[Spontaneo]

When grocery money is low, we still need to eat and drink! The food may not be glamorous, but hey, food is food. As my mother Rose would say, “If you are hungry, you’ll eat anything!”

Sandwiches

*lunch meat
*grill cheese
*tomato with salt and pepper
*tuna salad
*tuna melt

Pound of Potatoes

*baked potato
*fried potato wedges
*potato soup
*potato salad


Pound of Pasta

*with meat sauce
*with marinara
*pasta salad
*macaroni salad
*ramen noodles
*buttered noodles

Eggs

*scrambled
*sunny side up
*omelete
*egg sandwich
*hard boiled eggs

Mix n Match Skillet

*Years ago, while at the library, I found a recipe that a women had made up for when her grocery money was low. She made up her own recipe called Mix n Match Skillet. Here the recipe is:

1 any pasta
1 any vegetable
1 any meat
1 any soup

Bring to a boil. Then, simmer for 25 minutes. Voila!

Personally, I prepare Mix n Match skillet with Maruchan ramen noodles as the pasta, the seasoning packet with 3 cups of water for the soup. Then, I usually throw in peas as the vegetable and canned tuna as the meat. Then, with a microwavable bowl, I microwave for 6 minutes. I really do not like waiting for 25 minutes!

*Go to your local library and borrow cookbooks for people on a budget.

*If you do have Wi-Fi, see the recipes for people living on a budget on YouTube tutorials.

*Shop at your local dollar stores. Here in the United States, we have Dollar General, Family Dollar and Dollar Tree.

*Use the good ol’ coupons that your friends would otherwise throw away.

*Use your grocery store’s weekly ad for sales.

*Start drinking more water instead of so much soft drinks. Use your kitchen faucet water or cheap bottled water if your kitchen faucet water is too nasty. If you do not like the boring taste, use some lemon juice or lime juice in the water.

*Use a store's loyalty card whenever at the cash register to earn free groceries.

*Buy off-brand groceries.

*If you really, really need your dose of coffee, shop at Dollar Tree for French Vanilla or espresso for $1.25! I personally like both and shop there. I also buy their instant coffee for when I want a quick iced mocha.

Thank you so much for reading my article! Any comments? Either PM or reply.

[nela13]

Grocery bills increased more than 20% in my country, many famlilies are facing difficulties to have food at home.
I follow some of the tips you listed in the article, one that I wish we had more is coupons, very rarely we have it here and it can represent a good saving for the families.

[Streamguy69]

These are many good food ideas and I have been using all of this kind of food most of my life. I was brought up in a house where we grew veggies in the garden

[mrki444]

In Croatia we don't OneDollar store or similar variant, we don't have coupons but products on sale.
Often I buy food with day or two before expiration date. It is on sale with 30% lower price.

[Spontaneo]

Until today, I only had one diet soft drink in months. The local grocery store had sales this week on diet soft drinks. So, I splurged.

[ptrikha21]

Good tips. I have found that sometimes we need not stick to a particular brand but instead, see if something of an equivalent quality is available and we can instead buy that.
Plus better to buy local and seasonal vegetables instead of any exotic ones.

[Spontaneo]

Good tips. I have found that sometimes we need not stick to a particular brand but instead, see if something of an equivalent quality is available and we can instead buy that.
Plus better to buy local and seasonal vegetables instead of any exotic ones.

I recentky went to a dollar store to buy groceries and spent $28.00 on 3 heads of cabbage, a bag of sweet onion, 2 jars of pickles, 2 jars of mayonnaise and 6 boxes of water enhancer.

Then, at another dollar store, spent $3.95 on a crate of water.

As the cost of food has gotten so high, these were still good bargains!

[ptrikha21]

Good tips. I have found that sometimes we need not stick to a particular brand but instead, see if something of an equivalent quality is available and we can instead buy that.
Plus better to buy local and seasonal vegetables instead of any exotic ones.

I recently went to a dollar store ...

That is a good bargain indeed from what I can recall as per the prices prevailing in 2010 (I was in US for 4 weeks then).

[Treborika]

Unfortunately one dollar stores are not available in my country. But I am delighted with different end months and weekends offers from the leading grocery stores in my country whereby I can save up to 50%.

[junglegal]

When grocery money is low aim for canned beef that come in packs of 6. Then aim for Koo beans, non brand pasta and non brand rice. Get onions and tomatoes and non brand mixed veggies and you are set for the whole month. We don't have $1 stores in my country. So items like cheese are luxury when you are low on cash

[OldGuy]

I've lived through times when grocery money was practically non existent for extended periods. I got acquainted with nature's bounty just growing wild in nearby fields and forests. I just took long walks and picked all I needed for my meals. I also was able to set traps to catch whatever meat became available. Mystery meat is better than no meat. Not a dime spent on food at all. Grocery stores just make it easy but you really don't need all that packaged stuff.

Really study what is just growing wild near you. There are many guides online to tell you what is safe to eat and specialty cookbooks and recipes can be found to help you prepare it.

[Fergal]

Good for you OldGuy, being able to survive like that. I particularly admire that, as I love the idea of being able to survive independently, but am not sure that it is something that I would be capable of.

I also was able to set traps to catch whatever meat became available. Mystery meat is better than no meat.

I'm almost afraid to ask, but what type of animals did you catch and eat? Did you buy the traps or make them yourself?

[OldGuy]

I'm almost afraid to ask, but what type of animals did you catch and eat? Did you buy the traps or make them yourself?

I used a manufactured small live animal trap. Most of the time, I caught a rabbit, but there have been other critters on occasion. Some tasted better, some far worse. The scariest was a skunk. I didn't try to eat it, but I was very careful to get lost as fast as possible when I set the door open for his escape so I would not get sprayed. He was hopping mad in there.

[peachpurple]

I like the mix and match idea, low grocery with cheap items can make wonderful dishes

[Spontaneo]

All of you have really good suggestions!

However, I hate the thought of seeing a rabbit in a trap.

[ptrikha21]

All of you have really good suggestions!

However, I hate the thought of seeing a rabbit in a trap.

One can also regularly shop at a place which gives special cashback offers like my current regular grocery mart.
It does means single point dependency but it is advantageous in certain ways.

[Spontaneo]

All of you have really good suggestions!

However, I hate the thought of seeing a rabbit in a trap.

One can also regularly shop at a place that gives special cashback offers like my current regular grocery mart.
It does means single point dependency but it is advantageous in certain ways.

I have cards from my local grocery stores that they scan every shopping trip for points. Once you reach so many points, you can get, for example, a free gallon of milk or a loaf of bread, etc.