
Don't buy any processed or conveniently packaged products. A couple more minutes of food prep is really all you need to trim the fat, or cut the fruit, or bag individual serving sizes. ESP rice, beans, potatoes. Super cheap foods.
I usually buy the cheapest bread that is whole wheat, but you can nix bread entirely and just have salads instead, and also cut out the carbs/cals from eating bread. I love sandwiches though, but lately i've been doing open-face to save cals and a slice of bread so my bread lasts twice as long. You can also freeze bread so it lasts longer -- esp when it's HOT out!
Write a shopping list, and plan your meals - great things to do before you go shopping to really stick to your budget. my friend is also on a tight budget and she is one of those people who bring a calculator to make sure there are no surprises at the register.
Once you stock up your freezer/pantry with the essentials, the only stuff you'll really need to buy once a week or so are eggs, milk, fresh fruits/veggies, and sometimes meat (when your freezer stock is depleted), plus whatever else is depleted that you'll need. Also, I love yogurt and generally it's not bad. I get a bunch when they're like 50 cents each and use em for snacks or breakfast.
I mentioned this briefly, but don't BUY anything to drink! Drink your water. I bought a 32 oz reusable bottle from Family Dollar for like $2 and I carry it with me everywhere! I don't drink milk unless i use it to make my shakes.
Also, do not eat out! Eating out is soooooooo expensive. It's such a waste. If you don't have one, buy a rice cooker/steamer and you will have meals so quick and easy you'll never want to eat out again. I literally take a couple minutes to throw some rice and water in the bottom and then put some frozen veggies on the top. If I'm eating meat with it i'll bake or use the pan to cook it with zero-cal oil spray (most meats take 10-15 minutes to cook). EASY. We literally only eat on special ocassions, unless I'm REALLY craving something specific. Usually it's pizza haha...But don't do that! Get the $5 pizza (Price Rite has $5 Digiornos sometimes) instead of $20 from like dominos lol.
That's all I got for now, hope this helps!0 -
Don't know if this has been posted yet but there is an entire blog dedicated to a guy who ate (semi healthy) on $1 per day.
Took a lot of work but it is certainly possible.
Edit: http://www.grocerycouponguide.com/articles/eating-well-on-1-a-day/0 -
Don't know if this has been posted yet but there is an entire blog dedicated to a guy who ate (semi healthy) on $1 per day.
Took a lot of work but it is certainly possible.
Edit: http://www.grocerycouponguide.com/articles/eating-well-on-1-a-day/
I've been reading it since I saw your post... it's really amazing what he did. Thanks!0 -
I think it's all relative ... just I have noticed in Australia that the cost of living has blown out like anything! Rent is pretty high, health insurance runs around $320 a month for a family, petrol is $1.38-$1.54 per Lt (a gallon is 3.785 litres - so at cheapest we are paying $5.22 per gallon!).
It makes it hard to prioritise what to cut back on ... my goal this year is reduction :laugh: reducing my waistline and our expenses!
Woah here in New Zealand petrol is $2.25 ish per Litre!! Which would be $8.52 per Gallon (NZD) or $6.43 per Gallon (USD)... according to currency exchange!0 -
Some of this has probably been said in here already,,,
Do you have a freezer? If so this could help quite a bit. A whole chicken for my family(4) will make 2, maybe 3 dinners and a pot of soup (roast chickent and veg, chicken soup, chicken quesidillas for example)
I find soup, chillis and stews the best bang for your buck, especially if you can freeze it for meals later in the month where $$ might be tight.
Spaghetti sauce is another staple around here.
Keep an eye on the reduced bin for produce. Things like carrots, celery, peppers and even over ripe bananas freeze well for use later.
Buy in bulk the staples you go through the most, like beans, rice, flour ect. In an airtight container they can last quite a while.
Same applies to family packs of meat when on sale (if you have a freezer of course) they are generally cheaper (per KG) than the smaller packs.
Price matching at walmart and coupons are a great saver. Better bonus when you can price match a sale item and use a coupon. We only use coupons for stuff would actually buy, it does take some planning, but has saved us lots.
I do find manufacturers very generous for things like whole wheat pasta, pasta sauces, cereal, juice, shampoos and soaps coupons. I miss our soy milk coupons that were directly on the carton. (My BF is a Vegetarian. )
last week multigrain cheerios were on sale for 2.99 inside the box there is a coupn for free juice and i had a .75 coupon Bonus! I get exited over little things now lol
Im in canada and like going to food basic sunday before a long weekend, Thats usually when they will reduce the dairy we go through 8L of milk a week, so when they reduce it to 2$ for 4.29 thats some savings for us.
You can grow a few things from an apartment. Back in the day I had 2 tomato plants, a few carrots, and herbs. They dont take up much space and you can garden them year round.
