If you’re reading this, you may be in the same position I was back in 2013. A new mom, transitioning to stay home with her newborn, and suddenly realizing you can’t breastfeed and have to put your baby on formula, an expensive and unexpected expense. On top of all the emotional aspects of having a new baby, you now have to figure out where the money for the formula will come from and how you’ll make it.
This was an unfortunate reality for me and John after we had Allison, and we decided to take the money out of our grocery budget of $60 a week. We were left with $37 to live on for food and household items, and I wondered how we’d do it. It wasn’t perfect, but we survived, and I want to outline exactly what we did for that entire year in hopes that I can encourage someone who might be in the same situation. A few things to note before you read on:
Did we buy organic food? No.
Did we eat “clean”? No.
Did we at least try to eat healthy? Depends on what you call healthy. Keep in mind we were dealing with our first baby and all the hormones and depression that can sometimes go with that, so I ask that you read with an open mind and know that we’re much better now and can see what we eat in my $75 a week grocery trips.
What We Bought and Ate
The two main stores we shopped at during this time were Meijer and Aldi. Aldi was our heavy-hitter, where we bought most of the essentials, and Meijer was for the great coupon deals. Here were some of the items that made its way into our grocery list most weeks:
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Pasta: I only bought pasta when it was less than $1.00 per box. My stock-up price was 50 cents, and I would buy 4-5 boxes at a time.
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Salad dressing: Our main vegetable and side item was salad, with cheese, croutons, and bacon bits (See above question about whether we ate healthy). I could get Kraft salad dressing for less than $1.00 after coupons, so it made for a cheap option.
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Lunch meat: I distinctly remember one week where John said, “You have $18 this week for food. Can you do it?” Meijer had a Buy 8 Items, Get $8 off sale so I bought a lot of deli ham and bologna for something like $.69 each, along with boxes of Velveeta shells and cheese for $.99. We had macaroni and cheese, sandwiches, and wraps all week, but I was under budget!
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Salsa, sour cream, enchilada sauce, tortilla shells: We ate a LOT of simple Mexican food, which consisted of any/all of the previously mentioned items as well as rice and home-cooked dried black beans. We’d eat them as tacos, burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas, or just a regular burrito bowl.
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Kraft macaroni and cheese: Yep, I said it. We ate Kraft macaroni and cheese. It’s still one of our favorite brands and we’d eat it as a complete meal, sometimes adding cut-up hot dogs.
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DiGiorno pizza: If we could get these for under $5, I’d buy a few for the freezer. These were great cheap meal nights!
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Fruits/veggies and baby food pouches: I made Allison’s baby food, using simple fruits and vegetables, and froze the puree in ice cube trays. When she refused purees on a spoon, I bought the pouches instead and gave her one a day. I found that Beech-Nut is the cheapest at $.88 each at Wal Mart.
Here were some of our staples at Sam’s Club:
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Chicken breasts: We bought them at $1.88 per pound, in approximately 5-pound packages, and froze some for future use.
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Chocolate chips: We’d buy a 4-pound bag and use them in pancakes and waffles.
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Pancake mix: I know it’s cheaper to make your own, but for $5.00 we got a lot of mix and it lasted us quite awhile.
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Ground turkey: I can’t remember when we started to buy this, but we started using this instead of ground beef. $2.59/lb as opposed to $2.99+/lb.
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Shredded cheese: We’d buy the 5-pound bags of cheese and froze them into 1-pound bags.
We had to be careful when we bought things at Sam’s. Most things were $10+, so one item would wipe out half our grocery budget for the week. I used Swagbucks when I could, taking surveys here and there to get extra gift cards, but I only got around 2 $25.00 gift cards that entire year.
Recipes We Made
Dinner (Lunch was always leftovers)
- Pizza quesadillas
- Slow cooker caesar chicken sandwiches
- Pizza roll-ups
- Crock pot chicken and stuffing
- Chicken chimi-changas
- Creamy ravioli dinner
- Slow cooker buffalo chicken
- Quick black beans and rice
- Three cheese macaroni with tomatoes
- Cheese quesadillas
- Burrito bowls (rice, black beans, salsa, sour cream, cheese, jalapenos)
- Nachos (Same as above but with tortilla chips)
Breakfast
- Cereal (from Aldi, or large bags at Meijer)
- Piece of sausage on toast
- Chocolate peanut butter overnight oats
- Pancakes/Waffles (Bought a bulk bag of mix at Sam’s, made big batches and froze the leftovers)
How We Finished Out Strong
Allison was born in October 2013, and in April 2014 we got enough money from our tax return to make a big GFS (Gordon Food Services, like Sam’s but mostly restaurant quality food/items) and Sam’s Club run. We bought household essentials: paper towels, tissues, toilet paper, freezer bags, etc. We also bought food for a month’s worth of meals. I used this $5 Dinner’s monthly menu for Sam’s Club. (Note: It looks like this menu is now only for purchase and no longer free.) All the paper goods lasted us almost 6 months, which was when we were able to finally up our grocery budget!
How we survived
I prayed constantly. I didn’t think we could continue this for a full year, but little things happened that I just knew was God at work. If we needed to buy something we were almost out of, it would magically be on sale the next week, or it would be the off week that we didn’t need to buy formula, or I somehow had enough Swagbucks to get a gift card to use at Sam’s! We were never in need, and we got through it, and we were still faithful.
If you’re in a similar situation, remember that you WILL get through this. Times will be tough. You’ll probably cry because you just want a little extra money for groceries. I’ve been there, multiple times, and there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel. Keep praying, keep doing your best with what you have, and you’ll make it through your situation with an inspiring story to share and a better understanding of how you can survive on a shoestring budget. Don’t be afraid to leave a comment here for those who might be struggling!
I thought you were going to say you didn’t eat meat, ate the same thing every night, or ate bland, tasteless meals. I am amaze at your planning, creativity, and determination! Great job!
Thanks,
Raki
Haha, thanks! =) There were times when I got so tired of just plain rice and beans, but I knew it’d get better soon!
