Living and Eating on a Tight Budget

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I'm a postgrad student which means that I have all the financial strain of being a student but none of the financial support from the government or local authorities. 

 

For the past few months I've been living with my parents and commuting 30 miles or so several times a week for lectures and other university related things. The hassle of commuting along with the negative aspects of living with my dad in a house that really isn't big enough for two adults in a town that really doesn't offer much to a single person in their twenties has made me want to move to the city.

 

The rent is actually only marginally more expensive than the cost of commuting but I'll be buying all my own food again (at the moment I conveniently decide to visit my mum at dinner time most days). I'll have about £50 (approximately $75) to live on each week. 

 

This £50 a week will need to be enough for all my meals as well as hopefully contributing to whatever kind of meagre social life I can scrape together. 

 

My main concern is eating healthy, I'm vegetarian which could be a very cheap diet to sustain if I cut down on the dairy, but I'm not sure I can cook 3 healthy and tasty meals a day, kinda feels like a choice between the two.

 

Obviously I'll need to cut down on my alcohol consumption which may be tricky. I'm going to switch my gym membership from a £30 a month gym to a £15 a month one with a view to cancelling it completely in a couple of months. I'm getting rid of monthly expenses that previously seemed minor - spotify, netflix etc.

 

I'll probably start leaving my debit card at home and take out my cash for the week on a monday. Or maybe I'll set up an online food order to arrive every monday so I know exactly what I'm spending on food. I'm far from the most disciplined person when it comes to money but I need to get in that habit.

 

Does anyone have any tips or links to decent resources?

 

[I-Jo]

I eat on about 60-70 a week for two people.  Plus one or two uneeded nights out with my SO.  I'd be more than fine on 50 by myself for the week.  I did some research on eating for bare bones- there are a few articles on eating on like 20 dollars a week or something- a few people have done some fun projects- lots of ways to stretch your dollar.  

 

So you should be able to absolutely get stocked up and functional on 75 a week.  The biggest thing to overcome to make life more interesting is stocking up your spice cabinet   It's the most expensive aspect and don't do it all at once- you'll have sticker shock (I bought a handful of new ones and I almost died - it was over 100 bucks for my regular foods + the new spices)

 

Alcohol was a treat for me when I was really knuckling down on my money- I bought one 24 pack (17.99$) and would stretch it for 3 months. 

 

paying cash is also a great way to regulate- I was doing the envelope method for a while (you pull out your estimated expenditures - for me 2 weeks worth - and I did fuel and food) and then I just put them in envelopes and when it was out that was it (well except for gas) any little coffee stops or quick bites to eat out anywhere- came from that envelope- and I sure as shit stopped going out- being hungry for 1-2 hours was way less of an issue when I knew spending that money ment I might be hungry for 2-3 days at toward the end of my time frame. 

 

Clip coupons- they'll help- not always but they can.  

 

Carry a small hand basket- you buy less- I used to spend 150-200 a pop at a trip just because I put crap in my cart I didn't need.  Now I go once a week (produce doesn't last 2 weeks) and I buy everything I need to cook once/twice a week and all my snacks and that's it.  

 

Actually LOOK at the cost of what you are buying- I used to just buy because it's what I wanted.  Not so good.  I look- now I buy either what I want out of sheer stubborn want or look for the cheaper alternative- or pass and find something else to use.  But make it a point to CHECK the price- and realize any produce you buy that you don't eat/cook will go bad- and nothing sucks worse than throwing out money in the form of spoiled food. 

 

It also gets easier.  you get used to buying certain things- and then realizing you can live without lots of things.  I buy almost the exact same crap every week- (8 green peppers- 8 tomatoes- bag of onions, 8 green/yellow squash zuccihini if on sale- 18 pack of eggs, pack of bacon- 5 apples, 2 lb bag of carrots- 2 things of chicken (about 12-15$ total) and several bags of frozen veggies)

 

I always try to produce a new dish once a week. Sometimes it's not so good- but I try anyway- keeps me from making my version of chicken stir fry every week.

 

Once you figure out what you like to cook and snack on- then you can tailor your shopping list.  

