How Can You Live Well on a Budget? Share Your Tips and Tricks!

[Isopod]

Times are tough and costs are rising! Please share your tips, recipes and advice for living well on a budget, whether its diet, lifestyle, interior design, entertainment, exercise and more.

For example, can you name your top cheapest recommendations for:

1. A budget nutritious lunch or breakfast?
2. A budget desert?
3. A budget way to de-stress?
4. A budget way you can improve your home?
5. Your best budget place to buy supplies or star buy lately?

Or any advcie in general (doesn't have these ones specifically).

PS: This thread is intended to be wholesome, friendly & helpful (no sarcastic or snarky comments, please).

 

[Haborix]

A few things I do to keep food costs down:

1. Check the weekly specials at my grocery store BEFORE planning my meals for the week. This way I can build meals out of the cheaper things in the grocery store.

2. Assuming a large quantity of a product won't go bad before you can use it, don't be scared of items that have a high price when the cost per ounce is a good deal. Relatedly, use your freezer to your advantage to take advantage of good prices/pound on meat.

3. Eat before you go to the grocery store and have a list. It is amazing how easy it is to buy random crap you don't need when you go through a grocery store hungry.

4. This is if you're really trying to tame costs. Price your meals. If you buy the ingredients to make 5 servings of something, calculate what the price per meal is. The few times I've checked I average between $3-4/meal.

 

[Drakkith]

1. Buy groceries and cook your own meals instead of eating out. Even lunches. A 10 dollar lunch may not seem like much, but that's upwards of 200 dollars a month if you do it every workday.

2. Avoid buying drinks except in bulk. No starbucks, no sodas or energy drinks every morning at the gas station, vending machine, or convenience store. Again, 2-4 dollars doesn't seem like a lot, but it adds up quickly. People can easily spend 100-200 dollars a month JUST on drinks if they're not careful. I buy a couple of 12-packs of sodas when they go on sale at the store or I buy 2 liters and spend perhaps 20-30 dollars a month instead. Tea is very cheap, and they even make little packets of tea, lemonade, and various other drink flavors that you can mix with water while on the go or at work. Buy them in bulk if you can or on sale and you'll do even better.

3. When thinking about getting a vehicle, keep the monthly payment to less than about 15% of your monthly income. You probably won't have a brank new car with every feature imaginable, but you'll be able to afford to take it places.

4. Plan ahead and stick to your plan. Whatever you're doing, plan ahead for it. Whether it's the grocery store or car shopping, make some sort of budget or shopping list and then stick to it.

5. Learn to do routine maintenance tasks for your car and home yourself. Virtually everyone can rotate their own tires, put some caulk in the crack around your tub, or use a plunger to unclog a toilet.

6. Turn your AC up a few degrees higher in the summer than you'd like and your heat down a few degrees in the winter. Put on a sweater or turn on a fan. You won't die. You can also invest in a space heater if only one or two rooms in your house are occupied for most of the day. No need to heat the entire house if you aren't using it.

7. Buy a soda from the gas station every now and then, turn the heat up if you've had a bad day and don't want cold hands while you watch TV and eat dinner, occasionally grab some cookies from the store even though they weren't on your list, etc. Life's short. Enjoy it every once in a while.

 

[Tom.G]

Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwiches!

Made with wholegrain bread with perhaps assorted nuts & grains included (sold here as Oat Nut bread). The local suppermarket here has a housebrand PB with just Peanuts & Salt, and, it actually tastes like peanuts! (Drawback, you have to stir & refrigerate because the peanut oil floats on the top.)

Start with a Banana before your breakfast-cereal-&-blackberies (or blueberries).

For evening snacks an Apple or a few minimalist crackers do the job. Watch out for the crackers with many ingredients though, they seem engineered to irritate your mouth just enough to keep you eating until you are out of room!

The above approach also minimizes the number of dishes, pots & pans to wash.

If you are driving, when gas prices are rising, fill up frequently; when prices are falling, run the tank down to near empty before filling.

