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:
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
DiGiorno pizza: If we could get these for under $5, I’d buy a few for the freezer. These were great cheap meal nights!
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:
Chicken breasts: We bought them at $1.88 per pound, in approximately 5-pound packages, and froze some for future use.
Chocolate chips: We’d buy a 4-pound bag and use them in pancakes and waffles.
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.
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.
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
Slow cooker caesar chicken sandwiches
Crock pot chicken and stuffing
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!
Raki (Outside the Box Mom) says
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
Jaime says
Haha, thanks! =) There were times when I got so tired of just plain rice and beans, but I knew it’d get better soon!
Coty says
I am very wowed. I’m going to try it because we struggle way too often.
Amelia Boyett says
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.
Jaime says
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/
Brandy says
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.
Cyndyellis says
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.
Jaime says
Thank you so much! I really appreciate that. =)
Marian says
God
CSanchez says
AMEN!!
Maggie says
Amelia Boyett, I am sorry your family was going through a tough time. I hope things are getting better for you. I understand. My husband and I were both laid off our jobs within 9 months of each other. We had worked at our jobs for 20 plus years. It was difficult to find employment making anywhere close to what we were making. It is amazing how resourceful I became. I used the computer, searching different topics on how to be thrifty, and cut costs wherever possible. Best of luck and God bless.
C. Annie U. says
I have a friend whose husband would allow her $60 a week for groceries and the kids clothes. She was amazing–she was the Coupon Queen of our town. One day I was at her house when she came home to unload groceries. She’d bought 2 carts full of groceries and paid a total of $7. 68. Her shopping trips were very well planned the night before, and she went to multiple stores, but she was good at it. She used the money that was left over (her money) for her clothes. Most kids clothes were from yard sales. Hubby never knew how good she was and he’s still an a–hole.
Jaime says
That’s so crazy! I feel bad that she had to go through that, but her dedication is amazing.
Jen G says
Our family went through a similar struggle several years ago. It was posts like these that reminded me that we weren’t alone. Bless you for taking the time to share this with others. You CAN get through this! Looking back now I am thankful for the experience – we grew closer and it became a challenge to overcome, TOGETHER, every week!
Jaime says
Thank you so much for your encouragement, Jen! While situations can look pretty dire sometimes, you’re right that it’s good to be thankful for the hard times- you definitely learn a lot and rely on God a whole lot more!
Melissa myers says
Being a single mom ita a struggle….thank you for your help!!
Louise B says
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.
Ann says
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.
Jaime says
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. =)
Deb Sosa says
So true about using ground turkey as an alternative to beef, I just made Turkey Salisbury Steaks last night and they turned out amazing. I just cooked in a cast iron skillet in the oven rather than on the stovetop to make it work and they held up nicely when I flipped them over. I also love buying breakfast sausage when it’s on sale to use with pasta and other dishes…much cheaper than chopped beef and even tastier!
Jaime says
I never even thought about using breakfast sausage. That’s genius! Thanks for the idea!
Amber says
I love your faithfulness to God and your family. You inspired me! Thanks for sharing
Jaime says
Thank you, Amber! I really appreciate that!
Vickie says
I’m kinda in the same type of situation. Divorced, limited funds. Don’t forget about several great, cheap staples; oatmeal, eggs and peanut butter. Goes a long way and eggs and peanut butter add protein.
Jaime says
Thanks, Vickie! My household isn’t complete without those 3 items. =) They really help!
Susan says
I agree good job. Peanut butter and banana sandwich verry
filling
Debra says
Hi!
I’m from rural US, and wanted to share what my parents did to survive when I was growing up.
First of all, we ate potatoes almost every single day. Occasionally we had noodles, rarely rice.
Mom and Dad had a large garden, and mother would can tomatoes, beets, pickles, green beans, sauerkraut, jams and jellies.
The fruit for jams and jellies usually included us kids, who picked blackberries during the month of August, and from the purchase of crates of peaches and pears (that we also canned and frozen), from local orchards. Of course, the kids helped. We weeded and worked in the garden, as well.
My Dad hunted venison, sometimes when his deer was home, Mom would buy a tag, and they would fill that one, too. The meat was cut and wrapped and put into the freezer.
