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

DominiqueSmall

Far out! $50/mth I wish I could only spend $100/mth! The kids milk comes in at $4.97 per 2lt and having 3 little ones means a whole heap of milk - they have to drink A2 milk but it is much better than regular (regulat milk is around $3 per $2lt!

Groceries are really expensive in Australia ... 'cheap' apples are when they are $2.95/kg, tomatoes range between $3-$8/kg a single head of lettuce is around $2.80 on a cheap day! Oh, and these are regular prices, not organic or anything. I bought a 1lt of almond milk trying to be a bit healthy and it cost $3.95! Wont be buying that again!!!!! The cheapest cage eggs run around the $3 per dozen.

I will be watching this thread for some ideas ... am down to our last $$$ before our monthly pay day in 5 days ... grrr I hate getting paid monthly!

Oh, and I would love some of your tips for getting down to $100/mth spend

I live in the number one city in California that supplies most of the produce in the world, so produce/groceries are very cheap here.

I can get apples for 59 cents/pound, bananas for 13 cents/pound, etc. We have a lot of Farmers Markets in town that sell organic produce on the cheap and milk is from the company that is in my town, so milk is inexpensive. I buy a dozen eggs for about a 1 dollar to 1.23.

Wow~

prettygirlhoward

Cabbage and potatoes. Potatoes get such a bum rap.

I've got a cookbook for cheap people, it's British though =/

Anyways it says peas also.

I love cabbage with potatoes! I was going to make this tonight and I throw in some smoked sausage....It's really yummy and even better is my little one loves it too!!

kaetra

Don't forget the windowsill herb garden, mmmm fresh basil and dill.

angbecks

plan out a menu! this is the best advice i can give you. we live in ohio and it sounds like our food prices are not even remotely close. We have expensive farmers markets here in the city too when i plan out a menu, i use up all the food i buy and i only buy what's included in the menu. it's amazing how much money that saves and how little food we throw out. And cooking from scratch helps a ton with the budget too.

prettygirlhoward

I too am looking for ways to budget and food is so expensive nowadays and the healthier the more $$! I think anything in a crockpot you can never go wrong and better yet you can freeze what you don't eat and save for another night....

I used to make a pot of beans and freeze what's not eaten, you can make a veggie soup with a bag of frozen veggies, add some potatoe....

californiansun

Cabbage and potatoes. Potatoes get such a bum rap.

I've got a cookbook for cheap people, it's British though =/

Anyways it says peas also.

I love cabbage with potatoes! I was going to make this tonight and I throw in some smoked sausage....It's really yummy and even better is my little one loves it too!!

I'm really going to try this... I've never had it but people keep bring it up so it must be good!!!

californiansun

plan out a menu! this is the best advice i can give you. we live in ohio and it sounds like our food prices are not even remotely close. We have expensive farmers markets here in the city too when i plan out a menu, i use up all the food i buy and i only buy what's included in the menu. it's amazing how much money that saves and how little food we throw out. And cooking from scratch helps a ton with the budget too.

I don't know why I didn't think of this.

Someone gave me milk so I can make a bunch of stuff now, I'm going to try to go another week without shopping! I doubt it'll work out, though haha.

melissajean2000

Hi! We spend 250 bucks a month for food for a family of 5. Some things we do are make our own bread from bulk wheat, make our own yogurt, make chicken stock, make beans from dried, and make sure you are not wasting food. Good luck!

Topsking2010

Wow!! I spend way too much on food!!!

Amberchalon

Hi,

I do a lot of shopping for staples at ethnic stores. Fruits and Veggies can be purchased for a song and a dance at most Asian grocery stores--just be selective WHICH Asian grocery store you go to. Meats are cheaper there too if thats your thing. Same with Middle Eastern, African or Hispanic stores.

I eat a lot of lentils and because lentils are so versatilte, you can easily eat them several times in a week without having to get bored with them. I pay 1.39 a pound for the organic red ones at Whole Foods.

theladyy

Cabbage and potatoes. Potatoes get such a bum rap.

I've got a cookbook for cheap people, it's British though =/

Anyways it says peas also.

Cabbage, taters and kielbasa all boiled together is delicious. I don't usually eat the cabbage itself (something about the texture I just don't like), but I love the flavor it gives off.

aekaya

poorgirleatswell.com!

