Budget of $100 a month on FOOD- HELP!
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im pretty simple.. i buy in bulk too.. but yeah..
all i have is Chicken, Bell Peppers, Spinach, some cheese, a few Mrs. Dashs seasoning.. tons of water, and Naked Smoothies.. cost me just under 30$ a week for food..0 -
I agree with others that say buy things like rice, beans, etc. These things are cheap and last a long time. Also buy frozen veggies, most places sell these at around $1 per bag and again, they last a long time. Oatmeal is good for breakfasts and is cheap. Look for sales on items that have a long shelf life and buy a lot of them so next month you won't need them again.0
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What state are you in? $100 is better than nothing so just make sure you have the basics for you dietary needs. There is alot of help out there for ppl who can not make ends meet. . Everyone has been in that position. Don't get ride of your car...in order for you to get back and forth to work will be tough. When I graduated from college I ate ramen and frozen pizzas..ALOT lololol but eating healthier may be a challenge b/c sometimes it's a little more expensive to eat that way.
Frozen veggies are great bang for your buck...they are flash frozen so you don't lose any nutrients. Stock up on those and chicken.
In the freezer isle you can almost always find rolls of grinded chicken or turkey..looks kinda like a log of sausage. That is always cheaper than buying freshly ground. Same thing applies..it's juts frozen to last longer
Google recipes with 3 or few ingredients that are healthy....and that you can freeze in large batches. That will last you a long time I promise.
Good luck to you!0 -
Do you know anyone that has a costco/sams club membership? You can get a 20lb bag of chicken breasts for ~$20-25 and large quantities (4lbs+) of frozen organic broccoli and green beans. Grab a few staples from a store and get creative! Lentils are CHEAP and very filling.0
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First -- yea for you for putting your education first. You are obviously a very smart woman.
Second -- this is a fitness site. Ignore those who want to give you money advice. There are great sites for that, with experts.
Third -- alot of smart fitness folks (above) gave you alot of GOOD advice.
Good luck!!!0 -
Congrats on furthering your education!
Being poor is only temporary, so just focus on school so you can be successful when you've completed everything
For cheap food, think beans, rice, potatoes, eggs, and fruits and veggies that are on sale each week. Also, my grocery store has a section of "managers specials" for fresh foods that are near their expiration dates. I've found bagged salads, yogurts, snacks and deli meats for about $1 a piece.
Being from Houston, I can't agree with people who suggested selling your car. We need cars here in Houston since our public transportation is crap, so I can see where you're coming from. But selling it for a cash car isn't a bad idea. Carmax is usually very fair. Maybe see how much they'd give you, and if it'd be worth it to get a cash car?
Good luck!!0 -
I was feeding 3 people including myself on $50 a month for a while. Dried beans are cheap and healthy, 25 pound bag of flour for $8 can make a lot of loaves of bread/tortillas/pizza crusts etc. Make all of your food from scratch, no prepared foods, it takes a lot of planning but will save you tons of money. I can make a huge batch of chili using dried beans and canned tomatoes (no meat im vegi) add some carrots and frozen corn, make homemade corn bread using cornmeal and flour. Whole batch of chili/cornbread costs $5 and will feed you for a week. BUT you can freeze it in smaller portions so you dont get burned out. Homemade flour tortillas are very easy, add some cheese, veggies, and beans and make homemade enchiladas for less than $5, enough food for a few days.
Big bag of white rice for $15, make spanish rice, white rice, red beans and rice, rice pilaf, fried rice, rice pudding, etc etc.
One extra benefit to cooking from scratch, no preservatives helps you loose/maintain healthy weight, your body will start to rid itself of chemicals, and you burn calories making the food. Make a plan and it can be done, after a few months $100 will seem like a lot of food money.
Right now I feed 2 people on less than $100 a month.0 -
Frozen Tilapia at Walmart is $3 for 6 filets. 100 calories per 4 oz. Great for cheap protien.
I also do ham 4oz, wheat wrap, slice of cheese and that is less than 200 calories - I eat that for lunch
peanut butter is not the end of the world - just no jelly! apples, celery is much better0 -
Honestly the only thing that worked for me to save money is too cook meals at home in bulk.
Like lentil soup for example all you need is lentils,.celery, onions, tomatoes, and carrots. Maximum $8 for a huge pot, and freeze whatever you dont eat, thats enough for me for 5 lunches.
