Author Topic: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?  (Read 10937 times)

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Offline noisyturtle

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$40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 18:09:58 »
Kinda not sure what to do here, I usually spend about $120 a week on groceries alone, but I am out of work have no money in the bank(actually less than nothing) and only have $40 a week to spend on everything for the next month or so. I'm thinking $30 for groceries, and $10 for other weekly expenses. Any tips would be greatly appreciated, because other than strictly Ramen and rice I'd like to eat sort of healthy.
« Last Edit: Mon, 02 June 2014, 18:41:08 by noisyturtle »

Offline user 18

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #1 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 18:13:43 »
Oatmeal is a great way to start the day, and IIRC rolled oats aren't that expensive. If it tastes too bland, add a small amount of sugar.

I assume you're just trying to feed yourself, rather than a family, if it's not just you, number of people would be valuable info to have.

If you're used to having chips or such for snacks, try substituting carrots, apples, cucumber. Relatively cost-effective.
« Last Edit: Sun, 01 June 2014, 18:15:44 by user 18 »
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Offline Beca

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #2 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 18:15:00 »
http://www.reddit.com/r/budgetfood

basically, get a crock pot, throw a bunch food in, and half the same thing for about a week for dinner. lunch is easy -> sandwiches.

Offline noisyturtle

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #3 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 18:17:55 »
http://www.reddit.com/r/budgetfood

basically, get a crock pot, throw a bunch food in, and half the same thing for about a week for dinner. lunch is easy -> sandwiches.

Bread is too expensive. Probably go for tortillas.

Offline Beca

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #4 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 18:19:06 »
http://www.reddit.com/r/budgetfood

basically, get a crock pot, throw a bunch food in, and half the same thing for about a week for dinner. lunch is easy -> sandwiches.

Bread is too expensive. Probably go for tortillas.
it's like a dollar for a loaf here, where do you live?? :eek:

Offline jonathanyu

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #5 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 18:21:03 »
http://www.reddit.com/r/budgetfood

basically, get a crock pot, throw a bunch food in, and half the same thing for about a week for dinner. lunch is easy -> sandwiches.

Bread is too expensive. Probably go for tortillas.
Where do you live?  I can get a loaf of bread from safeway for 99cents

Offline noisyturtle

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #6 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 18:21:19 »
http://www.reddit.com/r/budgetfood

basically, get a crock pot, throw a bunch food in, and half the same thing for about a week for dinner. lunch is easy -> sandwiches.

Bread is too expensive. Probably go for tortillas.
it's like a dollar for a loaf here, where do you live?? :eek:

WA, food is drastically overpriced here. Some sort of tax thing  >:D

Offline user 18

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #7 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 18:23:42 »
http://www.reddit.com/r/budgetfood

basically, get a crock pot, throw a bunch food in, and half the same thing for about a week for dinner. lunch is easy -> sandwiches.

Bread is too expensive. Probably go for tortillas.
it's like a dollar for a loaf here, where do you live?? :eek:

WA, food is drastically overpriced here. Some sort of tax thing  >:D

Ouch. For protein, I find that meat is usually more cost-effective than nuts, unless you can find a bag of mixed nuts on some kind of good sale.

I usually buy lower-quality cuts of ground beef, and drain the fat off it as I cook. Tastes like the more expensive stuff, and one medium-size package lasts me at least a week unless I'm using a ton of energy.

Tastes really good in tortillas too. Add some veggies if you can afford to.
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Offline Malphas

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #8 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 18:24:00 »
Bread is expensive? Anyway, living off whole foods is cheap as hell, other than meat and some more exotic fruits/vegetables. Use things oats, rice, lentils, etc for carbohydrates and the bulk of your calories, eggs and ground beef for protein and fat. That would be the absolute cheapest way to go, but I think even on $30 you could still probably afford things like chicken breasts, fish, olive oil, vegetables and fruit as well. Unprocessed food is cheap.

Offline user 18

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #9 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 18:25:18 »
Chicken is good if you can afford it -- and a pack of chicken breasts will last close to a week as well
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Offline Malphas

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #10 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 18:26:03 »
Also, I know I said chicken breasts, but there's nothing wrong with using whole chickens and it's probably a lot cheaper too.

Offline noisyturtle

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #11 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 18:30:11 »
I'll probably pick up either a 5lb tube of beef or chicken(not in a tube) but I can't do both.

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #12 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 18:32:41 »
Also, I know I said chicken breasts, but there's nothing wrong with using whole chickens and it's probably a lot cheaper too.

Little harder to prepare, but I guess if OP is out of work and has the time, it's probably worth it.

If you can only afford one, I vote for the beef -- I personally find it easier to season to taste with stuff I tend to have lying around the kitchen, and I also prefer its unseasoned taste.

I also think it's a little more versatile, but that's just me being picky more than anything else. We used tube beef for a nacho/taco party I went to in the spring, and it's no different than any other ground beef, it just has an unfortunate shape.


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Offline tbc

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #13 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 18:35:59 »
if your costs are anything like vancouver, meat is a no go.

it's way too expensive; you need to go vegan + eggs.  chicken/fish/beef are rare luxuries, even in small amount.

like everyone else said, don't snack on process foods, just too expensive
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Offline user 18

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #14 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 18:42:02 »
If you can't afford meat, you do still need protein. I forgot about eggs because I'm allergic, but they would be a good choice. More expensive than meat where I'm from though. Consider with meat that you don't need a huge portion, just a supplement to your cheap carbs in order to provide some essential amino acids.
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Offline BunnyLake

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #15 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 18:44:31 »
shoot me your paypal, ill throw you 100 bucks so you have an extra 25 a week
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Offline Malphas

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #16 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 18:45:02 »
Offal is also a good protein source if you can stomach it.

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #17 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 18:49:18 »
shoot me your paypal, ill throw you 100 bucks so you have an extra 25 a week

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Offline noisyturtle

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #18 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 18:50:05 »
shoot me your paypal, ill throw you 100 bucks so you have an extra 25 a week

There's no way I can accept that, but the gesture is very nice :)
Offal is also a good protein source if you can stomach it.

Generally my policy is if it contains meat and costs less than a dollar, you probably shouldn't ingest it :))

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #19 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 18:51:16 »
shoot me your paypal, ill throw you 100 bucks so you have an extra 25 a week

There's no way I can accept that, but the gesture is very nice :)
Offal is also a good protein source if you can stomach it.

Generally my policy is if it contains meat and costs less than a dollar, you probably shouldn't ingest it :))

its no bother sir, i know what that situation is like, it will make little difference to me and a big difference to you good sir

i wont force it on you but the offer is there if you need it any time
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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #20 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 18:57:14 »
Eggs are a great source of cheap protein. And I saw a huge package of chicken leg quarters for about $6 at Kroger the other day. Red meat is harder to find cheap (pork is usually considerably cheaper than beef) and the only way to get good cheap fish is fresh-flash-frozen. Wild-caught salt water fishes are generally better, and cold-water fish is better than warm-water fish.

Finding yourself in this state at the beginning of summer is great - many of your fruits and vegetables will be in season, therefore cheap and good. I got 3 pounds of fresh green beans for $2 and a whole seedless watermelon for $6 this week.
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Offline Malphas

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #21 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 19:05:32 »
shoot me your paypal, ill throw you 100 bucks so you have an extra 25 a week

There's no way I can accept that, but the gesture is very nice :)
Offal is also a good protein source if you can stomach it.