Cars made in the last few decades automatically adjust to the grade of gasoline they are fed. They may take two tankfuls to completely adjust.

So, you can feed them cheap gas. The offbrands come from the same refineries as the nationally advertised ones, the difference is a slight change in the additives used... plus you aren't paying for their advertising! (A 15 - 25% price difference can be found here in Southern California.)

For household supplies like laundry detergent, etc., USUALLY large containers are cheaper per use than the smaller ones. That may mean a bit of budgeting so you can stagger their purchases. Take a calculator with you, the big bottles are not always cheaper on a per-use basis. Also consider housebrands over the heavily advertised national brands.

Enough! I'm tired of typing.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Klystron]

Much excellent advice above. I cook fairly well but lately my body betrays me, so occasionally order cooked food online. Similar advice applies to choosing restaurants online as buying groceries.

Buy bulk and save extra for later meals.
Hummus might cost $4 for a 4 oz. individual serving but $7 for 16 oz. bulk with pita bread included.
Individual pizzas cost as much to prepare as large. Freeze extra slices first thing.
Whole cooked birds more economical than pieces.
Vegetarian dishes often less expensive than meat.

Large online orders cost similar fees and tips as small orders. Plan future meals.
Restaurants often include extras for favorite repeat customers. Also coupons and gifts.

Nearby restaurant's delivery fees cheaper than distant. Shop for best prices.
"Mom and Pop" restaurant less expensive than fancy full-service where you pay for ambiance.

Never buy restaurant drinks. Markup is astronomical. Buy bulk drinks from grocery.

 

[Haborix]

It just crossed my mind that a budget thing for de-stressing that I do is go on walks. If you've never gone on a long walk, it is hard to imagine how meditative it can be (and also just a healthy thing to do). If your mobility doesn't allow for long walks, then just getting yourself out into nature for some time.

One of the most fundamental aspects to well-being is good sleep. I try to avoid stimulation, like screens or music, in the hour before I go to bed. This is silly, but I think of going to bed each night like a plane landing---you want no turbulence on the descent and a nice soft landing.

 

[Tom.G]

Falling asleep last night I remembered another key to living independently or on a restricted budget: Unless you have a Guaranteed income (government checks or the like) have cash for 3 months of expenses available.

I know, that seems excessive, but consider the 'unlikely' disasters.

• Your living quarters burn down (or are sold and the rent doubles)
• There is a distant family emergency that you Must attend to
• Widespread disaster, i.e. hurricane, earthquake, extended widespread power outage (ATMs and banks don't operate)
• Severe illness/incapacitation (rent due 4 days ago? Oh well, Tough Luck.)

Tom

 

[Bystander]

have cash for 3 months of expenses available.

That's all? No wonder the "snow flakes" have taken over.

 

[Tom.G]

"snow flakes"

Not familiar with the term, and Google has over 300 definitions.
Can you explain/expand?

 

[Astronuc]

1. Buy groceries and cook your own meals instead of eating out. Even lunches. A 10 dollar lunch may not seem like much, but that's upwards of 200 dollars a month if you do it every workday.

For college students, or young families, consider buying food in coordination with friends. Someone can buy meat, someone vegetables, and others fruit, desert, etc. Then share, or trade.

One can join a bulk food/commodities supplier like Costco, but doesn't have to be Costco. There are regional equivalents. Also, look for farmers markets for fresh vegetables and fruits, which are seasonal.

Groups of students or families can cook for the group on a rotating basis. Someone can plan a meal that serves many, and folks can share.

2. A budget desert?

Yogurt? Or a half-gallon or gallon of ice cream that is served in small portions, and perhaps home made pudding.

3. A budget way to de-stress?

My wife and I routinely visit a walking path (in some parts of the country = rail trail). There are several local parks with walking paths.

6. Turn your AC up a few degrees higher in the summer than you'd like and your heat down a few degrees in the winter. Put on a sweater or turn on a fan. You won't die. You can also invest in a space heater if only one or two rooms in your house are occupied for most of the day. No need to heat the entire house if you aren't using it.