Any kind of soup is cheap in if you buy bulk beans, lentils, peas, onions, garlic all those things are a great healthy addition to cooking and you could freeze the rest.
best of luck!!0 -
Can you switch from a car to a bicycle, or move closer to your internship so you can walk? Are there any food banks?
Food wise buy dry beans and lentils, plain oats, brown rice, frozen vegetables, fresh root vegetables, canned tomatoes, dried fruit, canned oily fish, organ meats like liver, peanut butter - not only are these often reasonably priced but they supply multiple nutrients at once, eating white refined carbs like noodles adds calories but no minerals or fibre so to me they are a false economy. Get some dry spice blends, dried herbs, chilli, garlic, soy sauce, block creamed or dried dessicated coconut and you can make various South or East Asian, mediterranean or Mexican type dishes.
Fresh fruit, salad vegetables, wheat products and muscle meat have gotten more expensive in recent years but you don't need to eat any of these for health. I price foods up per 100g or per serving so I can make a fair comparison from store to store and product to product. If you have a freezer buy bulk.0 -
- find creative places for meals - espcially at school - food was usually served at events and meetings to get the students there. in grad school, we were always having a cocktail party / reception for somethng in the lobby - yay free drinks!
- learn to cook
- be creative.
- the seconds / "manager specials" espcially of fruits and veggies are great - homemade applesauce, tomatoes for sauce, peppers & onions for mexican like dishes. and usually much cheaper than the "fresher" stuff.
- check out ethnic markets - they tend to be cheaper than the big grocery stores
- buy in bulk when you seen a good price for things - buy a whole chicken, roast it, use chciken for sandwiches for lunch & left over bones for soup.
- don't waste food - if you aren't going ot eat it all, freeze some for another day, learn to enjoy leftovers - dishes often taste better the next day.
- frozen berries are much cheaper than fresh. (i.e. trader joes $1.79 for a lb of frozen strawberries v. 2.99 at the grocery store for fresh)
- if you could maybe start a garden int he spring0 -
Wow!!! How can some live off a $100 month in food.0
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Some people don't understand what it takes to be a graduate student. It looks like you already did your leg work with a budget knowing you only have $100 to work with. Congratulations to you in making it this far in your educationSounds like you really need help w/ your budget --- I would sell my car if i didn't have food to eat. Seriously.
Regarding food stamps: You can receive food stamps if you work at least twenty hours per week at a paying job (internships are not included), and/or if you receive financial aid for school, you will qualify or food stamps if you also qualify for a work study program. You have the option when filling out your FAFSA to make yourself available for work study. The work study option is awesome because you may only have to work ONE HOUR per term to qualify for food stamps.
What I do to save on food: buy meat in bulk, Costco or Sam's, farmer's markets (and another note on food stamps: in the city where I live some farmer's markets will give you double the merchandise if you use your food stamps), pasta, beans, rice, tortillas.
Good luck to you!0 -
Assuming you have no health concerns and are not dieting you could look at your local Walmart for their clearance bake good rack where you can pick up a decent selection of food at reduced or clearance prices.
Don't count out your Ramen noodles so quickly either. As Ramen noodles now come in many flavors you can adjust the following idea to spice things up a bit.
If you have a crockpot you can throw 3 or 4 of them in the pot with the water and add a 1/2 cup of rice, a can of kernel corn, a can of red kidney beans, a can of green beans and a can of diced tomatoes and make yourself enough soup/stew to last yourself a couple days. With some discount bake goods you could eat pretty well.0 -
I have a similar budget, paid biweekly, so I split it into $50 every two weeks. I've lost 40lbs and eat healthfully (everything as non-processed/macro nutrient requirement complicit as I can reasonably expect.)
Basically, you've got to plan a menu for those two weeks, make a strict grocery list based on it, and stick to it. I do a "big" grocery shop when I get paid, and keep 10,15 aside for the next week to pick up more produce/incidentals as needed for the second half of the menu. If there's anything left over, I'll save it to invest it in meat I can freeze or olive oil or anything that is a bigger chunk of money than I'd usually shell out, but good to have around.
I cook a LOT, obviously, though I try to get most of it done on Sundays. Cruise around family blogs, because they have lots of healthy recipes that yield 4-8 servings (or more) that you can make and then eat on all week. I have rec's if you want to message me.
