Broke

Definitely don't forget potatoes. Homemade garlic mashed potatoes are delicious, full of nutrients, and only 200 cals per serving. Pair with a side of veggies and you've got a respectable lunch. Try a basic bean burrito for dinner and you'll be golden. You can eat very cheaply and still have decent food. I certainly do.

Bumping so I can see what other suggestions people have; I'm about to be broke, too. I do second the beans and rice suggestions, though. You can get BIG ol' bags of beans or rice for pretty cheap. Grab a packet of Taco Bell sauce and it's even more delicious. 3-5 pound bags of apples, oranges or potatoes can go a long way, especially if they're on sale. And watch out for sales or coupons on canned tuna. Sometimes I can still find it for about 40 cents a can. If you have a bread store nearby, sometimes they'll have steep discounts once the breads reach the end of their shelf-life--maybe you could pick up some whole-wheat bread that way.

ETA: I forgot Old-fashioned Quaker Oats. Good for your heart (much better than most cereals) and not very expensive. A canister of Quaker Oats will also last quite a bit longer than even a big box of cereal.

make salads instead...thats not very expensive. just put whatever you would put on your sandwhich in a bowl with lettuce instead of bread. my fav cheap salad right now is canned mandarin oranges, strawberries, blueberries, avocado and left over chicken on a bed of spring lettuc e mix. I top with a poppy seed dressing I get at walmart for about $2

Yum!

I make taco soup which involves beans, taco seasoning, diced tomatoes with peppers and ground turkey. If you buy bag beans its cheap and it goes a long way! I generally use light and or dark red kidney beans (1 bag) and 1 bag of black beans though you can use pinto as well. I use rotel diced tomatoes which are generally 99cents a can here and I use 3 for 2 bags of beans and 1lb of ground turkey, 1 package of reduced sodium seasoning. Its about $15 for everything and 1cup is high in protein and not too high in calories (about 160). I also add a bag of mixed vegetables to stretch it farther and add more nutrients, but mine generally makes 16-18 servings of 1 cup and it lasts me and my boyfriend a good few days. Next time I plan to freeze some and pull it out when I want it again bc it makes so much! Also I agree with PP about spaghetti, we do it all the time, I get the Ragu light basil sauce and put it over whole wheat pasta and it is extremely cheap. If you go this route you can even put a baked or grilled chicken breast on top and voila! I get lucky and find chicken at good prices because I hit the grocery store early in the morning when they mark down their meats for quick sale. Might want to try that as well. Or put a spin on your grilled cheese and add diced or sliced tomatoes and onions! I love making grilled cheese like that

beans, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, quinoa are all cheap too.

You are not alone! I am the only working. My fiance is having a hard time finding a job and with having $1200 comin out every month in bills there's only bout $300 left over for gas and groceries and all the unexpected cost of living. Doesn't go far!

You are not alone! I am the only working. My fiance is having a hard time finding a job and with having $1200 comin out every month in bills there's only bout $300 left over for gas and groceries and all the unexpected cost of living. Doesn't go far!

It sounds like you have my exact same life. Argh, frustrating, isn't it? Sometimes we feel like we're struggling alone, but there are still a lot of people out there that can't find jobs.

If you live near a store that has bulk bins, go there! You can get grains and so many other items much cheaper than their packaged twins. Winco near me has bulk bins and I shop them almost exclusively.

Old fashioned rolled oats and steel cut oats are less than a dollar a pound and go far in the diet. It is possible to eat healthy and inexpensively. Also, have you considered baking your own bread to control the ingredients and cost? It really is so easy.

Best of luck!

Oh, you could always try dumpster diving, and I am being totally serious! Amazing what grocery stores toss out. You may even ask at your grocery store if they allow customers to have the discarded items, mine does!

You should shop at Trader Joe's. There are some fairly close to you in Marietta. They have great prices on food, much of which is organic. I can feed a family of 5 for roughly $150 a week, which averages out to $1.43 per person, per meal.

i have $40 a week for groceries. I eat very well. I don't live near any big discount stores, and in Canada there are no real coupon deals. I buy almost no processed, precut, pre-made anything, I eat all my meals at home and I get all the food groups. I spend about $10 of my $40 each week for fruits and vegetables. I buy one loaf of bread a week. It takes a bit of planning and organization but it's been working for me for 8 years or so. Good luck.