some of you mothers on here need to stay quiet, this women is doing THE MOST to feed her family on a budget but all you do is judge instead of understanding. go read her blog and stop being mad!!
@@TheBealles Unfortunately, I have come to a conclusion that no matter how great your vids may be, some people are bend on negative comments and therefore bloggers need to get used to it. Try not to take it personally.
A lot of commenters said you can’t live off that for 5 people for 2 weeks. I gotta say - you are BLESSED to have that much to eat in 2 weeks! There was a time where my family of 5 (when I was growing up) are a PBJ for breakfast, no lunch (said I forgot my lunch and the school would give me a granola bar if they had some), and another PBJ or some watered down soup for supper. We got a box from the food bank. That’s what we ate. Instead of people being skeptical of you, I wish they would be thankful to the Lord God who made them that they have more to eat than you do. You make really healthy meals and you make the food work and the dollars stretch for your needs. It’s excellent. And it’s a blessing to me to remember my family needing to think even more consciously about money than you have, and that I don’t need to worry about money for food anymore.
Holly Pike I grew up the same as you expect I’m Hispanic and it was tortillas, beans and rice. Sometimes nothing but lunch at school. We were a family of 5.
God's grace gets me through all the time when feeding my kids. I may go without occasionally but my kids stay fed. Thank the Lord for oats. God is good!
what I do is make a list of everything I have in the cabinet and fridge and then make a meal plan around what I have so that nothing sits in the cabinet. Everything gets used. It also kind of forces you to be creative with your meals. Also, when I go to the grocery store, I usually only have to pick up one or two things for each meal because I already had one or two of the sides.
I save a ton by not eating meat, dairy, eggs, salt, sugar or oil. We eat greens, beans, rice and potatoes, tons of veg and fruit. Eating this way cured my high blood pressure, psoriasis, and lost 80 pds. Nutritarian lifestyle. I loved this video. You have a pleasing warm voice.
That's awesome! I am vegan now, and it has made a huge difference. You could check out my more recent grocery hauls if you are interested in seeing the difference :)
My hubby and I recently switched to a plant based diet. We eat deer meat( which he shot) and eat lots of grain and veggies. Both lost weight. And just feel healthier. We don't eat out as much. Dinners are must easier to put together when there is no meat involved
Ya and where I live all that fruit and veg is more expensive than meat. We can't all be that lucky. Veganism is fine if you can afford it. But all those carbs screws with me...bad.
I have seven of my nieces and nephews living with us permanently after losing my brother. So with my husband and our two children, yes, that adds up to eleven in our household. We are on a very strict budget even though we both have very good jobs. We go grocery shopping once a month (except for milk and bread) and we have a large chest freezer in our garage. Our budget for once a month is $400. Our milk and bread fund is $22 weekly. I shop the sales and go to Aldi's along with the can-alicious sale at our local chain which takes place twice a year in January and July. We simply cannot spend any more than that. I admire that you stick to your budget. I love your videos. Keep up the excellent advice and God Bless you and your family. We make it work!!
I grew up really poor, but was also taught to be self-sufficient. We never had our hands held out to the government for food stamps, etc. It's just not the way we lived; no hand outs. So, I can appreciate and understand just how you do this. Anyone can do what you are doing. It's just a matter of will and discipline. Keep up the good work!
She mentioned that she doesn't do breakfast and that most of the house is gone for lunch. So it's dinners and the weekend to put it into perspective. Regardless, she is still doing a great job :)
This is what I'm talking about. I know this video is old, but I have to give you and your husband a standing round of applause for your efforts. You are budgeting food money to meet bigger goals. You are feeding your family healthy nutritious meals. And you are teaching your children how to properly reach targets thru saving and discipline. You and your family are rare in our current culture!!! Inspiring to those that are considering and encouraging to those of us who are following suit. *^_^*
It can :) Try cutting back just a little at a time. Go to 140 per week and see how you do. That's 40 extra dollars a month. Who wouldn't want that. Then keep cutting back little by little until you can't get any lower reasonably. :)
Back in the seventies I was stationed in el paso for a year. I had to budget $50 a month for food for the wife and I. Cheapest meat then was a center cut ham(33cents a pound) and I'd get it sliced into fourteen or so steaks. Next back then hamburger meat. Family packs divided up into two serving sizes. Then dried beans. Whatever money was left was spent on fresh vegetables, potatoes, rice, cereal, canned goods and a few meats like chicken, pork chops. We never ran out of food but toward the end of the month we were down to ham, hamburger, and dried beans for dinner every night. These days I don't eat grains, rice, potatoes, corn or sugar so everything else is my normal diet. I buy fresh vegetables but grow most items my wife and I eat. A small pond provides us with fresh fish and a fruit orchard provides more fruit than we can eat. Chickens provide all the eggs we can eat but it's work and likely more expensive than buying store bought eggs. Rule one, never buy prepared food or processed food. You pay for that service so fix it yourself and save. You'll also avoid all the added chemicals that keep the processed food safe to eat. Don't buy prepared salad mix. Buy a head of lettuce, cabbage, a bag of carrots, radishes and you can make a bushel of salad for the cost of a one pound bag of mix. Oil and vinegar are the cheapest salad dressing and you can season it anyway you want.
I loved that you took your daughter! Nothing like teaching real life skills, by doing life together 🤗 way to go Mom! Thanks for this awesome information.
My husband and I Raised 7 children on a limited budget. In spite if it we made sure our children ate 3 good meals a day. Plenty of eggs, meat, milk, cheese, veggies, fruit, potatoes, rice, beans, peanut butter, whole wheat bread, oatmeal, wheateena, grits, ect.. We understood that feeding our children with their growing bodies plenty of good healthy food was our duty, so we made it a priority. When you have children and a small income, it takes sacrifice. They come first. If we had to depend on social security for retirement then so be it. We chose to bring them into this world and they should not be expected to go with less than is good for them so we can have a more comfortable retirement. We are getting by on S. S. And I wouldn't go back and change it for anything. On another note: This lady did what she needed to with her UA-cam videos to increase her food budget and I admire her for it.
Mexican meal that is cheap: Don't buy pre-made shells, buy corn tortillas and make them yourself. I personally like soft shell, so I put a few tablespoons of oil in a pan, let it heat , do each tortilla for 5-10 seconds on each side and put on napkin to absorb excess oil.... the corn tortilla is hot, soft, pliable and has a good flavor. Then you can make a mixture of ground beef and potato for the filling. First brown meat, drain, then add finely dice potatoes, drain salt, pepper, onion powder, ect), then simmer it till potatoes are cooked. Also, make spanish rice and refried beans. A little diced lettuce/tomato and a salsa from dollar store. Add additional flavor to it if you find the dollar salsa/sauce too tomatoey-bland. I add a little garlic and onion powder sometimes.
A couple tips for those trying to learn how to budget their food money. 1. Learn how to cook. If you don't have a kitchen (or time) a crockpot can be your best friend. 2. NEVER shop while hungry! 3. Don't go shopping in the few days before and after people get food stamps. I've noticed, around that time the 3 for 5.00 tags go up and people think they are getting a deal. The original price is 1.25 per so you'll end up spending more. Don't be afraid to lift those tags to be sure you are getting a deal. 4. Don't be afraid of the the bottom shelf and non-name brand products. Decades ago I worked for a chicken processing plant and was shocked to find out, the name brand and generic brand is the SAME chicken. They just change the bags! That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Hope it helps. Good luck!
I have worked retail most of my life and have almost perfected bargain shopping. I will admit I get food stamps for myself and my kids so that forces you to shop on a tight budget. I have found that certain 'off brands' or store brands are just as good if not BETTER than name brand. I love Aldi and Price Rite! Also most stores WILL give you a bit of a discount on an item if the package isn't perfect. So long as the product inside is not damaged and it is 'in date' you're fine. It never hurts to swallow your pride and simply ask 'Hey, any chance you could give me a little off these green beans since the can is dented?' The worst they are going to do is say no! LOL
She didn't say one negative thing about people on food stamps. She just pointed out that the stores manipulate the prices around these dates, which makes sense. They aren't stupid, they're going to know when people get their food stamps, that's when they're going to go food shopping and so they're going to take advantage of that. Around here, everyone gets their cards regenerated on the first of the month, so it may be a regional thing and in her state it is probably the same day of the month also.
I too have a family of 5 and I've been a budget shopper all my life. One reason my husband loves me soo much 😆 My 8 yr old daughter is always learning about saving money and how to spend wisely. thank you for your video. we can't go wrong with potatoes and onions, rice dishes (I'm asian and thats a staple) throughout the month with a budget of 180.00 or less. You have revived something in me and I know I can cut the food budget a little lower. We love Aldis. We're teaching our kids to be content, humble, and thankful for what they have, a lesson that'll follow them into adulthood and showing them that when your saving for some thing, there's sacrifices that must be made in our lifestyle. Showing them that adapting without complaining is building character. This is the first video I seen of yours and I can seeyou have a beautiful spirit inside you that only God gives.
Thank you! We love Asian food, and it is a big reason why we feel comfortable with those staples. Teaching you children character is important in anything you do as a family. Good job, Mama!
You probably go through your onions quickly. If you ever find they are going bad too quickly switch from a plastic bowl to good old paper bags with some holes punched in them. Much longer storage that way. Taking potatoes out of plastic also helps with storage time.