Actual food-wise, my menus end up with lots of eggs, pork (I'm from the Midwest, so in the summer its cheaper than water), chicken, beans, rice, veggies (frozen sometimes, though always check out the ads for whats on special fresh). I make a lot of soup with leftover... well anything. Cheap cuts of meat can be great if you treat them right (like with slow cooking) and sustainable-type canned fish goes on special every now and then- super cheap protein source. Learn to store your perishable food properly- its always a painful thing to have to toss produce that's gone bad. (Quick tip- do not store apples anywhere near your other produce. They give off ethylene which will ripen other fruit faster.)
Summer is more fun to budget shop b/c you can go to the farmers market, etc for inspiration and to see what's cheap, but winter is less miserable to make soup/bake/roast... so it balances out. I know living on $25.00 a week for food seems daunting (nigh-on anxiety attacky at first,) and some days the monotony or work involved makes you crazy, but with enough planning and creativity it's doable.0 -
Try thrift shops for "new" clothes. Due to a medical emergency, we were relocated from our home of 30 plus years almost overnight.
Our old home and its contents were sold at auction. Over the past 5 years I have been able to replace almost everything we need in clothing from thrift shops. They are awesome.0 -
Lots of good ideas here. I'd add these:
Many churches have food pantries and qualifying is easier than food stamps and you don't have to be a member. Also...many churches have potluck dinners on Wednesday night and they accept all comers, even those who don't bring food. Even if you're not a believer, you can go and they will feed you, and there are always some healthy choices at those things.
I went through a period of time when money was extremely tight (I even went dumpster diving a few times -- when you have kids, you do what you have to do).
When you're at the store, look at the expiration dates on milk, dairy, and cuts of meat you like. Then make sure you go back to the store the day before those things are due to expire (Walmart tends to do their markup fairly late in the evening; other stores vary). If you're not going to use them right away, bag and freeze (yes, you can freeze milk and cheese, too). Same goes for bakery bread; always check the day-old section first. .
Apples and oranges are usually fairly cheap if you buy the big bags.
Pinto beans are great made in your crockpot; if you like some ham flavor with it, you can usually get a shank end hambone for around $2 which is enough to flavor an entire pot of beans. Put an onion in it and it's about as yummy a meal as you can make.
Which -- onions are cheap. So are potatoes. Cooked together they are a wonderufl meal; just don't load them up with butter and cheese.
Oh, and if you buy a whole chicken, you can bake it, strip off the meat (and have 4 or 5 meals that way) then boil the bones for a great chicken stock...after straining out the bones, just put in some packs of mixed frozen vegetables and you have a great soup.0 -
I wouldn't have taken such a ****ty internship.0
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Compare the prices at stores first and then buy cheaper store brand. Look for sales where you can get 4 meat items for $20(I have found these sales and was able to get 2 whole chickens, a whole pork loin and ground turkey which would normally have been more than double that price). You can use those meats for MANY different meals.
I would also buy any deals on frozen veggies(peas, corn, spinach and carrots especially) because you can use them in many meals/soups/stews.
Buy romain hearts when they are cheap instead of bagged salad mix.
Get a good portion of rice and beans to have on hand. Maybe pasta too and plain sauce too.
Right now my store is having a promotion if you buy a whole chicken you get a 5lb bag of carrots and a 5lb bag of potatoes for free. You can freeze all three of those things for future use.
Also, look in the international section. Depending on the demographics in your area you can find great deals there. Where I live is mostly latino so the hispanic/mexican area has cheaaaappp canned goods.
Ex) Sunday: Roast chicken with rice and carrots
Monday: Roast chicken with peas and potatoes
Tuesday: Chicken stew with peas, carrots and potatoes(freeze any left over)
Wednesday: Turkey chili with beans and canned tomatoes
Thursday: Tortillas with lettuce and leftover chili(freeze any extra)
Friday: Pasta with peas and sauce
Saturday: Pork Loin with with potatoes and whatever veggie
Sunday: Pork Carnitas with beans/rice
Monday: Pork "fried" rice with carrots and peas
So on and so forth...
Anyway this worked for me, just try to reuse everythingggg you buy0 -
Is there a plasma center where you are? I sold my plasma every week while in college for an extra $25 per week. It's probably more now.
Learn to coupon. There are many things you can get for free or for just pennies on the shelf price by combining coupons with sales.