 

also if you are planning on baking things will be different. That's expensive.  But I find I don't bake much except for events at my dance studio.  Just not worth the hassle.  

 

Good luck!!! 

[jhend.hardison]

Obviously I'll need to cut down on my alcohol consumption which may be tricky.

 

 

Yes, I agree with you, you should cut down your alcohol consumption, but if we can live without it, the better, if not, drink in moderation.

 

We can somehow save money if we buy in bulk or to buy from direct suppliers, not from stores. we should plan and make a list on what we should buy, not that we go directly to a store, there are higher chances we will buy a certain thing which we don't need to most then we can forget the important thing we should have.

[Georges]

Since you said you're vegetarian, I'm going to assume you're not paleo... in which case, I have to advise that you read (save money - get it from the library!) Diet for a Small Planet as a quick primer if you're not used to planning your own meals. 

The cheapest meal in the world: Beans, Greens, and a Grain can be tweaked with spices and additional veggies into a lot of non-monotonous meals. 

We buy a lot of the same things each trip, like I-Jo, and then splurge on whatever produce in on sale/in season. 

The number one way we minimize our grocery bill (aside from growing lots of our veggies) is by making things ourselves.  Especially bread.

Another big one was cutting out cereal.  (We still buy oats and other hot cereals - they're a lot less expensive, as long as they're not individually-packaged.) 

If part of your social life is with other college students, you'll probably find that you can turn cooking into a social activity (and possibly pool costs) for some meals.  Things like homemade pizza, burritos, and two-pan stir fries make it possible to cook with non-vegetarian friends, too. 

The one kitchen appliance that helped me out the most with eating healthy & cheap is my rice cooker (along with buying rice in bulk to lower the cost).

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Thanks for the replies, there's definitely some interesting points for me to think about there.

 

What would you consider the main staples of a budget minded diet? I'm wondering what foods represent the best value in terms of cost/ how much mileage you can get out of it, I guess versatility is the key.

 

As mentioned previously beans will be a major part of my diet, i'll be buying frozen veg to avoid wastage and keep costs down, possibly porridge for breakfast.

 

Quorn/ other soy based meat substitutes have been a big part of my diet since I went vegetarian as they're one of my few protein sources. But they're not particularly cheap, so that could be an issue, especially as I'm getting less and less comfortable with eating eggs which are my other main protein source.

[I-Jo]

Beans and rice.

 

Seriously.  You can live on beans and rice (my go to- was beans rice sour cream and some onion with salt and pepper)  I literally ate it for like a month- and it's stupid cheap. 

[Bearded_Dragon]

Hey mate,

 

Some great tips above, might I also suggest this site: http://agirlcalledjack.com/category/below-the-line-budget-recipes/

which is a blog done by a girl who spent a while living below the poverty line and managed to feed herself and her little boy for cheap.

 

Also, check out the markets for fresh fruit & veg as the supermarkets tend to have a higher mark-up on their fresh produce. Don't be afraid to go for supermarket own brand stuff, a lot of it tastes the same, but watch out for sugar levels, etc. if you're trying to eat healthy.

[fengor]

As I-Jo said Beans are good for a small budget. Legumes can be a staple side dish and you can make a stir fry with whatever other vegetables are at hand.

 

Getting decent spices helps a lot as well. Depending on how tight your budget is you can look around if any shops offer discounts on yesterdays food. it may not be the freshest but usually is still quite edible.

[Ancalagon The Black]

I eat the same things over and over again and buy in bulk. Breakfast = oatmeal and 1 5lb bag lasts for months. Lunch = 8oz chicken with assorted veggies (I buy frozen. They are cheap in bulk). Dinner = 8oz beef or pork in different ways along with another bag of frozen veggies. I have distilled this down to an exact science. Even considering  the cost of condiments (spices and sauces) to jazz up the food and 1 5lb tub of whey protein once every two months, I spend exactly $250 on food a month. Sometimes, I eat out though but never alone and always with a group of friends. The other thing which really helped me cut down on my costs was my vow to myself that I would only drink when with friends and restrict myself to 1 beer at a time. Boom.

 

I am a poor graduate student but I want to build muscle so I eat more. If I wasn't interested in bulking up and eating mostly vegetarian, I could easily halve my costs by buying cans of different kinds of beans and brown rice in bulk.