I am very wowed. I’m going to try it because we struggle way too often.
After reading this it gave me some hope! Myself, my husband and our daughter are going through very hard times. I am a full time college student and my husband just got laid off for the past few weeks I have had to totally rethink the way I buy groceries. I used to just walk in the grocery store and buy whatever I wanted us to eat for the week and buy pricey meals and now we are having difficulty paying bills and groceries are put on the back burner. So after reading this I feel like you were talking to me and reassured me everything will be okay and god will see us through this.
Amelia, I’m so sorry to hear about your husband’s job loss! We were in the same situation last year; it really changes the way you think about buying food! I hope that your husband has a quick turn-around and can find a job soon. I wrote a post while my husband was unemployed about how to eat when you have no income. Hopefully this will give you more ideas on how to survive temporarily. Good luck to you! https://www.nogettingoffthistrain.com/frugal/how-to-eat-no-income/
I know that times are rough. You should consider going to your financial aid office and borrowing more money to help you through these difficult times. The room and board portion can be used to live off of campus and get you through these tough times. Also, see if either of you can get a job on campus, then tuition will be for free (you may have to work for a year or so for this benefit).
Hopefully this helps.
It’s so refreshing to see such a humbling post. More importantly, you gave God the glory for all the inspiration, the encouragement, the peace you had knowing he was by your side through this tough time, yet relying on Him to be your provider. I see this post is a few years old, but still resonates with people in need today. Thank you for your encouraging comments to them all.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate that. =)
Being a single mom ita a struggle….thank you for your help!!
Great ideA, I also brought toilet paper baggies, cleaning supply toothpaste at dollar store,twice a month, can soups , crackers made banana an pumpkin bread and homemade snack foods supplemented babies diet an used powered formula an les of it an lined diapers w lady pads in a pinch.
Using ground turkey is a great alternative to ground beef and it’s better for you! In spaghetti sauce, chili, and many other meals you cannot taste the difference. Ground turkey is 1.50 in one pound chubs, frozen food dept.
We use ground turkey a lot, too! Sometimes we can get ground beef at the same price, so we’ll buy some when it’s on sale. It gives us a little iron boost, which my family is a little low on. =)
I don’t think I could ever spend $37 per week for groceries and I only shop for myself, haha! Granted, I do buy a lot of organic food, so I’m sure that isn’t helping my bill 😉
Yeah, it’d be kind of difficult to do all organic food that cheaply. =) But organic is good! Perhaps someday I’ll get us on more organic foods.
You can pay the farmer or you can pay the doctor. I think you have chosen wisely for the long run.
This is the most important thing to remember! I’m willing to add to my grocery bill (if I can). My mantra is eat the best food you can afford and know you’ve done what you can. Such awesomeness in the post and comments!
Thanks!
Thank you, Rhonda! I love seeing all the inspiration here. =)
wow what an impressive plan you’ve followed! I need to step up my grocery game 😀 thanks for sharing this!
http://storybookapothecary.com ♥ stop by and chat 🙂
Thank you! =)
Good job and getting by.
Thank you very much!
This is impressive!
Thank you! I hope it helped!
Wow!! I’m saving this post in case I need it! That was a tight budget, but you made it work, and still ate pretty good!
Yes, I’m so thankful it was at least a little variety. =)
wow! That is incredible. There is no way that I spend under $40 a week for meals and it’s just me! Kudos to you for making it work!
$40 is still really good! That’s awesome!
I think it is awesome how you guys made it work! We all make sacrifices for the sake of family!
Thank you! It was definitely quite a sacrifice.
This post is awesome! I never thought you would be able to make it on that little! I love the choices too. You didn’t have to give up the delicious meals!
Thanks! We were definitely happy to still eat fairly well.
Wow, this is great advice! We are definitely trying to cut down on our grocery bill…..these tips are awesome!
Awesome! You can do it! =)
My household is working on a budget right now (since I have left my job to pursue writing) and man is it tough! Doable, but tough! There are some great tips in here! Sam’s is always great for budgets. There is a lot of prep work involved but it is totally worth it. Great post—thanks!
This is super impressive! I spend about $50 every two weeks but I’m only buying for me! I also am picky about certain foods and don’t eat many processed foods, so I do hope I could eat more cheaply if I had to.
Awesome!
Wow! Super impressive. I am impressed with myself if I spend under $125 for my family of 4! This is amazing!
I was encouraged by this. Thanks.
Please drop by!
Blessings,
Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage
Exhausting, colicky/reflux baby days definitely made it hard for me to buy and prepare food- getting through the coupons and *burning* a meal took so much precious time! Your easy meals at a low cost make a lot of sense for that stage. Our family of 5 eats a ton of food, but, with the children older and out playing or helping, I now have more time available to garden, preserve, and cook from scratch.
That picture says a lot. Buying in bulk so you can pin down a price per unit you can handle is important. Thanks for posting. Hello from Thrifty Thursday.
Great post! Always looking for ways to save on groceries1
Thank you! It definitely takes some tweaking, but it’s so worth it!
awesome ideas! I need this right now so thank you!
Thank you! I hope this can help you at least a little bit. =)
Shopping at warehouse stores is definitely the way to go when you can, especially for meat, cheese, and paper goods. I spent like $117 at Costco last week and bought enough meat (ground beef, frozen chicken breasts, frozen fish fillets, pork chops) to last us probably 2 months.
It’s a bit harder for us to stay on or under budget since our stores don’t do coupons and from what I’ve seen, don’t have many good deals, either. I think you did great with what you could.
Thank you! I also love stocking up on meat. It’s mostly chicken breasts and ground turkey, but sometimes I’ll get pork loin if it’s on a good sale.
THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE FEAT AND I CANNOT BELIEVE IT!!! $37 is like a meal for me! That’s actually really embarrassing to admit! 😮
Great tips! We did the same when my first son was born, and we didn’t even have formula to buy! We cut out meat for a long time and basically lived off of rice and beans. No kidding.
