I am very sad that the grocery prices in my neighbourhood are at least double the numbers you have listed here on almost every single food item!
Thank you for the comprehensive menu and list, I think it's a marvellous menu for tight budgets. I could have really used this list in college!
As for Jill's comment, I agree that it could be uncomfortable for sensitive tummies, but it is REAL food, and not fast food garbage! A severely limited budget means a balance of fibre, proteins, carbs and other nutrients can be difficult, but I think you have done a good job here. Of course more greens would be ideal, but they'd have to be the in season varieties- a keen eye on the flyers and markets to deduce what exactly is the bargain green of the week. I'm a fan of windowsill sprouts as a cheap good green that can be grown anywhere in a short time - Not everyone's taste though. LOL
Thanks for your feedback, Jill. Having written about food as a vegetarian and vegan for, well, nearly a decade -- I've come to the conclusion that it's incredibly difficult to please/consider all possible diets for tips like these in a single article. There are innumerable choices when it comes to food and ways of eating, and this is just one example of a frugal meal plan. As well, the list states "sliced bread" -- and at my stores, there are many choices, from wheat to multigrain to, yes, the dreaded white. You can choose whichever is your preference and meets your health goals. As for greens, again -- this article is just an example . . . there are many other vegetables, beans, etc., in there. If I wrote another one, you can substitute in greens for one of the vegetables. In a way, this list is a guide that is meant as a jumping off point and not a closed circuit.
This list is more like 5 random tents on amazon with good reviews that we can make money linking too. Only 1 real tent listed here. Not sure what the flex bow is for, but the rest are backyard camping tents.
How about renting out someone else's timeshare? Many people are desperate to get even a little money back on that white elephant. You can do this privately or through a timeshare resell comany. Make sure you stress that you are only interested in renting, not buying as the owners and the companies are VERY eager to unload the property.
Yuck. White bread, refined flour, and NO greens. This is a recipe for weight gain and upset tummies in our house. Also no consideration for diabetics or allergies. Won't work for a lot of people.
We save water by taking short showers and scrubbing dishes before rinsing them. We also save water by watering the yard when my son plays in the grass with the hose. I don't save money on water by not having plants and grass that I enjoy, because it truly saves money on air conditioning my house. It keeps the house much cooler than the rock desert landscape that most around here have.
Hi! Feel free to click though the links on the article to find cited sources and recommended reading. Many people, including me, have had trouble with the "a calorie is a calorie" and "calories in, calories out" theories. If one is not able to exercise as frequently as they should, cutting out certain calorie sources like simple carbohydrates (which are the most overeaten) does help.
In the end advice is just advice, not a prescription. Please talk to a Nutritionist or Registered Dietitian before changing your diet.
I put a watch pitcher in the shower while I shower then use the water to flush toilets or water my garden. Also leave buckets around the yard to collect rainwater for dry days.
Thanks for the Panama City recommendation that I will totally pass along to my parents (because there is no statute of limitations on family vacation brothel jokes).
Fulltimers know about a way of camping for free. it's called boondocking. You can do it on land doated by like-minded people, or in National Park lands, or even at some Walmarts! You would need to be completely self-sufficient (no electric or water hookups) but there are many websites on how to do this. There are even people living in converted vans in a city while working a "normal" job. Don't assume that RV'ing is expensive. Look around and learn and you can save some serious money.
Time management and time tracking can be easily implemented with the help of Proofhub tool. It also offers project management and team collaboration. For more info visit www.proofhub.com
Mint is certainly a good one (though you have to be very careful to keep it from taking over the whole yard), but I think any herb is a great choice. Fresh herbs are so expensive to buy in the store, yet so easy to grow in a home garden or even in a flowerpot on a sunny windowsill. Last year, we planted 4 square feet of basil and harvested the equivalent of 20 store-bought bunches--about $36 worth. We also got good value from our tomatoes, zucchini, and butternut squash. (I calculated it all out on my blog at http://ecofrugality.blogspot.com/2013/11/veggienomics.html.)
We have also gotten great value out of our raspberry canes. We have about a dozen of them, and in their first year alone, they produced about eight pints of berries. Given that these cost about $6 a pint at the farmer's market, this is about $48 worth of berries, meaning the plants have already paid for themselves in just one year! I think these plants may be the best investment we've ever made. (http://ecofrugality.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-fruits-of-our-labors.html)
Another thing you have to be careful of is not to plant more than you can eat. This summer we are getting loads of cucumbers off our six plants; just yesterday my husband picked two that weighed over a pound each! So while these plants are giving us a great return on our investment, it would probably be wise to plant fewer of them next year.
You are going to be so missed Meg (you've been at Wise Bread longer than me so it's going to be totally bizarre not having you on the team anymore)! I know you are going to do great things at the new site, they are lucky to have you. It has been wonderful working with you! Wishing you all the best!
That would be a cool idea. There should be a free movie channel like what they do with Turner Classic Movies. It should be called HBO Classic that just shows movies from 70's, 80's, and 90's. We need a free HBO channel so we can enjoy free movies without having to pay every month.
