Would you be willing to discuss your grocery list on that budget?
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Would you be willing to discuss your grocery list on that budget? I recently allotted myself $175 per 2 week pay period for groceries for me, a single man living alone. I find myself going over. I think my biggest weakness is snacks, which are extremely difficult for me to not have on hand.
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Would you be willing to discuss your grocery list on that budget? I recently allotted myself $175 per 2 week pay period for groceries for me, a single man living alone. I find myself going over. I think my biggest weakness is snacks, which are extremely difficult for me to not have on hand.
Some thoughts:
- Buy in bulk - if you compare unit prices, you'll see the bulk version is usually cheaper
- Make your own snacks - e.g., granola is pretty quick and easy to make at home
- Try Aldi or Lidl
- Give generic versions of things a try - a lot of the time they're pretty close to the 'real' thing
- Things that are convenient are usually more expensive. Just looking online quickly, I see the big tub of old-fashioned oats is $6.39 for 30 servings (=21¢/serving), vs a box of instant oatmeal at $3 for 8 servings (=38¢/serving). So to save money, choose the less convenient version.
- Plan your meals before you shop, and pick up only what you need - this helps avoid impulse purchases
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Would you be willing to discuss your grocery list on that budget? I recently allotted myself $175 per 2 week pay period for groceries for me, a single man living alone. I find myself going over. I think my biggest weakness is snacks, which are extremely difficult for me to not have on hand.
wrote last edited by [email protected]Snacks are an incredible waste of money and they have some of the largest profit margins of all grocery items. $5 for a bag of chips that isn't even a pound is disgusting, but they charge it because people pay it. It only makes sense to buy snacks if you're wealthy from screwing other people over, or you're on welfare.
If you want to eat cheap, you need to swallow your pride. Probably one of the best meals that just about anyone can make is a microwave meatball sub with raw broccoli and carrots on the side. Extremely easy, very cheap, filling, and it's always going to be delicious if you're actually hungry.
Get used to eating the same things over and over again, and stop treating food like entertainment.
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Snacks are an incredible waste of money and they have some of the largest profit margins of all grocery items. $5 for a bag of chips that isn't even a pound is disgusting, but they charge it because people pay it. It only makes sense to buy snacks if you're wealthy from screwing other people over, or you're on welfare.
If you want to eat cheap, you need to swallow your pride. Probably one of the best meals that just about anyone can make is a microwave meatball sub with raw broccoli and carrots on the side. Extremely easy, very cheap, filling, and it's always going to be delicious if you're actually hungry.
Get used to eating the same things over and over again, and stop treating food like entertainment.
You can eat cheap and still enjoy it, without so much repetition.
I agree with cutting out mindless snacking though, that's not good for you.
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Some thoughts:
- Buy in bulk - if you compare unit prices, you'll see the bulk version is usually cheaper
- Make your own snacks - e.g., granola is pretty quick and easy to make at home
- Try Aldi or Lidl
- Give generic versions of things a try - a lot of the time they're pretty close to the 'real' thing
- Things that are convenient are usually more expensive. Just looking online quickly, I see the big tub of old-fashioned oats is $6.39 for 30 servings (=21¢/serving), vs a box of instant oatmeal at $3 for 8 servings (=38¢/serving). So to save money, choose the less convenient version.
- Plan your meals before you shop, and pick up only what you need - this helps avoid impulse purchases
And on buying in bulk - if funds are limited you can ease into this by budgeting for ONE bulk item each weekly shopping trip. It will build your pantry, you don't have to make a big immediate outlay.
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Some thoughts:
- Buy in bulk - if you compare unit prices, you'll see the bulk version is usually cheaper
- Make your own snacks - e.g., granola is pretty quick and easy to make at home
- Try Aldi or Lidl
- Give generic versions of things a try - a lot of the time they're pretty close to the 'real' thing
- Things that are convenient are usually more expensive. Just looking online quickly, I see the big tub of old-fashioned oats is $6.39 for 30 servings (=21¢/serving), vs a box of instant oatmeal at $3 for 8 servings (=38¢/serving). So to save money, choose the less convenient version.
- Plan your meals before you shop, and pick up only what you need - this helps avoid impulse purchases
I am so used to Aldi that I almost forget branded things exist. Those oats sound really expensive, I get them under £1/kg
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Snacks are an incredible waste of money and they have some of the largest profit margins of all grocery items. $5 for a bag of chips that isn't even a pound is disgusting, but they charge it because people pay it. It only makes sense to buy snacks if you're wealthy from screwing other people over, or you're on welfare.
If you want to eat cheap, you need to swallow your pride. Probably one of the best meals that just about anyone can make is a microwave meatball sub with raw broccoli and carrots on the side. Extremely easy, very cheap, filling, and it's always going to be delicious if you're actually hungry.
Get used to eating the same things over and over again, and stop treating food like entertainment.
You can eat real food cheaply rather than living from a microwave.
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You can eat real food cheaply rather than living from a microwave.
It'll take a lot more effort, but yeah of course you can.
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I am so used to Aldi that I almost forget branded things exist. Those oats sound really expensive, I get them under £1/kg
Yeah, both prices I gave were for name brand (Quaker). The generic Aldi oats are just as good!