My parents would buy a male calf, raise it with a bucket and nipple, until it was too big to fit our property, then they would pay to have it pastured out. A vet would help with making it a steer, and removing horns, and someone else would do the demise, often in exchange for half of the meat.
I remember going out to a huge, huge pile of cull potatoes, sorting thru them, and taking away gunny sacks of potatoes for the coolest place in the garage.
Mom made cake and other breads from scratch. We had a goat, and even if us kids wanted nothing to do with it, she would milk the goat and sneak the milk into commercial containers.
We ate beans and steak, and had no idea that other families had steak on paydays and beans on broke ones. We didn’t have government money for anything.
It was a struggle, but an honest one. My parents names were spotless when they passed away, and at Moms memorial a few months ago, the minister called her a true pilgrim.
Thank you for the article. It was very enlightening. God Bless.
Jaime says
Thank you so much for sharing this! This is truly inspiring. =)
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says
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 😉
Jaime says
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.
Patricia says
You can pay the farmer or you can pay the doctor. I think you have chosen wisely for the long run.
Rhonda says
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!
Jaime says
Thank you, Rhonda! I love seeing all the inspiration here. =)
Joanne says
Good comment, Patricia. I’d prefer to choose the farmer every time.
Tianna says
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 🙂
Jaime says
Thank you! =)
Gail Akeman says
Good job and getting by.
Jaime says
Thank you very much!
Ashley says
This is impressive!
Jaime says
Thank you! I hope it helped!
Lisa Riggs says
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!
Jaime says
Yes, I’m so thankful it was at least a little variety. =)
Erica says
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!
Jaime says
$40 is still really good! That’s awesome!
lauren says
I think it is awesome how you guys made it work! We all make sacrifices for the sake of family!
Jaime says
Thank you! It was definitely quite a sacrifice.
Brenda says
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!
Jaime says
Thanks! We were definitely happy to still eat fairly well.
Carly says
Wow, this is great advice! We are definitely trying to cut down on our grocery bill…..these tips are awesome!
Jaime says
Awesome! You can do it! =)
Charlotte's Little Web says
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!
Julia @ Pennies & Paper says
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.
Burlap and Sawdust says
Awesome!
Sandy says
Wow! Super impressive. I am impressed with myself if I spend under $125 for my family of 4! This is amazing!
Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage says
I was encouraged by this. Thanks.
Please drop by!
Blessings,
Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage
Heather @ MyMothermode says
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.
Melissa French, The More With Less Mom says
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.
carmen says
Great post! Always looking for ways to save on groceries1
Jaime says
Thank you! It definitely takes some tweaking, but it’s so worth it!
Missy says
awesome ideas! I need this right now so thank you!
Jaime says
Thank you! I hope this can help you at least a little bit. =)
Stephanie says
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.
Jaime says
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.
GiGi Eats says
THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE FEAT AND I CANNOT BELIEVE IT!!! $37 is like a meal for me! That’s actually really embarrassing to admit! 😮
Hannah @ Eat, Drink and Save Money says
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.
Joann Woolley says
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.
Tammy Koelze says
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.
Jaime says
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!
Emily says
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.
Jaime says
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!
Suzanne Knight says
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.
lucy says
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…
Jaime says
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!
J says
A few changes would have freed up more money for vegetables and fruit. Ditch all the disposable items and eat oatmeal instead of cereal.
Jaime says
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!
Isa Ryan says
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.
Jaime says
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. =)
Amanda Hosler says
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.
Jaime says
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!
Julie harris says
Gracious response to that comment! Good for you and your hard work and results being a good homemaker and steward!!
Jaime says
Thank you, Julie!
Martha says
Very GRACIOUS RESPONSE! Apparently she has no idea that in many areas of this country the farmers markets are NOT AVAILABLE! Also many people DO NOT have $110 to spend at one time. We have been unemployed for 19 months and we eat much like you. Lots of pasta, Dollar Tree food, large jars of Peanut butter because we all could have a sandwich for almost two weeks, spaghetti with no meat, etc! I pray this is the last time I ever have to hear my grandson say “I’m hungry” because we didn’t have three meals a day. Some people have no idea what others actually go through and are so quick to tell them what they could have done. YOU DO THE BEST YOU CAN DO WITH WHAT YOU HAVE AND WHAT YOU CAN FIND AS CLOSE TO YOUR HOME AS YOU CAN GET. I’m telling you now, I have a new appreciation for buying toilet paper & other bare essentials needed to stay clean, along with food. We have been blessed beyond measure by God. On days we had no food left a gift of food would show up at our door or a friend would have dropped a check in the mail to us just out of the blue. These are the important moments in your life whether you eat organic or WHAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY AFFORD!