Generally my policy is if it contains meat and costs less than a dollar, you probably shouldn't ingest it :))


As unappealing as it can be, organ meats have much more health benefits than muscle meat. Liver in particular is in like the top five best things you could possibly eat, period.

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #22 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 19:22:03 »
shoot me your paypal, ill throw you 100 bucks so you have an extra 25 a week

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Offline CPTBadAss

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #23 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 19:30:04 »
Look up the SNAP challenge or how people get by on just food stamps. I've read articles on how people live on your budget for a month.

Also things like beans and lentils are relatively cheap. They're filling and they can help you out on the protein front. I also agree with the whole chicken because you can make a soup/broth with the bones for another few meals on top of the meat.
« Last Edit: Sun, 01 June 2014, 19:40:06 by CPTBadAss »

Offline hwood34

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #24 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 19:33:31 »
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Offline Psybin

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #25 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 19:45:03 »
Peanut butter is pretty filling as well. Put some on a spoon and dip into whatever cup of nuts then eat from spoon. It makes the plain jane nuts taste better. I do it with almonds as a morning snack. On a budget raw nuts and semi healthy peanut butter wouldn't be to much $$ and will go a ways.

Oh another cheap meal I like is drain a can of tuna, mix with pre-cooked rice, heat up, mix in franks hot sauce and eat with some sort if cracker. I eat it for lunch at work all the time.
« Last Edit: Sun, 01 June 2014, 19:48:22 by Psybin »

Offline CPTBadAss

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #26 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 19:46:17 »
Totally agree with fohat.digs on the farmer's markets coming into season now as well as the peanut butter tip from Psybin :)

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #27 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 19:54:25 »
Oats around 11ish in the morning  will last me till 5 in the evening. Then I usually make rice or pasta. Pasta and pesto does wonders for me. Quite cheap and it's delicious !
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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #28 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 19:57:19 »
Peanut butter is pretty filling as well. Put some on a spoon and dip into whatever cup of nuts then eat from spoon. It makes the plain jane nuts taste better. I do it with almonds as a morning snack. On a budget raw nuts and semi healthy peanut butter wouldn't be to much $$ and will go a ways.

Oh another cheap meal I like is drain a can of tuna, mix with pre-cooked rice, heat up, mix in franks hot sauce and eat with some sort if cracker. I eat it for lunch at work all the time.

I'm gonna have to try tuna like that.

Offline Psybin

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #29 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 20:00:31 »
I use the crackers sparingly. But also eat it with lettuce or romain on the side and the crisp leaves pair well with the hotness of the sauce, celery would work too. You can go cheaper with the tuna since the hot sauce masks it, just get the kind in water not oil.

Offline bueller

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #30 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 20:01:25 »
Buy a 2-3 lb chicken, roast it. Leave it out of the oven till it cools and then strip most of the chicken from the carcass. Put this aside for sandwiches, salads, whatever.

Put the carcass in a stock pot with a diced onion, a chicken stock cube, salt and fill with water. Boil for an hour and then strain the mixture after removing the chicken carcass. Don't skip the strain, a bunch of nasty **** will come out of the carcass that will make your stock taste bad otherwise. Strip any extra chicken off the carcass that you can get an then bang it back in with the stock. Put it on a very low heat and then throw in a packet of soup mix (I usually use the italian stuff) and whatever cheap veges and pasta you want. Should make a TON of soup that you can freeze and it's real cheap when you consider you can get a few days out of the chicken in other meals. Quiche is a good one to use up the leftovers. I do this about once a fortnight and the soup will usually get me at least 10 meals.
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Offline Xowie

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #31 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 20:03:54 »
My thoughts, from a poor grad student (a lot of them have already been said):
Eggs and oats is an extremely cheap and solid meal. I have this every morning. Rice is also very (very) cheap. I also eat a lot of greek yogurt, but I think if you are limited to $30 it might  be out of reach.
Also take a look at your local butcher. The one by where I live is very reasonable. Most items are cheaper than grocery stores and the quality is considerably better. The farmers market here is insanely overpriced though.
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Offline noisyturtle

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #32 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 20:10:27 »
Oats around 11ish in the morning  will last me till 5 in the evening.

I'm a big guy, I need a lot of fuel to keep this massive frame lumbering around.  :-[

But oats have been mentioned, I'll have to pick up some. Probably mix in some banana, yogurt, and honey :)

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #33 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 20:14:53 »
Oats around 11ish in the morning  will last me till 5 in the evening.

I'm a big guy, I need a lot of fuel to keep this massive frame lumbering around.  :-[

But oats have been mentioned, I'll have to pick up some. Probably mix in some banana, yogurt, and honey :)

Yeah add some fruits in! It will be filling :D
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Offline Belfong

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #34 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 20:32:54 »
I usually go a bit heavy on breakfast and lunch, then I just take light snack in the evening for dinner. And I do hope you are just talking about yourself, not a family as that would be very hard indeed.
 

Offline hwood34

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #35 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 20:56:04 »
Oh yeah, rice. Probably the single cheapest thing you can buy, and there's a bunch of stuff you can do with it, or just use it to beef up a meal
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Offline user 18

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #36 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 21:20:26 »
Biggest thing to keep in mind is to make sure you're getting some fruits, veggies and protein on a regular basis. If you can switch up the protein sources from time to time, all the better.

In terms of energy to keep you going, that's a question of carbohydrates. Rice, pasta are good sources, as is oatmeal.

Hope everything works out well :)
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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #37 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 21:23:03 »
Look up the SNAP challenge or how people get by on just food stamps. I've read articles on how people live on your budget for a month.

Also things like beans and lentils are relatively cheap. They're filling and they can help you out on the protein front. I also agree with the whole chicken because you can make a soup/broth with the bones for another few meals on top of the meat.

You may consider just going to the unemployment office and getting food stamps, not sure what they'll say if you have savings though.

Otherwise, the CPT here has great advice on how to eat on the cheap. I eat pretty cheaply, but only because I only need about 1-2 meals a day (more if I excercise).

Offline rowdy

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #38 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 22:51:32 »
shoot me your paypal, ill throw you 100 bucks so you have an extra 25 a week

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Offline tp4tissue

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #39 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 23:01:24 »
$40?

hmmm

Calories/ Dollar wise,,   Shoprite bread greatly outstrip ANY OTHER FOOD..  because their bread is sold at a lose to get you into the store..

all the other suggestions involve cooking or complex prep, which is time not worth spending...  wouldn't you rather spend the time in Finding your next occupation than cooking the discount food you're going to be h8n' regardless of how much effort is put in??


Offline bexleycorona

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #40 on: Sun, 01 June 2014, 23:03:35 »
I'm a frugal person by nature. OK, I'm just a cheap person.

Try to go to the grocery store in the evening or 2 hours before they close. My local stores have those pre-made rotisserie chickens for like $7. The problem is some get left out for a while and right before closing the store either has to sell or chuck them. Usually they get marked down to like $2-3 as a "Manager's Special".

I check out the diary section and check the expiration dates on the Fat Free Greek Yogurt. I try to go shopping 5 days before they expire. In my area no one buys the FFGY because it tastes very bland but usually has 2-3 times the protein of normal yogurt. It also goes on "Manager's Special". I pick up enough to use before they actually expire.