My sister found a couple of places that are given surplus food from grocery stores. Discontinued, near expiration date, etc. This food is just given away as much as one wants, they are free to take. She calls me every Tuesday and Thursday and lets me know what they have and if I need or want anything. She brings me cases of food, mostly produce but there are other goodies also. AThe following are some of the food items she has brought me. Apples, potatoes, tomatoes, sometimes milk, bread, cukes, watermelon, corn on the cob, cakes, cabbage, potato chips, popcorn, green peppers, red peppers and onions.I place it all on the counter, take what I need and then make care packages for neighbors and friends. Nothing goes to waste, what doesn't get eaten by humans gets fed to the chickens. It helps the entire community save on their food bills. I've often said that my sister needs to write a book on how to survive being poor. Food isn't the only thing she knows where to get free or next to nothing. She has gotten free furniture, appliances, clothes, bedding, you name it and she know where to go to get it.
I feed our family of 4 on 80 a month. Lots of rice, pasta, and soups do it. No one needs a ton of meat each meal. If people eat more veggies than meat and drink plenty water they wouldn't be so hungry so often.
I am a mother to 4...new to your channel.I definitely appreciate the creativity here...buying food for a family is expensive nowadays.I am definitely trying stretch my money...so thank you for this.
We spend like 700 $ to feed 4 persons. But honestly I don't want to save money on food. I'd rather save it on other stuff. we live in germany and for me it's very important to buy good quality especially if it comes to animal products. What I have to learn is to plan my shopping trip and write down what I want to cook for the week and maybe don't go grocery shopping when I'm hungry 😣
Yeah, I try it every year. We have a plum tree, two apples, a pear and a nectarine. As soon as the fruit starts swelling we are raised by raccoons, rats, and a feisty squirrel. Fruit too high for them to teach is taken by birds. The cold soil and fog strictly limit what we can grow. None of the critters like red lettuce, Russian kale, or Swiss chard, so we grow those - oh yes, arugula is also left untouched. We get a small but welcome crop of zucchini, and we eat the male flowers too. We grow potatoes and green onions. We have to buy most of our produce, but we do get a thrill out of our backyard crops.
You just have to add a lot of fillers. So say i have a recipe for this casserole, its pulled chicken, stove top stuffing, a bag of frozen mixed veggies and a can of cream of chicken soup! Its sooo good! U can use as much or as lil chicken u want to or have. My kentucky mother in law used to make it. U can also use canned chicken if u like. Its a warm filling meal that has great flavor. U just put how much ever meat u have in there. Whatever u are blessed with. Take care n God Bless!!😁
**Tip** Don't keep bread in the fridge it will go stale.. but if you can't eat it before it goes moldy.. put the entire loaf in the freezer and take out the few slices you need and keep them in a zip lock baggie. =)
That's what we do, we also freeze loaves in half loaf portions, especially if they had a great offer so we picked up the bread for next week too! I also freeze cheese if I find good offers. A friend thought it was gross to freeze cheese, so I asked "so what about frozen pizza and pasta dishes? Is that not cheese?" It sometimes amazes me what folks will declare "weird" or "gross" without thinking. Although this is the same friend who finds it odd that I'll happily spend an entire weekend cooking soups, curry sauces and pasta sauce etc for the freezer. But then we can easily just grab a bag of sauce, choose a meat to add to it and leave in the fridge for dinner tomorrow. Then tomorrow dinner is 80% done! This worked amazingly when I was in hospital for 3 weeks, even my husband agreed that my prepared meals saved his sanity while I was away ;)
For our family, we just buy dried rice, beans, lentils, etc. No meat, no dairy, no eggs and our budget is very low. We look up recipes and make them from the internet and eat very well!
I went and spent $35 this week, we feed 5 people. I needed to add a few veggies and fruits, I bought a chicken, canned tomatoes and beans. I probably won't shop again until next week to do the same! We are eating down our freezer and pantry, this is something we do around this time of year due to all our expenditures (property tax, vehicle tags, vacations, and Christmas). My regular budget is around $300 per month and I live in GA.
I now see what my problem is. I simply eat too damn much too often. I JUST ate 2 piece of salmon, broccoli and a potatoe. And... Im back in the fridge.
please ignore the hateful comments. im 25 and recently engaged and this was very useful to watch. no kids yet but we both love to eat. my fiance and I spend about 60-80 dollars on groceries and I would like to go lower. im learning to cook and how to make freezer meals. thank you for sharing.
Ive gotten down to 80 a month for groceries here in Ontario Canada. the trick here is to look for meat alternatives like beans, eggs etc. Before I go shopping I go to walmart.ca and fill up an online grocery cart (choose what you want then pick up in store) so I always know how much Im spending before I go to the store.
MoChiGi do you do all your grocery shopping at Walmart or are there other Canadian stores that you know about that might help me get my grocery bill down? I didn't think it could be done in Canada. Thx from Calgary 😀
if your freezer is on but almost empty it needs more energy, you should put waterbottles or styrofoam or something like this in there to reduce the air.
We don't buy cookies or poptarts. It doesn't fit in the budget. We make them ourselves. We do buy fruit, though, just not in this video. I had some canned fruit already.
I got at least four meals out of a pre-roasted chicken I got on sale for $3.00. I made the chicken with potatoes and veggies, chicken with gravy for lunch, chicken salad, and I made stock with the carcass which will probably be at least 2 more meals when I make it into soup. We are both disabled on limited incomes so money is tight. Our food budget is around $100 or so.
lilgiggler35 i made biryani (rice with veg and/or meat cooked in it) with leftover roast chicken fried with onion and garlic, some frozen veg and sone leftover potatoes from the roast-lasted 4 days, really tasty with spices out of the cupboard and cheap!
This looks like a good amount of food for a family what are people saying in this comment section...People are so used to overeating that they do not know what a healthy and normal amount of food looks like
I just went to the store yesterday and found whole chickens for under $3 each. I am just starting this new journey of eating everything in our pantry amd freezer before refilling it. we have wasted so much on food that doesn't get eaten. I love this video. God bless.
Family of two and I'm struggling! Just bought this house and I know we would be doing so well IF i could budget better! Just spent 150 to stock up the new place a bit. Made some nasty cheap pasta that I would throw out BUT I'm going to eat it ALL because I bought it. Thank you for this video! I will do better
Tell me do you find this true,that is it better to not always buy a item that you don't normally buy and not like it,just to save money?Or because it's on sale.
Homemade pasta is soooo easy to make & so much better and rewarding cause you did it yourself. Flour, egg, salt, water. Let dough sit in fridge for a bit. Roll it out. Cut it. It doesnt have to be perfect. You'll get more bang for your buck then buying boxed. & homemade sauce even easier.
This is awesome! I'm a college student and a budget $45 a month for groceries. I always have rice, beans, and potatoes so I never use the entire amount, so I treat myself with fast food or ice cream.
For breakfast we do homemade pancakes ,eggs or oats and we have fruit on the side lunch is usually dinner leftovers or a sandwich and dinner we always have potatoes,beans,rice on the side as a filler we eat healthy for the most part I always make sure half of our plate is fruits and veggies If you have a little bit of money saved you can start a small garden and grow your own things for very cheap as well
You have got to know, You encouraged my 21 year old fiancee and myself (19) to try this way of budgeting and we have actually saved enough doing this (also using coupons) to make a down payment on our FIRST HOUSE!!!! We have been tight, only because we are renting an apartment and it's soooo expensive. We on average saved over $100 on each check (so about $600 per month) and now we are able to buy our first home and pay mortgage for over 4 months. You are the best, seeing as there are only two of us it's super easy leftovers. Thank you so much!!!
The Fundamental Home thankfully we were both blessed with skilled and well paying jobs due to early college degrees and really late nights of doing school day in and day out. We are really glad that we are able to do this. We started the closing process on our new home yesterday!!
Refreshing to see someone that is real, my wife will make enough spaghetti and meatballs for three days, when you plan your meals and make big batches it saves money.
You can make your own fruit leather, instead of the high suger version sold in stores, much healthier too. Cook and mash fruit and add honey instead of sugar. Then spread in a thin layer on a baking sheet. Keep on low for several hours. This is a basic recipe. You can find more instructions online. God bless you and your family.