Jaime says
Thank you for sharing your story, Martha! I’ll say a prayer that your family can find employment soon. We’re currently in the midst of that as well (Only one month in, though), so I understand the urgency felt to find a job!
MaryEllen says
“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”…Really? How do you do without toilet paper????
m long says
if you cant say something nice dont say anything at all
Alinta says
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!!
Donna says
A kilo is equal to 2 1/4 pounds so $14.00 for chicken = about $6.00 a pound
Jaime says
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!
Andrea says
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
Jaime says
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?”
Jennifer says
I am really impressed you really ate pretty well for having money so tight. I picked up some ideas myself. Thank you.
Jaime says
Thank you for your kind words! I really appreciate it. =)
Anna says
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.
Jaime says
Oh my! Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do. =) Remember, it’s a season in our lives and things do get better!
G. Amirault says
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.
Kathleen says
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?????
Jaime says
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!
Kathleen says
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.
Jaime says
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!)
Kathleen says
$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.
Megan says
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!
Jaime says
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!
Lydia says
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!
Jaime says
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.
Kate says
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
Jaime says
Thank you! Isn’t it amazing how God listens, even with the “little” things in our lives? =)
Sam says
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?
Jaime says
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!
Helena says
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.
Jaime says
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!
Kathy H says
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.
Jaime says
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. =)
Patti says
Thanks for sharing. The diaper coupons will come in handy when my daughter’s baby arrives.
Kristen says
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.
Jaime says
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.
Molly says
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!
Jaime says
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!
Robin Brandi says
Sounds like the worst diet ever
Jaime says
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!
Erin says
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!
Jaime says
Erin, thank you for sharing this! I wish you the best of luck with everything and I’ll say a prayer for you.
Keri Lin says
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.
Jaime says
Wow, I had no idea! Thanks for sharing, that’s really interesting. =)
LaNell says
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.
Dani says
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.
Jaime says
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!
Angela says
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!
Jaime says
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. =)
Amanda Stout says
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!
Jaime says
Thank you, I appreciate that! =) I’m so glad my story can help people.
Emma J. says
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!
Jaime says
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!
Heather says
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 🙂
Jaime says
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! =)
Amy says
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!
Jaime says
Thank you for your encouragement! It’s so nice to hear that I wasn’t alone in this. =)
Samantha says
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.
Jaime says
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!
CAJagow says
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.
Jaime says
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!
Natalie says
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!
Jaime says
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!
Courtney M. VanZandt says
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!
Jaime says
Thank you, Courtney! =) Frito pie sounds amazing; I’ll need to add it to my dinner rotation soon!
Sscholes says
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
Jaime says
That’s good info to know for those who may need it! =)
Stephanie says
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.
Jaime says
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!
Grace says
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!
Jaime says
Thank you for your kind words, Grace! I’m so glad you enjoyed this post. =)
Lauren says
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.
Jaime says
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!
Karen says
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.
Jaime says
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. =)
Belinda Lents says
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!
Jaime says
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!
Astrid Quander says
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!
Jaime says
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!
Momof5boysand1girl says
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.😊
Jaime says
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!
Christine says
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.
Jaime says
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!
Pam says
Thanks for sharing. You did a great job.
Jaime says
Thank you, Pam!
Misty says
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
Jaime says
Thank you! God is amazing and has seen us through many times, even after this happened. =)
SilverIzzy says
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.
Jaime says
Thank you so much! I’m happy to say we’re in a better place now, in regards to finances and eating better. =)
Marilyn Lesniak says
Congratulations! Your post was my feature pick at #ThursdayFavoriteThings this week. Visit me at https://www.marilynstreats.com on Wednesday evening and to see your feature and grab your badge! All hosts choose their own features from the comments left on their blog so be sure to return to my blog for your badge. I invite you to leave more links to be shared and commented upon. Please don’t forget to add your link numbers or post title so we can be sure to visit!
Kate says
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!
Jaime says
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!
Cath says
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!
Jaime says
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! =)
Lilly says
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.