Well we take shorter showers, we never let the water run when brushing teeth or washing dishes. We do this due to financial reasons and to help the environment.
I can prove that you are wrong on every comment you made about dairy farming. I cannot say that you are wrong about Horizon brand because I have not seen any of their dairies, but everything else you said was wrong. First, no milk company claims to add pesticides, growth hormones, or antibiotics to the milk. That would be costly and extremely stupid. What goes into the cow, comes out of the cow. A sample of milk is taken from each dairy at pick up and labeled. It is sent to the lab and tested. If antibiotics show up the whole truck is dumped and the farm that gave the tainted milk is charged the price of the whole truck of wasted milk. Second, it takes 8 minutes to milk a cow. If milkers are left hooked up to the cow longer than that it bruises the inside of the udder and can cause mastitis. Then you will get no milk from that cow. You milk 2 to 3 times a day depending on how much milk your cows produce. Third, hay, corn, and grain cannot be certified organic until your land has gone pesticide free for 24months. That is organic feed. I don't know where you got your information from quoting USDA but you were wrong. I think I would know more about dairy farming than a college educated idiot since I have worked and owned a dairy for more than 30years. I didn't have hired help, I worked 7 days a week, never took a vacation EVER, and worked 20hours a day through most of the year. Winter was a little slower since I didn't have field work to do. Get your facts straight before you go poisoning the minds of people who believe everything they read
Lots of great resources! I think its important that prior to your trip you make a plan for how to deal with money. Thinking ahead of time is key to being successful.
A timer (it was "kitchen ready" and waterproof--hence the higher price tag)
We time ourselves in the shower. We are both allotted 10 minutes of shower time. That saves the expectation of a long, happy, relaxing shower. (We figure, showers are for cleaning, baths are for people who like to sit in their own filth. Yuck!) The timer goes on the second the water does.
Then, we turn the button to "on" and wet hair and body. Then shower head goes off. Soap up, shampoo all at once, shave legs or whatever, and then the shower head goes back on again.
It has paid for the initial investment more than triple in just the first water bill cycle. So much so that the water company actually called to make an appointment to come "inspect the pipes" because they thought we were scamming them.
(We also hand wash almost everything now with a homemade washing setup, and save lots of money that way, so I can see why they were confused in a 3 month time span.)
When my husband and I were first married, our apartment had no A/C. We used to beat the heat by spending hours at Barnes & Noble.
I am very sad that the grocery prices in my neighbourhood are at least double the numbers you have listed here on almost every single food item!
Thank you for the comprehensive menu and list, I think it's a marvellous menu for tight budgets. I could have really used this list in college!
As for Jill's comment, I agree that it could be uncomfortable for sensitive tummies, but it is REAL food, and not fast food garbage! A severely limited budget means a balance of fibre, proteins, carbs and other nutrients can be difficult, but I think you have done a good job here. Of course more greens would be ideal, but they'd have to be the in season varieties- a keen eye on the flyers and markets to deduce what exactly is the bargain green of the week. I'm a fan of windowsill sprouts as a cheap good green that can be grown anywhere in a short time - Not everyone's taste though. LOL
I hadn't heard of any of these services except Fiverr. But I just signed up for Wyzant as a math tutor. Thanks! Great info!!!
These grocery items are even more economical at the 99 cent only store!! Live that place!
Thank you!
Thanks for your feedback, Jill. Having written about food as a vegetarian and vegan for, well, nearly a decade -- I've come to the conclusion that it's incredibly difficult to please/consider all possible diets for tips like these in a single article. There are innumerable choices when it comes to food and ways of eating, and this is just one example of a frugal meal plan. As well, the list states "sliced bread" -- and at my stores, there are many choices, from wheat to multigrain to, yes, the dreaded white. You can choose whichever is your preference and meets your health goals. As for greens, again -- this article is just an example . . . there are many other vegetables, beans, etc., in there. If I wrote another one, you can substitute in greens for one of the vegetables. In a way, this list is a guide that is meant as a jumping off point and not a closed circuit.
This list is more like 5 random tents on amazon with good reviews that we can make money linking too. Only 1 real tent listed here. Not sure what the flex bow is for, but the rest are backyard camping tents.
This is actually really good advice - cheers!
How about renting out someone else's timeshare? Many people are desperate to get even a little money back on that white elephant. You can do this privately or through a timeshare resell comany. Make sure you stress that you are only interested in renting, not buying as the owners and the companies are VERY eager to unload the property.
Yuck. White bread, refined flour, and NO greens. This is a recipe for weight gain and upset tummies in our house. Also no consideration for diabetics or allergies. Won't work for a lot of people.
We save water by taking short showers and scrubbing dishes before rinsing them. We also save water by watering the yard when my son plays in the grass with the hose. I don't save money on water by not having plants and grass that I enjoy, because it truly saves money on air conditioning my house. It keeps the house much cooler than the rock desert landscape that most around here have.
Best of luck Meg, it was a pleasure working with you!