Thanks for linking up with Share the Wealth Sunday. I’m going to share this on my Facebook page and blog this week.
Going through tough times makes us appreciate the good times even more. It is challenging to transition to one income and it sounds like you managed to find your way. Budgeting is definitely a critical piece of the puzzle.
As I read your post I could almost have been reading about my own situation a few years ago. We also survived on a menu very similar. One meal we survived on was Lentil chili. I would buy the lentils in bulk at my grocery store, add a can or two of tomato sauce (depending on how large a batch I was making) a packet of chili seasoning and it was good to go. If I was having a good week I could throw in some ground beef, but that was not frequent. I would make a big pot and it would last us for two dinners and lunches, and all for less than $2.50. I also made a lot of breakfast for dinner items like biscuits and gravy and pancakes. They are filling and cheap even if not the most healthful. It was a long year and there were a lot of foods I didn’t want to look at for a couple years after the fact, but it also taught me that I could be very resourceful when I needed to be.
Thank you so much for sharing! It’s so easy to feel guilty about not eating the “best” or healthiest when you’re on a very small grocery budget, but like you found out, you gotta do what you gotta do to survive!
Last year our grocery budget was $60 a week. That was for our family of 7. The year before the grocery budget was $30-40 a week. It is super hard. You did an amazing budget- I wouldn’t even call it unhealthy. Now I have $100 a week, and I feel so spoiled.
Wow, that is AMAZING! I can’t even imagine trying to feed a family of seven. =) I have great respect; you definitely know how to keep a budget!
Living paycheck to Tuesday (mind you that payday is on Friday) can be difficult so this post is so inspirational, as well as helpful. The Lord is so faithful to those who put their faith in Him and I’m so grateful for that. Thanks so much.
Wow i loved ur story it is embarrassing to say but my husband just got arrested and he was our only provider i tell my kids no more eating out we have to cook meals at home and try to do what u did but my family is helping me go thru this thank god for them…
Oh Lucy, I’m so sorry to hear that! I’m praying for you. I’m so glad you have a family that stands by your side in the rough times!
A few changes would have freed up more money for vegetables and fruit. Ditch all the disposable items and eat oatmeal instead of cereal.
Thankfully we have a little more knowledge than we did back then. =) We did eat some oatmeal as well; my favorites were the overnight oats! Like I had said above, we did the best we could with what we had and what we knew, and we are now eating much better!
It’s definitely inspiring you were so creative and frugal with your budget, but eating real, healthy food on this budget is impossible. The foods that you purchased, are, unfortunately, packed with preservatives and chemicals. And I doubt the produce was organic. I know it’s really hard to afford organic for a lot of people, and I’ve been there. But you can still eat much cleaner than Kraft, Digorno and Valveeta-and probably much cheaper-by sticking to real, whole ingredients.
You’re absolutely right; it’s almost impossible to eat completely healthy on this kind of a budget. It was a one-year season in our lives that was really tough financially, and we did the best we could with what we had and what we knew. When I tell this story to others, I do say that yes, it wasn’t the healthiest, but you gotta do what you gotta do to survive the hard times! We eat much better now and use healthier ingredients. =)
I beg to differ. my fridge and freezer are packed with fruits , vegetables and meat. while we certainly don’t eat meat alot we eat lots of produce. We eat meat every other day for only dinner. we are able to get organic fruit and veggies for 40$ and get our free range beef for 40$ for 3 cuts at a farmers market. 30$ for other things like yogurt beans ,pasta cheese and oat meal which I get in bulk. so 110$ for two weeks for 3 people. so for 55$ per week I can support local ethical farmers and get healthy food. we meal plan , eat lots of soup from the broth I make with my meat , left overs and no processed foods. Granted now … I could save 30$ by not getting pastured eggs and non grass fed meat,and non organic but I dont want to support mega factory farmed operations eating unhealthy animals and chemical laden fruits and vegetables. We try to get organic as much as possible but not everything we buy is like pasta . So yes I do limit our buying power but we never eat out , we also use family sized shampoos for all of us (lasts 3 months) family cloth,cloth diapers and reusable storage containers instead of plastic bags and wash our clothes by hand in grey water.. We also buy things like bleach and cleaning supplies from the dollar store. my husband doesn’t make much so I do what I can to make our budget stretch. it is possible to live healthy on a budget.. you just got to rethink what you can do without..like milk, sour cream,meat,plastic baggies,toilet paper and individual shampoos/soaps for everyone.
This is inspiring, thank you for sharing! We’re not buying organic right now although I’m open to it, but now that my husband is out of work and we’re eating cheaply again with no income, I’m learning more and more about eating healthier on a budget. I’m glad to know it’s possible!
Gracious response to that comment! Good for you and your hard work and results being a good homemaker and steward!!
Thank you, Julie!
You are VERY fortunate that food is so cheap there!! In Australia coupons dont exist and we really only have Two supermarket chains and they are not hyper competitive! For an idea, chicken breast is between $14-21 per kilo, Ham and deli meats on the lowest special are $17.99 per kilo and pasta shells on special are $2 a packet. We pay through the roof for everything!!
A kilo is equal to 2 1/4 pounds so $14.00 for chicken = about $6.00 a pound
Holy cow, that’s a lot of money! It’s amazing to see the differences in prices of food where everyone lives. 😮 That’s so crazy!
I miss Aldi so much. They don’t exist where I live now, but I grew up with one in the midwest. But we do have a Winco which has bulk food- and I LOVE that- and they are really inexpensive compared to other stores. It BLOWS my mind how some stores are so inflated! There’s a Kroger family of stores- and one is moderately overpriced and the other is more upscale, little more fancy, gourmet, Whole Foods vibe, but the SAME product can vary more than a couple dollars! It’s crazy. Budgeting is so important. Some weeks it’s like a bonus when it feels almost effortless. Then some weeks it’s like.. oh, yeah… ugh… lol It’s a priceless skill.. <—- oh pun intended. lol I should get out more… lol
Man, I don’t know what I’d do without Aldi! I totally agree about the budgeting thing. Some weeks I’m just awesome at getting everything under budget, and other weeks I just look at the money we have and think, “How can we eat with THIS?”