Jaime says
Thank you for sharing this, Lilly! They were tough times but you’re right, God always provides.
dorothy says
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!
Jaime says
Thank you for sharing that, Dorothy! Aldi is still our life saver. =)
Megan says
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!
Jaime says
Thank you so much, Megan! I appreciate that. =)
Jenna says
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.
Jaime says
That is amazing, Jenna! You’ve inspired me to do some research and try to do this as well. =)
Tania Ribeiro says
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!!
Jaime says
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!
Terri says
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.
Jaime says
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
Goldie says
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!!
Jaime says
Thank you so much for the encouragement, Goldie!
Sarah says
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!
Jaime says
Thank you very much, Sarah! And that’s a great tip. Buying in bulk definitely saves money, especially if you split the items! =)
Sarah says
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!
Jaime says
Thank you Sarah, I really appreciate that! =)
Beverly Hitchcock says
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.
Jaime says
Thank you very much, Beverly! I also love the Dollar Tree; their spices are only a dollar which is now cheaper than Aldi!
Dawn says
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
Jaime says
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.
Toni says
Hi Dawn! I was a very picky eater as a kid. My mother grew up very poor, and did not want me to go without, so whenever I rejected supper, she would let me have whatever I wanted to eat from the kitchen because she did not want me to go hungry. As a result, I never had most vegetables until I was an adult and realized that I had missed out on all kinds of yummy stuff. Now I am in my 60s. When my children were growing, whenever I put food on my kids’ plates, they were expected to eat it. If they refused, they would not have dessert (on the days we had it) nor would they be allowed to “rummage” for something else. If I knew one hated broccoli, that one would get just a tiny serving. Something else – no one was allowed to complain about the food. We came together at the table as a family – to enjoy each other’s company as well as nourish our bodies. Everyone stayed until everyone was done. Those were wonderful times. I think the kids learned patience as well.
Jaime says
I love this story! I feel guilty and hopeless a lot because Allison doesn’t eat vegetables; but I do try every day and pray that eventually she’ll turn around.
Vanessa says
That’s great this worked for you! I was attracted to this article because I always feel my grocery bill is way too high. But, I cannot have gluten (in most things) dairy, eggs, and I’m also vegetarian. So it makes it really difficult to eat cheap much less find anything in a typical grocery store.
Jaime says
Wow! I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to have such restrictions. I hope you can find a good solution that works for you!
Erin says
Vanessa, we have food restrictions here similar to yours. One thing I make a lot of is bean- and legume-based dishes. Look up Mexican and Indian recipes in particular on places like allrecipes.com where you can plug in the ingredients on hand and it comes up with suggestions. We have a lot of variety and can eat on a small amount of money and supplies each week.
I also always have sprouts and spinach growing in a windowsill in my kitchen, along with a few herbs like thyme, basil and cilantro. They help a ton with flavor and they grow easily!
Jaime says
Great ideas, Erin! I need to try growing a few herbs, too. I just don’t have much of a green thumb, haha. =)
Melissa says
Thank you! I really needed to read this ❤️
Jaime says
Thanks, Melissa! I’m glad it could encourage you. =)
June Blackburn says
It is really encouraging to read your post. I live in the UK and we are lucky to have a welfare state unlike some parts of the world. I am in a fortunate position of not struggling to make ends meet having a very well paid job as does my other half. But your honesty and cleverly thought out ways of making your budget stretch and still have tasty food is fabulous. Well done for surviving harrowing times, and I pray your fortunes can only get better. I only hope that should I ever be in that position I can make it all work.
Jaime says
Thank you so much, June, for the encouraging words!
J says
Absolute respect, well done. I also had to feed my family of 7 on minimal money and found many of the ideas you used here employed by me, including the most important one: prayer. Made it through with healthy, happy children and a huge appreciation for the leading of the Lord in my life. Kudos mom!
Jaime says
Thank you so much! Feeding a family of 7 is impressive!
