How to survive on 40-50 dollars per month on food.

Options
1…1011131516…21

Replies

  • Amberchalon
    Amberchalon Posts: 207 Member
    Options
    If you can't give her beneficial tips--how about not wasting her time and leaving comments about how you're unable to do what she does?
  • luhluhlaura
    luhluhlaura Posts: 278 Member
    Options
    I think the biggest obstacle to eating healthy on a budget is just time/preparation.
    So, what you cut out in money, you'll have to make up for in time.
    No eating out, not even for snacks, Buy some tupperware and a cooler and store all your meals/snacks in your car each day--that way, you'll never be caught in a bind where you have to buy an expensive fast-food/cafeteria snack or salad .

    I've found that foods are much higher in price if they are "convenient"--meaning some preparation has been done for you.
    So bagged lettuce vs. a head of lettuce,
    baby/cut carrots vs. raw untouched carrots,
    frozen meals vs. individual food items,
    ect...
    So my suggestion is to buy produce and cut it all up/prepare it yourself...

    another good whole grain option is couscous--not too expensive, although a little more than rice.
    For PROTEIN go for big tuna cans, black beans, canned chicken...
    go to the supermarket early in the morning and they often have cuts of meat that must be sold that day on sale. There's nothing wrong with the meat, you just need to cook it that day.
    Also, places like Costco and Winco have great deals since they sell in bulk,
    and places like the 99cents Store have begun selling produce for dirt cheap!

    It's difficult, but eating healthy on a budget is possible. Good luck! :)
  • californiansun
    californiansun Posts: 392 Member
    Options
    If you can't give her beneficial tips--how about not wasting her time and leaving comments about how you're unable to do what she does?

    that made me lol!!! :)
  • californiansun
    californiansun Posts: 392 Member
    Options
    I think the biggest obstacle to eating healthy on a budget is just time/preparation.
    So, what you cut out in money, you'll have to make up for in time.
    No eating out, not even for snacks, Buy some tupperware and a cooler and store all your meals/snacks in your car each day--that way, you'll never be caught in a bind where you have to buy an expensive fast-food/cafeteria snack or salad .

    I've found that foods are much higher in price if they are "convenient"--meaning some preparation has been done for you.
    So bagged lettuce vs. a head of lettuce,
    baby/cut carrots vs. raw untouched carrots,
    frozen meals vs. individual food items,
    ect...
    So my suggestion is to buy produce and cut it all up/prepare it yourself...

    another good whole grain option is couscous--not too expensive, although a little more than rice.
    For PROTEIN go for big tuna cans, black beans, canned chicken...
    go to the supermarket early in the morning and they often have cuts of meat that must be sold that day on sale. There's nothing wrong with the meat, you just need to cook it that day.
    Also, places like Costco and Winco have great deals since they sell in bulk,
    and places like the 99cents Store have begun selling produce for dirt cheap!

    It's difficult, but eating healthy on a budget is possible. Good luck! :)

    Thanks!! I don't eat a lot of meat as it is, if I see an amazing deal that I can't pass up, Ill go for it! Sometimes Smart and Final has chicken on sale for 68 cents/pound! WHOOOOHOOO! hahaha
  • svetz
    svetz Posts: 35 Member
    Options
    Bump, great thread!
  • christenwypy
    christenwypy Posts: 335 Member
    Options
    All the things you listed are great already. I am not sure though if 40 or 50 a month is really realistic. I have been shopping for a family of four for a long time so maybe I am wrong, but often we spent 200 a week If I cut that to 100 I feel great. So if I divide that in 4 that would still be 100 a month. I am not sure it can be done especially if you are eating healthy and not just living on ramen noodles.
  • emnk5308
    emnk5308 Posts: 736
    Options
    To save money on fresh produce try going to a farmer's market! You can buy a TON of produce for super cheap.

    Best time of year too! Stock up and freeze it yourself.. =)
  • californiansun
    californiansun Posts: 392 Member
    Options
    All the things you listed are great already. I am not sure though if 40 or 50 a month is really realistic. I have been shopping for a family of four for a long time so maybe I am wrong, but often we spent 200 a week If I cut that to 100 I feel great. So if I divide that in 4 that would still be 100 a month. I am not sure it can be done especially if you are eating healthy and not just living on ramen noodles.

    It's possible, since I've been doing it! :D

    I cook from scratch, look for good deals, eat lots of left overs, etc! :) My last grocery bill was less than 45 dollars and that was a month and a half ago! :)
  • californiansun
    californiansun Posts: 392 Member
    Options
    To save money on fresh produce try going to a farmer's market! You can buy a TON of produce for super cheap.

    Best time of year too! Stock up and freeze it yourself.. =)

    Good idea, thanks!!! :D
  • AimersBee
    AimersBee Posts: 775 Member
    Options
    $50 a month.. that's crazy! My boyfriend and I spend at least 350-500 a month.
  • albinogorilla
    albinogorilla Posts: 1,056 Member
    Options
    i spend more than that a week on meat alone...........so i'm out.............
  • mandypizzle
    mandypizzle Posts: 633 Member
    Options
    A big bag of Quinoa at Costco is only $9. It is very filling and you can do a lot with it! I would LOVE to even live on $300 a month! lol
  • californiansun
    californiansun Posts: 392 Member
    Options
    i spend more than that a week on meat alone...........so i'm out.............

