Living paycheck to paycheck

BUMP!

I can't personally relate to your situation, but all of these suggestions will help an upcoming change in my budget. I've been working two jobs for the past two years after finishing my Bachelor's degree, but I'm moving across the country and will become a 'starving' graduate student in 2 months. I'm terrified that I'm going to put weight back on because during my 4 years in undergrad - I gained 90lbs!!! :noway: I know the weight gain was MOSTLY from poor choices, late nights of being social, and a lack of fitness/exercise. But part of it was also due to limiting myself to the 'cheap' foods like mac-n-cheese, pastas, rice, etc. I know that I now have the tools needed to stay on track, but I really appreciate your question. Thanks for having the guts to ask a question that can also help others. Congrats to you on going back to school and bless you and your family! Best of luck! :drinker:

I live pay check to pay check too with 2 kids and a stay at home husband (by our choice). I only go to the groc. store twice a month ~period. and fresh fruits and veggies last a lot longer than people think if kept right. I also try and buy in bulk and divide meat up in the right portion sizes then freeze.


Also the great value brand frozen veggies are not bad tasteing and if portioned out last longer than canned. If you dont take the core out of the letuce (iceburg) and keep in in a ziploc frozen storage bag it last longer than if cored and put into a reg storage bag. Also wrap your tomatos and oinions carrots and potatoes in news paper. I swear they keep forever that way, If your veggies like celery or carrots get that dry hard look to them put them in a bag with water and let them soak and they will be good as new.

Or you can pre cook meals portioned out and kept in the freezer for you. I know we dont throw anything out, it all gets refrozen and saved for another meal....

Good luck I know its tuff but the reward is great.

Lots of great tips here for keeping veggies and such fresh longer, thank you!:flowerforyou:

We were in a similar spot for awhile and our life savor was our freezer. If you pack it right you can stock up on healthy foods on sale and then freeze them. We would do that with breads, vegetables (even some fresh veggies like green peppers freeze well), meats, lunch meet for sandwiches, etc. So when money is low there are still some semi-healthy options to lean on :-)

Write a menu for meals for each day and buy what you need for them. Create one like the school cafeteria does and post it on your fridge. This used to help me alot as a single mom so that I have exactly what I I need for my meals through the broke period and so the kids knew not to touch certain items because it was for dinner. I had their own snacks also purchased in bulk.

Milk & Bread both freeze - I'd also do that.

If I didnt do things this way I would buy things I didnt really need and then i wouldnt have the right ingredients when I was broke to complete a good meal. I'd have my box of Hamburger helper but no hamburger meat! We had to eat it like that until I learned to proportion out my meat AND my everything to exacty what I would need and a few extra meals as well.

I got paid every 2 weeks so my menus would cover 2 weeks and a few extra meals.

This didnt help you with what is better to eat and cheap - but maybe if you can budget your meals better if you arent already, maybe this will help the food spread out better and you can already have your better choice meals ready in the cubbard or freezer for the broke days.