Bwill says
Love this! Especially the prayer and encouragement
Alexces says
I was on the phone with a friend looking on Pinterest for something cheap to make for dinner. as right now we have no possible way to make ends meet. we are full of stress, I cant sleep at night, and I DO cry often just from wondering how and when our situation will be over. Anyway, I was talking to her about our situation and I found something similar “$60 a week for groceries” I read it and the meals were RIDICULOUS. their main dishes were what id feed my toddler for a snack. so we laughed, but not at the fact that they have to eat that way but because I said “if this is what we have to do I mean, I might as well”. I kept looking and found one that said “$50 a week on groceries.” I was curious thinking “what could they be eating that isn’t anything different from the first post I saw.” I read that one and it was all stuff that seemed very expensive and wasn’t believable to me. so I moved on. then I found “$37 a week”. I laughed and said “these are fun to read lets read this one” but to my surprise you ATE GOOD MEALS. our of the little that you were able to buy. now im still curious how you found pasta for less than a dollar and other things for the same price! but I was truly inspired by this entire thing. but then. I got to “how we survived” and of course my eyes got watery. we are a military family and things just took a wrong turn. and now I do believe God is there for us because of course regardless we do eventually get by but with VERY LITTLE. and believe me when I say that, im not exaggerating. but something always good happens when things get REALLY bad which make things easier for just a little bit. and im grateful for that. I just would like you to know that I no longer think these things are silly. you truly made me think this is possible for us as well and I know eventually we will get through it even though right now it really doesnt feel like it. we have one toddler and a baby on the way! you gave me hope and im truly happy I found this post! thank you!
Jaime says
Alexces, this means so much to me to read. Thank you for sharing this! I’m praying that your family can find peace, and that God will open a door for you (As you know He does!).
As far as pasta prices, Kroger would usually have boxes on sale for $1.00. And there would be coupons for $1.00 off 2, making them around 50 cents each. =) And a lot of times their Creamette pasta goes on sale for $.49 with their Buy 5, Save $5 event!
Angela says
Thank you so much for sharing this. I found myself in a unique situation when my now exhusband of almost 20 years decided… he didn’t want to be married anymore. I had been a housewife and mother to our son…. but wasn’t remotely prepared to be kicked out of my home and suddenly responsible for everything. I manage, even though things get tight…. I’m always on the look out for stuff like this!
Jaime says
Angela, I’m so sorry to hear you’re going through this! I hope things are working out for you right now.
Jennifer says
This is, hands-down, the most practical cheap eating guide I have ever seen. I have chronic pain, I can’t stand long enough to cook an elaborate meal. I don’t want to be shamed for eating a salad with cheese and croutons. I just want a guide to something basic, something easy, something cheap. And this…this is it.
Jaime says
Thank you, Jennifer! You have to do whatever you can, and don’t let others try to tell you you’re doing it wrong.
Joy says
Back when I was in college (almost 30 years ago), my food budget for the month was $30. I ate a lot of cheap, tasty meals. I’ll list them in case they are helpful to someone. Breakfast tacos (potatoes and onions cooked in oil, with scrambled eggs, and sometimes cheese, wrapped in a flour or corn tortilla), baked potatoes with margarine and cheese, mac and cheese with cut-up hot dogs or tuna (use the cooking water instead of milk), ramen noodles with some frozen veggies (usually green beans) thrown in and sometimes an egg swirled in like egg drop soup. I would buy potatoes, onions, and carrots in bulk, can snack on carrots and they make a good side. Bananas and apples are usually cheap and last awhile, you can turn into banana bread and apples into applesauce to sub for oil in baking. Canned frozen orange juice, just mix as you go and it stays good longer. Fried rice with eggs and frozen peas and carrots, can add any leftover ham from lunch meat for a nice change. Grilled cheese sandwiches, peanut butter toast, grilled peanut butter sandwiches, grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and quesadillas. I know there was more, but this was what I mainly ate.
Jaime says
Thank you for sharing this, Joy! That’s really inspiring and I know someone needs to hear this. =)
Cat says
Unless someone has lived through such hard times they have no clue how many challenges there are to getting food on the table. In 2010, with seven children, my young niece and nephew and my teenage daughter’s friend, my husband and I had a $100 per week food budget to feed our household of 12. The two things that made life easier was the deep freezer we owned and learning the sales cycles of the local grocers. *Price matching at Walmart meant having to shop at less stores.