    Well, I'm mostly vegetarian, I'm a female (usually females eat less), in college, just lost my job, etc.

    So, sadly, I gotta go without meat!

    When I made good money, I was buying all organic, etc. Sh** happens, though! :)
  • californiansun
    californiansun Posts: 392 Member
    Options
    $50 a month.. that's crazy! My boyfriend and I spend at least 350-500 a month.

    Even with my boyfriend, we never spent that much!!! Lord. haha.
  • natalie412
    natalie412 Posts: 1,039 Member
    Options
    bump
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    Options
    I was watching Rachel Ray interview someone about farm stands. She was told that "seconds," food that perfectly good to eat, but a little bruised and not pretty, was a good value. You could use the vegetables in a stew or a soup and puree the fruits.

    I was on a website for a food cooperative. The organization said that bruised food was donated, never thrown out. Maybe you could contact some in your area and see if there are any deals or programs.

    If you get a deal on something like fresh basil, you could make a lot of pesto and freeze it. That could last several months. I would Google recipes that freeze easily and then look for ingredients that are sold cheaply at farmer's markets.
  • KeriW626
    KeriW626 Posts: 430
    Options
    Summer is coming soon. That means farmers markets, they generally have fresh produce pretty cheap. There is alot to choose from where I am. However: I planted a garden last year, and got some wonderful veggies pretty cheap. My favorite is butter nut squash. I love pumpkin pie and pumpkin pie shakes. I havent had either since I found butternut squash. I cut in half lenght wise, use a large metal spoon and gut the seeds and stringys. then bake it face down at 450 degrees for about 45mins. I will look a bit burnt. Just let it cool some scoop out the meat of it. add a bit of butter if you chose, what ever sweetner you use and pumpkin spice. Because mine got so big, some of them are stringy. I use a mixer, and the blades catch most the strings. Winco here carrys it year around for about .45 a lb. its a winter squash, so store in a cool place. I have mine in a cupboard in the food room. It doesnt get any heat but gets ac. and its dark on the shelves. Of what I grew last year I still have 2 left. It is about 82 calories per cup. and very filling. Hope this helps. Dont forget the farmers market if you cant garden. good luck.
  • moejo3
    moejo3 Posts: 224 Member
    Options
    I think you can do it! I try to keep my food bill down but, when all 4 kids were at home I became a master of economy cooking. Just a few ideas

    1, get some zip lock baggies

    Frozen Chicken Fryer(watch for a sale and get a couple) boil the whole thing with onions carrot garlic and celery. Break up to what you will eat now and freeze the rest. Using a strainer or cheese cloth strain out the broth. This is good stuff you can use it to cook your rice with or soups etc.

    Beans try a variety of them soak them overnight then boil them on the stove for a couple of hours. Freeze in serving size portions. I do this with black, kidney and pinto beans. To be used in soups, rice n beans, bean burritos etc

    Veggies plant a garden if you can if not hit the farmers market or buy frozen. Check online what veggies you can prepare and freeze.

    I think the key to eating frugally is there is little to know waste. If you have leftovers create a new dish from them. Also, cooking from scratch is inexpensive. If you live by the water go fishing or drop a crab pot in. Nothing is better than fresh catch! Good luck! One last thing if you do hit the farmers market learn to can your good bounty. Canning is easy and really stretches the dollar. I have canning parties with my daughters we make salsa and lots of other goodies. You can find jars/rings at thrift stores so, all you need is the lids and a pot to boil them in. Good luck!
  • alli_baba
    alli_baba Posts: 232 Member
    Options
    When I was in grad school, one of my diet staples was a bean & cheese (refried beans smeared on a whole wheat tortilla with salsa and cheese -- & zapped in the microwave to melt the cheese). Fast, cheap, & delish. Also vegetarian (which I'm not).

    Also, my grad school friends & I formed a Costco co-op -- one person bought the membership and we shopped together splitting up the produce, cheese, meat, cereal, eggs, milk, etc. I mean those $5 bags of baby carrots (I think there are 5 lbs of them in the bag) -- they would probably spoil if one person bought them. But split 5 ways, it worked! You have to be a bit organized when shopping with your friends (impulse purchases were no-nos), but it was a big $$$ saver for us.

    Also, one of my best buys was a bread machine at a garage sale (they seem to be a favorite wedding shower gift that people are always getting rid of at garage/yard sales). I bought one for $5 and would make fresh bread for all my friends (again, flour, yeast, milk, butter/oil are super cheap when bought in bulk at stores like Costco). I still have that bread machine and use it. Obviously, you can make your own bread without the machine, but in grad school (for me, at least) time was as precious as $$.

    Anyway, great thread! And I'm super impressed with your $50/month budget!
  • autty79
    autty79 Posts: 8 Member
    Options
    Wish I could do that little per month, but my best advice since I work at a grocery store is shop in the morning, that's when we are marking down all of the short dated products and I know that this will make you spend a little more at first but if you purchase some type of food saver, you can actually get your produce to last longer.

Categories