I am really impressed you really ate pretty well for having money so tight. I picked up some ideas myself. Thank you.
Thank you for your kind words! I really appreciate it. =)
Going thru this right now! But I am a family of 7. I just left Aldis and spent 55.95 on some box dinner and a big tray of ground beef. I am hoping this will last us 10 days. So for 10 days it will be nothing but box dinner. I still have to get milk for the twins and some cereal.
Oh my! Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do. =) Remember, it’s a season in our lives and things do get better!
That is a very tight budget to work with but buying large bags of potatoes, carrots and onions are cheap. Also spices in bulk are way cheaper than packaged spice mixes for chili, etc. Dried beans and other legumes are another great buy and they freeze beautifully to add in small amounts to salads and other meals. A big bag of outmeal and some eggs are also good purchases to make. All things I do to keep our budget in check.
Great job-it’s very difficult to shop for food on a small budget. My question is why was there so much name brand products purchased? Being in Canada will mean the cost will be much higher than $37/week but I couldn’t touch that even though I buy basically no-name products and lots of bulk foods as well as vegetables. I feel so frustrated because I can’t feed the 2 of us on less than $80-90 per week. What am I doing wrong?????
Hi Kathleen! I can’t even imagine living in Canada where things are more expensive. It may be almost an impossibility to reach $37 a week with higher prices! When I purchased the name brand products, it was because I either had a coupon, or it was on sale to the point where it was even cheaper than the store brand. I hate paying full price for anything, so I keep a mental price list so that when I see something go on sale, I check my price list to see if it’s really the lowest price.
Is couponing a thing in Canada? I know a few countries don’t even have coupons and have really high prices. Other than that, my advice is to look at what you’re buying and see if you can make any of it instead! For example, any kind of bread or sauces, like spaghetti or pizza sauce. I save at least a few dollars a week just doing that!
Thanks for the explanation-that makes so much more sense and I know that happens now and then, even here. I’ve even found some of those kinds of deals.
People do coupon and my favourite store does post them at the front but they are all basically name brands and I refuse to buy name brands (unless the no-name has proven to be inferior). I’ve asked the store to provide coupons for no-name but I’m guessing that it wouldn’t make sense to them.
I stay away from ready-made items-we make basically everything from scratch, I cook beans from scratch and freeze them. I can 75-100 pints of tomatoes in the fall, I buy strawberries from the farm and pick my own blueberries, blackberries and raspberries and freeze them. We usually eat 3 vegetarian meals a week and have leftovers 2 nights with meat only on the weekends.
I just feel as if there must be something I’m missing in this endeavour because it seems impossible to reduce the bill down to a reasonable $50 or so per week.
It sounds like you’re doing everything right! =) I think there’s a balance between eating as cheaply as possible and eating healthy. When you get down to under a certain budget, you tend to buy more boxed foods just because it’s cheaper, and while that’s okay for seasons in your life, it may not be the best for the long run. We now spend around $60 a week for the 3 of us, and even then I still buy some convenience foods just because we like them (I’m a sucker for Velveeta!)
$60 U.S would likely translate to $75 or so for us in Canada which I can live with. I have to backtrack on my saying that I never buy processed foods-I do slip now and then. Buying tortilla chips, no-name salsa and a few other things.
Thanks again for the pointers and I’m going to keep on working on lowering our grocery budget.
You did a wonderful job providing for your family and keeping everyone’s bellys full.
I remember several times where my husband and I literally only had $10 left for the week and we had to use it for gas to get to work until payday. Some of those weeks we were so strapped we considered siphoning gas from his car to mine since he works from home and didn’t really need to dive anywhere. During those times we’d raid the pantry and put together a meal with whatever we had in there. Some were actually really yummy and unique, others were bad attempts, but we ate them anyway!
My husband does all the grocery shopping and usually keeps about a $40 a week budget. We’re vegetarian so we don’t have to worry about expensive meat. Pound for pound we can buy 3 to 4 times more fruits and veggies than we could I we had to buy meat products. We don’t eat pasta or potatoes often, so that $40 usually consists of fruits, veggies (fresh and frozen), maybe some bread (just acquired a bread maker so we can cross that off the list), and dairy/eggs. The best things that has helped us keep on budget is no meat. That stuff is so expensive we don’t understand how people can afford to eat it!
Wow, I’m so glad you were able to get through that! I like hearing about others’ eating habits, too. =) We probably eat a little more meat than we need to, so it’s nice to see that we can eat vegetarian meals and still keep them cheap!
This is so amazing and inspiring. Those seasons last only for a while and I’m a bride to be knowing that it’s going to be challenging. The main thing I loved is that your focus was relying on God for his provision and then using good planning and knowledge. I’ll be continuing to do the same and now I have some inspiration! Listening to the wisdom of God pays off!
Thank you for your kind words, and congratulations! =) God had gotten us through rough situations like this before, and I knew He’d get us through this one too.
This is so inspiring! Thank you for sharing all your tips. The one that stood out the most to me is praying when shopping. It works! I’ve been learning about how to grocery shop in a smarter way and to include the Lord, He provides! Almost everything on my list was on sale last week! From your new friend over at http://www..housemixblog.com
Thank you! Isn’t it amazing how God listens, even with the “little” things in our lives? =)
I am always looking for a way to eat cheaper but I was startled by how little healthy food was here…Kraft dressing and lunch meat…I really worry about that. That’s really toxic food. Doesn’t it bother you?
Thankfully, we’re eating a lot better now! Like I said above, we did the best we could with what we had available to us. It was for a small season in our lives and we’re past that hurdle of having to buy formula. It wasn’t always the best foods, but it worked for that short season!
Do they not have WIC where you live? Same thing happened to me and my husband. We signed up for WIC and it was a god send. They give you 7 cans of formula a month and a lot of food too. My son is now 2 and they still help us out with food and 4 gallons of milk for my son. They make sure you and your kids are eating right. . You should add a little something to your post urging women in your same position to look into WIC.