I didn’t create menus first and then shop the sales. Instead I shopped the sales and created menus from what was available in my own cupboards and freezer. Learning the sales cycle meant knowing how often an item would go on sale at each retailer. When peanut butter was on sale, I’d purchase enough jars to get me through till the next time peanut butter would be on sale again. That might mean I bought 15 of them. Rice on sale meant 10 packages were coming home with me and rolls of breakfast sausage were on sale for $1, I’d buy 20 and use it in spaghetti, chili, casseroles and for breakfast tacos(which we often ate for dinner). Pork shoulder/butt was on sale and I was buying three. Learning to cook a ten pounder “low and slow” meant several meals for a big family at a reasonable price. Shopping in this manner allowed me a lot of freedom in planning my low-cost meals.
I’d watch for frozen veggies or fruit to go on sale and stock up like crazy. Frozen produce is flash frozen within hours of being picked and is fresher when frozen than what you get from the produce aisles at the market. It’s also significantly cheaper to eat frozen veggies that are not in season than it is to eat fresh vegetables out of season. That $1 bag of frozen red peppers in your deep freezer will cost considerably more if you’re purchasing red peppers from the produce section in December and the frozen tastes just as good sauteed and added to an omelet as the fresh ones do. Frozen fruit makes great smoothies, popsicles, muffins, pies, pancakes, and so on. Of course not all of the produce I purchased was frozen, but it definitely was on sale.
Organic was out of the question as it was absolutely out of the budget. When the choice is to fill our stomachs with the best we can afford that’ll get us through the week or buy an organic chicken (or two in my case), whole wheat organic pasta, organic cheese, organic butter, and organic milk to make an all organic mac and cheese and only have enough money to cover one meal, we do without the organic. It’s as simple as that.
*This method of sale cycle shopping and stocking up also works well for household products and health and beauty products.
Jaime says
Cat, this is really inspiring! Thank you for sharing your story. You really made your budget stretch and I admire you for that.
Anna Martin says
Hey Jamie,
We went through much the same thing after we both lost our jobs. I found having a stocked pantry (from the better days) really saved us. Buying in bulk where you can and stockpiling those door crasher deals. There were months where we just shopped from our stores in the workshop. Now, I have a huge $200 a week for four of us but, as we have now decided to become mortgage free in five years, the challenge is for me to find another $500 per month so…. Grocery budget… get ready to be halved!
Jaime says
That’s awesome, Anna!!! Crush that goal! It’s going to feel so great in 5 years when you have no payments in the world. =)
Lauren says
Jamie,
This popped up on my pinterest feed this evening. Today, I resigned from my job rather than going back to work after my maternity leave (I had my second in November). I truly thought that there was no way for us to afford for me to stay home, but things kept pointing to this being what God was leading me to do. I am looking for ways to save money and budget; specifically for meal planning and couponing and figuring out where to get good deals on what, even if I need to shop a few different places.
I clicked on the pin for grocery shopping for $37/week for a year and read your blog and felt like it was meant for me. Thank you for the encouragement. Reading this post felt like a confirmation that I am doing the right thing and that things will work out.
Jaime says
Thank you so much for sharing this, Lauren! I know that God will bless you for your decisions.
I post my weekly shopping trips every Monday, and hopefully those will give you some ideas as you start your new journey. I also wrote a post on Meal Planning for Beginners that I think might help you! Let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help!
Cathy says
Thanks for the story.I’ve been there.Once bought $20 worth of groceries for me and my husband for a week.(This was before my kids were born.) He used to be a carpenter so rain caused a small paycheck.But we made it.
Jaime says
Thanks for sharing this, Cathy! It’s amazing how little we can live on when the need arises.
Joanne says
When my husband was hospitalized, the first thing I did was purchase a good pressure cooker. Homemade this and that, cooking on it’s own steam with the burner turned off…that’s how we rolled. I dug up my grassy lawn (no chemical fertilizers were ever used) and planted a small garden and ate whatever dandelion greens appeared, with delight and gratitude. We also attend a church that has homegroups which eat covered dish meals together. Amazing how offering up your own “loaf and fish” with others doing the same, will multiply and fill your own plate to capacity, with leftovers a-plenty for several days. Same for holiday meals with our extended family. Blessings to all of you and thanks for sharing.
Jaime says
Thank you for sharing this, Joanne! That’s really inspiring! =)
Joanne says
Your welcome, Jaime.