Wonderful article on some very useful money-saving tips for travel. Thanks so much for the mention :)
Hi! Feel free to click though the links on the article to find cited sources and recommended reading. Many people, including me, have had trouble with the "a calorie is a calorie" and "calories in, calories out" theories. If one is not able to exercise as frequently as they should, cutting out certain calorie sources like simple carbohydrates (which are the most overeaten) does help.
In the end advice is just advice, not a prescription. Please talk to a Nutritionist or Registered Dietitian before changing your diet.
I put a watch pitcher in the shower while I shower then use the water to flush toilets or water my garden. Also leave buckets around the yard to collect rainwater for dry days.
Hi Pamela!
Thanks for the Panama City recommendation that I will totally pass along to my parents (because there is no statute of limitations on family vacation brothel jokes).
Fulltimers know about a way of camping for free. it's called boondocking. You can do it on land doated by like-minded people, or in National Park lands, or even at some Walmarts! You would need to be completely self-sufficient (no electric or water hookups) but there are many websites on how to do this. There are even people living in converted vans in a city while working a "normal" job. Don't assume that RV'ing is expensive. Look around and learn and you can save some serious money.
Time management and time tracking can be easily implemented with the help of Proofhub tool. It also offers project management and team collaboration. For more info visit www.proofhub.com
Mint is certainly a good one (though you have to be very careful to keep it from taking over the whole yard), but I think any herb is a great choice. Fresh herbs are so expensive to buy in the store, yet so easy to grow in a home garden or even in a flowerpot on a sunny windowsill. Last year, we planted 4 square feet of basil and harvested the equivalent of 20 store-bought bunches--about $36 worth. We also got good value from our tomatoes, zucchini, and butternut squash. (I calculated it all out on my blog at http://ecofrugality.blogspot.com/2013/11/veggienomics.html.)
We have also gotten great value out of our raspberry canes. We have about a dozen of them, and in their first year alone, they produced about eight pints of berries. Given that these cost about $6 a pint at the farmer's market, this is about $48 worth of berries, meaning the plants have already paid for themselves in just one year! I think these plants may be the best investment we've ever made. (http://ecofrugality.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-fruits-of-our-labors.html)
Another thing you have to be careful of is not to plant more than you can eat. This summer we are getting loads of cucumbers off our six plants; just yesterday my husband picked two that weighed over a pound each! So while these plants are giving us a great return on our investment, it would probably be wise to plant fewer of them next year.
You are going to be so missed Meg (you've been at Wise Bread longer than me so it's going to be totally bizarre not having you on the team anymore)! I know you are going to do great things at the new site, they are lucky to have you. It has been wonderful working with you! Wishing you all the best!
That would be a cool idea. There should be a free movie channel like what they do with Turner Classic Movies. It should be called HBO Classic that just shows movies from 70's, 80's, and 90's. We need a free HBO channel so we can enjoy free movies without having to pay every month.
Well we take shorter showers, we never let the water run when brushing teeth or washing dishes. We do this due to financial reasons and to help the environment.
I can prove that you are wrong on every comment you made about dairy farming. I cannot say that you are wrong about Horizon brand because I have not seen any of their dairies, but everything else you said was wrong. First, no milk company claims to add pesticides, growth hormones, or antibiotics to the milk. That would be costly and extremely stupid. What goes into the cow, comes out of the cow. A sample of milk is taken from each dairy at pick up and labeled. It is sent to the lab and tested. If antibiotics show up the whole truck is dumped and the farm that gave the tainted milk is charged the price of the whole truck of wasted milk. Second, it takes 8 minutes to milk a cow. If milkers are left hooked up to the cow longer than that it bruises the inside of the udder and can cause mastitis. Then you will get no milk from that cow. You milk 2 to 3 times a day depending on how much milk your cows produce. Third, hay, corn, and grain cannot be certified organic until your land has gone pesticide free for 24months. That is organic feed. I don't know where you got your information from quoting USDA but you were wrong. I think I would know more about dairy farming than a college educated idiot since I have worked and owned a dairy for more than 30years. I didn't have hired help, I worked 7 days a week, never took a vacation EVER, and worked 20hours a day through most of the year. Winter was a little slower since I didn't have field work to do. Get your facts straight before you go poisoning the minds of people who believe everything they read
Lots of great resources! I think its important that prior to your trip you make a plan for how to deal with money. Thinking ahead of time is key to being successful.
We spent a whopping $20 on two investments:
A shower head with an on/off button
and
A timer (it was "kitchen ready" and waterproof--hence the higher price tag)
We time ourselves in the shower. We are both allotted 10 minutes of shower time. That saves the expectation of a long, happy, relaxing shower. (We figure, showers are for cleaning, baths are for people who like to sit in their own filth. Yuck!) The timer goes on the second the water does.
Then, we turn the button to "on" and wet hair and body. Then shower head goes off. Soap up, shampoo all at once, shave legs or whatever, and then the shower head goes back on again.
It has paid for the initial investment more than triple in just the first water bill cycle. So much so that the water company actually called to make an appointment to come "inspect the pipes" because they thought we were scamming them.
(We also hand wash almost everything now with a homemade washing setup, and save lots of money that way, so I can see why they were confused in a 3 month time span.)