During the winter I would open the shades to let the sun warm the house. During summer, I would close the blinds and block the sun. If one lives in a desert climate, preferably not in a large urban area, I open the windows at night when the temperature falls below about 75°F (24°C). In more humid areas, use the A/C judiciously. Make sure the cooling unit is located in shade, preferably on the north side of the house in the northern hemisphere, and south side in the southern hemisphere. Otherwise, make sure the unit is shaded. Plant medium height trees on the side of the house facing the sun, and don't shade the solar panels if they are on the roof.

We recently replaced an oil-fired water heater with an electrical heat pump. The technicians who installed it simply placed it where the old heater was located, since the pipes were already there. It didn't occur to them that it would be useful to take the cold air discharge and put it into the existing duct work for A/C. That's a DIY project for me, with an option to discharge outside in winter, or at the back of the refrigerator.Edit/update: When I was in grad school, I'd ride a bicycle to campus rather than drive. Similarly, when I worked close to my office, I rode a bicycle weather and schedule permitting. My office mate and I would go walking at lunch time to get away from the office and get some exercise. It was a nice way to de-stress.

One of my offices was located on the opposite side of a hill from a condominium complex. My colleague and I walked uphill and over, then through pathway or roadways in the complex. We passed a tennis court, and we found 'missing' tennis balls. Many we returned, but other we kept. So on the way back to our office, we'd kick the tennis calls across the parking lot to see how far they'd roll and if they would end up going down the driveway back to the parking lot in front of our office.

The driveway went downhill to a main road. On the other side of the road was a residential area with houses along the road. Someone's house and garage was directly across the road from the driveway we would walk down. The guy probably found a few tennis balls in his driveway.

We donated tennis balls to the local schools so that they could put them on the legs of metal desk chairs. Some we kept, and we'd bounce them off the walls in our office.

 

[Isopod]

Thank you so much for all the advice! Really appreciate it, very helpful stuff (and I hope this thread is helpful to a lot of other people too!)
I'm a full-time student living in the UK in a very expensive city (central London) so I'm always looking for ways to cut down costs or get a little more out of life on the cheap, here are some of my tips:

1. A budget nutritious lunch or breakfast?

Breakfast: Overnight oats! Really into these ATM.
To make overnight oats, simply pour equal measures of milk and plain rolled oats into a bowl or jar with sugar to taste (I usually use 1-2 teaspoons) and leave in your fridge overnight and by the morning, it will have turned into the most perfect oats you've ever eaten! You can eat it hot or cold.

A lot of people fancy overnight oats up with the addition of fruits, seeds, yogurts, syrups and more (you'll see endless photos of picture perfect overnight oat dishes on Instagram in fancy little jars), but I prefer to keep it simple (just oats, sugar & milk) and microwave mine for 2 minutes in morning for an instant hot porridge breakfast to get me started for the day

Advantages of overnight oats & rolled oats:
1. Plain rolled oats are very cheap (I've bought them for as little as £1 per 1kg and even on-brand ones don't cost more than £2 per kg). A 2kg box supplied me with almost a months worth of good-sized breakfasts.
2. Unlike making porridge the traditional way, overnights require very little washing up.
3. Extremely low effort; just dump the oats and milk in a bowl and leave overnight for instant brekkie the next day.
4. Rolled oats are very versatile for use in other dishes.
5. Rolled oats are extremely filling, nutritious and easy to digest.
6. Oats lower your risks of heart disease, high blood pressure and a variety of cancers.
7. A lot of commercial cereals have a huge amount of added things which you don't really want to be eating (such as all kinds of preservatives, additives and excessive quantities of salt/sugar) but with overnight oats you can easily control what exactly is entering your system and cut out a lot of unnecessary stuff.
8. If you combine the oats with whole milk, you can turn the oats into an evenmore filling & energy rich meal.

Oats Nutrition​

Dietary fiber — oats are rich in a specific type of fiber called beta-glucan. This particular type of fiber is known to help lower levels of bad cholesterol. One cup (81 grams) of dry oats contains 7.5 grams of fiberTrusted Source, the recommended daily intake of fiber is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men.