I have another story: before I was married, I had fulltime work, but I still needed to supplement it. I never turned down overtime if it became available. Additionally, my co-worker told me about selling blood plasma. My doctor said it was safe, so I did it! — twice a week for a couple of years. Also, the newspaper advertised housing foreign students thru the school term, so I did this too, for 10 students thru the years to help make ends meet. I scrambled for freelance music gigs, adjusting my fee to people’s ability to pay. No sense in turning down a paying job. Maybe life compelled me to be creatively proactive to survive, but I don’t remember suffering at all or indebtedness beyond an affordable mortgage or affordable car payment, which are both in the past. It’s all a good memory, now that I look back on it.
Bev says
In 2010 is when I got married well my husband has a pretty good job I am a pre k teacher so I do not make much well that year about a week before thanksgiving my husband got hurt he snapped his Achilles’ tendon he was helping our son move and he fell off the tail gate of his truck
. So I was left the only one working plus our house had to be required luckily it wasn’t to cold out well I had two propane camp stove I would cook chicken then I would make bone broth then the next day we would have dumplings well I worked with a lady whose husband was a preacher and she brought me a voucher for a thanksgiving dinner
My husband got 58.00 dollars for temp disability a week . We sometimes had broth and dumplings with no chicken then his two sisters brought us some food we just prayed a lot when he got to go back to work which was after 6 weeks and we got back to having two full checks we took money to the pastor and we said buy food for the pantry then we brought a full thanksgiving meal and we said give this to a family in need
Jaime says
Bev, that’s a beautiful story and a testimony to God’s provision!! Thank you for sharing this. I’m sure this will encourage someone who needs it today.
beverley says
I too can relate to all the stories. My husband and i were both laid off within few months of each other. The good news is that we have both found new jobs. We currently earn about a 6th of what we earned previously and in order to survive we had make some quick decisions. We are a family of 6, two of which are grand children that we are helping to raise. We sold newer cars and replaced them with vehicles that are 10 years old. This lowered our auto insurance and we have a small payment on only one vehicle. The car payments and insurance savings has made it possible for us to stay in our 40 odd year old home but paying for things like utilities and food was a challenge. So like most of you the food bill was the only other go to for savings. I had a small veggie garden so planted the left over seeds and as luck would have it my tomatoes reseeded themselves. We have a store here called Luckys so during winter i have been able to buy tomatoes for 49c lb, oranges for 33c lb, potatoes for 99c for 10 lbs, apples 44c lb and chicken leg quarters for 39c lb etc. We have grilled cheese sandw sometimes with toms, i buy whole chicken when they are on sale for 69c lb and break down into breasts, thighs and legs. I slice the breast into cutlets so I get 6 servings out of 3 breasts. If i roast a whole chicken then we have sliced breast meat, potatoes and a 50c can of corn or green beans, then i pull the remaining meat off the chicken an divide it in two. one becomes a simple chicken salad for sandw or grilled chick salad sandwiches with fries from those 99c potatoes. The other half i mix with a can of store brand cr of chicken soup, milk some sauted onion and a cup of frozen peas and pour over noodles (49c) or rice. 3 meals 1x 4lb chicken feeding 6. I buy store brand mac and cheese on case lot sale for 39c. make as directed but increase the milk to 1 1/4 cups of milk add two eggs and a cup or more depending on whats available of hand grated cheese. Put it in a greased dish and top it with one diced tomato two slices of diced onion and about half a cup of cheese and bake at 375 for about 30-35 mins. These are a sample of our ‘luxury’ meals. Otherwise, oatmeal, pj sandw, eggs, hot dogs jam and toast etc. I also found a store that deals in scratch and dent and surplus items including food. Eg 40 lb case of bananas for 10c lb. broken and repackaged chocolate chips = frozen choc bananas and premashed frozen bananas for banana bread. Ramen noodles are a great way to stretch a can of soup. Dollar store is great for toiletries and cleaning supplies etc. and the odd pair of socks or gloves. Other bright spots.. my husband has lost 40 lbs and feels great and the dog is in better shape too and Im loving the food challenge. This week we will be living out of the freezer. Have about $20 for next 2 weeks (had to register my car), gas tank is full so I can get to work. Have 2 gallons of discounted milk (99c)that is good for 9 days and we will get by. May need toilet rolls. Alls well Lots of hugs.
Jaime says
Beverly, this is amazing! Thank you so much for sharing this. Your creativity with making food stretch really shines, and I love your positive outlook.
Beverley says
On the mac and cheese i use 2 boxes.