New budget

[Hinotori]

I did quick math and figure for $100 a month we can each have about half a pound of beef a day. Neither of us eats that much, and we could really use to eat less food here. Yogurt or fruit is normal breakfast, though sometimes we have oatmeal. Lunch is light, sandwich, soup or leftovers. Usually two veggies at dinner and potatoes with the meat. Sometimes it's some grain mix instead of potatoes. Depends on how the meat is being done.

Spaghetti is good for dinner then lunch for two days. That is $4 depending on how I make it. We had rib steak with corn, peas, and scalloped potatoes (russets sliced thin, salted, cream poured over, and baked). That served us for three meals. It was about $6.

I think cheap eating just comes down to cooking it all from scratch and simply.

 

[tortoise]

Another frozen pizza day. :/ I went to get meat out of the freezer to thaw and it was buried onder frozen pizza. Made my choice easy.

I'm going grocery shopping on Wednesday! For only the things we have used up. bread ingredients, milk, condiments. No stock-up worthy sales this week. Actually nothing on sale I would buy!

Hinotori - your scalloped potatoes sounds delicious! I just added cream to my shopping list.

 

[Hinotori]

Mom is allergic to wheat so she's experimented with making stuff without thickeners.

It's heavy cream we use. Costco or Cash & Carry here have it for fairly cheap for a big thing of it. The starch from the potatoes thickens it just right. Can put shredded cheese on top at the end if it is desired

 

[Marianne]

Marianne, when I said about being able to do that, I was talking about going to several different stores in one area. I don't recall what my food budget was when the kids were little, but I know I spent less per person each week than people we knew on food stamps.

Deb, that's amazing. When the kids were home, my goal was always to get by as cheaply as possible. Small income=frugal spending, right? I wish I would have known the recipes for all the make it yourself stuff, and how simple cleaners are to make. Could have saved a bundle just with that.

 

[k15n1]

Found it!

http://www.sufficientself.com/threads/how-much-do-you-spend-on-food.9241/page-12#post-373568

 

[tortoise]

Thanks for the link

 

[Plantress]

Don't forget chili

 

[tortoise]

huh, only spent $97.14 on groceries last month (credit card billing cycle). Skipping the "on sale" items and eating down our pantry makes a big difference. After excluding home improvement spending we were at $715. Not bad, especially since we started the budget halfway through the billing cycle, a $91 auction purchase, and an $80 amazon prime ooops.

My goal for next month/billing cycle is $700.

 

[baymule]

Good for you. Reach around and give yourself a pat on the back. Once you get your garden planted, that should really help too. After all......you have to replenish that pantry/freezer....

 

[Denim Deb]

And making it a game/challenge to always be lower than the month B4 can help motivate you to find new ways to save.