Minerals — oats are rich in a range of important minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. Just 100 grams of oats contain:

• 51 percent of the daily recommended intake of thiamine
• 8 percent riboflavin
• 5 percent niacin
• 6 percent vitamin B6
• 14 percent folate
• 13 percent pantothenic acid
• 26 percent iron
• 44 percent magnesium
• 52 percent phosphorus
• 12 percent potassium
• 26 percent zinc
• 31 percent copper
• 246 percent manganese

( https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/270680#nutrition )

As a student, cheap breakfasts are always on my mind and I've gone through a lot of phases (for example a granola phase and a toast phase) but personally the thing that really struck me about overnight oats was apart from being a nice way to start the day (nothing like waking up in bed with a piping hot bowl of instant porridge on a cold morning), my energy levels and feelings of fullness are so much better than they were on all the other breakfasts I've tried (I feel like with overnight oats I sense the energy release quicker but also that its more lasting), so 10/10 would recommend

Lunch

Tuna salad: Mix canned tuna, canned beans, sweatcorn, chopped peppers & chopped red onion together with some dressing to make a few servings of high protein lunch. There are endless variations on the tuna salad dish, for example: https://www.deliciousmeetshealthy.com/mediterranean-tuna-salad/ and it can be bulked out with pasta too.
Advantages: Cheap, high protein, filling, has vegetables, minimal washing up, easy, uses store cupboard foods, pack lunch.

Three bean salad: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/three_bean_salad/ & https://www.inspiredtaste.net/46546/easy-bean-salad/ recipe examples. You can also add feta cheese to bean salad to knock its protein & level up even further for extra-fillingness.
Advantages: Cheap, high protein, filling, has vegetables, minimal washing up, easy, vegetarian, pack lunch.

Warning: Dried beans are a bit cheaper than canned, but be careful when using beans like kidney and soya beans as they contain toxins that require destruction via heat before you can safely consume them (if you eat raw kidney beans or soya beans they will give you terrible stomach aches). If you buy canned kidney beans though they have already been subjected to these processes and can be eaten straight out of the can (worth it, IMHO).

+Most of the beans (including kidney beans) are very healthy for you though, containing a great deal of protein & fibre. Soya beans can also be substituted for meat as they contain the full 20 chain of amino acids (while there are a lot of high protein sources of non-animal protein, not all contain complete chains of amino acids).

Toast recipes, such as scrambled eggs on toast and cheese toasties.
Advantages: Cheap, high protein, easy, quick to make.

Spanish Omelette: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/real-spanish-omelette & Tuna bake: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/tuna-pasta-bake
Advantages: High protein, cheap, simple & makes many portions.

Broccali: I'm really into brocalli (or "Bro-calli" as I like to call it, because its the coolest vegetable of them all ) ATM, I can pick one up for 80p and it provides me with at least 3 portions of green veg to serve on the side of anything I make. One of my improvised recipes is to stir-fry it with carrot & garlic in oil and then add some soy sauce and toasted sesame seeds, but here's a couple of recipes for stir-fried and sauteed brocali: https://www.wholesomeyum.com/sauteed-broccoli-recipe/ & https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/garlicchilliandbrocc_90660 .
Advantages: Cheap, easy to cook, gets your green veg into your diet. Brocallis also an excellent source of Vitamin C & K: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-broccoli#TOC_TITLE_HDR_2Other tips for bulking out food & getting the most nutrition:
1. Adding beans to pasta dishes will make them significantly more filling & up their protein content.
2. Choose brown & wholemeal versions over white & refined, they're more filling and nutritious.
3. This textured vegetable protein: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07GT4R44G/ is incredibly cheap and can be used as both an alternative to mince and also a bulker for mince, making it go much further. Its also pretty instant to cook, so you can add it to stuff like ramen noodles too.
4. Slightly undercook your veg and eggs for a better taste and less loss of nutrients.