McKayMachina

Far out! $50/mth I wish I could only spend $100/mth! The kids milk comes in at $4.97 per 2lt and having 3 little ones means a whole heap of milk - they have to drink A2 milk but it is much better than regular (regulat milk is around $3 per $2lt!

Groceries are really expensive in Australia ... 'cheap' apples are when they are $2.95/kg, tomatoes range between $3-$8/kg a single head of lettuce is around $2.80 on a cheap day! Oh, and these are regular prices, not organic or anything. I bought a 1lt of almond milk trying to be a bit healthy and it cost $3.95! Wont be buying that again!!!!! The cheapest cage eggs run around the $3 per dozen.

I will be watching this thread for some ideas ... am down to our last $$$ before our monthly pay day in 5 days ... grrr I hate getting paid monthly!

Oh, and I would love some of your tips for getting down to $100/mth spend

Edit: WOW! "$5 rotisserie chicken" the cheapest I have ever found one around here is $9.98 for a small one, the large ones (that barely feed a family of 5) are around $12.95!

Yeah but your average income and minimum wage is twice what ours is. You really cannot compare AUS to the USA.

P.S.: Milk is not a required food.

californiansun

Hi,

I do a lot of shopping for staples at ethnic stores. Fruits and Veggies can be purchased for a song and a dance at most Asian grocery stores--just be selective WHICH Asian grocery store you go to. Meats are cheaper there too if thats your thing. Same with Middle Eastern, African or Hispanic stores.

I eat a lot of lentils and because lentils are so versatilte, you can easily eat them several times in a week without having to get bored with them. I pay 1.39 a pound for the organic red ones at Whole Foods.

We have a lot of Hispanic stores here, it seems like the Asian ones are more expensive, but I'll check em out! I just got a bunch of ads in the mail so I'll look before I go shopping. Lentils are a good idea!

californiansun

Far out! $50/mth I wish I could only spend $100/mth! The kids milk comes in at $4.97 per 2lt and having 3 little ones means a whole heap of milk - they have to drink A2 milk but it is much better than regular (regulat milk is around $3 per $2lt!

Groceries are really expensive in Australia ... 'cheap' apples are when they are $2.95/kg, tomatoes range between $3-$8/kg a single head of lettuce is around $2.80 on a cheap day! Oh, and these are regular prices, not organic or anything. I bought a 1lt of almond milk trying to be a bit healthy and it cost $3.95! Wont be buying that again!!!!! The cheapest cage eggs run around the $3 per dozen.

I will be watching this thread for some ideas ... am down to our last $$$ before our monthly pay day in 5 days ... grrr I hate getting paid monthly!

Oh, and I would love some of your tips for getting down to $100/mth spend

Edit: WOW! "$5 rotisserie chicken" the cheapest I have ever found one around here is $9.98 for a small one, the large ones (that barely feed a family of 5) are around $12.95!

Yeah but your average income and minimum wage is twice what ours is. You really cannot compare AUS to the USA.

P.S.: Milk is not a required food.

Milk is required for me! haha I love milk. at AUS prices, I would NEVER buy it.

Daydreams406

I'm a college student without an on campus meal plan. My father transfers me $70 a week, and don't use it all. I grocery shop every Sunday. This past shopping day, I only spent $22. I bought a whole bunch of veggies and fruit. I shop at discount stores (FoodMaxx in my area), so things are cheaper. My favorite veggie to buy is Broccoli, which I can usually by there for $.98/lb. When I don't shop at the discount and go to a regular place, i try to find whatever is cheapest that I still like. I

OMG...my son starts college in the fall...we got him on the 7 day meal plan lol...we were so not going to be paying for his food all year.

californiansun

I'm a college student without an on campus meal plan. My father transfers me $70 a week, and don't use it all. I grocery shop every Sunday. This past shopping day, I only spent $22. I bought a whole bunch of veggies and fruit. I shop at discount stores (FoodMaxx in my area), so things are cheaper. My favorite veggie to buy is Broccoli, which I can usually by there for $.98/lb. When I don't shop at the discount and go to a regular place, i try to find whatever is cheapest that I still like. I

OMG...my son starts college in the fall...we got him on the 7 day meal plan lol...we were so not going to be paying for his food all year.

I wish my parents got me a meal plan, I would never buy food! haha

KellyBgetsfit

so many great ideas! Thanks to everyone for sharing!

californiansun

so many great ideas! Thanks to everyone for sharing!

Agreed!!! If anyone has more ideas... keep em comin!

ladytinkerbell99

hump for later reference