Use all of your leftovers. When my kids were younger, at the end of the week i would pull all of the leftovers out of the fridge and that was dinner. Made for some odd combinations, but we didn't waste food.0 -
First check prices online or in a sales ad, so you dont burn gas and end up not saving any money. Clip coupons! If there is a Salvation Army in your neighborhood go there and visit their food pantry if necessary. FYI, I bought 8 boneless skinless chicken breast at Wal Mart for $8.54. I split them up into single servings, put them into zip lock bags and froze them. 1 breast with a salad or another green vegi and you have made 8 meals for around $10. the point is look for sales ad buy the "family" packs.0
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Forgot to add - I'm not sure what your situation is - but asking mom for some of her home cooked meals was always helpful when I was in school.
I had one friend whose mom would send down homemade tomato sauce, another would make chicken for us, another would send down NY bagels, etc etc.
Things like that - always helped our budgets and makes mom feel good.0 -
The fruit in the produce store is great for making your own fruit flavored yogurt. blend the fruit with plain low fat yogurt which is cheaper in the quart size than the 6oz size. It is delicious and much better for you.
Buy cereals in Walmart, everyone has a Walmart. I find them to be about 1.00 to 1.50 less than in the grocery store.
Use banans, of all the fruit bananas seem to always be the cheapest out there. Plus you can get older damaged ones in the produce store even cheaper and use them in your yogurt.
If you use them, stop using paper plates or plastic ware, use regular, more cleaning but cheaper and better for the enviroment.
Use store brand everything. Store brands are cheaper and they are just as good as the name brands. I always find the Great Value brand in Walmart to be just as good.
Make your own tomato sauce using 1 can of can of Italian flavored stewed tomatos and 1 can of tomato paste. You can find the store brand in both of these. Much cheaper and taste is just as good or better. You will also be making less than a jar of sauce which will make much less waste. If you are having company for dinner use two cans of each. You can also use diced tomatos which come flavored with peppers and onion, garlic and more.
Just a few ideas to help. I can think of more but you got the general idea.0 -
Look for inexpensive protein - canned low sodium beans , water packed tuna , frozen veggies are often $1 a bag . Get a big bag of whole wheat tortillas . Low fat cheese . You can make tortilla wraps . Grab a big jar of salsa . Eggs - wheat bread , a jar of peanut butter is quite pricey but it goes a long way . Google $100 to spend on groceries for the month and see what pops up . Good luck !0
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brown rice, barley, potatoes, whatever meats are on clearance and yes they are still fine for consumption- if you feel weird about it -just cook it longer- most grocery stores put out clearance meats between 8-930 am......beef or chicken boullion - flavor for your grains....frozen veggies or canned if on sale or clearance.....eggs are a cheap protien as well....
spanish rice recipe
brown hamburger or meat of any type....well no seafood....lol.... til carmelized- gives you flavor
add some onion and green pepper if you have it .....cook longer til tender
add tomato diced and tomato juice....paste will work just add water to blend it out
add tender pre-boiled rice
salt and pepper...some hot sauce if you want
you can make as much or as little as you want....this freezes well too
chicken soup either noodle or rice
boil chicken pieces - whatever you got with onion salt and pepper til tender- pull from the bone and put the meat back in the stock....add one can or boullion cubes to water......add whatever veggies you have plus whatever noodles you have on hand.....rice should be precooked unless you have the time to slow cook it all together- this works well in a slow cooker too.....just add the things that need to cook longer in first then add the noodles and soft veggies last....this will also freeze well.....you can also substitute a beef meat add tomato chunks and let slow cook...
both of these are pennies on the dollar meals - just shop smart and dont be afraid of the mark down foods 0 -
Is there a plasma center where you are? I sold my plasma every week while in college for an extra $25 per week. It's probably more now.
Learn to coupon. There are many things you can get for free or for just pennies on the shelf price by combining coupons with sales.
Use all of your leftovers. When my kids were younger, at the end of the week i would pull all of the leftovers out of the fridge and that was dinner. Made for some odd combinations, but we didn't waste food.
leftovers are great- no need to waste food- some things in combination are awesome!!!
spaghetti or the spanish rice I mentioned earlier is great with fried potatoes or pork and beans or both
when i grew up we always mixed and matched what some people would think of as weird food lol but it tasted good and all of us kids had lots to eat times were good 0 -
I feel your pain! My grocery budget is $100-$115 a month. It takes a lot planning! I make a "menu" for the month, but I shop twice a month with $50. I use coupons and look at the add papers. If meat (chicken or ground turkey) is on sale, I will buy extra to freeze. I buy a lot of veggies and fruit (broccoli and apples). I've been known to eat PBJ for breakfast, lunch, and maybe dinner. ;-) Sandwiches and soup are a staple in my budget/diet.