These might not work in your area but it doesn't hurt to ask staff how things work.

The workers there can be extremely helpful. One time I needed moving boxes and didn't want to pay $5 per box at Uhaul. I just asked the local grocery store when they throw out boxes they use for booze. Can't use the produce one since it might have all sorts of bugs. They gave me a ton of sturdy boxes.

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Offline IvanIvanovich

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #41 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 00:06:37 »
I live on that a week as normal :/ Granted food is probably cheaper here than in many parts of the US but still. I mostly am able to save a lot of money since I love to cook and make nearly everything myself from scratch. Things like bread, it's so cheap to make I don't even understand why people even buy it! It's not even hard to make at all but it does take some waiting. Indian vegetarian cuisine can be done for way cheap, like chana masala or aloo gobi is easy to make. Don't waste money on things like jarred spaghetti sauce when you can buy a can of plain tomato sauce 3x the size for 1/4 the price along with a can of tomato paste, add some onion, garlic, basil and a little chicken stock and you have a nice sauce for pasta or pizza. Similarly with salsa, instead of basil use some chopped seranos, cilantro or whatever and switch chicken stock for lime juice.
Buy dried pintos and make your own refried beans at home then stuff it inside poblanos with a little cheese and roast them and serve them with some sopa de arroz. Try out something like falafel with tagine sauce over cous cous. Perhaps you are noticing a trend with a lot of vegetarian dishes? Don't get me wrong I do eat meat but I really don't need it for every meal, just a few times a week. The best thing you can do to save on food is skip almost all the aisles that have any premade ready to eat packaged food. Really the only such things I buy are things like tomato sauce since it is far cheaper than buying loads of fresh tomato and doing it myself.

Offline bexleycorona

  • Posts: 105
Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #42 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 00:15:51 »
I live on that a week as normal :/ Granted food is probably cheaper here than in many parts of the US but still. I mostly am able to save a lot of money since I love to cook and make nearly everything myself from scratch. Things like bread, it's so cheap to make I don't even understand why people even buy it! It's not even hard to make at all but it does take some waiting. Indian vegetarian cuisine can be done for way cheap, like chana masala or aloo gobi is easy to make. Don't waste money on things like jarred spaghetti sauce when you can buy a can of plain tomato sauce 3x the size for 1/4 the price along with a can of tomato paste, add some onion, garlic, basil and a little chicken stock and you have a nice sauce for pasta or pizza. Similarly with salsa, instead of basil use some chopped seranos, cilantro or whatever and switch chicken stock for lime juice.
Buy dried pintos and make your own refried beans at home then stuff it inside poblanos with a little cheese and roast them and serve them with some sopa de arroz. Try out something like falafel with tagine sauce over cous cous. Perhaps you are noticing a trend with a lot of vegetarian dishes? Don't get me wrong I do eat meat but I really don't need it for every meal, just a few times a week. The best thing you can do to save on food is skip almost all the aisles that have any premade ready to eat packaged food. Really the only such things I buy are things like tomato sauce since it is far cheaper than buying loads of fresh tomato and doing it myself.

Some people don't have that much time. It's really difficult especially if you're in medical school. I'm assuming dental and law are just as time consuming. Taking out 2 hours in a day during exam week is pretty hard.

I can make stuff as long as it doesn't take more than 20 minutes or if it goes into a cooker.

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Offline user 18

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #43 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 01:04:14 »
I live on that a week as normal :/ Granted food is probably cheaper here than in many parts of the US but still. I mostly am able to save a lot of money since I love to cook and make nearly everything myself from scratch. Things like bread, it's so cheap to make I don't even understand why people even buy it! It's not even hard to make at all but it does take some waiting. Indian vegetarian cuisine can be done for way cheap, like chana masala or aloo gobi is easy to make. Don't waste money on things like jarred spaghetti sauce when you can buy a can of plain tomato sauce 3x the size for 1/4 the price along with a can of tomato paste, add some onion, garlic, basil and a little chicken stock and you have a nice sauce for pasta or pizza. Similarly with salsa, instead of basil use some chopped seranos, cilantro or whatever and switch chicken stock for lime juice.
Buy dried pintos and make your own refried beans at home then stuff it inside poblanos with a little cheese and roast them and serve them with some sopa de arroz. Try out something like falafel with tagine sauce over cous cous. Perhaps you are noticing a trend with a lot of vegetarian dishes? Don't get me wrong I do eat meat but I really don't need it for every meal, just a few times a week. The best thing you can do to save on food is skip almost all the aisles that have any premade ready to eat packaged food. Really the only such things I buy are things like tomato sauce since it is far cheaper than buying loads of fresh tomato and doing it myself.

Some people don't have that much time. It's really difficult especially if you're in medical school. I'm assuming dental and law are just as time consuming. Taking out 2 hours in a day during exam week is pretty hard.

I can make stuff as long as it doesn't take more than 20 minutes or if it goes into a cooker.

I'm in premed, and if I had to cook complicated things I would make time. I will happily eat the same half-dozen things for months on end, so I don't have to worry much there.

With a lot of cooking, it's not that you spend the entire time it takes to cook something actively engaged in food prep. A process may take 2 hours from start to end, but it may only take 45 minutes or so of your time over those two hours (i.e. most things that get put in an oven or similar). If you're in med school, you should be able to bounce back and forth between tasks like that. You can also choose to cook things that keep well, and invest the time once in cooking larger portions. Pastas work well like this for instance, as long as you store the sauce separately.

Ivan, that's an interesting recipe for pasta sauce. Doesn't sound like it takes that long to make either. Care to share a few more details?
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Offline bexleycorona

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #44 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 01:19:30 »
I live on that a week as normal :/ Granted food is probably cheaper here than in many parts of the US but still. I mostly am able to save a lot of money since I love to cook and make nearly everything myself from scratch. Things like bread, it's so cheap to make I don't even understand why people even buy it! It's not even hard to make at all but it does take some waiting. Indian vegetarian cuisine can be done for way cheap, like chana masala or aloo gobi is easy to make. Don't waste money on things like jarred spaghetti sauce when you can buy a can of plain tomato sauce 3x the size for 1/4 the price along with a can of tomato paste, add some onion, garlic, basil and a little chicken stock and you have a nice sauce for pasta or pizza. Similarly with salsa, instead of basil use some chopped seranos, cilantro or whatever and switch chicken stock for lime juice.
Buy dried pintos and make your own refried beans at home then stuff it inside poblanos with a little cheese and roast them and serve them with some sopa de arroz. Try out something like falafel with tagine sauce over cous cous. Perhaps you are noticing a trend with a lot of vegetarian dishes? Don't get me wrong I do eat meat but I really don't need it for every meal, just a few times a week. The best thing you can do to save on food is skip almost all the aisles that have any premade ready to eat packaged food. Really the only such things I buy are things like tomato sauce since it is far cheaper than buying loads of fresh tomato and doing it myself.

Some people don't have that much time. It's really difficult especially if you're in medical school. I'm assuming dental and law are just as time consuming. Taking out 2 hours in a day during exam week is pretty hard.

I can make stuff as long as it doesn't take more than 20 minutes or if it goes into a cooker.

I'm in premed, and if I had to cook complicated things I would make time. I will happily eat the same half-dozen things for months on end, so I don't have to worry much there.

