I'm broke, any ideas for low calorie low budget?

neniplatas

Any large "ethnic" market chains near you? Here in Southern California we have Jon's and Vallarta and the fresh produce is so much cheaper than at the regular supermarkets. I get bulk carrots for .33 cents a lb., a pound of strawberries for $1.50, green onions are 6 for $1.00. You get the idea.

NerdyTXChick

Oh, also, I noticed recently that if you buy nuts in the bigger, more expensive bag rather than the round can, it's only a dollar or two more, but you're getting twice to three times as much. The cans are usually on the shelves at eye level, while the bags are up top where it's hard to see. I don't think that's by accident.

Willowana

I'm always on a budget so here we go:

Meat:
I buy boneless/skinless chicken breasts in bags at walmart. $6-7 Why bother with thighs and other fattier parts of the chicken? You have to eat more to feel full. One boneless, skinless chicken breast will feed me at dinnertime with a can of veggies on the side (Wal-mart Great Value brand canned veggies are usually well under $1)

Fresh fruits and veggies:
If you can find a farmer's market, you will spend a lot less. Fresh fruit is normally cheaper than canned fruit per serving.

Steamfresh frozen veggies. For about $2 or less at Walmart, you can have fresher veggies than canned, and it only takes a microwave.

Buy in bulk:
This is hard to do when you don't have a lot of money, so start with one or two items. Buy your toliet paper and chicken in bulk one week, then when you have money again, buy two more items in bulk. If you stagger things out, it's not as much outlay of cash.

Dollar Stores:
If you have a Dollar Tree (where EVERYTHING is $1.00) near you, take advantage. I buy nearly all my cleaning supplies for only $1.00 each (except certain things like bleach, which you can find at Save-a-Lot or Wal-Mart for under a buck). Same with ziplock baggies and foil. If you can curb the cost of the "miscellaneous" items like these, it frees up more money for food. The Dollar Tree near where I live even has a frozen food section where all items are....yep, only a $1. Including the Steamfresh veggies that Walmart sells for closer to $2. But shop wisely! Make sure the food item is really worth a dollar. For example....tuna. It's only a $1 here, but Wal-Mart has the GV brand for less. One time, they had FiberOne bars there for $1....and anywhere else, they are in the $3-4 range. I stocked up on those for sure!

And always be on the lookout for those free little coupon books some convenience stores have. Browse for coupons online too. You never know when you'll find a coupon for something you needed anyway.

anniefarkle

Many communities have food co-ops which is a great way to get seasonal produce at super low prices. Ask around at health food stores or at a farmer's market.

WeekndOVOXO

~$200 for a months worth of food:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTq87JB3YFM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su8g9efk5Mc

anniefarkle

Also . . . I saw you live in Maryland - here's a link to all of the food co-ops in Maryland. It's a really great way to get a lot of high quality food for less.

http://www.coopdirectory.org/directory.htm#Maryland

Sherbog

I love stir fry veggies.....no sauce or anything...just stir fry veggies....Yum

guacamole17

Bumpity