Food
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Use local food pantries, banks, or churches without embarrassment.
They are there to help people going through tough times.
3 people, independently
- Check if local food pantries are available in your region if you have not yet used them.4
Quit purchasing snacks like chips, sweets, candy, and soda.
to save money
3 people, independently
Meal plan and batch cook to avoid grocery hauls where food goes bad in the fridge.
It saved one person $150/month.
one person who lived it
- Meal prep breakfast, lunch, and dinner.1
Make your own lunch for work every day.
One person reported saving around £20 a week by doing this.
one person who lived it
Make your own fridge pickles to save money.
One person spent $3 for six big jars.
one person who lived it
food, groceries, prevents, local28
Reduce meat consumption by making vegetables the main dish and using meat as a side or omitting it entirely.
Buy a small chest freezer to store food bought on sale.
It saves money and prevents food loss from inadequate apartment freezers.
one person who lived it
Buy uncooked pizza dough from local pizzerias to use as a base for homemade pizzas.
It can be cheaper than other options.
2 people, independently
If restaurant food is bad, call to request a replacement or refund.
They will likely replace or refund the meal.
one person who lived it
Order children's meals at restaurants if the portion size suits you.
The portion is a perfect size and it is a good deal.
one person who lived it
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Freeze leftovers and cook only what is needed to prevent waste.
If you forget about frozen items for a few days, they do not go bad.
one person who lived it
Have a partner shop for groceries if you struggle with impulse buys.
It helps stay on target when you cannot stick to a list.
2 people, independently
Freeze bread to make it last much longer.
It apparently reduces blood sugar spikes too.
one person who lived it
Visit farmer's markets near closing time (around 12:30) to find deals on unpackaged food.
Sellers often offer deals because they do not want to repack their food.
one person who lived it
Place a sheet of parchment paper between slices of bread when freezing.
This prevents the bread from drying out as much in the freezer.
one person who lived it
Eat actual serving sizes of food at home.
It makes food supplies last longer.
one person who lived it
Keep quick, easy-to-make meals like sandwich ingredients, soup, or frozen dinners at home for nights when you are too tired to cook, to reduce the temptation to order food.
It reduces the temptation to order in when tired.
one person who lived it
Freeze baked or prepared foods on the same day they are made to prevent freezer burn.
To ensure they survive without freezer burn.
one person who lived it
Make smaller grocery trips more frequently to avoid wasting perishables like milk that expire before use.
Thinking you will use large quantities for cooking often leads to waste when they expire.
one person who lived it
Use food banks and church-run charities to supplement food costs if SNAP benefits are reduced or insufficient.
They can make a huge difference and help supplement small benefit amounts.
one person who lived it
Create a menu planner to avoid impulsive food decisions.
It saves money and eliminates the stress of deciding what to eat for dinner.
one person who lived it
Buy groceries in small batches based on what you want right now.
This prevents overeating and overbuying.
one person who lived it
- Practice portion control to avoid overeating and wasting food.1
- Estimate your weekly food consumption and avoid buying extra groceries.3
Right-size meals to cook only what will be eaten, avoiding throwing out large amounts of food.
2 people, independently
Avoid Gristedes, Food Universe, and Dags for groceries.
They are described as rip offs.
one person who lived it
Browse local Facebook Buy Nothing communities to find free items you need.
4 people, independently
Buy frozen vegetables instead of fresh out-of-season produce to reduce waste and preserve nutrients compared to canned options.
Freezing preserves nutrients better than canning and prevents throwing food away.
one person who lived it
Shop at discount grocery stores and bargain shops for staples to keep food costs low.
4 people, independently
- Shop at discount grocery stores for basic staples and toiletries.1
Reduce meat consumption by making vegetables the main dish and using meat as a side or omitting it entirely.
5 people, independently
Before ordering a dish, check if you know how to cook it and if you can get the ingredients; if yes, do not pick it from the menu.
one person who lived it
Purchase groceries that are close to their expiration date or have dented packaging from stores that sell such items.
4 people, independently
Check if your university cafeteria is open to visitors for affordable meals.
one person who lived it
buy, cheaper, save, buying26
Bring a refillable bottle with you to cut down on buying single-use water containers.
Buy feta cheese from the salad bar instead of packaged containers to save money.
It is often cheaper per pound at the bar.
2 people, independently
Buy sun-dried tomatoes and marinated garlic cloves from the olive bar instead of buying a full jar.
It costs less for the small amount needed.
one person who lived it
Limit dining out to one splurge meal per week to control food costs.
One meal can cost over 50% of the weekly grocery bill
one person who lived it
Buy a milk steamer or frother to make cafe-style drinks at home.
The machine pays for itself by replacing expensive store-bought equivalents.
one person who lived it
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Split a Costco or Sam's Club membership with a roommate to buy food in bulk at cheaper prices and reduce waste.
You spend a lot initially but save loads in the long run.
one person who lived it
Commit to meal prep as a necessary habit, acknowledging that the effort pays off in the long run.
It pays off in the long run.
one person who lived it
Abstain from alcohol to save money and build financial stability.
9 people, independently
Learn to cook restaurant-style recipes at home to avoid frequent dining out.
One person stopped spending $200-$300 monthly on Chipotle after learning a copy recipe.
one person who lived it
Buy fresh ground spices and whole leaf tea.
