The Starving Student presents......$15 budget for the week
Well, after supplying the family with their real food for the week....I know better than to expect leftovers. I swear my kids have a worm. I am attributing their appetites to growth. They eat well, are well nourished and the Boy wears a svelte 4T slim. And the Girl is a healthy 19 pounds and she loves her table food. They were both blessed with fast metabolisms.
I work 8 - 5 and go to school 5:30 - 10:30 every night of the week except Friday (which I have the eve off). I have school Saturday and Sunday 9 - 5. One great day, I will see my home and children. (I finish in December so a year more of this struggle and we can all have a better life.)
SO being on a budget....I have to shop frugally. I cannot eat out everyday and nor do I want to do so. It costs too much financially and health-wise.
This week the budget is $15. Here are the purchases and plan o' the week.
4 cans o' salmon ($1.59 each)
Did I ever tell you I love salmon? I like salmon better than tuna. It is also better for you mecurically speaking. It also promotes the growth of long, luxurious hair...which I have. (Did you know you can sell a ponytail of your hair for at least $200?) I recommend getting boneless and skinless. The big cans o' salmon look and smell a lot like cat food. Only good for salmon cakes and your calcium levels.....but that requires cooking and I am hardly by a stove these days.
Picksweet Veggies (Frozen) $1.29 for a nice bag
These are great!!! You can cook them up in the microwave with your salmon, add grilled chx, eat them plain. They are yummy and come in great vegetable-y flavors like Roasted Garlic, etc. 40 cals and no fat. On caveat (and you know how this chafes my @$$ if you read my previous articles about Natural 7 up) It contains Natural Butter Flavor....oh what ever. Naturally, I am not impressed. But I do prefer the veggies to french fries.
Green Giant Just for 1 Broccoli and Cheese Sauce on sale 2/$4 (i bought 1)
This comes in a packet of 4 single microwave servings that are cooked in 2 mins. I can sooo do without the cheese sauce, but what can ya do. It was that or brussel sprouts and I don't trust everybody's brussel sprouts.
Sucess Rice ($1.29 packet of 2 and there is a 50 cent coupon inside!!) (i bought 3!)
A two pack of either yellow, brown, or wild rice that is a nice tasty treat. Sure you can bring rice from home, but can you leave it in the trunk all day without refrigeration. Not usually. I usually will bring the rice from the home rice pot....but these make great back ups when the rice pot is complete deplete by the local savages.
So there you go!! With 75 cents left over!! woooot! You will eat like a Queen.
(Small confession.....I am now offically addicted and am considering joining a support group for my addiction to Strawberry Delight Frosted Miniwheats. I saw a box on the broken/aged food shelf for a $1.80....a $1.80. the box was smooshy but I care not. It was there I also discovered giant palm sized frosted wheats. This box was promoting some movie I probably need to take my kids to but i also noticed that the movie is currently on DVD.....score! a second box for $1.80. So I am slightly overbudget by $3.40 minus - 70-something cents......hey, i am frugal....but I am not a saint.
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Comments: 11
I certainly hope this year passes quickly and you are on your way to better things come December! Remember you have a friend if you need some help!
Roberts grandma taught me something important about feeding a big family on a small budget (which is where I learned most of my tricks) She used to say
So long as you have rice in the house, you will never starve.
One time we only had three dollars to and two days to get to payday so we bought a package of rice, beans, and macaroni noddles and masa. We ate and ate good.
In the morning, rice with butter and sugar (or brown sugar) which usually we also had for lunch. For dinner I would boil the pkg of pinto beans take half out, make macaroni and beans (add butter) and tortillas. In the morning, if we could scrounge eggs, I would refry the beans and have them with eggs and tortillas. Yum the life of a mexican...rice beans and tortillas well atleast in this household anyways.