[Daithi]

Seeing as you use the pound sign am going to tell you what I live on.

 

Farmfoods veg-Chicken and Bacon, Porridge from Homebargins and eggs. Farmfoods has Amazing deals, Sure it's frozen but hey can't afford to eat fresh.

[Buahaha]

Check to see if there is a food outlet nearby. They often sell slightly bruised vegetables, grains in bulk,  dry beans, and whatever else they come upon. You can get great deals on staples and try out things you may not have been able to afford on a budget at a normal grocery (I've purchased great whole bean espresso, organic protein bars, pounds of rice).

[Ancalagon The Black]

Also, yesterday, I made the best and healthiest homemade protein bars for about $0.20 / bar (my bars are bigger than Larabars. )

[Puppychow]

Get produce when it's on sale and freeze it! Get healthy whole-grain bread when it's on sale and freeze it! Dry beans and bulk foods are way cheaper....you can cook them ahead of time and freeze them or can them for easy meals later. If you're not shy, ask around at grocery stores or your local farmer's market if they sell damaged but edible produce at discounted rates. Then freeze it.

I'm a huge fan of make-ahead. Take a few hours out of one day and just cook up a bunch of stuff and freeze it for later (Waffles and/or pancakes are great for this). Slow cooker and/or crock-pot meals are also great for busy people. 

Here are some insanely easy, mostly vegetarian friendly meal ideas: http://eatmorebroccoli.tumblr.com/post/39502438645/52-healthy-meals-in-12-minutes-or-less-greatist

[tiberius]

Awesome tips here!

I'm in college and my weekly budget for food is about 10€ and I found it nice to know so many people 'manage' their food the way I do.. Guess I must be doing it right then ehehe

Anyways, here's my piece of advice to add to the others: You get much better control over what you eat - and how much you spend - if you prepare your meals for the week in advance and freeze them and proceed to unfreeze them as you need them.

So just choose a plate you think you can stand having for every meal (or most meals; it will be frozen so there is little risk of it going bad) and prepare the appropriate quantity of it for the week and freeze them in individual doses.

Good luck with your post-grad, buddy!

[crosenblum]

I have made alot of big financial mistakes when I was much younger.

 

1. I would skip having any kind of credit card until you have a few thousand dollars in savings.

 

2. One of the best money tricks I have is automatic 10% savings. Anytime you get any money into your checking, use an online savings account with a high rate, and save 10% each month. I have used IngDirect, now Capital360, which allows you to set the exact amount and date for transfers from your checking accounts.

 

3. Emergency Nest Eggs are a must have, you never know what will happen, and it pays to have a backup plan!

 

4. Use the free section of CraigsList to find thing's you need whether it be furniture, chairs, etc. If you are patient you can find it cheap there.

 

5. ThriftShops and GoodWill are another great place to find good deals.

 

6. Mint.com you sign up, give it all your bank, credit info. And you get monthly charts showing your spending habits, this allowed me to reduce over time my impulse spending. You just categorize all your spending, and then you can look at month to month or month to year comparrissons.

 

7. If you regularlly find that you have a 10-50 bucks leftover each month, start putting it into a rainy day fund, or envelope, for when you really need it.

 

Having an emergency fund/rainy day fund is super-important habit to develop young.

 

Good luck.

[Guest]

Beans and rice.

 

Seriously.  You can live on beans and rice (my go to- was beans rice sour cream and some onion with salt and pepper)  I literally ate it for like a month- and it's stupid cheap. 

  Beans and rice.  And eggs if you eat them.  I have lived on $35/wk for food, stretched up to 50-60 in grad school to include toiletries and household goods.  Even today, my two person household comes in under $150 wk grocery bill without much effort.  That's not including beer and one night of takeout, but I'm not really on a tight budget anymore.  When I WAS on this budget I was also racing bicycles, so you can imagine I was eating lots and lots.

 

Think stew.  Omlets.  And beans and rice.  Buy a 40 lb bag of basmati or similar rice from your local Indian market or megamart - you'll get a few months out of it.

