First - No buying any prepared food. We also must limit all processed food stuff. Hostess Cakes no matter how cheap still costs more than making it yourself. Vegetable soup you make yourself is healthier and so much cheaper than Campbells. With a little foresight, you can eat well on a budget. I'm using $50/week as my benchmark. We may go a little over one week, but will make up for it the next.
If you need more food than what's listed - you're probably overweight. We shop at Shoprite in West Nyack. The key is buying on sale and organizing the week ahead of time.
Menu:
Family of 4 - 28 Dinners, 28 lunches, 28 breakfasts
Vegy chile
Dry pinto beans $.79 (last week)
Can tomato sauce 1.00 (this week on sale)
Onion .25
Carrot .25
Zuccini .50
Green Pepper (Old World Market in Nyack ) .59 lb -
Celery (2 weeks ago Shoprite) 1.69
Garlic clove - .10
corn frozen - 1/4 box
Salt, pepper, chili power (buy the .99 spices)
Olive Oil -
Serve over brown rice or pasta (.99 lb for rice or .59 pasta we do organic) - .50
Cantelope .99
Iced tea from scratch - .10
homemade oatmeal cookies (24 for $1.50)
Approximately $7 (you can still throw in $1 worth of meat)
8 meals (dinner of lunch)
Vegy soup homemade - 1/2 gallon
Celery - .50
Carrots - .25
Cabbage - .25
Onion - .25
bollion cubes (2) .25
Corn .25 (1/4 box)
barley - .25
beans - .25
oil
approximately $3.00
8 meals for lunch or dinner
Home made Rick's Bread Recipe .50 - Make loaf everyday $4.00 total for week
Eggs - Buy 2-1/2 dozen $2.99
Omlettes
Monday, January 11, 2010
Monday, November 2, 2009
Eating Well On A $50 a Week Budget
I've always taken great pains to live within my means. In the 1980's I lived in nyc 2 fare zone. I used to walk 2 miles to the subway to save the $1 bus fare. This was before the nyc metrocard allowed for free transfers. That same year, I spent $1 for breakfast - coffee and bran muffin) and $1 for lunch - pizza or bagel with cream cheese. I would splurg every now and then on an Il Nido cafe lunch. My favorite was the rice salad with tomatoes, onions, tuna and cheese. My husband still doesn't believe there would be an Italian dish that contains both a fish and a cheese. Anchovies on a pizza doesn't count for him.
The only time I remember I had credit card debt was when I purchased my first apartment. I had calculated the costs down to the penny - but was so inexperienced - I didn't know about taxes and co-op closing costs. That was in the early 90's.
Today it's a different problem. I can't find a job. We have a new house that I love and we've cut back on all essentials to make ends meet. This includes food. My goal for the past few weeks is to get our food budget for a family of 3 under $50. Since cutie is a vegarian (killing animals is mean) and needs loads of protein from other sources, it's been challenging. The real budget is more like $75 a week.
The only time I remember I had credit card debt was when I purchased my first apartment. I had calculated the costs down to the penny - but was so inexperienced - I didn't know about taxes and co-op closing costs. That was in the early 90's.
Today it's a different problem. I can't find a job. We have a new house that I love and we've cut back on all essentials to make ends meet. This includes food. My goal for the past few weeks is to get our food budget for a family of 3 under $50. Since cutie is a vegarian (killing animals is mean) and needs loads of protein from other sources, it's been challenging. The real budget is more like $75 a week.
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