Nutrition and food quality often suffers when you buy cheap brands and cheap prices and I did just watch the Q & A. This isn't a criticism and offers some resources that might provide even MORE savings as well as upgrade the nutrition level. The good news is that they've been lying to us about the "importance" of protein. Too much protein is linked to cancer and kidney failure. If we needed protein mother's milk would have more in it and it doesn't. The amount of protein in human mother's milk is comparable to the amount of protein in fruit and vegetables. Don't take my word for it. Look up "the protein cancer connection" "too much protein destroys the kidneys". So cost wise eliminating animal products frees up a LOT of money to spend on plant based foods which also happen to be the easiest to digest which also can then energize the body's cells the quickest and the easiest. They are also alkaline which keeps the body's fluid free flowing. The animal products are acid producing and create mucus in the body which eventually hardens into plaque and can clog up the immune system. The acids create inflammation and pain in the body as well as other distressing symptoms. Even refined flours and sugar and even cooked foods can create an acidic environment. If I wasn't doing the following for everyone in my family, I'd at least make sure my son with gastrointestinal issues was doing it. If I were her, I'd be wanting my family to be eating LIVE organic plant based foods. She could be feeding fresh live sprouts every day which have 10x the nutrition as full grown vegetables -- enough to make a salad out of them for each person for maybe less than 20 cents a day--- if she started to sprout her own alfalfa sprouts. You only need 2 tablespoons of seeds to grow enough to pack a 48 oz mason jar in 5 days with luscious LIVE sprouts. Top with some cherry tomatoes and some fresh lemon juice or oil and vinegar, salt and pepper and herbs and ENJOY! One jar would produce enough to serve each person a mountain of sprouts -- at least as much as one box of full grown sprouts from the grocery store per person! You can get a 5lb bag of organic seeds for less than $45 which would produce 400 sprout salads or 400 boxes worth -- probably about $800 to $1000 dollars worth of grown ready to eat alfalfa sprouts in the stores. Also one serving of sprouts probably would provide the amount of readily available nutrients they get in a week of trying to get it eating cooked animal products and canned vegetables and preservatives with no life force One fun way to eat the sprouts is to roll them up in Nori wraps made of seaweed and make sprout filled sushi rolls. that are LOADED with trace minerals which are another thing they could be eating that are inexpensive. I'd cut WAY back on the meat and cut out the dairy and replace it with fruit. In the winter you can buy citrus. I would also cut out the packaged things like the macaroni and cheese. If you want pasta, make a tomato/vegetable sauce with herbs. You can mix in the contents of a baked eggplant to a tomato sauce and you have a hearty dish! Also I would buy frozen veggies rather than canned. Canned fruit and vegetables have little if any nutrition plus you are ingesting all the BPA they use in the canning process. I would only buy organic or at least non-GMO fruit and vegetables. I would feed my family only fruit for breakfast. -- as much as they want. That way they at least get one healthy meal. I would make sure the fruit that has skins like apples and berries that you eat were all ORGANIC. Other fruit like bananas or citrus with skins you peel off, could be non-organic. To save money buy what is in season. In winter you can get citrus affordably. If she is near a big city she can buy in bulk at produce terminals (where restaurants buy their produce). Watch videos John Kohler has done at "okraw" on UA-cam showing how much he saves doing that! If you have to eat meat, buy it organic and as humanely raised as possible and eat less of it. Otherwise your family is ingesting the stress and all the drugs they feed the animals to fatten them up not to mention the meat itself which our digestive tracts can't easily digest anyway. It is extremely UNhealthful. Watch the free documentary "Earthlings" if you want to see the torture the slaughter houses put animals through. That is a great documentary for home schoolers to watch.
I think you are right on some of this post and very informative but if you go completely meat free you have to supplement with lots of vitamins because your body will be very low in iron and various other problems that could eventually end up with a low immune system but I do agree maybe in the future once building up money it would be smart to transfer to an organic meat, you can keep most of the vegetables that you purchase not organic but things like potatoes and corn that are mass produced has so many chemicals that are harmful to the body. Not all places have a huge markup in price on organic veggies and meat but changing the way you eat can help your body so much. I went on a paleo diet to get myself into a ketosis state so I could loose weight and it really helped. But it is hard to go fully organic and gluten free. Wish best of luck
It's only my husband, myself and granddaughter. We spend about $900 a month. I'm so ashamed. I just don't know what to fix anymore. We're in our sixties and I'm just tired of trying to think of things to cook. I've been cooking for 40+years.
Don’t be ashamed. How old is your granddaughter? The fact you are raising her is reason enough to give yourself grace. Perhaps she could help? (my daughter is seven and she can make scrambled eggs and muffins (with help of course), my 5 yr old can wash salad and shell beans☺️). Here on youtube you can find so many ideas for quick and cheap meals, 5 meals in one hour and “dump dinners” in crockpot etc.). All the best to you and your family❤️
It sounds as if you eat less meat then some families. Which is good for your health. You can still stock up for a snowpacalyps, just buy one or two of something such as veggies, a couple of cans of meat, tuna, chicken, turkey and gravy, roast beef and gravy. Serve the roast beef or turkey over Texas toast, rice or noodles. God bless you and your family.
My family of three. One being a baby who is breastfed , we spent 110$ on food and house hold products last week. I nearly cried. I am only 21 and try desperately to save. This is inspirational
Ashley God bless you I know it's hard I have a family of four and I also breastfeeding my baby and toddler but I know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel
Ashley Bless you. Household products can be expensive. Do you live near a dollar store? If so, buy the bottle of "cleaning vinegar" & use that - but not on marble or granite. You can buy a pack of washcloths there & use as napkins. Newspaper instead of paper towels or a cloth that doesn't leave marks on cleaning mirrors/glass. I made my own laundry soap with less products than what most recipes say & it cleans really well.
I was thinking the same. I note she has very little vegetables & no fruit or fruit juice, especially for a family of five. She also missed the oil & milk. I hope she buys quality hamburger & poultry meats. Buying too cheap can be unhealthy. We have a grocery outlet in our area--such good quality organic foods for less!!
when I first got married in 1980 we spent 40 dollars every 2 week's and had a lot of food left for the next shopping trip how things change over the yrs. it's amazing
When my husband and I moved in together (2001) my mom gave us $25 to get food because we spent all of his paycheck on the rent/deposit/utilities. It seems like we had a cart full. In just 16 years things have change soooo much :(
It's sad that you have to buy mostly processed and animal products to do this. I tried doing a plant based diet and it nearly bankrupted me. I need to learn to grow my own. Grocery stores in my area are priced very high and farmers markets are worse. I mean I could live on potatoes, cabbage, onions and carrots but every time I want some fresh tomatoes, fruit, beets or greens it's like I'm getting robbed. You can feed a family of 4 for two bucks with a box of spaghetti and jar of sauce. Make a nice vegetable curry and it's at least 4 times the cost.
I know it’s an investment but try an instant pot. I make a lot of beans & lentils in it. We do spend about $400 a month on 3 people for a plant based diet. We are healthy and may save money on doctors bills in the future!
+Chris Keith hummm...$400 for plant based diet, I spend bout that bout same mount equal of ppl but my diet is high in fat, calorie, carb n sodium with dinners etc. it not easy. when u have others that want n eat different than you do.
@christopherjones I don't buy any junk foods, no sodas, candy,frozen food, ice cream, hamburger helpers. I buy lots of fruits and veggies and meat, eggs,milk,cheese. I mean all the basics. We have 5 kids, but it just adds up. I live in houston tx and shop at HEBp,Randalls and Walmart. I wish I knew how to coupon!
This is my first time watching you and I think your information is great. Who are the 800 bleepity-bleeps who gave this video a thumbs down?? Huh? Crazy. Even if this style of shopping isn't your cup of tea, why give a thumbs down? Lots of good tips and motivation to tighten your own food budget. Thank you, Fundamental Home (sorry, don't know your name). You're helping a lot of people and I'll be subscribing. I'm single and usually throw caution to the wind when I grocery shop. What I need to do is 'shop my pantry' for awhile. I could survive a snowpocalypse....or two. LOL
I'm not a pro but one thing I do besides plan is say going to 2 stores this week and I'm going to spend $40 @ each store. It's a mental trick that has worked for a long time.
Wow! Before I saw this video I thought No Way can any family get by on $100 month for groceries but now that you have laid it all out I see it can be done. This is so inspiring. Thank you so much for this video. You are fabulous!!
Wow, I am watching this for the second time. When you said 2016, I had to check the date. I have been watching your channel a long time. I'm glad you are still on UA-cam.
I have no clue how I stumbled upon this video, but this totally makes me embarrassed on my lack of discipline when it comes to spending money in general. You are doing a great job and setting a great example for your kids!! The for sharing!
Wow. My husband and I spend $250/month on food. I'm vegan he's not. I thought we spent so little money on food. And we do. Living in Sweden. I don't know how much food cost in US. We never buy sodas, chips, candy or anything like that. Your doing a great work.
Thank you for your video. Getting serious about saving money is where it all begins. Saving for your financial future is smart. And for those who want to save, it means locating the stores in your area that are the cheapest, and buying on sale. People often buy what they want rather than what saves money, then they don't understand why groceries are so expensive. Certain stores, like Walmart, mark their meats down a lot almost every day because they are going to expire. Family packs of meats saves a ton, and you can freeze most of it. Using rice, potatoes and noodles to stretch meals saves a lot. Making soups that last days is a good idea. Walmart has loaves of bread for $1 all the time. If you have a Save-a-Lot and Aldi store in your area, you can run laughing to the bank! If you are in dire need, and have no money, find out where your local food banks are by Googling "food bank (your city).
How far apart do they have to be? I noticed that they do that so i moved them but i don't have enough room. I got two stacking baskets to put them in and put them back in the same cupboard but that was recently so i don't know if it worked.
There are no fruits or green vegetables. Looks like a very starchy diet. I have a large family as well (6 kids, 4 are still at home) so a budget is a must. However, I do like a balanced diet. Fresh fruits and veggies, meats, some bread, soups and pasta. I usually end up spending $100 + a week but most of that is on fresh produce. If I can get my garden going again, it'll help me out alot there. Do you supplement with a garden?