You seem very resourceful :)Im sure you can make it to your goal of 50$ a month0 -
I'm spending 150 a week. o.O
Me too!! I can't even do $50 a week let alone $50 a month. *sigh*0 -
bump i'm trying to cut my grocery bill while still keeping within my macros
I check the weekly ads, portion out the meat to what i need and freeze the rest. i need to add more beans and rice into my diet though!
this thread rocks!0 -
Bump for later!0
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bumpage!0
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I'm on a limited budget too, what's worked for me is planning my meals for the week that will have similar ingredients. For example I'll buy an avocado, red bell pepper, spinach, quoinoa, tomatoes, black beans, bread and cheese. I can get at least 4-6 meals out of those ingredients 2-3 lunches and 2-3 dinners. Total cost about 10 bucks. I can use the avocado, bell pepper and cheese for sandwiches and I can combine the bell peper spinach, quinoa, black beans and tomatoes in a skillet and top with cheese and avocado. Try to buy things that will do double duty 0
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If your supermarket has a bulk food section, like rice and beans purchase from there it cost much less.0
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hit the produce stands! el cheapo, super healthy, and yummies all around!0
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Go to Dollar Tree. They have a great frozen food section. I have gotten the steamed veggies from there, and sometimes you can catch the Smart Ones meals.0
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bump
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I really want to read these tips but I'm WAY too a.d.d. right now... Hopefully later0
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I haven't read the whole thread, but I've been looking into the cheapest foods on a per calorie basis (whole foods only) and the winners are all seed-type foods (grains, legumes, oils, and some nuts), so that leaves a lot of holes nutritionally. Dried fruit can be pretty cheap and so are fresh bananas. The cheapest actual vegetables I can buy are sweet potatoes. They don't require pesticides, so you don't have to worry about buying organic versus conventional. They're pretty nutritious, having vitamins, fiber and most of the amino acids you need, and they're easy to cook. Do you have space for a small garden? Growing your own salad greens can make a huge difference.
Edit: I don't know your daily calorie goals, but if it's around 1600, your target would be to average 1000 calories for every dollar you spend. The only things I've found cheaper than that are oils, sugar, flour, oats and bulk pinto beans. Aldi's bananas and sweet potatoes are just above that.0 -
I had to eat that snugly in college. I totally feel you! It is also the time that I became a confident cook at home.
I ate a lot of these, which are filling, relatively nutritious and dirty cheap.
- Potato
- Onions
- Oats
- Lentils
- Beans - all kinds. Dried Beans are very inexpensive
- Rice
- Eggs
- Chicken - Whole and Roasted at home. On sale, some of these cost only a few dollars and for just you, a 3 lb hen is plenty for a while. When you cook them and use them like a Thanksgiving Turkey, will last you a couple of weeks. Chicken broth can be a boon to bland starches.
- Bullion - you will be amazed how much flavor you can get out of one tiny cube
- Apples
- Root Veggies
- Pork. It only takes a tiny bit of cured pork to add enormous flavor, thus, making it cheap.
- Inexpensive cheeses
- BIG green leafy veggies. If you buy a whole head of romaine lettuce, it can really last a while.
- Dried fruit. The reason this fits the budget is you can use small amounts for flavor, snacks or otherwise, and it lasts much longer than the month you purchased it in. It's a $6 hit now, for three months worth of snacks, salads, flavor-adds, etc. Cranberries are my favorite.
Become an avid home-chef. Spices make the low-budget world go around so get really good ones if you can. Penzey's has very high quality spices for much less than the store, so go there if you can find one. . My sis can feed a family of 6 on $200 per MONTH at times, and she does a stellar job by cooking at home. Good luck!0 -
I went to the store today and my grand total was 47.67. This will last me longer than a month.
I bought egg noodles, beans, diced tomatoes in a can for chili, seasoning, 2 family size frozen veggies, 5 lb red potatoes, 5 lb red apples, cheese, 50 whole wheat tortillas, beef, chorizo, a dozen eggs, salsa, gallon of milk, 2 boxes of cereal, 2 loaves of whole wheat bread, peanut butter, ham, mustard, sour cream and 2 cream of chicken soup.
I probably could of made healthier choices, but I've been really wanting chorizo and eggs.
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I had to eat that snugly in college. I totally feel you! It is also the time that I became a confident cook at home.
I ate a lot of these, which are filling, relatively nutritious and dirty cheap.
- Potato
- Onions
- Oats
- Lentils
- Beans - all kinds. Dried Beans are very inexpensive
- Rice
- Eggs
- Chicken - Whole and Roasted at home. On sale, some of these cost only a few dollars and for just you, a 3 lb hen is plenty for a while. When you cook them and use them like a Thanksgiving Turkey, will last you a couple of weeks. Chicken broth can be a boon to bland starches.
- Bullion - you will be amazed how much flavor you can get out of one tiny cube
- Apples
- Root Veggies
- Pork. It only takes a tiny bit of cured pork to add enormous flavor, thus, making it cheap.
- Inexpensive cheeses
- BIG green leafy veggies. If you buy a whole head of romaine lettuce, it can really last a while.
- Dried fruit. The reason this fits the budget is you can use small amounts for flavor, snacks or otherwise, and it lasts much longer than the month you purchased it in. It's a $6 hit now, for three months worth of snacks, salads, flavor-adds, etc. Cranberries are my favorite.
Become an avid home-chef. Spices make the low-budget world go around so get really good ones if you can. Penzey's has very high quality spices for much less than the store, so go there if you can find one. . My sis can feed a family of 6 on $200 per MONTH at times, and she does a stellar job by cooking at home. Good luck!
WOW! Thank you soooo much for these tips!!! 0 -
so going through this post later for idea's....0
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Man I'm only up to page 3 but this is a great topic! Thanks!!0
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I need to "bump" and run! Some great ideas on this thread, and I only got through page 2. Like many others, I need to decrease the amount I spend in food. I have found farmers market and Aldi's (finally got one that opened close to me) as my 2 best allies to decrease my food bill. I also started a garden with tomatoes, peppers and zucchini. I am lucky to live in the South,in regards to where my farmers markets are open year around with seasonal (and some unseasonal) choices. I can plan a small winter garden as well. I also realize, though not as cheap as the OP, I have it pretty good for food prices. I was not aware of such price differences around the world for food. Thanks everyone for the great tips!0
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