Thank you for the suggestion! I’ll see if I can add it in there. To be honest, I think we COULD have just taken the money for formula from somewhere else, and just not put as much money into savings or something. Part of this was just wanting to challenge myself to see if we could do it. But you’re absolutely right; if we were in a very dire situation, I would have looked into WIC. It’s helped so many people that I know!
Wow, you are dead on. And I’ve eaten like this before. Main staples like hot dogs and Mac & Cheese often.
Thanks for beng honest about s tight budget. As I find this honesty hard to find now.
I really appreciate that, Kathy! It really wasn’t the *best* food in terms of nutrition, but it was for a short time and I had to do what I could to feed my family. =)
Thanks for sharing. The diaper coupons will come in handy when my daughter’s baby arrives.
Amazing! You really made the best of it. But seriously, it is so shameful that baby formula is so expensive. Truly, those companies ought to actually be deeply ashamed of themselves.
Thank you! =) You’re right, formula is SO expensive. It made me feel so guilty that my body couldn’t produce what my baby needed, but we did it, and I learned a lot from it.
My first thought when reading through this post was “gosh, that’s a lot of ‘junk’ food – where are the vegetables? That’s so unhealthy!” But then I realized that you probably already knew this, and then I read through the comments and saw how many times people still felt the need to point this out to you. But you handled it graciously every time! Thanks for being so honest and so patient with people!
I really appreciate that. =) As a sleep-deprived first-time mom, I just wanted to survive. Looking back, it really wasn’t the best way, but it was what I knew how to do. We’re actually in the same boat of having to lower our grocery budget to $30 a week due to my husband losing his job, but my knowledge of nutrition has increased and I’m trying to incorporate as much fresh produce as I can with what I have. It’s still not perfect, but it’ll have to do until we get income again!
Sounds like the worst diet ever
It really wasn’t the best! Like I said at the beginning, it was a hard season in our life and I did the best I could with what we had. You’ll be happy to know that we’re eating better now!
Jamie… as a woman who is struggling to make ends meet as a teacher and going through a separation from her husband (and a possible divorce) I was in an absolute panic when I looked at my budget for groceries. However, this blog gives me hope. If you can do it, so can I! Thank you so much for sharing and inspiring to plan instead of panic!
Erin, thank you for sharing this! I wish you the best of luck with everything and I’ll say a prayer for you.
Before powdered baby formula, evaporated milk was used. It is mixed with water and then a dropperful of vitamins added. It is almost the same as powdered formula BUt without the added corn syrup!!! Much better!! and much much much cheaper.
Wow, I had no idea! Thanks for sharing, that’s really interesting. =)
I also used evaporated milk for my children Back in the 1960s. We were living on a military service man’s salary. And sad too say but very few women breast feedback then. That wasn’t the modern thing to do. Jamie you are to be commended for doing your best. And I’m happy to see so many young women being so frugal.
I have four kids and at one point after the divorce we were eating mostly rice and beans, pasta casseroles, tuna, peanut butter sandwiches, oatmeal and for a treat fried chicken legs or thighs that were on sale. I’d make sure to buy 99 cent bags of frozen vegetables to throw into casseroles and whatever fruit was on sale for 99 cents a pound. A few other tricks I picked up were to buy meat that was reduced because it was getting older. I’d use it right away or throw it into the freezer. I also made my own sauces, pancake mix and laundry soap. The kids loved my homemade pizza that I’d make with a little tomato sauce, seasonings and a package of 99 cent cheese. Or baked potatoes topped with melted cheese and served with a salad. They asked for favorite meals occasionally that were too expensive for the budget but for the most part I don’t think they realized how poor we were. Luckily, we are doing a little better now.
Thank you so much for sharing! We’re currently doing all the things you’ve mentioned except the laundry soap, although we did in the past. I wish you the best of luck right now!
I know this is a old post but you don’t know how much I needed this. When I read the end I literally almost cried. My husband and I are having a rough time and can’t even really pay our bills. We bought a house last year to raise our baby in then found out I was pregnant again. That was great. Then he lost his job and here we are. I make ok money but not enough. This will help us so much. Thanks!
Angela, thank you for sharing this! I’ll be keeping you in my prayers. You do what you have to do to keep your family sheltered and fed. =)
I really loved this post. I am so impressed at your determination, humility, and creativity. You are an inspiration! My family doesn’t really have to struggle these days, but we have certainly been there. I wish we had had your “can-do” attitude instead of focusing on what we were missing out on. You are an inspiration, and I am sure that your story will encourage families for years to come! Well done!
Thank you, I appreciate that! =) I’m so glad my story can help people.
I really appreciate this post. First off, I get the no-milk thing. I felt like such a failure. Guess what? It’s just part of how God made our bodies. #cantwinemall
We had nearly the opposite problem: a way-too-early baby with a load of medical bills, and special formula to boot. We aren’t currently in a dire situation, but I think it’s always prudent to not overspend. I’m gun shy after so. many. medical. bills. You have a great selection of tips, and I’m glad they aren’t “shop the farmer’s market (ours is more expensive)” or “go to the bulk spice store (we don’t have one).” This is serious budget shopping for real people!
Thank you for sharing this, Emma! Looks like you and I are both in better situations now. I love our farmer’s market now, but you’re right, it is more expensive. I don’t think we have a bulk spice store nearby, either! You gotta do what you gotta do to save money. I appreciate your story!