The Fundamental Home I too live in a location that has very clay soil, and I had a hard time growing more than a few cherry tomato bushes, if even that. The huge difference came when I put in some raised beds. You don't have to spend lots of money-just some old scrap lumber and a good, sunny location. I did have to supplement my soil with compost-And I add fresh compost every spring. I mostly make my own compost out of old vegetable and fruit scraps along with grass clippings, etc. The worms do their thing and I am left with the richest, black organic material you have ever seen!! Now we virtually eat out of garden all summer-eggplants, cauliflower, onions, garlic, tons of potatoes, green and purple beans, etc. it seems at times like the garden is just bursting with more produce than we can eat, so I freeze, dehydrate and can the rest for the winter. I also save all our seeds and use them for the next year-big money saver!! I also live one block from one of the largest cities in the US, and have just a very small suburban garden. Friends and family are shocked at the amount of produce that can be grown in such a small urban area!
Wonderful! Thanks for the suggestion. We added composted horse manure last year, and it helped. I think, if we add another layer this year, it may do the trick. We are also using a mulch method. I am super hopeful. We can now and freeze. A dehydrator is high on my priority list. I would really love a solar one.
The Fundamental Home Oh my gosh-you and me both!! Those solar ovens look amazing-I almost bought one this year, but my nest egg was decimated by some emergency work needed on the house :(. Oh well!! In the meantime, I have been just using our oven, set on the lowest heat possible. I have had great luck dehydrating cherry tomatoes, of which I always have an amazing abundance. I add them to winter slow cooked stews, and they add a great burst of flavor. Good luck in your garden next spring and summer-it'll get there. And it is a great project with the kids-my son loves it!
Davida Kilgore I'm a vegan, so our food is mostly vegetables. We are on a strict budget so we can't always get fresh fruit and vegetables. Frozen vegetables are cheap, and usually snap frozen. So essentially, they are more fresh than the non-frozen. I use those vegetables in curry or stir fry etc.
My family loves nut milk, but it was to expensive and went bad to fast for us to purchase it from the store. Solution? I buy the little packs of almonds for under $2 add water and put it in the blender, wallah, nut milk at about 30cents a quart, fresh and additive free!
How much water do you add to it when you blend it? Do you soak in water over night? You don't add any other ingredients to it? Do you strain it after blending? I'm trying to make my own almond milk, but I'd be the only one who drinks it at home, because my husband doesn't like any type of milk at all...
I make a quart at a time so I fill up a mason jar to about 1/2" below the top throw that in the blender with a handful of nuts and or coconut and blend for about 30 secs or more if your blender isnt very powerful. Then strain through a reusable coffe filter back into jar. Thats it! I prefer mine a little thinner than the stuff you can get at the store.
Lorien Larsen Thank you! I like the consistency of it to be on the thinner side also. How long does it last before it goes bad in the fridge? Thank so much for your quick reply! (:
To stretch it even further, you can take the pulp you strained from the milk and dry it out in the oven or in a dehydrator to make almond flour for MUCH cheaper than you can buy it at the store.
WOW just today I spent $71.50 and got a VERY few things. I do notice that ALOT of people that shop easy like this usually only use like 1 potato when making meals and stuff. and WOW one leg and thigh for 5 people I use like 1/2 a ten pound bag when I make meal I am REALLY going to cut down ALOT of food and use less and try to hit it to $200 total a month for 3 people (2 adults 1 child) I can easily use up to $400 a month at the grocery store.
A serving size of meat is 3-4 ounces for women and 4-5 ounces for men. Making a meal more filling would be adding more of the cheaper filling items like dried beans, rice, pasta or potatoes.
You need to do some comparison shopping. Find where you can get best deals. Even if it means spreading your shopping around. It's worth it to save money. My go to store is WinCo. If you don't have one then look for good alternative. Also, buy store brand or other cheaper brand. I've found store brand is usually just as good or better than name brand and you save money.
Cooking from scratch will save a ton of money. My budget at it's highest was 100 for a family of 4 back in the 90's. NY. Home made soup, bread, bakery items ( no ready made mixes). Home made dressing, lots of rice, potatoes, and spaghetti. Thin cut chicken breast, meatloaf Fridays, tons of fresh fruit for eating and pies. Soda was very rare, saved us on dental bills. Milk or juices only. Meals were very rustic and filling. Condiments were bought in bulk for the exception of mayo. 250 bucks only spent in October to stock up for the Winter.
Do you use the bones from chicken for broth? 9 grams of protein and lots of collagen in bone broth serving. A cup with some salt is a healthy snack. We put the bones from everything into a bag in the freezer. When we have a full one or two bags, we boil them for 24 hours in just enough liquid to cover the bones. Then strain. Really delicious and nutritious
Thank you it's good to see that real people do this too. I am spending little to no money on food right but have been stocking up all year. I think I have a year worth of food on hand now minus the fresh things you have to buy. Keep doing what you're doing there are so many people that don't know how to do this at all. I just like to learn new tricks from others if I can
Honestly, i am truly amazed at how cheap it is to do groceries while still getting good quality products, here i don't cook and i spend more than $300 a month feeding ONLY myself. I am inspired.
What people who have a lot don't understand is that some people have to do the best with what they have. Don't judge. Good luck to you!!
Thank you! I appreciate your support!
some of you mothers on here need to stay quiet, this women is doing THE MOST to feed her family on a budget but all you do is judge instead of understanding. go read her blog and stop being mad!!
I appreciate your support and encouragement
@@TheBealles Unfortunately, I have come to a conclusion that no matter how great your vids may be, some people are bend on negative comments and therefore bloggers need to get used to it. Try not to take it personally.
Shes trying to help us to make it thru these ruff days I for one respect and appreciate what she's doing. PRAY
A lot of commenters said you can’t live off that for 5 people for 2 weeks. I gotta say - you are BLESSED to have that much to eat in 2 weeks! There was a time where my family of 5 (when I was growing up) are a PBJ for breakfast, no lunch (said I forgot my lunch and the school would give me a granola bar if they had some), and another PBJ or some watered down soup for supper. We got a box from the food bank. That’s what we ate. Instead of people being skeptical of you, I wish they would be thankful to the Lord God who made them that they have more to eat than you do. You make really healthy meals and you make the food work and the dollars stretch for your needs. It’s excellent. And it’s a blessing to me to remember my family needing to think even more consciously about money than you have, and that I don’t need to worry about money for food anymore.
Holly Pike I grew up the same as you expect I’m Hispanic and it was tortillas, beans and rice. Sometimes nothing but lunch at school. We were a family of 5.
God's grace gets me through all the time when feeding my kids. I may go without occasionally but my kids stay fed. Thank the Lord for oats. God is good!
Yes! I recommend oats to anyone on a budget because a small amount of oats fills you for a very small price!
what I do is make a list of everything I have in the cabinet and fridge and then make a meal plan around what I have so that nothing sits in the cabinet. Everything gets used. It also kind of forces you to be creative with your meals. Also, when I go to the grocery store, I usually only have to pick up one or two things for each meal because I already had one or two of the sides.
That's exactly what I do.
Time saver - take photos of the food inside your cupboard instead of writing a list.
I save a ton by not eating meat, dairy, eggs, salt, sugar or oil. We eat greens, beans, rice and potatoes, tons of veg and fruit. Eating this way cured my high blood pressure, psoriasis, and lost 80 pds. Nutritarian lifestyle.
I loved this video. You have a pleasing warm voice.
That's awesome! I am vegan now, and it has made a huge difference. You could check out my more recent grocery hauls if you are interested in seeing the difference :)
My hubby and I recently switched to a plant based diet. We eat deer meat( which he shot) and eat lots of grain and veggies. Both lost weight. And just feel healthier. We don't eat out as much. Dinners are must easier to put together when there is no meat involved
Do you have any meal plan ideas anywhere online? I'm trying very hard to go that way but also very much failing...
Ya and where I live all that fruit and veg is more expensive than meat. We can't all be that lucky. Veganism is fine if you can afford it. But all those carbs screws with me...bad.
I have seven of my nieces and nephews living with us permanently after losing my brother. So with my husband and our two children, yes, that adds up to eleven in our household. We are on a very strict budget even though we both have very good jobs. We go grocery shopping once a month (except for milk and bread) and we have a large chest freezer in our garage. Our budget for once a month is $400. Our milk and bread fund is $22 weekly. I shop the sales and go to Aldi's along with the can-alicious sale at our local chain which takes place twice a year in January and July. We simply cannot spend any more than that. I admire that you stick to your budget. I love your videos. Keep up the excellent advice and God Bless you and your family. We make it work!!
Phenom157 I’m so sorry to hear about your brother. You are a great sister and aunt! God bless your family.💕🙏🏽💕
I grew up really poor, but was also taught to be self-sufficient. We never had our hands held out to the government for food stamps, etc. It's just not the way we lived; no hand outs. So, I can appreciate and understand just how you do this. Anyone can do what you are doing. It's just a matter of will and discipline. Keep up the good work!
Thank you! Discipline is very important to me :)
She mentioned that she doesn't do breakfast and that most of the house is gone for lunch. So it's dinners and the weekend to put it into perspective. Regardless, she is still doing a great job :)
This is what I'm talking about. I know this video is old, but I have to give you and your husband a standing round of applause for your efforts. You are budgeting food money to meet bigger goals. You are feeding your family healthy nutritious meals. And you are teaching your children how to properly reach targets thru saving and discipline. You and your family are rare in our current culture!!! Inspiring to those that are considering and encouraging to those of us who are following suit. *^_^*
Thank you! I appreciate that!
I spend at least $150 a week on groceries for my husband, my two year old son and myself. I didn't know this could be done! You've inspired me!