With a lot of cooking, it's not that you spend the entire time it takes to cook something actively engaged in food prep. A process may take 2 hours from start to end, but it may only take 45 minutes or so of your time over those two hours (i.e. most things that get put in an oven or similar). If you're in med school, you should be able to bounce back and forth between tasks like that. You can also choose to cook things that keep well, and invest the time once in cooking larger portions. Pastas work well like this for instance, as long as you store the sauce separately.

Ivan, that's an interesting recipe for pasta sauce. Doesn't sound like it takes that long to make either. Care to share a few more details?


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Offline sleepy916

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #45 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 01:30:39 »
Sell some clacks, eat for a year. ;)

Offline noisyturtle

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #46 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 01:33:25 »
Sell some clacks, eat for a year. ;)

something like that did occur to me :(

Offline user 18

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #47 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 01:34:24 »
I live on that a week as normal :/ Granted food is probably cheaper here than in many parts of the US but still. I mostly am able to save a lot of money since I love to cook and make nearly everything myself from scratch. Things like bread, it's so cheap to make I don't even understand why people even buy it! It's not even hard to make at all but it does take some waiting. Indian vegetarian cuisine can be done for way cheap, like chana masala or aloo gobi is easy to make. Don't waste money on things like jarred spaghetti sauce when you can buy a can of plain tomato sauce 3x the size for 1/4 the price along with a can of tomato paste, add some onion, garlic, basil and a little chicken stock and you have a nice sauce for pasta or pizza. Similarly with salsa, instead of basil use some chopped seranos, cilantro or whatever and switch chicken stock for lime juice.
Buy dried pintos and make your own refried beans at home then stuff it inside poblanos with a little cheese and roast them and serve them with some sopa de arroz. Try out something like falafel with tagine sauce over cous cous. Perhaps you are noticing a trend with a lot of vegetarian dishes? Don't get me wrong I do eat meat but I really don't need it for every meal, just a few times a week. The best thing you can do to save on food is skip almost all the aisles that have any premade ready to eat packaged food. Really the only such things I buy are things like tomato sauce since it is far cheaper than buying loads of fresh tomato and doing it myself.

Some people don't have that much time. It's really difficult especially if you're in medical school. I'm assuming dental and law are just as time consuming. Taking out 2 hours in a day during exam week is pretty hard.

I can make stuff as long as it doesn't take more than 20 minutes or if it goes into a cooker.

I'm in premed, and if I had to cook complicated things I would make time. I will happily eat the same half-dozen things for months on end, so I don't have to worry much there.

With a lot of cooking, it's not that you spend the entire time it takes to cook something actively engaged in food prep. A process may take 2 hours from start to end, but it may only take 45 minutes or so of your time over those two hours (i.e. most things that get put in an oven or similar). If you're in med school, you should be able to bounce back and forth between tasks like that. You can also choose to cook things that keep well, and invest the time once in cooking larger portions. Pastas work well like this for instance, as long as you store the sauce separately.

Ivan, that's an interesting recipe for pasta sauce. Doesn't sound like it takes that long to make either. Care to share a few more details?

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Offline atlas3686

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #48 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 01:49:34 »
Oats around 11ish in the morning  will last me till 5 in the evening.

I'm a big guy, I need a lot of fuel to keep this massive frame lumbering around.  :-[

But oats have been mentioned, I'll have to pick up some. Probably mix in some banana, yogurt, and honey :)

My girlfriend has an amazing wraps recipe which is dirt cheap to make, if you interested I will ask her for it. 

Offline Lanx

  • Posts: 1915
Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #49 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 01:57:49 »
maybe where you shop for groceries is the issue.

i'm lucky enough now to live with 5 minutes of a grocery store, hell in a few months there will literally be a whole foods across the street from me, but **** it if i'll ever shop at rip me off whole foods.

i can be at one supermarket where they have beef for 7.99 a lb and 5 minutes away, a competitor has it for 3.99 a lb, and it's not an advertised special, just how the meat prices flucuate.

and as someone has said, "managers special" is a great way to save, just make sure to use it within a day.

the best "bang for your buy" is really to learn to cook. like someone said, you get SO MUCH use outta 1 whole chicken.

and farmers markets.

oh and eat rice, learn how to cook rice like an asian, we asians never **** up rice.

Offline bexleycorona

  • Posts: 105
Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #50 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 01:59:55 »
Your comment was a little off-putting.

When I was a premed I certainly didn't tell medical students what they should be able to do.

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Offline user 18

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #51 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 02:02:51 »
Your comment was a little off-putting.

When I was a premed I certainly didn't tell medical students what they should be able to do.

I was speaking from experience working in medicine - the biggest advice I've gotten from doctors/veterinarians is you need to be able to focus on and comprehend more than one thing at once. From the years I've spent working in clinics and observing, it seems sound.

Sorry if I offended you, no offense was meant.
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Offline baldgye

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #52 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 02:52:47 »
Rice is the only thing I can suggest. When I was at uni and things got really tight I would just eat rice with beans and anything else I could find

Offline Lanx

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #53 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 04:01:32 »
first of all if you're spending 2 hours cooking on a budget, something is WRONG.

i'm not saying boil you're chicken and hope salt and pepper gives enough flavor, but there is no way you will spend 2 straight hours cooking on a budget of 40$, there are only 2 reasons for this.

1. you don't know how to cook.

2. you don't know how to cook.

now i'm not saying be a chef at some fruity french restaurant, no, just you're basic home chef that doesn't spin the wheel to see if you have food poisoning this week and doesn't cook a steak to beyond done b/c they don't know.

lets take my oven roasted whole chicken.

i buy a whole chicken for 1.79 a lb, sometimes i'll find the organic for 1.99lb, you pay 6 to 8bucks in the end.

turn oven on to 350

mix a rub, i do a basic salt/pepper/cumin/garlic

take the chicken out, cut with kitchen sears from the tail up the spine all the way to the neck.

at this point, you DO NOT, need knife skills, you learned how to use a scissor when you were 2.

take the rub and put it UNDER the skin, not on top of it, cuz the seaonings will burn in the oven, but put it under the skin and it'll be find. you can do this for the 2 breasts and the two thights. then rub the skin with canola oil (canola oil has a high smoke point). this way you have crisp skin.

this takes 5 minutes. 10 if you're slow, 15 if you're an idiot.

i use a 12in stainless steal pan, i put 2tsp of oil and a slice of butter, i melt to combine and hot (throw a dash of water on it, if it sizzles it's ready) i put the bird skin side down (so that you see the spine and inside ribs face up) for about 2 to 3 minutes, get a nice char.

then flip it around (so ribs face the pan and just throw it in the oven.

now you can either try 1 to 2 hours in the oven or use a probe thermometer, stick it in the breast and program it for 165 (usually under 2 hours).

then once it's done the leg quarters (this means thigh and drumstick) basically falls right off the chicken. (trust me if you're holding it by the drumstick, the chicken will fall)

so while you think you're cooking for 2hours, you're not, the magical oven is doing all the cooking.

Offline bexleycorona

  • Posts: 105
Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #54 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 04:55:02 »
Anyone know good crockpot recipes?

Those might be beneficial for OP.