I just came across this post. I’m so glad I did. Our grocery budget went from $100 a week to $50,
(on a good week) after I got pregnant with my second and had to leave my job. My son is now 9 months but what I made would hardly cover daycare for him all day and our 6yr old after school. My husband makes enough money to pay our bills but the food budget is going to be so tight for the next couple months! I do plan on donating plasma again as soon as I can to help pay for groceries. Its 2 donations a week (about an hr each donation) and ends up paying $70 total. Its really worth going in a pinch! Also you can usually find coupons in your local ads to earn even more. Anyways this really comes in handy! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you for sharing, Heather! It’s so tough having to essentially cut your grocery budget in half. I’ve never thought about donating plasma, that’s a good idea to make a little extra money! =)
I remember very well that feeling of transitioning to SAHM and trying to figure out how I was going to make it work. I also had a two-week late baby who entered the world at 10 lbs 6 oz, so I understand how those big babies eat A LOT. I love your meal plan and reminder to look at our lives as seasons–that attitude makes it so much easier to weather the harder times. Thanks for writing this!
Thank you for your encouragement! It’s so nice to hear that I wasn’t alone in this. =)
I’m so sad I found this post late. We are trying to save for a down payment for a house instead of living in an apartment. Do you have any tips to cut the food budget for a family of 5 I currently spend about $150 a week. Would like to cut that down to have more money to pocket away. We have a pretty picky family.
Hi Samantha! I have a couple posts that I wrote last year when my husband lost his job and we cut our grocery budget- How to Eat When You Have No Income, and Meals to Make When You Have No Money. I still hold to these tips even now that we have a stable income again! One recent thing that’s helped me is going to a bread outlet store- Entenmann’s, Aunt Millie’s, Hostess, etc. Do a Google search for one in your area if you buy a lot of bread. My outlet marks down bread, buns, bagels, English muffins, and more, down to 50 cents/$1.00. If you have room in your freezer, it’s worth buying a lot and freezing for later! I hope this can help you a little. =) Good luck saving for your down payment!
What a lovely testimony to the goodness of God. I quit teaching when I was expecting our daughter. Our son came 6 years later. We always said we didn’t have our children so someone else could raise them. We lived on one modest income and I felt pretty frustrated at times, but we were never hungry or in dire need. God always provided. Our children 43 and 37 now with families of their own. We are still trusting God and He is good.
Thank you for your kind words! It’s definitely difficult to live on one income, but it’s amazing how God provides in the toughest of times!
I just saved 2 articles for reference and they were both yours! I love these tips and ideas. Always trying to save on groceries when we are struggling (like now) and when we are not. There is almost a feeling of desperation deep down when you have less than a certain amount of money for the week to feed a family of 4, sometimes 6 people and your ideas show how far every penny really can go! Thank you!
Thank you, Natalie! I really appreciate that. It’s so hard when you feel like you just don’t have enough money, but God will provide!
These are all really great! My family of 4 recently had to cut our budget down to $50-$60 a week. A few other really great cheap meals you can make are: French bread pizza
Bread $1, pasta sauce $1.38, cheese $2, pepperoni $2 (feeds 4 with left overs)
Fritto pie: bag of frittos, can of chili, half a bag of shredded cheese bake st 400 for 30 mins it’s amazing and so easy and around $4
I make a lot of hamburger helper with ground turkey which is usually about $3-$4 total to make.
We also make a lot of breakfast for dinner, bacon eggs and toast or sausage and eggs which ever is cheaper.
Love the post it’s nice to know I’m not alone in trying to make cheap meals for my family when you done have a lot to work with!
Thank you, Courtney! =) Frito pie sounds amazing; I’ll need to add it to my dinner rotation soon!
In many states you can get free baby formula. Wick program. This also gives free food for baby until they are five years old regardless i
of income
That’s good info to know for those who may need it! =)
I’m crying reading over your post and these comments. We were in that same place when our first child was born. I remember holding a $20 in one hand and a list in the other at the entrance to Aldi and praying, “well God, this one is on You.” And then I’d walk into the store and they’d have milk at 25 cents just for that day and meat with that lovely $5 off sticker and bread for 10 cents and I would just smile. It’s stressful and hard and yet caused me to strengthen those trust muscles and get creative.
And this is just for anyone else who is reading these like I am: I remember one day standing in the grocery store having a full blown panic attack because I was killing my kids by not feeding them organic blueberries (not to mention that their “favorite” meal is bologna and cheese sandwiches). I went home and told my husband that I could not have this happen every time I shopped or fed our kids. We talked it through and decided that day that our family is simply not an organic food family. We will do what we can but we don’t sacrifice their greater good (which includes us living within our budget and their momma not having panic attacks in the grocery store) for the good of organic blueberries vs. non organic. Let go of the guilt. The season you’re in is not forever. Do what you can today and be proud of it. Love on your family and feed them. You’re doing a great job.
Thank you so much for sharing this, Stephanie! It’s amazing how God provides in the toughest of times. I agree, we should have no guilt in feeding our family by doing the best we can. Organic or not, they’re being fed and ultimately that’s what matters!
Jaime, I just love your post and how gracious you are in your comments! Definitely a good example! Keep up the good work and God bless!
Thank you for your kind words, Grace! I’m so glad you enjoyed this post. =)
Just came across your article and could cry knowing there was someone it there in the same situation we were in with our first child. Aldi was a lifesaver! My first birth is now 4 and we have a 10 month old now. I was just thinking the other day how different things are (financially) with #2. No stress about being able to afford diapers and formula….we just buy them when we need them…and I’ll never take it for granted! Having been in a much different spot in life with #1 was truly humbling. Thank you for sharing your experience and strategy to get through it.
Thank you, Lauren! God saw us through some wonderful and tough times, and it’s always good to look back to see what we’ve learned since then. =) I still love Aldi!
Jaime, I remember those days 19 years ago when we had our first baby. Unfortunately for my family we live in an area that only has one chain grocery store, one discount chain store, Wal-Mart, and local stores. We do have a food co-op but the prices are more expensive than the grocery store. We have a family of six, about to drop down to having only five in the house, and I am always looking for ways to lower our grocery budget. I would love to see posts by bloggers that did not include coupons or places like Aldi. We do not even have a Costco closer than a two hour drive from us. This is not to insult your post, but I would love to see what somebody could get for say $50 a week without coupons or Aldi’s or discount bread stores. Out where I am at the cheapest cost for ground beef is $4/lb. chicken is typically $2+/lb., and pork is usually around $3-$4/lb. Fruits are rarely under $2/lb. unless it is bananas. Veggies we can get for around $1/ea. or $3+/lb. I am trying to learn about canning and what can be frozen, so I can buy things in season and freeze for later. Our grocery store does do the discounts on meat when its reached its expiration date, but they never go about 20% off. Still, your post has made me feel better about the occasional boxed meal that I will feed my family when money is tight, there is nothing wrong with this, and I also want to commend you on your responses to those posts.
