How can I reduce the amount of money that I spend on food so that I can save for university?

It would probably benefit you to revisit your priorities. You don’t NEED TV, so there goes the cable bill.

I don’t know how many people you are buying food for, but we don’t spend $600 per month on a family of four! That’s an outrageous food bill. Start cooking at home. Everybody makes fun of those instant dried soups, but they’re delicious if you add your own spices.

Buy off brand, not premium labeled foods (that also goes for clothing. No more name brands!) You’re just paying for the name.

When you cook, cook enough to freeze numerous meals. That way, you don’t have to cook every meal, either (I personally hate cooking). Also, cook in a crockpot. It’s awesome food, and makes even the worst cook’s food taste great. Freeze the leftovers.

Buy in bulk. Especially paper products! That stuff is SUCH a pathetic ripoff.

Cut way down on sodas, and make tea instead. Or Kool-aid! It’s cheap, too.

@phillis I didn’t calcuate the savings in my food bill for the crock pot…. I just had a good meal with it… the reason that my food bill is so high is that i’m living in a national park in Jasper, Alberta , Canada…everythings so expensive…I get most of my clothing from family and I buy socks and underware when needed…. I live in the mountains and the only real contact I have is thru the intenet… My mom pays half of it she won’t let me cancel it… sometimes she insists on eating out and I just obey…sometimes she pays

Sorry if I seem obtuse, but shouldn’t that LOWER your food bill?
Since you live in a national park, perhaps it would be worth your time to ask some of the area hunters if they wouldnt mind selling you a portion of thier meat, then you could freeze it.
I didn’t say to eliminate the internet. I said eliminate the TV :)

@phillis no huntiing alowed in park…no matter how good the elk looks and I’ve considered it. The t.v. is conected thru the internet can’t have one without the other

Not INSIDE the park! Of course not.

I’ll ask for my mom to switch back to basic cable and internet…I hope she doesn’t mind too much

fabulous idea!

dude eat more noodles. a pack of spaghetti is a dollar in ohio, can’t be that much more where you live. have you ever had ramen noodes? 18 cents a pack. you learn to love them, they got me through part of college.

Just asked mom If I can switch to basic cable/intenet and she said no…I asked about eating cheaper food and she kicked me out of the room….She told me to wait and see what the econmomy will bring in the new year…and let her sleep

@LKidKyle1985 I lived on ramen Co-op noodles in university and I got sick from the MSG the noodles we get from the stores are usualy expired so I go up a level and eat the ones that come with the cup $1 each .. and I think I’m going to have one now.

Okay, that’s all fine and well. I’m not saying it IS like this, but it SEEMS like you aren’t nearly as interested in taking care of this as I originally thought. Don’t ask mommy what she thinks, because she isn’t the one paying the bills. Obviously. Let her know what decisions YOU have made, and thank her for her generosity, which has now come to a close.

She’s my roomate If she leaves then I live on the street with the income I have…She pays the cable bill now and then and she pays half the rent…but thank-you for trying to help.

All the bills are split 50/50 even the food

It’s a tough situation. I agree! But at some point in time, your foot needs to come down. $600 a month to feed two people is, well…...too much. Way too much. You can remove the TV from your room and tell her that you have a goal to attend college, and the TV is counter-productive to that goal. Buy enough food for you, and let her buy her own. It will lower both your food bills. Good luck!

@phillis O.k. thanks

Why not buy your own food, and let your mum buy her own food. Label your food and don’t let her use it. If she says no to this then say that if she wants to live in luxury on expensive food then she can pay for all of it. Also do you’re supermarket shopping at night. Often bread and other baked goods are lower than half price, i.e 28c for a loaf of bread at 10:30PM.
I assume food includes all supermarket shopping, stop buying expensive toothpaste, go to 1ply toilet paper instead of 2ply, don’t buy gillette razors, buy bic cheap ones. In Australia the supermarkets put out there own brand of foods called ‘Homebrand’ just no frills kinda stuff, homebrand baked beans 30c per can, ‘Leading Brand’ baked beans, $1.45. They taste the same. Little things add up. Try to be as jewish frivolous as possible

@joeysefika I use toothpaste sparingly and I can’t go without my 3ply…I use bic razors and I wash my hair once a week with shampoo…I don’t use much soap either….I’m not going to segragate my mom’s food from my own… we both do the shopping…I don’t want her to feel alienated and get pissed off at me… We can survive fine with the way things are….I just was wondering If I could save for university faster then $1500 a year…mabye the answer is not now?

what is the most expensive stuff on your shopping list? Are there cheaper alternatives?

@joeysefika I purchased a small rib-eye roast for chrsitmas so meat is the most expensive, the next is fruit juice…everything else is under $10…I’m using a crock-pot now and I will see how that pans out in the next buget…I might just get an extra part-time job…

Something in your question, just caught my eye like a red flag. you say you split the rent with your family and that is $350.00 a month. can you give us more information in this area of rent? i am curious as to how you are paying this amount and is this amount shared equally among other people living there? are you living at home and going to college? you did not say. please advise us. john

If your share of the food and cable is $600 and $150, are you saying you and your mom together spend $1,200 a month on food, and $300 on cable?

650 combined rent 150 combined cable/internet/printer paper ink, 600–1200 combined food,clothing,laundry ect..,75 power,

Check to see if Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace course is offered in your area. Usually churches offer it, often for free. You don’t have to be a church member to take it, and they encourage you taking it with a partner. The whole premise is teaching you how not to squander your money, and budget more effectively.

mabey can get a healthy llife style or get one more job!

Update: I moved out on my own with help from a social worker. Rent is $550 a month cable internet $81 a month, cell phone $120 per month. and my income raised to $1588 from $1188.
I’ve stocked up on Top Ramen $.25 each from Wal-Mart.

Update. Things are going well for me. I eat turkey and chicken necks and backs and saved money for the first time in 5 years. most of my money was going to meat.

Update I am making ends meat, (even during the inflation) I eat more hot dogs, spaghetti, ramen, eggs, cereal with milk and tap water to drink I make my own burgers with buns for a fraction of the cost of McDonalds or A&W. I’ve canceled cable and am putting that money to food and credit card payments. My treat is a rotisserie chicken every so often and one of two books from Amazon a month.

Update I am ordering groceries from DoorDash and Instacart. I am eating more fruits and vegetables. I still have some meat. I am exploring raw veganism and I will try it one step at a time.