It can :) Try cutting back just a little at a time. Go to 140 per week and see how you do. That's 40 extra dollars a month. Who wouldn't want that. Then keep cutting back little by little until you can't get any lower reasonably. :)
Back in the seventies I was stationed in el paso for a year. I had to budget $50 a month for food for the wife and I. Cheapest meat then was a center cut ham(33cents a pound) and I'd get it sliced into fourteen or so steaks. Next back then hamburger meat. Family packs divided up into two serving sizes. Then dried beans. Whatever money was left was spent on fresh vegetables, potatoes, rice, cereal, canned goods and a few meats like chicken, pork chops. We never ran out of food but toward the end of the month we were down to ham, hamburger, and dried beans for dinner every night. These days I don't eat grains, rice, potatoes, corn or sugar so everything else is my normal diet. I buy fresh vegetables but grow most items my wife and I eat. A small pond provides us with fresh fish and a fruit orchard provides more fruit than we can eat. Chickens provide all the eggs we can eat but it's work and likely more expensive than buying store bought eggs. Rule one, never buy prepared food or processed food. You pay for that service so fix it yourself and save. You'll also avoid all the added chemicals that keep the processed food safe to eat. Don't buy prepared salad mix. Buy a head of lettuce, cabbage, a bag of carrots, radishes and you can make a bushel of salad for the cost of a one pound bag of mix. Oil and vinegar are the cheapest salad dressing and you can season it anyway you want.
Great suggestions!
Excellent advice!
I loved that you took your daughter! Nothing like teaching real life skills, by doing life together 🤗 way to go Mom! Thanks for this awesome information.
Thanks! I appreciate that :)
My husband and I Raised 7 children on a limited budget. In spite if it we made sure our children ate 3 good meals a day. Plenty of eggs, meat, milk, cheese, veggies, fruit, potatoes, rice, beans, peanut butter, whole wheat bread, oatmeal, wheateena, grits, ect.. We understood that feeding our children with their growing bodies plenty of good healthy food was our duty, so we made it a priority. When you have children and a small income, it takes sacrifice. They come first. If we had to depend on social security for retirement then so be it. We chose to bring them into this world and they should not be expected to go with less than is good for them so we can have a more comfortable retirement. We are getting by on S. S. And I wouldn't go back and change it for anything.
On another note: This lady did what she needed to with her UA-cam videos to increase her food budget and I admire her for it.
Thank you so much!
I live in California and spend $200+ per week on groceries for two people. You are a miracle worker
Linda Rodriguez Really?? I’m in California and spend about 100 a week for two. I don’t shop anywhere special and eat healthy
Mexican meal that is cheap: Don't buy pre-made shells, buy corn tortillas and make them yourself. I personally like soft shell, so I put a few tablespoons of oil in a pan, let it heat , do each tortilla for 5-10 seconds on each side and put on napkin to absorb excess oil.... the corn tortilla is hot, soft, pliable and has a good flavor. Then you can make a mixture of ground beef and potato for the filling. First brown meat, drain, then add finely dice potatoes, drain salt, pepper, onion powder, ect), then simmer it till potatoes are cooked. Also, make spanish rice and refried beans. A little diced lettuce/tomato and a salsa from dollar store. Add additional flavor to it if you find the dollar salsa/sauce too tomatoey-bland. I add a little garlic and onion powder sometimes.
Great suggestions! Thank you!
A couple tips for those trying to learn how to budget their food money.
1. Learn how to cook. If you don't have a kitchen (or time) a crockpot can be your best friend.
2. NEVER shop while hungry!
3. Don't go shopping in the few days before and after people get food stamps. I've noticed, around that time the 3 for 5.00 tags go up and people think they are getting a deal. The original price is 1.25 per so you'll end up spending more. Don't be afraid to lift those tags to be sure you are getting a deal.
4. Don't be afraid of the the bottom shelf and non-name brand products. Decades ago I worked for a chicken processing plant and was shocked to find out, the name brand and generic brand is the SAME chicken. They just change the bags!
That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Hope it helps. Good luck!
Thank you for your suggestions!
I have worked retail most of my life and have almost perfected bargain shopping. I will admit I get food stamps for myself and my kids so that forces you to shop on a tight budget. I have found that certain 'off brands' or store brands are just as good if not BETTER than name brand. I love Aldi and Price Rite! Also most stores WILL give you a bit of a discount on an item if the package isn't perfect. So long as the product inside is not damaged and it is 'in date' you're fine. It never hurts to swallow your pride and simply ask 'Hey, any chance you could give me a little off these green beans since the can is dented?' The worst they are going to do is say no! LOL
She didn't say one negative thing about people on food stamps. She just pointed out that the stores manipulate the prices around these dates, which makes sense. They aren't stupid, they're going to know when people get their food stamps, that's when they're going to go food shopping and so they're going to take advantage of that. Around here, everyone gets their cards regenerated on the first of the month, so it may be a regional thing and in her state it is probably the same day of the month also.
I too have a family of 5 and I've been a budget shopper all my life. One reason my husband loves me soo much 😆 My 8 yr old daughter is always learning about saving money and how to spend wisely. thank you for your video. we can't go wrong with potatoes and onions, rice dishes (I'm asian and thats a staple) throughout the month with a budget of 180.00 or less. You have revived something in me and I know I can cut the food budget a little lower. We love Aldis. We're teaching our kids to be content, humble, and thankful for what they have, a lesson that'll follow them into adulthood and showing them that when your saving for some thing, there's sacrifices that must be made in our lifestyle. Showing them that adapting without complaining is building character. This is the first video I seen of yours and I can seeyou have a beautiful spirit inside you that only God gives.
Thank you! We love Asian food, and it is a big reason why we feel comfortable with those staples. Teaching you children character is important in anything you do as a family. Good job, Mama!
You probably go through your onions quickly. If you ever find they are going bad too quickly switch from a plastic bowl to good old paper bags with some holes punched in them. Much longer storage that way. Taking potatoes out of plastic also helps with storage time.
Thanks for the suggestion! I will give that a try!
Donna M thank you!
Anyone can cut their cost in half if you half to. I make big batches and then freeze to the left overs. Also cut down on sweets.
your hubby sure got lucky when he found you.
i actually wish i could budget like this im really bad with food money i spend like $300 a week on food alone and im single
Oh no 🙊
My sister found a couple of places that are given surplus food from grocery stores. Discontinued, near expiration date, etc. This food is just given away as much as one wants, they are free to take. She calls me every Tuesday and Thursday and lets me know what they have and if I need or want anything. She brings me cases of food, mostly produce but there are other goodies also. AThe following are some of the food items she has brought me. Apples, potatoes, tomatoes, sometimes milk, bread, cukes, watermelon, corn on the cob, cakes, cabbage, potato chips, popcorn, green peppers, red peppers and onions.I place it all on the counter, take what I need and then make care packages for neighbors and friends. Nothing goes to waste, what doesn't get eaten by humans gets fed to the chickens. It helps the entire community save on their food bills. I've often said that my sister needs to write a book on how to survive being poor. Food isn't the only thing she knows where to get free or next to nothing. She has gotten free furniture, appliances, clothes, bedding, you name it and she know where to go to get it.
Wow! That's great! It helps so many people!
I do love when people are financially responsible
I feed our family of 4 on 80 a month. Lots of rice, pasta, and soups do it. No one needs a ton of meat each meal. If people eat more veggies than meat and drink plenty water they wouldn't be so hungry so often.
veggies can be expensive
My family like meat
especially non gmo veggies
Pasta and rice turn to sugar in your body. Meat is pure protein and that keeps you fuller longer than pasta and rice do.
Buy frozen veggies.
I am a mother to 4...new to your channel.I definitely appreciate the creativity here...buying food for a family is expensive nowadays.I am definitely trying stretch my money...so thank you for this.
Thank you! I hope it is a help to you!
We spend like 700 $ to feed 4 persons. But honestly I don't want to save money on food. I'd rather save it on other stuff. we live in germany and for me it's very important to buy good quality especially if it comes to animal products. What I have to learn is to plan my shopping trip and write down what I want to cook for the week and maybe don't go grocery shopping when I'm hungry 😣
she seems like such a nice person
Thank you!
Planting fruits and veggies even herbs in the backyard is always budget friendly.. also, it's organic..
Working on that
We used to grow onlions and garlic on the windows during winters. This is how you get fresh greens)
Yeah, I try it every year. We have a plum tree, two apples, a pear and a nectarine. As soon as the fruit starts swelling we are raised by raccoons, rats, and a feisty squirrel. Fruit too high for them to teach is taken by birds.
The cold soil and fog strictly limit what we can grow. None of the critters like red lettuce, Russian kale, or Swiss chard, so we grow those - oh yes, arugula is also left untouched. We get a small but welcome crop of zucchini, and we eat the male flowers too. We grow potatoes and green onions. We have to buy most of our produce, but we do get a thrill out of our backyard crops.
i cant wrap my mind around making a meal of 1 chicken leg quarter for 5 ppl. It's weird but very impressive 👏👏
Thanks! It works!
Me either I eat one by myself.
if you add some lentils, that's plenty of protein.