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Offline iri

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #55 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 05:11:29 »
i've been living on $0.60 a day for a while. ate pasta, buckwheat and crackers. but i'm on the other side of the planet...

also, when living alone, i used to cook me a daily portion while eating breakfast. put some buckwheat in boiling water, fill meat with spices and put it in the oven. buckwheat will be ready in 10 minutes and meat in half an hour, right when i'll finish the breakfast.
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Offline roaduck

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #56 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 09:36:52 »
I`ve been skint, brassic, penniless a lot of my life and have learned to be resourceful and frugal.

You need time, patience and imagination more than money.

When I had no money I bartered my time, skills/experience for food from farmers and growers.

I`ve lived in the Middle East (Tunisia-Sudan-Egypt) and Eastern Europe (Ukraine, Poland) and I know how to survive in the wild so to speak...At least you`re near civilisation lol.

I`ve eaten snakes, Cockroaches, scorpions, rats, wild goat, roots, berries, cacti, flowers, roadkill...game..you name it.

If you know what mushrooms to gather wild...they are excellent protein sources and there are lots of great food in woods and forests to eat...but you need a good guidebook with clear illustrations or find someone with local knowledge.

I go to markets at the end of the working day to haggle and get bargains.

I go to farm shops directly and also buy/swap from friend`s allotments and garden plots.

I can make my own pancakes and chapatis http://www.aussiemuslims.com/forums/showthread.php?30008-Indian-bread-how-to-make-JAPATI.

Pea, ham and lentil soup made from Pork shanks is amazing and cheap.

Buy a big pot and bulk cook; then portion and freeze in plastic bags or plastic containers.

Buy cheap cuts of meat, trim to death then cook long and low for tender melt in your mouth texture or get a second-hand slow cooker.

You can also cook a stew by bringing it to the boil for 20-30 minutes then wrap the hot pot in a well-insulated tea-cosy like covering and it will cook itself slowly in a few hours.You can make the jacket from thick material filled with polystyrene pieces. newspaper etc.

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Onabudget/Pages/Savemoneyfood.aspx

There are amazing videos on youtube for basic cooking skills; I didn`t have any books or PC to help me when I was growing up; I asked for advice from friends and family; I also lent cookery books from the library when I was a poor student.

http://www.guidingtech.com/13245/youtube-channels-learn-basic-cooking-skills/

Get to know a friendly grocer socially with a costco account etc  and he can get you a big bag of rice or potatoes at least; you can breath on the basics with herbs and spices and stocks etc.I eat very little processed food...too much salt, fat, sugar, additives and chemicals for me.
« Last Edit: Mon, 02 June 2014, 10:44:56 by roaduck »
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Offline tp4tissue

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #57 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 10:36:11 »
what's up with all this cooking....   that's time and resources....

if you're strung out on $40...  it seems more beneficial to simplify the intake process to shoprite bread + eggs + discount fruits...

Almost zero prep...   the saving in time and fuel cost can be applied to improving your situation...   Read a book, learn a skill, time to browse the classified..


All this insane talk about recipes and how to make things taste like what...

no amount of prep is going to make $40 a week meals not taste like the poverty boarder..


At that point... the ONLY true resource you have, since there's little to no income is Personal time wealth....


And you idiots have the audacity to spend what little value you possess on trivial acts of burning crummy food in hopes that it'd taste better..

Is it really time to improve such a non-constructive area of one's life?


Offline SpAmRaY

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #58 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 10:38:28 »
TP maybe if he learns to cook he could open up a traveling taco stand?

Offline Findecanor

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #59 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 10:45:47 »
Also things like beans and lentils are relatively cheap.
Beans and lentils can be super-cheap if you buy them dried, and in the right store of course.
Then they need to soak for hours (doubling in size) and then cooked. Some beans such as soy beans need to cook for quite a long time though. Canned/cartoned beans are often pre-cooked and a few times more expensive.

Unless you are a professional athlete or a body-builder you won't need to bother too much about protein. Focus on getting a balanced diet with vitamins and minerals. Beans and lentils contain all three.

Offline roaduck

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #60 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 10:56:14 »
what's up with all this cooking....   that's time and resources....

if you're strung out on $40...  it seems more beneficial to simplify the intake process to shoprite bread + eggs + discount fruits...

Almost zero prep...   the saving in time and fuel cost can be applied to improving your situation...   Read a book, learn a skill, time to browse the classified..


All this insane talk about recipes and how to make things taste like what...

no amount of prep is going to make $40 a week meals not taste like the poverty boarder..


At that point... the ONLY true resource you have, since there's little to no income is Personal time wealth....


And you idiots have the audacity to spend what little value you possess on trivial acts of burning crummy food in hopes that it'd taste better..

Is it really time to improve such a non-constructive area of one's life?

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You are basically what you eat - you need a lot of glycogen to run your brain...if you make the sacrifice to bother to learn how to cook and source/prepare food then that fuel will get you to job opportunities and improve your neurotransmitters/hormone balance which will get you out of the **** by addressing your moods with food and curbing depression etc.Cheap food does not have to mean bland...how do Third World Countries manage with large families...it`s all common sense.
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Offline tp4tissue

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #61 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 11:03:58 »
TP maybe if he learns to cook he could open up a traveling taco stand?



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Offline meiosis

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #62 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 11:43:09 »
I've been making Japanese Curry, quite cheap ~$8 and lasts two meals. Rice is always pretty cheap. Tastes good too :o
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Offline IPT

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #63 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 11:57:54 »
time to live off ramen for a while.

Offline tp4tissue

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #64 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 12:06:51 »
I've been making Japanese Curry, quite cheap ~$8 and lasts two meals. Rice is always pretty cheap. Tastes good too :o

rice is not cheap if you add in cooking time..


shoprite bread.. ftw...

Offline user 18

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #65 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 12:18:18 »
It is near-impossible to spend all day every day looking for work without going crazy. In anything, I've always found it worthwhile to do something other than my main task for the day - in this case, cooking would be a good choice. Taking a half-hour or so out of your day to make a nutritious meal from cheap ingredients is good for you mentally, and just as good physically if not better than just eating raw ingredients.

It's also definitely better financially than looking for the ready to eat meals, where you pay for convenience. Pretty sure OP has already stated that bread isn't a viable option as it's too much money where he is.
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Offline dante

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #66 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 12:26:50 »
Here is an idea for cheap, filling, and healthy Vegan meals: http://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=10519

^ priced out to around $5.75 a day.

Really though, this "NEED MOAR PROTEIN" gets tired quickly.  $40 worth of vegetables, fruits, and grains will get you more protein than you need.

Offline hoggy

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #67 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 12:45:51 »
For the longer term, you could grow vegetables from seed...
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Offline jdcarpe

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #68 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 12:52:36 »
For the longer term, you could grow vegetables from seed...

... And hunting/trapping game or fowl. Fishing if there is water nearby.
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Offline IvanIvanovich

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #69 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 13:09:31 »
Cooking like some have pointed out does not have to be time consuming. Most dishes take 5-15 minutes of prep time, then anywhere between 5min to several hours of cook time... of which the longer the cook time the less you have to be actively involved. Just need to set timer to go check on it periodically while you're doing something else. In any case, for someone who isn't working full time they probably have more free time than money. It's a good time to improve your cooking skills or even just learn period. Hell, if you can prove you know what you are doing you may be able to land a job as a cook even if it wouldn't be your usual line of work. Paying work is paying work.
Also it is much more cost effective to know how to cook things instead of buying them premade, and it can be much healthier for you. When you eat healthier you feel better generally.

