Budgeting... boo!

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skittybang
skittybang Posts: 1,525 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
How do you diet on a budget?? With a switch in jobs for my hubsy we are going to take a hit in what we can spend (other than bills.) Most healthier foods come at a cost. I need to feed him who isn't keen to having just healthy food and me who is trying to be calorie conscious. How can it be done?

What kind of foods do you buy that are low-price AND low-cal?

Replies

  • shopgirl192
    shopgirl192 Posts: 102
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    Whatever lean meat is on sale that week... same with fruit and veggies. Buy what's on sale! And all the diet food isn't all that great either - 100 calorie packs are expensive... just make your own with cookies, crackers, peanuts, etc. into ziplock bags! :)
  • lajuana27
    lajuana27 Posts: 13
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    Buy frozen veggies and fruits, they last longer so you don't have to worry about them going bad before you eat them (reducing waste).

    Stay away from canned (poor nutritional value).
  • idahogirl71
    idahogirl71 Posts: 1,110 Member
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    It's hard to do but with some comparison shopping it can be done. Don't just shop at one store because different stores have different things on sale at different times. Check sale prices and bulk prices.
  • lajuana27
    lajuana27 Posts: 13
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    OH, and if you can take anything from extreme couponers, buy foods that are on sale and use a coupon --- stock up then and you save big time!
  • kylakesgal
    kylakesgal Posts: 952 Member
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    I agree....it's so expensive to eat healthy!! Eggs are fairly inexpensive, dried beans, peanut butter, oatmeal, the kind of have to cook will last a LONG time, tuna, whatever fresh veggies and fruit are on sale or buy frozen veggies, big larger pkgs of lean chicken, turkey, beef etc, whole wheat pastas are fairly cheap:) Just a few ideas.....hope this helps:) Good luck to you!
  • Heatherbelle_87
    Heatherbelle_87 Posts: 1,078 Member
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    It is absolutly possible, Im lucky to live within a mile of 5 different gorcery stores, but look at the sale ads for the ones close to you weekly, try to focus on buying enough of the fresh things to get you through the week, and buy lean proteins when majorly on sale, get a vacuum sealer & freeze them. If you like smoothies switch to fresh frozen fruits instead of fresh (much cheaper plus no added sugars) get frozen veggies you can cook/steam. Dont buy the "diet" foods as they are very expensive
  • breakingthecycle
    breakingthecycle Posts: 225 Member
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    I agree....it's so expensive to eat healthy!! Eggs are fairly inexpensive, dried beans, peanut butter, oatmeal, the kind of have to cook will last a LONG time, tuna, whatever fresh veggies and fruit are on sale or buy frozen veggies, big larger pkgs of lean chicken, turkey, beef etc, whole wheat pastas are fairly cheap:) Just a few ideas.....hope this helps:) Good luck to you!

    Great ideas!
  • skittybang
    skittybang Posts: 1,525 Member
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    These are excellent tips! thanks so much for the input! I think i'll definitely try to buy more frozen fruits and veggies. I hate wasting anything like a bag of lettuce that's gone bad. :):) THANKS!!!
  • cheshirequeen
    cheshirequeen Posts: 1,324 Member
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    i work at whole foods market. i think eating healthy is easy on the cost if you buy their brands. all i do is spend 100.00 for 2 weeks for 3 people, one is a 2 year old, and this includes everything, toilet paper, dog/cat food, etc. You can eat really healthy that way. buy the frozen veggies and fruits. they are just as good. somethings arent frozen, but most are. i am also vegan which of course, unfortuneately, more expensive. you can eat healthy but a lot of people automatically think, good food, expensive. like i said, you can always buy the store brand. they are just as expensive. my cereal, soy milk, and many many other things are the same even less expensive because thats what they specialize and lots of chain grocery stores have few choices so they can charge more. im not trying to do a whole foods advertisement, because there are lots of healthy grocery stores and farmers markets, but thats what i spend. good luck. i know the whole budget thing. i only work part-time on weekends and he works full-time throughout the week so the 2 year old constantly has one of us looking after him.
  • katyrose221
    katyrose221 Posts: 69 Member
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    First, I'd recommend not buying lean cuisines, and all that other "healthy" packaged foods. They are pricey. Try buying your meat in bulk (get the 5lbs of burger, not the 1lb, get the package of store-brand frozen chicken breasts). Buy frozen veggies over raw. Make food that can last over more than one meal (speghetti, chili, soup). I do this all the time. I think $5-$6.50 per dinner meal (for the fam) is about my average daily expedinture ($30-$50/week). If you can get half your meals a week from left-overs, there is even more savings. Eat fewer sandwiches for lunch and search for the deals on food items you buy all the time.

    Another thing I started doing recently, was planning a full weeks' worth of meals before I shop. This includes writing down the meals for each day, figuring out the various ingrediants, figuring out what I already have, and then making my list. Probably takes about 30 -45 minutes, but it really helps me to buy only what I need. Try not forget condiments, cheese, etc when making that list though.