2. A budget desert?

Fried bananas: Lightly fry some firm bananas in a pan with butter until they are slightly softened on the outside, spinkle some brown sugar & lime/lemon juice on them and serve. Makes a tasty dessert which also goes well with ice cream.
Advantages: Cheap, easy, healthy, quick to make.

Flapjacks! Super easy to make, cheap and delicious (I've never known anyone who doesn't like flapjacks), they can also used those rolled oats and only require 3 ingredients to make (oats, butter & golden syrup).
Advantages: Cheap, easy, filling, high protein, makes many portions.

3. A budget way to de-stress?

Listening to podcasts, such as meditation & science podcasts on Spotify.
Watch free documentaries on Youtube (I like history ones).
Read books from your local library
Go for walks
Do drawing
Photography using your smartphone, go exploring

4. A budget way you can improve your home?

Save energy bills: Seal any gaps around your windows with tape and keep curtains/blinds closed on windows to help retain heat.
Improve environment: Grow your own houseplants, very rewarding and there are many easy ones you can grow. Being around houseplants will reduce your stress levels and improve the air quality in your home, plus they're very aesthetic. If you want to be super-savvy, grow indoors plants that you can eat, such as lettuce & watercress. Here's a cool little time lapse video of someone growing a dragonfruit:



5. Your best budget place to buy supplies or star buy lately?

None at the moment, but I do fish for a lot of bargains in the reduced aisles everytime I shop (they're almost always the 1st place I go to).

 

[Isopod]

A little extra: Lately I discovered this channel called "Depression Era Cooking" which is full of recipes from the Great Depression of the 1920s. Not only are a lot of the recipes [obviously] very savvy, but there's quite a few tasty, healthy & filling ones too. The channel also acts as an interesting historical social achive (so much of this knowledge is being lost, its important to document and share what still survives).

"Poor Mans Meal"



"Dandelion salad"



"Eggplant Parmesan"



"Pizza"



"Baked Apples"

 

[256bits]

My budget advice - don't eat dessert- meat and potatoes are what gets you through the day.
Dessert for me is a nice good baked potatoe.
Thirsty - drink water.
Watch the bulk buying - used to be cheaper, but you have to check, two of the smaller size can be less expensive than the larger size.

 

[Klystron]

As a student, cheap breakfasts are always on my mind

Oats can also be ground into flour and subbed into cakes, waffles, crepes and cookies (biscuits).
They all use essentially the same batter with constituents adjusted for cooking method.

I like waffles. Make extra in advance and store. Melt dark chocolate over warm waffles. Serve warmed or cold with fresh fruit, syrup or jam to satisfy sweet tooth. Dark chocolate highly nutritious.

Consider oat flour, flax seed meal, almond meal, and corn meal plus whole wheat flour in batter.

 

[kyphysics]

3. Eat before you go to the grocery store and have a list. It is amazing how easy it is to buy random crap you don't need when you go through a grocery store hungry.

Even after my diabetes diagnosis, I struggle with candy temptations.

I swear I could go into a store with a full belly and still feel uncontrollably tempted by the candy section. The packaging is so nice and attractive. My brain is so curious what certain flavors taste like. I justify it as just a few bucks (...$1...$3...altho, it adds up).

Second guilty pleasure are french fries. I cannot resist them. I can NOT eat a burger...but I'll buy fries.

At least fries and candy are relatively cheap. I don't feel I'm going broke off them.

 

[Isopod]

Even after my diabetes diagnosis, I struggle with candy temptations.

I swear I could go into a store with a full belly and still feel uncontrollably tempted by the candy section. The packaging is so nice and attractive. My brain is so curious what certain flavors taste like. I justify it as just a few bucks (...$1...$3...altho, it adds up).

Second guilty pleasure are french fries. I cannot resist them. I can NOT eat a burger...but I'll buy fries.

At least fries and candy are relatively cheap. I don't feel I'm going broke off them.

What kinds of candy do you find yourself craving? Intense cravings for certain kinds of sweets, desserts or chocolates can be a symptom that certain vitamins, minerals or nutrients are lacking in your diet.

 

[Drakkith]

Even after my diabetes diagnosis, I struggle with candy temptations.