As far as that tomato sauce I mentioned, since you asked about it. Basically I fine dice some onion and garlic about 1-2 tablespoon or more to taste if you like and place it in a saucepan with a little olive oil, just enough so it doesn't stick and saute just until it starts to brown. Add can of tomato sauce (or can of crushed tomato if you want it more 'robust'), add can of tomato paste (should be 1:3 ratio of sauce to paste), add chicken stock but not too much as to make the sauce very thin. If using dried herbs (basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, crushed red pepper, rosemary, sage in various ratios to taste) add them now. Bring to almost boiling then turn down to simmer on very low. At this point you can start your pasta and the sauce will be ready when the pasta is. If using fresh herbs I wait to add them into the last few minutes of cooking so they are only just slightly wilted.
« Last Edit: Mon, 02 June 2014, 13:12:45 by IvanIvanovich »

Offline user 18

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #70 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 13:20:18 »
Saved, thanks for that.
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Offline esoomenona

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #71 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 13:45:34 »
So this is a pretend precursor to you trying to sell the OG Tri cc gave you for an exorbitant amount, huh?

Offline tp4tissue

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #72 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 13:56:14 »
For the longer term, you could grow vegetables from seed...

... And hunting/trapping game or fowl. Fishing if there is water nearby.

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Offline IPT

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #73 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 14:43:26 »
I've been making Japanese Curry, quite cheap ~$8 and lasts two meals. Rice is always pretty cheap. Tastes good too :o

rice is not cheap if you add in cooking time..


shoprite bread.. ftw...

Rice is cheap even counting cook time
Cook 6 cups of rice at once, takes an hour with the right tools (rice cooker duh)
Can spend a week eating that rice.

Offline CPTBadAss

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #74 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 14:46:29 »
Cook 6 cups of rice at once, takes an hour with the right tools (rice cooker duh)

Such truth. Rice cooker is essential to existence.

Offline paicrai

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #75 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 14:50:35 »
hey
eat soup
i ****ing love soup
maybe beans
idk how expensive it is where you live but if you're smurrrt you can get soup r33l ch33p here
THE FEMINIST ILLUMINATI

I will literally **** you raw paicrai, I hope you're legal by the time I meet you.
👌👀👌👀👌👀👌👀👌👀 good **** go౦ԁ ****👌 thats ✔ some good👌👌**** right👌👌th 👌 ere👌👌👌 right✔there ✔✔if i do ƽaү so my self 💯  i say so 💯  thats what im talking about right there right there (chorus: ʳᶦᵍʰᵗ ᵗʰᵉʳᵉ) mMMMMᎷМ💯 👌👌 👌НO0ОଠOOOOOОଠଠOoooᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒ👌 👌👌 👌 💯 👌 👀 👀 👀 👌👌Good ****

Offline Dyslexic

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #76 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 15:02:49 »
While it may not be my place to comment, if your finances are that tight your priorities seem pretty out of whack. It seems asinine that you're consulting us for advice on how to survive on a weekly budget of $40 while sitting on easily $1000 of novelty keycaps on your function row if the pic you posted 5 days ago is any indication. An auction with the goal of funding your period of financial turmoil may allow you to live a bit more comfortably while you look for work. I understand that some of those caps are irreplaceable (particularly the spumoni) but you shouldn't be funding your hobby at the expense of your well-being.
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Offline esoomenona

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #77 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 15:07:23 »
That's the plan, Dyslexic. He's laying down the groundwork story to get that underway, because it's only okay with geekhack to sell them for high prices if this story exists. Great plan.

Offline HoffmanMyster

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #78 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 15:12:10 »
While it may not be my place to comment, if your finances are that tight your priorities seem pretty out of whack. It seems asinine that you're consulting us for advice on how to survive on a weekly budget of $40 while sitting on easily $1000 of novelty keycaps on your function row if the pic you posted 5 days ago is any indication. An auction with the goal of funding your period of financial turmoil may allow you to live a bit more comfortably while you look for work. I understand that some of those caps are irreplaceable (particularly the spumoni) but you shouldn't be funding your hobby at the expense of your well-being.

While I completely agree with you in principle, I can definitely understand not wanting to sell things, particularly when they're essentially irreplaceable.  Basically, he has two options.  Either live very frugal and on a super tight budget for a few months, or sell items that cannot be replaced and when he's back on the upswing he will likely miss.  I know it probably seems like rampant consumerism or being addicted to items rather than living a comfortable, healthy life, but I do understand.

Offline Dyslexic

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #79 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 15:13:56 »
While it may not be my place to comment, if your finances are that tight your priorities seem pretty out of whack. It seems asinine that you're consulting us for advice on how to survive on a weekly budget of $40 while sitting on easily $1000 of novelty keycaps on your function row if the pic you posted 5 days ago is any indication. An auction with the goal of funding your period of financial turmoil may allow you to live a bit more comfortably while you look for work. I understand that some of those caps are irreplaceable (particularly the spumoni) but you shouldn't be funding your hobby at the expense of your well-being.

While I completely agree with you in principle, I can definitely understand not wanting to sell things, particularly when they're essentially irreplaceable.  Basically, he has two options.  Either live very frugal and on a super tight budget for a few months, or sell items that cannot be replaced and when he's back on the upswing he will likely miss.  I know it probably seems like rampant consumerism or being addicted to items rather than living a comfortable, healthy life, but I do understand.

It's why I tried to phrase it delicately. I know selling prized possessions to fund temporary shortfalls is a tough decision to make and I don't want to sit in judgment. But the solution to his problem is literally right in front of him.
« Last Edit: Mon, 02 June 2014, 15:15:31 by Dyslexic »
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Offline HoffmanMyster

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #80 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 15:15:25 »
While it may not be my place to comment, if your finances are that tight your priorities seem pretty out of whack. It seems asinine that you're consulting us for advice on how to survive on a weekly budget of $40 while sitting on easily $1000 of novelty keycaps on your function row if the pic you posted 5 days ago is any indication. An auction with the goal of funding your period of financial turmoil may allow you to live a bit more comfortably while you look for work. I understand that some of those caps are irreplaceable (particularly the spumoni) but you shouldn't be funding your hobby at the expense of your well-being.

While I completely agree with you in principle, I can definitely understand not wanting to sell things, particularly when they're essentially irreplaceable.  Basically, he has two options.  Either live very frugal and on a super tight budget for a few months, or sell items that cannot be replaced and when he's back on the upswing he will likely miss.  I know it probably seems like rampant consumerism or being addicted to items rather than living a comfortable, healthy life, but I do understand.

It's why I tried to phrase it delicately. I know selling prized possessions to fund temporary shortfalls is a tough decision to make and don't want to sit in judgment. But the solution to his problem is literally right in front of him.

I totally understand what you're saying.  :)  And I agree.  But I've been in a similar position and resisted selling a lot of things that could have helped a lot, so I just thought I'd play devil's advocate.  That said, I do 100% agree with you.

Offline Dyslexic

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #81 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 15:19:26 »
While it may not be my place to comment, if your finances are that tight your priorities seem pretty out of whack. It seems asinine that you're consulting us for advice on how to survive on a weekly budget of $40 while sitting on easily $1000 of novelty keycaps on your function row if the pic you posted 5 days ago is any indication. An auction with the goal of funding your period of financial turmoil may allow you to live a bit more comfortably while you look for work. I understand that some of those caps are irreplaceable (particularly the spumoni) but you shouldn't be funding your hobby at the expense of your well-being.