    Good luck!
  • ShakenWithJoy
    ShakenWithJoy Posts: 24
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    check out the recipes in a cookbook like "Eating for Life" that uses real food you can find on sale, or get coupons for.

    You can eat the portions as describes but make extra for your husband.

    Stay away from pre-processed stuff as much as possible. The closer to nature you buy, the less your body will need to be happy.

    Contact you local food banks and community help centers. You may find places that distribute free breads, meats, or seasonal produce.
  • kylakesgal
    kylakesgal Posts: 952 Member
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    Another idea just popped into my head.....I buy a whole turkey or turkey breast and roast it for sandwiches during the week. A huge savings on buying deli meats and a lot less sodium too. You could even roast a whole chicken and use that for days too.
  • blondie76
    blondie76 Posts: 552 Member
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    Another idea just popped into my head.....I buy a whole turkey or turkey breast and roast it for sandwiches during the week. A huge savings on buying deli meats and a lot less sodium too. You could even roast a whole chicken and use that for days too.

    Do that tooo!
  • garden_girl18
    garden_girl18 Posts: 23 Member
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    Grow your own! My hubby & I started a vegetable garden last year. For $50, we got the compost & seeds to start a 30' X 12' garden. That gave us plenty of veg (and then some) for the winter. We just picked, froze or canned it. I made soup, hot sauce, spaghetti sauce for next to nothing! If you don't have space for a large garden like we do, most things can be grown in pots with very little trouble. In a large pot, you can grow salad greens that will last you a LONG time, all for the price of some dirt and seeds. Cucumbers, beans, spinach, tomatos, peppers, swiss chard, herbs, and even potatos can all be grown in pots. Just some food for thought! It saved us a ton of cash :smile:
  • garden_girl18
    garden_girl18 Posts: 23 Member
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    Another idea just popped into my head.....I buy a whole turkey or turkey breast and roast it for sandwiches during the week. A huge savings on buying deli meats and a lot less sodium too. You could even roast a whole chicken and use that for days too.

    Do that tooo!

    And then use the turkey bones to make soup stock afterwards! Just freeze in an ice cube tray, then when frozen, pop into a ziplock bag. Instant stock cubes for sauces! Or freeze in a jar for making soup :smile:
  • healthyjen342
    healthyjen342 Posts: 1,435 Member
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    Let's see......

    -Canned Tuna (tunathewonderfish.com)
    -BIG bag of Brown Rice..the old school kind that takes an hour to cook (you can put ANYTHING on this to make it taste fantastc..today I tried 1tbsp of light sour cream...tasted FABULOUS)
    -large tub of yogurt...just portion it out...saves almost a dollar
    -frozen veggies...the store brand is usually about 50 cents to a dollar cheaper...the giant bags last a really long time
    -salsa...something to add to virtually anything and make it taste amazing


    Also, is there a local farmer's market around? Their veggies may not look pretty, but they sure are good and cheap...

    and go to Aldi's and Save-a-lot if you have them...LOTS of GREAT stuff for LOWWWWW prices!

    Good luck!
  • chrisyoung0422
    chrisyoung0422 Posts: 426 Member
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    Buy big on sales and stock up. We have a few freezers so when the budget belt tightens we can fall back on the reserves for a few months till things come back.

    It's about garden time and that saves us some money also.
  • mericksmom
    mericksmom Posts: 222 Member
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    Between having a garden and couponing I dont have much to tell you. Make your own food it may take longer but you control what is in it and how much LOVE you put in it. (mom secret wepon)

    These are coupon sites I follow

    http://www.thecentsableshoppin.com/ She in from Phx and does Phx local ads but helps the whole AZ state. She breaks down the ads and really helps you find the coupons .

    http://thekrazycouponlady.com/ I think shes is more mid west. she breaks down the walmart ad and how to start couponing in 10 days. really helpful site.

    If you are on Facebook then friend you favorite products so you can get a few great coupons and freebies. Write to your fav products and the the corporation know how much you love.......and they may send high value coupons.

    I wish you best of luck but if I can do it with 30 dollars a week for family of 3 and pets you can do it too
  • olyrose
    olyrose Posts: 569 Member
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    Buying things in bulk helps.

    You can get bags of lentils, black beans, pinto beans, etc for just $1 or so. Make a huge pot, and you can do tons with them - soup, tacos, salads, entrees, dips, etc.

    Corn tortillas are great too. About $2 for a huge bag of them.

    Also pasta. Can be mixed with so many things - different sauces, veggies, cheese (beans).
  • rosybella9
    rosybella9 Posts: 19 Member
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    If you have one nearby, Sam's Club can be a great resource. Not everything is a good deal so you have to be conscious of that. I split a membership with my parents. Milk is about $2 cheaper a gallon, cottage cheese is a steal, and they have a variety of protein bars for way below grocery store prices. Just another option to consider.

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