Thank you, Karen! I understand about needing to shop at non-Aldi stores. I’m sure there are some bloggers out there who also don’t have discount stores in their area! But, you’ve given me an idea to stop by my local Wal Mart to see just what I can buy with a smaller grocery budget. =)
Thank you! Our family has hit a point where we have to start cutting costs drastically and it seems that groceries are one of the few ways I can control. We have accumulated some debt (most of it our own fault for living beyond our means) that needs to be paid down as soon as possible. This post reminded me that short term sacrifices can lead to better places. When my son was little we were also in a similar situation financially and I can remember when we went to Save A Lot and bought the boxes of mac and cheese for 25 cents each and I had canned a bunch of green beans from a garden we had raised at my parents house the previous year. Needless to say we ate green beans and mac and cheese for what seemed like an eternity. Definitely not healthy or organic, but we were fed and we survived. I appreciate your kindness and grace with the commenters who were less than nice about the health aspect of your meals. You have reminded me what is truly important in life and for that I thank you! This season in our life will soon pass, but for now it is blog posts like this one that give me new ideas to help us survive and thrive! Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
Thank you, Belinda! You gotta do what you gotta do to survive; and although it’s not always ideal, your family’s getting fed, and that’s what matters!
Thank you for this post. We are a family of six and have never been like this before. So I am trying to do my best with what little bit we have since we are a one income family now. I found this article so useful and will be implementing some things when I plan out my next grocery haul.
Your last couple of paragraphs is where I have been this past week. Trying to find out where we would get the money from to feed our family until payday. We shopped on $30, although I didn’t get a lot, we will be eating this week. Thank God for placing items we needed on sale or having some items discounted, my many of coupons that Kroger keeps sending me. I don’t know how we got through this week. So thank you!
Thank you for sharing this, Astrid! God is so good; sometimes when we can’t even fathom how we’ll survive, God makes a way. I’ll pray that you can find peace in this situation and will be in a better place soon!
Thank you for this post! You are open and honest about what you were able to afford/ not afford, and that is so inspiring. I am going to try to implement some of your ideas. We are a one-income family of 8, trying to make a small budget work with hungry mouths to feed. I think your reliance on prayer and God is the most remarkable thing! I too have been praying a lot recently, and it seems Our Heavenly Father never runs out of personally unique, creative ways to take care of us. I have experienced this firsthand. Thank you for sharing your family’s story.😊
Thank you so much! Sometimes it’s a struggle to feed 3. I imagine feeding 8 gets really creative! =) God definitely takes care of us when we need Him!
Thank you for sharing this. My husband told me this week our food budget is $39.00 per week. We are a family of five (three small children). We are hoping to pay off our car by the end of the year. It seems impossible right now. I went to Aldi today and felt defeated to be honest. I know that “this to shall pass,” but it seems like such a struggle. Thank you again for sharing your experience.
I’m so sorry that you have to go through this too, Christine. It’s a struggle for sure, but I know the freedom of having no car payment is so worth it!
Thanks for sharing. You did a great job.
Thank you, Pam!
I think this a great testimony to the things God can do for us if we just believe in him and trust him I’ve also had times like this also going to thrift stores for school clothes for 6 kids and God made sure we had what we needed
Thank you! God is amazing and has seen us through many times, even after this happened. =)
I’m sure you’ve heard it a thousand times, but that was incredibly… moving? touching? inspiring? I’m not really sure what to say it is, I just know I am almost in tears at your strength. I hope you all are doing well, thank you again for sharing this.
Thank you so much! I’m happy to say we’re in a better place now, in regards to finances and eating better. =)
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Great blog, just curious why buy formula? A few commentators here also mention formula, I would think if the budget is tight breast feeding which is healthier anyway and free would be an obvious choice. Not judging, just curious since it’s not just you but lots of mom’s commenting on here that specifically mention formula. Thanks and great work here!
Thank you, Kate! I tried for 2-3 months to breastfeed Allison, and unfortunately it just wasn’t working. Lactation consultants tried to help but I just couldn’t make it happen. In order to save my sanity as a first-time mom (and try to conquer that post-partum depression), we decided it would be best to switch to formula. =) If I were able to breastfeed, I definitely would have!
Ok, I NEVER leave a comment but I am so very inspired by this article that I just had to write something! Thank you so much for this, my husband and I have 2 small daughters (2.5 yo and 6 mo) and we are up to our eyeballs in debt. I’ve always tried to stick to a strict budget but it’s hard, I’m in Australia where (as another person commented) we don’t have coupons or much competition between supermarkets. So groceries are EXPENSIVE here. Anyway, your article has given me so much inspiration and some great new ideas. And I love that you leave your trust in God and that He will provide – I’m such a worry wart but remind myself every day that God will make sure we have what we need to survive! Having young kids and being constantly sleep deprived makes it so hard to make things from scratch, your menu is perfect for families especially those with young kids, and is A LOT better than eating at fast food restaurants. You have a wonderful balance of foods that are easy to prepare when running around looking after a baby/toddler which involves nappy changes, nappy explosions, feeding, entertaining, constant loads of laundry, dishes, crying (baby AND me at times!), nap times, baths etc etc. I’m also a paediatric nurse (on mat leave right now) and look after lots of mums and bubs with feeding issues. I love the saying ‘fed is best’ – I know so many mums who have tried so hard to breastfeed but simply can’t and end up with postnatal depression because they feel like failures, which is so far from the truth. Formula is excellent these days, so expensive but very well formulated for what bub needs. I’ve been very lucky that I’ve been able to breastfeed but I wouldn’t hesitate to get formula if needed – much more important that baby is well nourished and thriving! Sorry for the long post but just wanted to say thank you for ‘keeping it real’ for busy families, it’s a lot healthier than snacking on lollies and chips all day and gives me hope that we will get this debt under control in a timely manner! God Bless!