While I completely agree with you in principle, I can definitely understand not wanting to sell things, particularly when they're essentially irreplaceable.  Basically, he has two options.  Either live very frugal and on a super tight budget for a few months, or sell items that cannot be replaced and when he's back on the upswing he will likely miss.  I know it probably seems like rampant consumerism or being addicted to items rather than living a comfortable, healthy life, but I do understand.

It's why I tried to phrase it delicately. I know selling prized possessions to fund temporary shortfalls is a tough decision to make and don't want to sit in judgment. But the solution to his problem is literally right in front of him.

I totally understand what you're saying.  :)  And I agree.  But I've been in a similar position and resisted selling a lot of things that could have helped a lot, so I just thought I'd play devil's advocate.  That said, I do 100% agree with you.

I've been there a few times myself while I was going through school... That said, I never crowd-sourced suggestions on how to live frugally while sitting on a pile of plastic that is worth more than what I would need to live comfortably for said period of difficulty. Even selling part of the collection would double or triple his monthly budget for essentials.
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Offline HoffmanMyster

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #82 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 15:22:18 »
While it may not be my place to comment, if your finances are that tight your priorities seem pretty out of whack. It seems asinine that you're consulting us for advice on how to survive on a weekly budget of $40 while sitting on easily $1000 of novelty keycaps on your function row if the pic you posted 5 days ago is any indication. An auction with the goal of funding your period of financial turmoil may allow you to live a bit more comfortably while you look for work. I understand that some of those caps are irreplaceable (particularly the spumoni) but you shouldn't be funding your hobby at the expense of your well-being.

While I completely agree with you in principle, I can definitely understand not wanting to sell things, particularly when they're essentially irreplaceable.  Basically, he has two options.  Either live very frugal and on a super tight budget for a few months, or sell items that cannot be replaced and when he's back on the upswing he will likely miss.  I know it probably seems like rampant consumerism or being addicted to items rather than living a comfortable, healthy life, but I do understand.

It's why I tried to phrase it delicately. I know selling prized possessions to fund temporary shortfalls is a tough decision to make and don't want to sit in judgment. But the solution to his problem is literally right in front of him.

I totally understand what you're saying.  :)  And I agree.  But I've been in a similar position and resisted selling a lot of things that could have helped a lot, so I just thought I'd play devil's advocate.  That said, I do 100% agree with you.

I've been there a few times myself while I was going through school... That said, I never crowd-sourced suggestions on how to live frugally while sitting on a pile of plastic that is worth more than what I would need to live comfortably for said period of difficulty. Even selling part of the collection would double or triple his monthly budget for essentials.

This is true, I've never asked for advice when in that position.   :p   But oh well, it started a nice conversation about home cooking and cheap meals so that's good.  I myself am kind of inspired to cut my cost of eating after reading this thread.

Offline Dyslexic

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #83 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 15:24:24 »
This is true, I've never asked for advice when in that position.   :p   But oh well, it started a nice conversation about home cooking and cheap meals so that's good.  I myself am kind of inspired to cut my cost of eating after reading this thread.

I am craving some Kraft Dinner after all this talk of living on the cheap. Anyone from Canada will know what's up. It's like Ramen for North of The Wall, as it were. ;) haha
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Offline Lanx

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #84 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 16:07:01 »
if you're not willing to sell novelty items like click clacks, then you're not in trouble.

Offline Pacifist

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #85 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 16:15:02 »
Don't you get around $150 a week from food stamps? So around $35 a week, which can pretty much double your budget.

Buy in bulk, but space it out.

If you eat ramen with bok choi and eggs, that'll get you all the nutrients you need

Offline tp4tissue

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #86 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 16:17:18 »
Don't you get around $150 a week from food stamps? So around $35 a week, which can pretty much double your budget.

Buy in bulk, but space it out.

If you eat ramen with bok choi and eggs, that'll get you all the nutrients you need

Shoprite Bread.... SHOPRITE BREAD........ 22 calories per cents... no cooking.. BEAT THAT

Offline sleepy916

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #87 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 16:20:24 »
Don't you get around $150 a week from food stamps? So around $35 a week, which can pretty much double your budget.

Buy in bulk, but space it out.

If you eat ramen with bok choi and eggs, that'll get you all the nutrients you need

Shoprite Bread.... SHOPRITE BREAD........ 22 calories per cents... no cooking.. BEAT THAT

I've never heard of Shoprite Bread, I thought it was a brand of bread. Seems to be a store mainly in the East Coast.

Offline tp4tissue

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #88 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 16:25:38 »
Don't you get around $150 a week from food stamps? So around $35 a week, which can pretty much double your budget.

Buy in bulk, but space it out.

If you eat ramen with bok choi and eggs, that'll get you all the nutrients you need

Shoprite Bread.... SHOPRITE BREAD........ 22 calories per cents... no cooking.. BEAT THAT

I've never heard of Shoprite Bread, I thought it was a brand of bread. Seems to be a store mainly in the East Coast.

shoprite is just the big grocer round here..

you guys probably have similar native brands @ the same price..

just do quick division,  if you're gettin anywhere form 18 to 22 calories per cents.. That's what you want to buy...


it's actually possible to get even better ratio with Potatoes on sale.. so you'd cook them once and freeze them..

HOWEVER... eating boiled, then frozen potatos for 2 weeks made me really sick.. so, i wouldn't recommend it.

Offline jdcarpe

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #89 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 16:29:01 »
Don't you get around $150 a week from food stamps? So around $35 a week, which can pretty much double your budget.

Buy in bulk, but space it out.

If you eat ramen with bok choi and eggs, that'll get you all the nutrients you need

Shoprite Bread.... SHOPRITE BREAD........ 22 calories per cents... no cooking.. BEAT THAT

I've never heard of Shoprite Bread, I thought it was a brand of bread. Seems to be a store mainly in the East Coast.

shoprite is just the big grocer round here..

you guys probably have similar native brands @ the same price..

just do quick division,  if you're gettin anywhere form 18 to 22 calories per cents.. That's what you want to buy...


it's actually possible to get even better ratio with Potatoes on sale.. so you'd cook them once and freeze them..

HOWEVER... eating boiled, then frozen potatos for 2 weeks made me really sick.. so, i wouldn't recommend it.

But fats are more calorically dense. 9 kcal/g versus 4 kcal/g for carbohydrates and proteins. That has to fit into your formula somewhere. :)
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Offline tp4tissue

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #90 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 16:35:30 »
Don't you get around $150 a week from food stamps? So around $35 a week, which can pretty much double your budget.

Buy in bulk, but space it out.

If you eat ramen with bok choi and eggs, that'll get you all the nutrients you need

Shoprite Bread.... SHOPRITE BREAD........ 22 calories per cents... no cooking.. BEAT THAT

I've never heard of Shoprite Bread, I thought it was a brand of bread. Seems to be a store mainly in the East Coast.

shoprite is just the big grocer round here..

you guys probably have similar native brands @ the same price..

just do quick division,  if you're gettin anywhere form 18 to 22 calories per cents.. That's what you want to buy...


it's actually possible to get even better ratio with Potatoes on sale.. so you'd cook them once and freeze them..