[Robpocalypse]

  Beans and rice.  And eggs if you eat them.  I have lived on $35/wk for food, stretched up to 50-60 in grad school to include toiletries and household goods.  Even today, my two person household comes in under $150 wk grocery bill without much effort.  That's not including beer and one night of takeout, but I'm not really on a tight budget anymore.  When I WAS on this budget I was also racing bicycles, so you can imagine I was eating lots and lots.

 

Think stew.  Omlets.  And beans and rice.  Buy a 40 lb bag of basmati or similar rice from your local Indian market or megamart - you'll get a few months out of it.

 

What Alex said.  Buy staples in bulk, beans, rice, oatmeal.  Supplement with protein and veggies that are on sale.  You won't be able to buy with convenience in mind, that comes with a price tag, but you can slash your grocery budget dramatically if you're willing to invest the prep and cook time.

 

If you buy alcohol, buy the cheapest bottles of wine you can.

[Nolondil]

Although I'm not as financially restricted as you, I do have a few tips...

 

1) Bags of frozen veg are a life saver. I buy the value/savers/smart price ones from whatever supermarket I'm at, usually for £1/kilo. I have about 3 a week, and find that I can just put veg in any meal to bulk it out, keep the calories down, and make the meal healthy.

2) Perhaps not as healthy, but Morrisons (and probably all the other supermarkets) have 24p jars of pasta sauce, sweet and sour sauce, and curry sauce. Yeh, it's probably not the best or most healthiest, but you can easily make the jar last for two meals (and with the veg you don't really need rice or pasta) in a pinch.

3) Buy in bulk, especially oats (so much cheaper than prepackaged or flavoured!), pasta, rice etc.

 

Hope it goes well!

[SirHammerlock]

Hi there,

 

I am having budget trouble, too, and I just wanted indicate the budgeting-PVP-challenge I just started, perhaps there are people interested here?

[Shortgorilla]

Rice, beans, split peas, lentils, salsa, etc.  Eating vegetarian is actually one of the cheaper ways to live. 

[Rosiesan]

Can anyone suggest cheap healthy meals that don't include beans? I seriously hate beans and even get sick if I eat too many in too short of time. 

 

We have been going under $150 a week for dinners, but even that seems like a lot still. 

 

I do love frozen veggies!

[Astreja]

Can anyone suggest cheap healthy meals that don't include beans? I seriously hate beans and even get sick if I eat too many in too short of time. 

 

We have been going under $150 a week for dinners, but even that seems like a lot still. 

 

I do love frozen veggies!

 

I have a very simple recipe for vegetables à la king, which you can serve on whole-grain toast.

• Boil or microwave enough frozen vegetables for everyone.  Save the water.
• In a large pot (or the same one you used to cook the veggies), sauté an onion and/or garlic in a couple of tablespoons of unsalted butter or cooking oil.
• Make the onion/garlic mixture into a roux (flour/fat paste) by adding a couple of tablespoons of flour. Cook for a minute or two, stirring until well blended. 
• Gradually add back the cooking water to the roux, stirring as you go.  As it starts to thicken, you can add in the vegetables.  Let it simmer, and prepare the toast just before serving.

You can also add vegetable stock or cheese to enhance the flavour.  Add cheese to the roux, not to the water, or it won't blend in well.

 

I also serve this in giant cream puff shells, homemade:  Boil cup of water with 1/4 cup unsalted butter, then quickly stir in 1 cup flour.  In a few seconds, the mixture will pull away from the side of the pot.  Take off heat and let cool slightly, beat in 3 eggs one at a time, then  drop onto a baking sheet covered in parchment paper and bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes.  Usually I can get 6 or 7 huge cream puffs out of this recipe.

[Elastigirl]

Not a  recipe; just some ideas.

 

Look at the flyer from your grocery store. Every week they usually have sales on meat and veggies, plan your meals around stuff that is on sale

 

Bigger cuts of meat are cheaper than smaller. Chicken breasts are pretty expensive. Buy a whole chicken and roast it. That gives you options. You can take the meat off the bone and shred it and use it for salad or soup. You can slice it up and use the cooked meat during the week in your recipes.Then throw the bones in a soup pot, along with veggies and you can make broth for some soup later.