Thank you so much! That’s really inspiring to hear. I’ve heard Australia is super expensive, but it really sounds like you’re doing an awesome job! =)
That sounds familiar to me. We too had to do the same things, We ate deer meat for the first year after our son was born and salads with every meal, carrots, lettuce, apples, imitation bacon bits and salad dressing. Lot’s of spaghetti and canned green beans that I canned the year before, navy beans and homemade pizza with sauce, pepperonis, and cheese. God always made sure we had food to eat. It may not have been what we wanted but our baby came first, diapers formula and such is expensive. We survived and we do talk about it from time to time and smile at each other.
Thank you for sharing this, Lilly! They were tough times but you’re right, God always provides.
you know, we are now in a place where we shouldn’t have to spend so much on our grocery bill, our kids are grown and out of the house. There are just two of us…. and we still spend waaay to much! I remember when we had such a small income really small, when we were first married and my husband who had been in a car accident 6 months prior to our wedding was not working. I was the only one now this is way back in the early 80’s so living on $30 a week for groceries wasn’t a hardship! but when I became pregnant with my second son and now I wasn’t working, that made things alot harder! aldis was a godsend! and I rebated. now it means something totally different but in the 80’s you could really save big on using the upc codes off of your labels. I would wait until I had enough to send in to get a book free! as well as getting alot of items totally free by following directions for the rebate. I am a reader and that was my obssession! anyway, I think that you have done exceptionally well and I know that your ideas are worth using! thanks for sharing!
Thank you for sharing that, Dorothy! Aldi is still our life saver. =)
Absolutely blown away at your faith in this trail of your life. God is good! I’ve been trying to cut back on my grocery bill so this post popped up on my Pinterest…so thankful I came across your blog!
Thank you so much, Megan! I appreciate that. =)
We have had to do this since 2007 and I make it work. The one other thing we do budget for is $10.00 each week for a date. My husband can be very creative and we live in a very expensive area but we always have a date. There have been a few times we just did a shared dessert but most always we do lunch out on Sunday. For example tomorrow he has a coupon and a gift card to some place that we are going to so it is buy one meal get one free it is a nice place to eat and he has $18 left on his gift card which gives him $28 to spend on one meal . He likely won’t spend it all but that will give him roll over for the next week. I can’t believe all of the things we have managed on just $10 per week. We have gone away for one night (total cost was $17.00) We have visited the aquarium , we have gone on hikes picnics museums and a great deal of adventures a boat ride. All for his $10.00 budget.
That is amazing, Jenna! You’ve inspired me to do some research and try to do this as well. =)
Oh…you are lucky in USA, you have cupons…se don’t have that here in Europe, and if se have any kind of discount se can’t add to the discount that the store mau have in the moment… It’s very sad!!
That’s crazy! The US is definitely lucky in that we can use coupons. I have another post that may help: Meals to Make When You Have No Money. https://www.nogettingoffthistrain.com/frugal/meals-to-make-when-you-have-no-money/
I don’t use quite as many coupons anymore, but they certainly do help!
Thank you, living on social security. The food budget is always tight, your post is awesome, could use more like this so I could stretch what little we have. Thank you again.
Thank you, Terri! I have a few more posts similar to this that you can check out:
Meals to Make When You Have No Money
How I Stick to a $60 a Week Grocery Budget
Well done to you for
1. Giving God the glory
2. Being a steward over your finances and
3. Sharing what you learned along the way with the rest of us!
Keep on, keeping on!!
Thank you so much for the encouragement, Goldie!
Thank you for sharing this Jaime! It’s so nice to see someone sharing their real life and being open about what it’s like to struggle at times.I know it’s not easy, but it is inspiring. We’ve all been there in one way or another and it’s wonderful to not only see other people sharing tips in the comments but also hope! I look forward to Checking out more of your articles..
Btw one tip with this I have with budgeting is if you have friends or family on a budget too, meal plan and divvy up the shopping list then everybody buy what they can in bulk and have a day to shop and divide groceries. We do this and GFS and Aldi are our go to stores. You can get a 50lb box of chicken quarters for like $35 that’s enough to split 5 ways for a month.. rice and frozen veg and beans too… anyway rambling.. lol best of luck and much love to everybody!
Thank you very much, Sarah! And that’s a great tip. Buying in bulk definitely saves money, especially if you split the items! =)
I found this article through Pinterest and just wanted to thank you for being so encouraging and real. It’s refreshing to find a genuine voice on the internet when most things are designed to present a polished picture. I love how you are partnering with God to take a subject that you’re passionate about and make it a ministry to others. I personally am feeling very encouraged by you today!
Thank you Sarah, I really appreciate that! =)
Thank you for sharing with us. I literally just told my husband a couple hours ago something needed to be done with our food budget. Your meal ideas were an inspiration. I also want to add that the Dollar Tree has great food items. So it will take being creative but your food budget can come down. Thank you again for sharing.
Thank you very much, Beverly! I also love the Dollar Tree; their spices are only a dollar which is now cheaper than Aldi!
My family of 5 is going through a period right now if hardly paying our bills and buying little to no groceries every 2 weeks. My husband is working but with no overtime like he was before which helped a lil bit and going to college which uses more gas money. I am a stay at home mom and watch a baby every now and then but that doesn’t pay much either. Thanks much for the encouragement and ideas. However I have a very picky bunch and if they dont like it they will not eat it. So making food on a small budgets gets extremely hard. I am going to try a few of these ideas and pray they will eat what I prepare
Hi Dawn! I understand about the picky eater, although I just have one. It’s frustrating when you spend all this money and work hard on good healthy food, and nobody wants to eat it. Do what you can and definitely pray! I know God will bring you through this.