HOWEVER... eating boiled, then frozen potatos for 2 weeks made me really sick.. so, i wouldn't recommend it.

But fats are more calorically dense. 9 kcal/g versus 4 kcal/g for carbohydrates and proteins. That has to fit into your formula somewhere. :)

I don't think any fats come at 22calories/ dollar

I'm not saying don't eat fat.. just saying if you had $40 and the rough life... How to optimize.

Offline noisyturtle

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #91 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 17:07:00 »
While it may not be my place to comment, if your finances are that tight your priorities seem pretty out of whack. It seems asinine that you're consulting us for advice on how to survive on a weekly budget of $40 while sitting on easily $1000 of novelty keycaps on your function row if the pic you posted 5 days ago is any indication. An auction with the goal of funding your period of financial turmoil may allow you to live a bit more comfortably while you look for work. I understand that some of those caps are irreplaceable (particularly the spumoni) but you shouldn't be funding your hobby at the expense of your well-being.

That's not what I asked for. Not planning on selling any clacks ever, don't know why I even am bothering to type this. Just graduated and have been looking for a job with zero success, and my support and savings are gone. I'll survive, but I won't be able to replace my clacks.

All theses tips are great though. Trying to think creativity about food instead of just going with the same 3 foods for the next few months

Offline Dyslexic

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #92 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 17:46:15 »
While it may not be my place to comment, if your finances are that tight your priorities seem pretty out of whack. It seems asinine that you're consulting us for advice on how to survive on a weekly budget of $40 while sitting on easily $1000 of novelty keycaps on your function row if the pic you posted 5 days ago is any indication. An auction with the goal of funding your period of financial turmoil may allow you to live a bit more comfortably while you look for work. I understand that some of those caps are irreplaceable (particularly the spumoni) but you shouldn't be funding your hobby at the expense of your well-being.

That's not what I asked for. Not planning on selling any clacks ever, don't know why I even am bothering to type this. Just graduated and have been looking for a job with zero success, and my support and savings are gone. I'll survive, but I won't be able to replace my clacks.

All theses tips are great though. Trying to think creativity about food instead of just going with the same 3 foods for the next few months

Dem priorities.
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Offline noisyturtle

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #93 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 17:56:19 »
While it may not be my place to comment, if your finances are that tight your priorities seem pretty out of whack. It seems asinine that you're consulting us for advice on how to survive on a weekly budget of $40 while sitting on easily $1000 of novelty keycaps on your function row if the pic you posted 5 days ago is any indication. An auction with the goal of funding your period of financial turmoil may allow you to live a bit more comfortably while you look for work. I understand that some of those caps are irreplaceable (particularly the spumoni) but you shouldn't be funding your hobby at the expense of your well-being.

That's not what I asked for. Not planning on selling any clacks ever, don't know why I even am bothering to type this. Just graduated and have been looking for a job with zero success, and my support and savings are gone. I'll survive, but I won't be able to replace my clacks.

All theses tips are great though. Trying to think creativity about food instead of just going with the same 3 foods for the next few months

Dem priorities.

It's not about priorities, it's about pragmatism. I can survive through rough times, but may never see another OG Tri at cost. It be something to just regret a few months from now, ya know?

Offline Dyslexic

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #94 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 18:01:19 »
While it may not be my place to comment, if your finances are that tight your priorities seem pretty out of whack. It seems asinine that you're consulting us for advice on how to survive on a weekly budget of $40 while sitting on easily $1000 of novelty keycaps on your function row if the pic you posted 5 days ago is any indication. An auction with the goal of funding your period of financial turmoil may allow you to live a bit more comfortably while you look for work. I understand that some of those caps are irreplaceable (particularly the spumoni) but you shouldn't be funding your hobby at the expense of your well-being.

That's not what I asked for. Not planning on selling any clacks ever, don't know why I even am bothering to type this. Just graduated and have been looking for a job with zero success, and my support and savings are gone. I'll survive, but I won't be able to replace my clacks.

All theses tips are great though. Trying to think creativity about food instead of just going with the same 3 foods for the next few months

Dem priorities.

It's not about priorities, it's about pragmatism. I can survive through rough times, but may never see another OG Tri at cost. It be something to just regret a few months from now, ya know?

Oh man, I definitely get it. I would never sell that spumoni, not a chance in hell. I guess all I'm gettin at is that you have a large collection and you could make your life a bit easier, but I understand not wanting to part ways with those lovely caps. Just don't starve yourself for your clack collection bro. :)
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Offline jdcarpe

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #95 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 18:15:57 »
While it may not be my place to comment, if your finances are that tight your priorities seem pretty out of whack. It seems asinine that you're consulting us for advice on how to survive on a weekly budget of $40 while sitting on easily $1000 of novelty keycaps on your function row if the pic you posted 5 days ago is any indication. An auction with the goal of funding your period of financial turmoil may allow you to live a bit more comfortably while you look for work. I understand that some of those caps are irreplaceable (particularly the spumoni) but you shouldn't be funding your hobby at the expense of your well-being.

That's not what I asked for. Not planning on selling any clacks ever, don't know why I even am bothering to type this. Just graduated and have been looking for a job with zero success, and my support and savings are gone. I'll survive, but I won't be able to replace my clacks.

All theses tips are great though. Trying to think creativity about food instead of just going with the same 3 foods for the next few months

Dem priorities.

It's not about priorities, it's about pragmatism. I can survive through rough times, but may never see another OG Tri at cost. It be something to just regret a few months from now, ya know?

I've learned that caps come and caps go. Keyboards as well. You'll never see an OG Tricolor at cost again, but then you wouldn't be selling it at cost, either. If you are in dire straits, you sell what you can, and try and replace it later when you are flush.
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Offline IvanIvanovich

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #96 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 18:26:51 »
Certainly selling some things makes sense when you are in dire straights... but I don't think you should jump to that as option 1. It's more of a last resort thing, at least concerning rare hard to acquire items. There is always a lot of other things you may be able to do if you are not 'above it' anything from selling your blood plasma to raiding the dumpsters for sealed food that expired in the last week at Trader Joes at 2am.

Offline HoffmanMyster

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #97 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 18:37:50 »
selling your blood plasma

This is actually a really good option.  You could easily double your weekly food budget doing this.  And some places will offer incentives to first time sellers that can net you about $200 in a couple weeks.  Not bad for sitting in a chair (with a needle blah blah...).

EDIT:  On the subject of food, I saw someone else mention rotisserie chickens.  I once bought one of those $6 rotisserie chickens that's already cooked for you at the store (yes, you're paying for that, but the point is...) and it lasted me easily for the entire week.  Seriously, it was an insane amount of food for $6.
« Last Edit: Mon, 02 June 2014, 18:39:51 by HoffmanMyster »

Offline IPT

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #98 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 18:40:49 »
sell sperm

Offline noisyturtle

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #99 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 18:41:00 »
lol this threads getting weird and off-topic

I'm gonna lock it up, but I really appreciate the food tips. Thanks. :)

Offline IvanIvanovich

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Re: $40 a week budget? How do I make this work?
« Reply #100 on: Mon, 02 June 2014, 18:41:01 »
Yes it is... the only thing I noticed is that in many places where they do it is often as some random free/methadone clinic and it is depressing as **** to go there.