You just have to add a lot of fillers. So say i have a recipe for this casserole, its pulled chicken, stove top stuffing, a bag of frozen mixed veggies and a can of cream of chicken soup! Its sooo good! U can use as much or as lil chicken u want to or have. My kentucky mother in law used to make it. U can also use canned chicken if u like. Its a warm filling meal that has great flavor. U just put how much ever meat u have in there. Whatever u are blessed with. Take care n God Bless!!😁
Fillers are generally cheap carbs, and I have to avoid carbs.
we used to do about 200 for 8 people plus a baby. Diapers, wipes, laundry soap, etc. all included in that budget. It was hard, but we made it work
You can make it if you try :)
Brieann Ziehme wow that's real good.
**Tip**
Don't keep bread in the fridge it will go stale.. but if you can't eat it before it goes moldy.. put the entire loaf in the freezer and take out the few slices you need and keep them in a zip lock baggie. =)
Thanks for the tip!
That's what we do, we also freeze loaves in half loaf portions, especially if they had a great offer so we picked up the bread for next week too! I also freeze cheese if I find good offers. A friend thought it was gross to freeze cheese, so I asked "so what about frozen pizza and pasta dishes? Is that not cheese?" It sometimes amazes me what folks will declare "weird" or "gross" without thinking. Although this is the same friend who finds it odd that I'll happily spend an entire weekend cooking soups, curry sauces and pasta sauce etc for the freezer. But then we can easily just grab a bag of sauce, choose a meat to add to it and leave in the fridge for dinner tomorrow. Then tomorrow dinner is 80% done! This worked amazingly when I was in hospital for 3 weeks, even my husband agreed that my prepared meals saved his sanity while I was away ;)
Sebrina Lee Biscardi great tip
For our family, we just buy dried rice, beans, lentils, etc. No meat, no dairy, no eggs and our budget is very low. We look up recipes and make them from the internet and eat very well!
dhkrescue that is awesome!! I wish I could do that it seems very hard
Now that I am vegan, I am spending a bit more, but we are doing well
@@TheBealles.. may I ask what inspired you to become a vegan eater??
Me too! And so healthy. People on here have been brainwashed that eggs and dairy and meat are healthy.
I went and spent $35 this week, we feed 5 people. I needed to add a few veggies and fruits, I bought a chicken, canned tomatoes and beans. I probably won't shop again until next week to do the same! We are eating down our freezer and pantry, this is something we do around this time of year due to all our expenditures (property tax, vehicle tags, vacations, and Christmas). My regular budget is around $300 per month and I live in GA.
Where is the fresh fruit and vegetables
I get asked that so much that I made a video response. You can check it out here- ua-cam.com/video/KY163o43USo/v-deo.html
No one can afford that
I now see what my problem is. I simply eat too damn much too often.
I JUST ate 2 piece of salmon, broccoli and a potatoe. And... Im back in the fridge.
Hahaha!! It's hard to balance
The Fundamental Home Thanks for sharing your tips!
please ignore the hateful comments. im 25 and recently engaged and this was very useful to watch. no kids yet but we both love to eat. my fiance and I spend about 60-80 dollars on groceries and I would like to go lower. im learning to cook and how to make freezer meals. thank you for sharing.
Thank you! I appreciate your kindness and support!
Ive gotten down to 80 a month for groceries here in Ontario Canada. the trick here is to look for meat alternatives like beans, eggs etc. Before I go shopping I go to walmart.ca and fill up an online grocery cart (choose what you want then pick up in store) so I always know how much Im spending before I go to the store.
That's a great idea. Plus, it saves you from getting distracted while walking down aisles ;)
MoChiGi do you do all your grocery shopping at Walmart or are there other Canadian stores that you know about that might help me get my grocery bill down? I didn't think it could be done in Canada. Thx from Calgary 😀
if your freezer is on but almost empty it needs more energy, you should put waterbottles or styrofoam or something like this in there to reduce the air.
Good point!
That food would be gone in a week in my household of 5, and thats not including snacks such as fruit, cookies pop tarts ect.
We don't buy cookies or poptarts. It doesn't fit in the budget. We make them ourselves. We do buy fruit, though, just not in this video. I had some canned fruit already.
I got at least four meals out of a pre-roasted chicken I got on sale for $3.00. I made the chicken with potatoes and veggies, chicken with gravy for lunch, chicken salad, and I made stock with the carcass which will probably be at least 2 more meals when I make it into soup. We are both disabled on limited incomes so money is tight. Our food budget is around $100 or so.
Awesome! A chicken is great to stretch!
lilgiggler35 i made biryani (rice with veg and/or meat cooked in it) with leftover roast chicken fried with onion and garlic, some frozen veg and sone leftover potatoes from the roast-lasted 4 days, really tasty with spices out of the cupboard and cheap!
This looks like a good amount of food for a family what are people saying in this comment section...People are so used to overeating that they do not know what a healthy and normal amount of food looks like
Agreed :)
you still didn't show how you make $100 budget in meals? I am a family of 5, and $100/month is not realistic. what you bought last a week only!
You should probably check out the rest of the videos and the blog to see how I do it. It works just fine for me.
Ker I have three boys. I easily go thru 100.00 a week in groceries
I Guess 100 dollars a month sounds great but I don't see fruits and there's almost no vegetables.
I made a video about that if you want to check it out- ua-cam.com/video/KY163o43USo/v-deo.html
I just went to the store yesterday and found whole chickens for under $3 each. I am just starting this new journey of eating everything in our pantry amd freezer before refilling it. we have wasted so much on food that doesn't get eaten. I love this video. God bless.
That's wonderful! Good luck on your journey! You can do this!
Family of two and I'm struggling! Just bought this house and I know we would be doing so well IF i could budget better! Just spent 150 to stock up the new place a bit. Made some nasty cheap pasta that I would throw out BUT I'm going to eat it ALL because I bought it. Thank you for this video! I will do better
Tell me do you find this true,that is it better to not always buy a item that you don't normally buy and not like it,just to save money?Or because it's on sale.
Beans and rice. Peas and rice. Beans and rice.
Homemade pasta is soooo easy to make & so much better and rewarding cause you did it yourself. Flour, egg, salt, water. Let dough sit in fridge for a bit. Roll it out. Cut it. It doesnt have to be perfect. You'll get more bang for your buck then buying boxed. & homemade sauce even easier.
I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. Psalm 37:25
Truth
This is awesome! I'm a college student and a budget $45 a month for groceries. I always have rice, beans, and potatoes so I never use the entire amount, so I treat myself with fast food or ice cream.
:) Treats are necessary for the soul. Check out my other videos. Maybe you can get some ideas and expand that budget.
Liyah Yisrael 45$?👀
Si, es posible. I go to a few bible studies during the week as well, so I'm able to get 2-3 free home cooked meals each week (plus leftovers! :D)
For breakfast we do homemade pancakes ,eggs or oats and we have fruit on the side lunch is usually dinner leftovers or a sandwich and dinner we always have potatoes,beans,rice on the side as a filler we eat healthy for the most part I always make sure half of our plate is fruits and veggies If you have a little bit of money saved you can start a small garden and grow your own things for very cheap as well
You are doing a great job!
That's what our fridge looks like right now. The struggle is real! Thank you for the video. Shine bright y'all
Love your spirit and attitude! You guy's are being good stewards of what the Lord has given you!
Thank you!
You have got to know, You encouraged my 21 year old fiancee and myself (19) to try this way of budgeting and we have actually saved enough doing this (also using coupons) to make a down payment on our FIRST HOUSE!!!! We have been tight, only because we are renting an apartment and it's soooo expensive. We on average saved over $100 on each check (so about $600 per month) and now we are able to buy our first home and pay mortgage for over 4 months. You are the best, seeing as there are only two of us it's super easy leftovers. Thank you so much!!!
YAY!!! So proud of you!! You did the work, and at your age especially, that is amazing!
You're only 19 and doing better than a lot of adults. Your savings is awesome!
The Fundamental Home thankfully we were both blessed with skilled and well paying jobs due to early college degrees and really late nights of doing school day in and day out. We are really glad that we are able to do this. We started the closing process on our new home yesterday!!
Awesome! My 19 year old just finished his Bachelor's. He is saving for a house as an investment property.
Refreshing to see someone that is real, my wife will make enough spaghetti and meatballs for three days, when you plan your meals and make big batches it saves money.
Thank you! I appreciate your kindness and understanding. Your wife sounds like a wise lady
You are such a happy and positive woman on a budget, you’re definitely a motivational mom to women like me!
Thank you!
You can make your own fruit leather, instead of the high suger version sold in stores, much healthier too. Cook and mash fruit and add honey instead of sugar. Then spread in a thin layer on a baking sheet. Keep on low for several hours. This is a basic recipe. You can find more instructions online. God bless you and your family.
the reason how they're surviving on 100 a month is because they are eating healthy and she's buying what the NEED not what they want. I love this!
Thanks!
Nutrition and food quality often suffers when you buy cheap brands and cheap prices and I did just watch the Q & A. This isn't a criticism and offers some resources that might provide even MORE savings as well as upgrade the nutrition level.
The good news is that they've been lying to us about the "importance" of protein. Too much protein is linked to cancer and kidney failure. If we needed protein mother's milk would have more in it and it doesn't. The amount of protein in human mother's milk is comparable to the amount of protein in fruit and vegetables. Don't take my word for it. Look up "the protein cancer connection" "too much protein destroys the kidneys".
So cost wise eliminating animal products frees up a LOT of money to spend on plant based foods which also happen to be the easiest to digest which also can then energize the body's cells the quickest and the easiest. They are also alkaline which keeps the body's fluid free flowing. The animal products are acid producing and create mucus in the body which eventually hardens into plaque and can clog up the immune system. The acids create inflammation and pain in the body as well as other distressing symptoms. Even refined flours and sugar and even cooked foods can create an acidic environment.
