Feeding Yourself When You’re Broke AF
Grocery prices are insane, but your paycheck hasn’t gotten the hint. Rent’s due, and what you have left to buy food needs to go as far as possible. Don’t panic! Here are some ways to stretch every dollar.
Meal Plans – Your Secret Weapon
Half the fun of adulting is figuring out what you’re going to eat every day for the rest of your life. Making a meal plan is hardly glamorous. However, having an idea of what you want to eat will make sticking to a budget a lot easier and help quell the temptation to just order a pizza. The goal is to stretch a meal into lunch or another dinner.
Take Advantage of Store Reward Programs
Grocery stores often have a store app with weekly sale paper specials and deals for shoppers who sign up for their store’s rewards program. Reward programs are a savings hack, and cost nothing to join. You can plan your weekly meals around what’s on sale or score highly coveted offers, like Buy One, Get One Free (BOGO).
Last week, my store had pre-cut chicken for stir-fry on sale, so I grabbed two and threw one in the freezer. The chicken I need for next week’s stir-fry is handled, and I saved five bucks.
Making a Meal Schedule
When I plan dinners, I make a little extra so we have leftovers to use the rest of the week. It’s easy to put the extra food into a container to take to work, saving me from having to buy a $13 (!) salad. You may also have evening events you need to work around. A plan reduces the stress of having to come up with a dinner idea that works with the timing.
Your meal plan doesn’t have to be fancy. You can jot it down on the back of an envelope or create an elaborate calendar. Whatever makes you happy. My meal plan is scribbled on a white board on our fridge so everyone knows what’s for dinner.
Sunday: Ground beef tacos with guacamole and salsa – A couple of tablespoons of taco meat and some buns make a quick work lunch. I look for sales on ground beef and freeze the extra for another week.
Monday: Use leftover taco meat for Tacos part Dos, Sloppy Joes, or add some tomato sauce to create meat sauce for spaghetti. I round it out with a green salad.
Tuesday: Sweet and sour chicken stir-fry – Leftovers can be used for lunch.
Wednesday: Grilled burgers, fries, and green salad. I make an extra burger or two to pack in my work bag.
Thursday: Leftovers or pasta – I leave some leftovers in the fridge for the fam, but if they’re still there on Thursday, that’s what’s for dinner. Otherwise, I make some noodles with sauce and garlic bread..
Friday: Take-and-bake pizzas because by the end of the week, I’m spent. We eat the leftovers for lunch over the weekend.
Saturday: Grilled sausages, potato salad, and green salad. One of my stores often has a BOGO sale on sausages I keep an eye out for.
Make the Shopping List
Now that I have a meal plan, I can make my list. I compare what I need with what I already have. Knowing what you have on hand prevents the discovery that you now have three jars of mayo.
Grocery App
How you manage your list is a personal preference. Some people like to go old-school with a paper list. I prefer to use an electronic list on my phone because the likelihood of my leaving a paper list at home or losing it along the way is very high. It’s also easy for me to add things on the fly. If you like electronic lists, you can make your own on your device’s notes app or use a grocery app like Out of Milk or AnyList.
Check the supply levels of things you buy regularly, like coffee, cereal, soup, milk, sugar, flour, eggs, etc. This prevents both over-buying and discovering you’re missing a crucial ingredient.
Consider keeping a notepad or dry-erase board in the kitchen to jot down things you need as you run out of them. This makes creating a grocery list easier, and you won’t have to stop at a more expensive convenience store on the way home from work to grab what you forgot.
Grocery Store Rules of Engagement:
#1: Do Not Shop Hungry
Shopping hungry is dangerous because everything is going to look and smell delicious. This leads to impulse buying, which leads to blowing your budget. Eat a snack or something before you head out.
#2: Do Some Recon
Identify which stores in your area have the least expensive items. There is one store in my neighborhood that I avoid like the plague because the prices are so ridiculous. I tag team Aldi and another local grocery store, checking the other store’s sales flyer for deals on stuff I need.
#3: Shop Strategically
Grocery store arrangements are not random. Designers lay them out very specifically to increase profit. Here’s how to play the game.
Stick to the Perimeter: Grocery stores are often laid out with produce, dairy, and meat around the perimeter, while the more expensive and/or processed foods are concentrated in the center. Shop the perimeter as much as possible.
Store Brands vs. Name Brands: An open secret in food production is that many store brands are processed in the same food production facilities as name brands. The only difference is the label and a fat advertising budget. You can often save money by buying the store brand instead.
Look Up (or Down): The most expensive food is usually right at eye level, while the less expensive items are shelved higher or lower.
Don’t Get Seduced by the End Cap Display: Promoted items are often set up at the end of each aisle. These are not always the best value. If it’s something you need, check the actual location to see if there are less expensive options.
#4: Don’t Sleep on the Frozen Food Section
Frozen foods aren’t just processed crap. Frozen fruits and veggies are great for smoothies and dinners that need a side. They’re usually cheaper and last a lot longer.
#5: Wholesale Clubs
Warehouse stores, like BJs, Costco, or Sam’s Club generally have better price-per-unit deals on things like meat, coffee, and paper products, and other things you may use a lot. Buying a big pack of meat or toilet paper is usually cheaper than buying a smaller amount here and there. Food can be portioned out and frozen it for later use. Non-perishables can be stashed in a closet or under a bed.
What money-saving secrets have you discovered since moving out? Share in the comments!