I commend your will against eating/going out!!!!!!!
Keep your head up!!!! It's tough. Do I get tired of eating the same thing over and over again? I DO! But I remind myself it's not going to be forever. Good luck to you!!!!0 -
Just and FYI everyone, students don't usually qualify for food stamps. A lot of places it's an automatic disqualification unless you have children.
Yep, they will base of your parent's income.
You are fine if you are not living with your parents.0 -
On a 30-day month that is $3.33 a day... it's do-able if your grocery store prices are similar to mine at least. Do you have a fridge and decent sized freezer? Stuff to cook with?
These are things I would have on hand: electric skilled (just bought one for $20-25 at Walmart, high sides and a lid.. just plugs in. It heats up fast and is really easy to clean), plastic spatula, can opener, wood cutting board, a few different knives (serraded good for tomatoes, a flat blade for lettuce, hard veggies, and meat), box of sandwich sized ziplock bags.
If you don't have spices, these are the ones I would get first: salt ($0.50), pepper ($2), cayenne pepper ($2), Old Bay low sodium($3), garlic powder ($0.75), garlic salt ($0.50), itallian seasoning ($0.50). Those are all pretty cheap and will give the most back. If you're getting the Teflon pan, I'd get the butter 0 calorie cooking spray ($2).
My breakfast is about 90 cents. I buy the Thomas 100 calorie English muffins in a 6-pack, Borden Fat Free pre-sliced cheese about 18 slices a pack, low-sodium bacon about 18 slices a pound, and a carton of egg whites. I worked it out the other day, they are about 90 cents each.
Philly Cheese Steak - about $1
Shop the discount bakery rack, find appropriate bread buns. The ones we found at Walmart were about 170 calories each bun. Three ounces of steak, half a bell pepper, and the presliced low calorie Borden pepperjack cheese. You can make this on a Teflon pan pretty easy.
Cereal and milk makes a cheap meal. Special K is amazing cereal, my favorite by far. Oatmeal is cheap.. my brother used to use yogurt instead of sugar and milk.. easy and had the extra health benefits of the good bacterias they use to make them. Instant rice is cheap and hard to mess up. There is a brand of instant potatoes, Idahoan, they make a pack for $1 that would last me 3-4 meals. 100 calories on average for 1/2 cup.. so I stick with 1/2 cup for a meal and the packages make 4 servings. Cabbage is a cheap veggie and can taste great with just garlic powder and salt. Meat isn't that bad for price especially when you're on a diet and only eating 2-4 ounces a meal. Buy the 'family pack' and separate into small bags and get in the freezer right away so they don't spoil. Sprout broccoli or alfalfa seeds for salad! That ends up being really cheap if you tend to them everyday (gotta rinse with water every day or they rot).. takes a week to have a batch ready to eat. They taste awesome. Make your own fresh salsa.. it'll last in the fridge a month and it's super cheap to make and adds tons of flavor to food with low calories.
Do you have a Farmers Market? The one by my parents in Florida is year round and the best prices on produce you'll find anywhere. Get just what you'll eat until the next market so stuff doesn't go bad. Always plan ahead so you're not running out of money for food. Watch sales.0 -
Sounds like you really need help w/ your budget --- I would sell my car if i didn't have food to eat. Seriously.
She might need that car to get around. There are some places where public transportation isn't always feasible. I live in Phoenix. I couldn't take public transportation from my apartment/house to any stores. It would take me 4 hours to get somewhere I could drive to in 10-15 minutes.
To the OP: I used to have a $100/month budget. The weekly grocery ads came in the junk mail flyers. I'd look those over and plan my meals around what was on sale. I'd buy certain things at Frys and then head over to Fresh and Easy to get something else that was cheaper. Or Walmart will price match ads if you can't go to multiple stores.
Are you serious? I live in Phx too --- there is a ton of public transportation and nice weather. It's not unheard of...especially if you don't have money, access or even eyesight to drive for that matter.0
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