If I wasn't doing the following for everyone in my family, I'd at least make sure my son with gastrointestinal issues was doing it.
If I were her, I'd be wanting my family to be eating LIVE organic plant based foods. She could be feeding fresh live sprouts every day which have 10x the nutrition as full grown vegetables -- enough to make a salad out of them for each person for maybe less than 20 cents a day--- if she started to sprout her own alfalfa sprouts. You only need 2 tablespoons of seeds to grow enough to pack a 48 oz mason jar in 5 days with luscious LIVE sprouts. Top with some cherry tomatoes and some fresh lemon juice or oil and vinegar, salt and pepper and herbs and ENJOY! One jar would produce enough to serve each person a mountain of sprouts -- at least as much as one box of full grown sprouts from the grocery store per person! You can get a 5lb bag of organic seeds for less than $45 which would produce 400 sprout salads or 400 boxes worth -- probably about $800 to $1000 dollars worth of grown ready to eat alfalfa sprouts in the stores. Also one serving of sprouts probably would provide the amount of readily available nutrients they get in a week of trying to get it eating cooked animal products and canned vegetables and preservatives with no life force
One fun way to eat the sprouts is to roll them up in Nori wraps made of seaweed and make sprout filled sushi rolls. that are LOADED with trace minerals which are another thing they could be eating that are inexpensive.
I'd cut WAY back on the meat and cut out the dairy and replace it with fruit. In the winter you can buy citrus. I would also cut out the packaged things like the macaroni and cheese.
If you want pasta, make a tomato/vegetable sauce with herbs. You can mix in the contents of a baked eggplant to a tomato sauce and you have a hearty dish! Also I would buy frozen veggies rather than canned. Canned fruit and vegetables have little if any nutrition plus you are ingesting all the BPA they use in the canning process.
I would only buy organic or at least non-GMO fruit and vegetables. I would feed my family only fruit for breakfast. -- as much as they want. That way they at least get one healthy meal. I would make sure the fruit that has skins like apples and berries that you eat were all ORGANIC. Other fruit like bananas or citrus with skins you peel off, could be non-organic. To save money buy what is in season. In winter you can get citrus affordably.
If she is near a big city she can buy in bulk at produce terminals (where restaurants buy their produce). Watch videos John Kohler has done at "okraw" on UA-cam showing how much he saves doing that!
If you have to eat meat, buy it organic and as humanely raised as possible and eat less of it. Otherwise your family is ingesting the stress and all the drugs they feed the animals to fatten them up not to mention the meat itself which our digestive tracts can't easily digest anyway. It is extremely UNhealthful. Watch the free documentary "Earthlings" if you want to see the torture the slaughter houses put animals through. That is a great documentary for home schoolers to watch.
I think you are right on some of this post and very informative but if you go completely meat free you have to supplement with lots of vitamins because your body will be very low in iron and various other problems that could eventually end up with a low immune system but I do agree maybe in the future once building up money it would be smart to transfer to an organic meat, you can keep most of the vegetables that you purchase not organic but things like potatoes and corn that are mass produced has so many chemicals that are harmful to the body. Not all places have a huge markup in price on organic veggies and meat but changing the way you eat can help your body so much. I went on a paleo diet to get myself into a ketosis state so I could loose weight and it really helped. But it is hard to go fully organic and gluten free. Wish best of luck
oh wow this is super cool info thanks for sharing you learn something new every day
I spend about $150 a week for a family of 4. 😩
It's only my husband, myself and granddaughter. We spend about $900 a month. I'm so ashamed. I just don't know what to fix anymore. We're in our sixties and I'm just tired of trying to think of things to cook. I've been cooking for 40+years.
I totally understand. It is a hard job. Don't beat yourself up
That about 200 dollars per person . 600 hundred a month . We go to cheap store for food .It depends on if you all are big eaters.
Don’t be ashamed. How old is your granddaughter? The fact you are raising her is reason enough to give yourself grace. Perhaps she could help? (my daughter is seven and she can make scrambled eggs and muffins (with help of course), my 5 yr old can wash salad and shell beans☺️). Here on youtube you can find so many ideas for quick and cheap meals, 5 meals in one hour and “dump dinners” in crockpot etc.). All the best to you and your family❤️
Our monthly budget is$300 for a family of 11,just for food.It gets exhausting trying to cook on any budget.
grateful1929 perhaps look into batch cooking, then you only have to face it a few times a month
It sounds as if you eat less meat then some families. Which is good for your health. You can still stock up for a snowpacalyps, just buy one or two of something such as veggies, a couple of cans of meat, tuna, chicken, turkey and gravy, roast beef and gravy. Serve the roast beef or turkey over Texas toast, rice or noodles. God bless you and your family.
With all the craziness in the world watching this video is a really nice change
Thank you!
What about fruits, like apples and oranges for the kids snacks?
When i lived back east, Aldi was a lifesaver!!!!!! I have a family of 7, my goal is 125 week. It’s tricky but doable..... Your doing a great job!!!
My family of three. One being a baby who is breastfed , we spent 110$ on food and house hold products last week. I nearly cried. I am only 21 and try desperately to save. This is inspirational
I am glad to encourage you. You should definitely join our Frugal Family Food Facebook group. You can get lots of help there :)
Ashley God bless you I know it's hard I have a family of four and I also breastfeeding my baby and toddler but I know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel
Ashley Bless you. Household products can be expensive. Do you live near a dollar store? If so, buy the bottle of "cleaning vinegar" & use that - but not on marble or granite. You can buy a pack of washcloths there & use as napkins. Newspaper instead of paper towels or a cloth that doesn't leave marks on cleaning mirrors/glass. I made my own laundry soap with less products than what most recipes say & it cleans really well.
Food is the one thing I never mind spending money on it's a necessity....
I wouldn't mind either, if I have it
it's not such a necessity as most think. people over indulge. we can eat much less than people think to survive and be healthy.
@@CiaramarieCeCeStarChild20 Eating healthy is medicine as Hippocrates stated "Let food be thy medicine and let medicine be thy food." 400 BC.
makes me realize how wasteful i am
This is wonderful and you know what it definitely prevents obesity and overeating. I will definitely try this budgeting $100 or less a month.
pretty impressive, I try to stick at 100 a week for family of 3!
Where are the fruits, vegetables... ???
That's one of my most commonly asked questions. Here is my response. ua-cam.com/video/KY163o43USo/v-deo.html
I was thinking the same. I note she has very little vegetables & no fruit or fruit juice, especially for a family of five. She also missed the oil & milk. I hope she buys quality hamburger & poultry meats. Buying too cheap can be unhealthy. We have a grocery outlet in our area--such good quality organic foods for less!!
when I first got married in 1980 we spent 40 dollars every 2 week's and had a lot of food left for the next shopping trip how things change over the yrs. it's amazing
Truth!
When my husband and I moved in together (2001) my mom gave us $25 to get food because we spent all of his paycheck on the rent/deposit/utilities. It seems like we had a cart full. In just 16 years things have change soooo much :(
It's sad that you have to buy mostly processed and animal products to do this. I tried doing a plant based diet and it nearly bankrupted me. I need to learn to grow my own. Grocery stores in my area are priced very high and farmers markets are worse. I mean I could live on potatoes, cabbage, onions and carrots but every time I want some fresh tomatoes, fruit, beets or greens it's like I'm getting robbed. You can feed a family of 4 for two bucks with a box of spaghetti and jar of sauce. Make a nice vegetable curry and it's at least 4 times the cost.
I know it’s an investment but try an instant pot.
I make a lot of beans & lentils in it.
We do spend about $400 a month on 3 people for a plant based diet.
We are healthy and may save money on doctors bills in the future!
$8 for a meal for 4 people seems expensive to you?
+Chris Keith hummm...$400 for plant based diet, I spend bout that bout same mount equal of ppl but my diet is high in fat, calorie, carb n sodium with dinners etc. it not easy. when u have others that want n eat different than you do.
@christopherjones I don't buy any junk foods, no sodas, candy,frozen food, ice cream, hamburger helpers. I buy lots of fruits and veggies and meat, eggs,milk,cheese. I mean all the basics. We have 5 kids, but it just adds up. I live in houston tx and shop at HEBp,Randalls and Walmart.
I wish I knew how to coupon!
tony lex i wish I knew how to also
Watching because im a poor college student 😔😂
Sharing because I understand 😂
😂😂😂 me toooo 😩. I'm like "shoot! Let me go watch some $100 grocery budget videos"
You can do it!! :)
You are doing good for a family of 5. I am by myself and spending more than that
Thank you!
Me too, just me and I spend a lot more than that :-(
This is my first time watching you and I think your information is great. Who are the 800 bleepity-bleeps who gave this video a thumbs down?? Huh?
Crazy. Even if this style of shopping isn't your cup of tea, why give a thumbs down? Lots of good tips and motivation to tighten your own food budget.
Thank you, Fundamental Home (sorry, don't know your name). You're helping a lot of people and I'll be subscribing. I'm single and usually throw caution to the wind when I grocery shop. What I need to do is 'shop my pantry' for awhile. I could survive a snowpocalypse....or two. LOL
I am Amanda :) Thanks for joining me. You can't please everyone ;) Hahaha!! So, I don't worry about it.