I like candy, but I can't 'snack' on it like I can with chips or crackers. Or chex mix. Mmm... gimme those chips! Oh! Where'd the bag go! I swear I just opened it and now it's all gone!

 

[kyphysics]

What kinds of candy do you find yourself craving? Intense cravings for certain kinds of sweets, desserts or chocolates can be a symptom that certain vitamins, minerals or nutrients are lacking in your diet.

I'm into gummies and "gummy-like" candies the most.

I like fruity flavors most. Not much of a chocolate/nuts/caramel, etc. type.

 

[kyphysics]

I like candy, but I can't 'snack' on it like I can with chips or crackers. Or chex mix. Mmm... gimme those chips! Oh! Where'd the bag go! I swear I just opened it and now it's all gone!

I can snack on cinnamon gummies from Target all day. So good.

I can eat chips too, but prefer fries. You have to eat like 20 chips to get the same "potato thickness taste" as a french fry. Plus, I like the hot temperature taste of fries and feeling of "real" food.

Chips feel like a dry preservatives-laden goop of oil and hint of potato. They go good with subs and sandwiches, though. Dang...I'M HUNGRY NOW!

 

[morrobay]

Seafood off the boat + fruits and vegetables at Lam Pho seafood market in Naklua. Before

 

[morrobay]

After

 

[morrobay]

The only change I would make in your program would be having the high quality protein lunch for breakfast instead. Like this salmon, blue cheese and vegetables I just had. Not only for the protein but the essential fatty acids. Then just salad in afternoon.

 

[jrmichler]

A good book on the subject is Good and Cheap by Leanne Brown: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0761184996/?tag=pfamazon01-20.

 

[DennisN]

[...] and your heat down a few degrees in the winter. Put on a sweater or turn on a fan. You won't die.

@Isopod , if this makes you a little cold, think about which temperatures the Finns can tolerate :

And Finns also like their saunas hot :

 

[DennisN]

@Isopod, I like the idea of this thread.
(but please note I haven't read all the posts yet, so I may repeat something others have said, I don't know)

3. A budget way to de-stress?

Depends on what makes you less stressful, of course. My suggestions:

• There are numerous good relaxation videos freely available on youtube (it can't get much cheaper), i.e. videos with nature sounds, guided meditation, relaxing music, animals etc.
  
  Here's one example which I listen to sometimes:
  10 Hours of Rain Sound Relaxation / Ultimate Stress Relief (YouTube)
• Walking, bicycling and physical exercise in general is almost always a good idea

4. A budget way you can improve your home?

Depends of course what you're thinking of.
But if you're thinking of furniture, appliances and various things, here are my suggestions:

• Shop second hand (e.g. thrift stores, or online like Ebay for smaller things) (I personally love second hand shopping, I think it's fun and you never know what you'll find, and that's part of the excitement, I think)
• IKEA has many good, useful and cheap items in general
• Amazon: you can find very good deals if you look around on Amazon (and sort items there according to either "average customer review (high to low)" or "lowest price first" (but I would avoid items with lower ratings, i.e. ca below 4/5)

 

[jtbell]

@Isopod , if this makes you a little cold, think about which temperatures the Finns can tolerate :

View attachment 300805

And Finns also like their saunas hot :

View attachment 300806

And of course Finns preferably end their sauna sessions by jumping into a cold lake a short run from the door. In winter, they cut a hole in the ice beforehand.

I've done the jumping-in-the-lake thing when visiting cousins in Finland, but only in the summer. Back here in the US, my aunt and and uncle on the Finnish side of my family had a sauna in their basement which we all used during family get-togethers at Christmas etc. when I was a kid. After we bought a house, my wife and I considered converting one of our bathrooms into a sauna, but we chickened out.

 

[jtbell]

As far as food is concerned, we get most of our groceries at Aldi. My wife studied in Germany as part of her degrees in German language and literature, so when when an Aldi opened the next town over, less than 15 minutes away, it became our default source. Our total expenditure on groceries is probably about $250 per month for the two of us.