Amen! I was reluctant to watch when seeing the 800 down votes. Glad I gave it a shot. Also subscribing.
Thank you :) I appreciate that!
I couldn't feed 2 people with that..What about snacks??Drinks??Fresh veggies and fruits??
Check out my food diaries for more information about how we eat on a day to day basis.
I'm not a pro but one thing I do besides plan is say going to 2 stores this week and I'm going to spend $40 @ each store. It's a mental trick that has worked for a long time.
That's a good plan :)
Lauren Wallace I do that, too! But my limit is $50
This video was very good! You're a lovely woman, very calm and sweet and your daughter is cute too! Thank you for posting this!
Thank you so much!
starts at 6:35
thankyou
Wow! Before I saw this video I thought No Way can any family get by on $100 month for groceries but now that you have laid it all out I see it can be done. This is so inspiring. Thank you so much for this video. You are fabulous!!
Thank you! Check out the food diaries to see how we eat on a daily basis :)
Wow, you are such a blessing to your family, and me right now lol. Loved your haul :)
Thank you for blessing me back!
Wow, I am watching this for the second time. When you said 2016, I had to check the date. I have been watching your channel a long time. I'm glad you are still on UA-cam.
That's what is all about. SMART PLANING. AND SHOPPING.
I have no clue how I stumbled upon this video, but this totally makes me embarrassed on my lack of discipline when it comes to spending money in general. You are doing a great job and setting a great example for your kids!! The for sharing!
Thank you! I appreciate your kind words.
I have a family of 5 and I'm so super excited if I spend less than $1000 a month. To my defense all the kids are teens and eat like crazy!
I love this! You are setting a wonderful example!
Thanks!
Wow. My husband and I spend $250/month on food.
I'm vegan he's not.
I thought we spent so little money on food. And we do.
Living in Sweden. I don't know how much food cost in US.
We never buy sodas, chips, candy or anything like that.
Your doing a great work.
Honestly your fridge looks much better than mine did growing up. Mom did the bet she could but seemed to always be hungry... Good for you
We do pretty well. No one is going hungry here
Thank you for your video. Getting serious about saving money is where it all begins. Saving for your financial future is smart. And for those who want to save, it means locating the stores in your area that are the cheapest, and buying on sale. People often buy what they want rather than what saves money, then they don't understand why groceries are so expensive. Certain stores, like Walmart, mark their meats down a lot almost every day because they are going to expire. Family packs of meats saves a ton, and you can freeze most of it. Using rice, potatoes and noodles to stretch meals saves a lot. Making soups that last days is a good idea. Walmart has loaves of bread for $1 all the time. If you have a Save-a-Lot and Aldi store in your area, you can run laughing to the bank! If you are in dire need, and have no money, find out where your local food banks are by Googling "food bank (your city).
So true! We do very well with our budget. :) I appreciate you sharing your tips!
This is a video that truely makes youtube worthwhile. Great idea. great job!
Thank you! I appreciate that!
FYI. Don't store onions and potatoes in the same place, they will rot.
Thank you!
How far apart do they have to be? I noticed that they do that so i moved them but i don't have enough room. I got two stacking baskets to put them in and put them back in the same cupboard but that was recently so i don't know if it worked.
you have a beautiful spirit
Thank you!
There are no fruits or green vegetables. Looks like a very starchy diet. I have a large family as well (6 kids, 4 are still at home) so a budget is a must. However, I do like a balanced diet. Fresh fruits and veggies, meats, some bread, soups and pasta. I usually end up spending $100 + a week but most of that is on fresh produce. If I can get my garden going again, it'll help me out alot there. Do you supplement with a garden?
We are working on growing our garden. We haven't been too successful since we have clay soil, but we keep trying. We will master it some day.
The Fundamental Home I too live in a location that has very clay soil, and I had a hard time growing more than a few cherry tomato bushes, if even that. The huge difference came when I put in some raised beds. You don't have to spend lots of money-just some old scrap lumber and a good, sunny location. I did have to supplement my soil with compost-And I add fresh compost every spring. I mostly make my own compost out of old vegetable and fruit scraps along with grass clippings, etc. The worms do their thing and I am left with the richest, black organic material you have ever seen!! Now we virtually eat out of garden all summer-eggplants, cauliflower, onions, garlic, tons of potatoes, green and purple beans, etc. it seems at times like the garden is just bursting with more produce than we can eat, so I freeze, dehydrate and can the rest for the winter. I also save all our seeds and use them for the next year-big money saver!! I also live one block from one of the largest cities in the US, and have just a very small suburban garden. Friends and family are shocked at the amount of produce that can be grown in such a small urban area!
Wonderful! Thanks for the suggestion. We added composted horse manure last year, and it helped. I think, if we add another layer this year, it may do the trick. We are also using a mulch method. I am super hopeful. We can now and freeze. A dehydrator is high on my priority list. I would really love a solar one.
The Fundamental Home Oh my gosh-you and me both!! Those solar ovens look amazing-I almost bought one this year, but my nest egg was decimated by some emergency work needed on the house :(. Oh well!! In the meantime, I have been just using our oven, set on the lowest heat possible. I have had great luck dehydrating cherry tomatoes, of which I always have an amazing abundance. I add them to winter slow cooked stews, and they add a great burst of flavor. Good luck in your garden next spring and summer-it'll get there. And it is a great project with the kids-my son loves it!
Davida Kilgore I'm a vegan, so our food is mostly vegetables. We are on a strict budget so we can't always get fresh fruit and vegetables. Frozen vegetables are cheap, and usually snap frozen. So essentially, they are more fresh than the non-frozen. I use those vegetables in curry or stir fry etc.
Thank goodness for UA-cam.
I know, right!
My family loves nut milk, but it was to expensive and went bad to fast for us to purchase it from the store. Solution? I buy the little packs of almonds for under $2 add water and put it in the blender, wallah, nut milk at about 30cents a quart, fresh and additive free!
Great idea!
How much water do you add to it when you blend it? Do you soak in water over night? You don't add any other ingredients to it? Do you strain it after blending? I'm trying to make my own almond milk, but I'd be the only one who drinks it at home, because my husband doesn't like any type of milk at all...
I make a quart at a time so I fill up a mason jar to about 1/2" below the top throw that in the blender with a handful of nuts and or coconut and blend for about 30 secs or more if your blender isnt very powerful. Then strain through a reusable coffe filter back into jar. Thats it! I prefer mine a little thinner than the stuff you can get at the store.
Lorien Larsen Thank you! I like the consistency of it to be on the thinner side also. How long does it last before it goes bad in the fridge? Thank so much for your quick reply! (:
To stretch it even further, you can take the pulp you strained from the milk and dry it out in the oven or in a dehydrator to make almond flour for MUCH cheaper than you can buy it at the store.
WOW just today I spent $71.50 and got a VERY few things. I do notice that ALOT of people that shop easy like this usually only use like 1 potato when making meals and stuff. and WOW one leg and thigh for 5 people I use like 1/2 a ten pound bag when I make meal I am REALLY going to cut down ALOT of food and use less and try to hit it to $200 total a month for 3 people (2 adults 1 child) I can easily use up to $400 a month at the grocery store.
Idk how one leg quarter can make a meal for 2 people let alone 5 people!
A serving size of meat is 3-4 ounces for women and 4-5 ounces for men. Making a meal more filling would be adding more of the cheaper filling items like dried beans, rice, pasta or potatoes.
@@Rhonda858 soup
You need to do some comparison shopping. Find where you can get best deals. Even if it means spreading your shopping around. It's worth it to save money. My go to store is WinCo. If you don't have one then look for good alternative. Also, buy store brand or other cheaper brand. I've found store brand is usually just as good or better than name brand and you save money.
Cooking from scratch will save a ton of money. My budget at it's highest was 100 for a family of 4 back in the 90's. NY.
Home made soup, bread, bakery items ( no ready made mixes). Home made dressing, lots of rice, potatoes, and spaghetti. Thin cut chicken breast, meatloaf Fridays, tons of fresh fruit for eating and pies. Soda was very rare, saved us on dental bills. Milk or juices only. Meals were very rustic and filling. Condiments were bought in bulk for the exception of mayo. 250 bucks only spent in October to stock up for the Winter.
Do you use the bones from chicken for broth? 9 grams of protein and lots of collagen in bone broth serving. A cup with some salt is a healthy snack. We put the bones from everything into a bag in the freezer. When we have a full one or two bags, we boil them for 24 hours in just enough liquid to cover the bones. Then strain. Really delicious and nutritious
Holly Pike good tip, thanks!
We spend $70 for 1.5 weeks for two people, a dog, and a bunny. We try get deals and everything but it’s hard.
It is hard to stay on a budget :)
hamsterloverforever1 the bunny part was SO adorable 😊
hamsterloverforever1 that is a good budget what state do you live in? I know animal items can be expensive.
Thank you it's good to see that real people do this too. I am spending little to no money on food right but have been stocking up all year. I think I have a year worth of food on hand now minus the fresh things you have to buy. Keep doing what you're doing there are so many people that don't know how to do this at all. I just like to learn new tricks from others if I can
I didn't know you could freeze jalapeños. That's great to know
Yep! They are great for soups!
Lydia Solanki I do it all the time
Honestly, i am truly amazed at how cheap it is to do groceries while still getting good quality products, here i don't cook and i spend more than $300 a month feeding ONLY myself. I am inspired.