Once you have tried them, you will not want to go back to pre-ground or bagged versions.
one person who lived it
Choose generic brands like Malt-O-Meal cereal instead of name brands.
They are the exact same kind but very cheap.
one person who lived it
Bring instant coffee sachets on trips to avoid buying hot brewed coffee.
It saves money by resisting the urge to buy coffee at local shops.
one person who lived it
Replace expensive beer habits with a SodaStream and homemade lemonade.
One person found it provided equal happiness at a fraction of the cost.
one person who lived it
Buy wine in the mid-range price point as quality improvements become hard to detect above this threshold.
Very cheap wine is poor quality, but spending more yields diminishing returns.
one person who lived it
Start an indoor herb garden for a cheap way to access fresh herbs.
It is described as a cheap, easy, passive hobby that improves food flavor.
one person who lived it
Bring a refillable bottle with you to cut down on buying single-use water containers.
16 people, independently
Buy Frosted Mini Spooners instead of Frosted Mini Wheats.
They are cheaper per ounce and taste better to one reviewer.
one person who lived it
Use Chinese Chili Oil or Korean Gochujang sauce from an international market to add to simple cooking.
It will make anything you cook taste great.
one person who lived it
Track calories and increase fiber and vegetable intake to reduce food costs by feeling full on less food and cutting back on beverages.
Eating more fiber and veggies helps you eat less while staying full, reducing overall food spend and eliminating costs for soda and juices.
one person who lived it
Use reusable K-Cups filled with regular ground coffee instead of single-use pods.
7 people, independently
Use a water filter or buy gallons of water instead of bottled water.
It is surprisingly much cheaper.
one person who lived it
Reduce dairy consumption or make your own yogurt to avoid waste and high costs.
Dairy is expensive unless bought in large quantities, which often go off before being finished.
one person who lived it
Stop buying expensive beverages like coconut water and switch to tap water or cheap store-brand bottled water.
Tap water and gallon jugs of store-brand water are massively cheaper.
one person who lived it
Call restaurants directly or visit their websites instead of using delivery apps to save money.
You may save a few dollars by avoiding app fees.
one person who lived it
Buy bagged or pre-washed greens if it ensures you will eat them, as this remains cheaper than buying salads out.
one person who lived it
Delete food delivery apps to avoid accumulating fees and reserve ordering for rare special occasions.
Fees add up fast; limiting orders makes them feel more meaningful.
one person who lived it
Cancel food delivery subscriptions if the amount saved does not justify the cost.
- One person's experience
one person who lived it
meals, beans, cooking, lunch18
Meal prep lunches and dinners for the week to avoid buying food during the workday.
It is cheaper and requires less effort than assembling meals daily.
3 people, independently
- Bring your own lunch or dinner to work instead of buying daily meals from restaurants.1
Invest in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot to cook dried beans quickly.
A pressure cooker can pay for itself through savings on canned goods and allows cooking dry beans in under an hour.
one person who lived it
Prepare oats with milk, yogurt, and fruit for lunch to save time and money.
It costs less than 50 cents and saves time compared to eating out.
one person who lived it
Use a crock pot to cook lesser cuts of meat, making them taste great and reducing cost.
It is super easy.
one person who lived it
- Learn to cook cheap cuts of meat using slow cooking methods.1
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If you want to save money on food, batch cook several freezer meals instead of ordering delivery.
The ingredient cost for multiple home-cooked meals can equal the price of a single mediocre delivery order.
one person who lived it
Add beans, hummus, or chickpeas to meals anywhere you would have meat.
Beans, chicken, and ground turkey are pretty cheap.
one person who lived it
Eat lentils, beans, rice, carrots, and spinach to get cheap calories, protein, and vitamins.
They are among the cheapest sources of these nutrients.
one person who lived it
Use a crockpot and toaster oven to cook meals if you lack a fully functional kitchen.
These appliances solve most cooking problems without needing a full setup.
one person who lived it
Prepare vegetarian meals to reduce grocery expenses.
This approach cuts costs.
3 people, independently
Prepare homemade meals like beef stew, kimchi stir fry, or sourdough sandwiches instead of buying expensive cafeteria food.
Homemade options cost less than campus cafeteria items.
one person who lived it
Buy Aldi condensed soup instead of Campbell's.
It is better.
one person who lived it
Eat rice, beans, eggs, and Costco rotisserie chicken for cheap, nutritious meals.
one person who lived it
Rely on ready-made frozen meals or simple dishes like frittatas and baked potatoes to keep weekly food costs low.
one person who lived it
Shop locally for cooking ingredients to potentially lower costs.
One person found it surprisingly cheaper than other options.
one person who lived it
Grow sprouts like alfalfa, buckwheat, wheatgrass, or beans on a window sill.
This provides extremely cheap vegetable nutrition.
one person who lived it
Prep individual cooking components like chopped vegetables and grated cheese in advance rather than preparing full meals.
to make home cooking more attractive and potentially cheaper
one person who lived it
yeast, sugar, beer9
Avoid using champagne yeast for cider if you want to retain flavor.
It consumes all sugars and kills the taste.
one person who lived it
Boil fruit before adding yeast to kill off natural microbes.
This ensures you are only working with yeast you know is safe.
one person who lived it
Make frappuccinos at home with ice, milk, instant coffee, sugar or caramel, and xanthan gum.
Xanthan gum prevents the drink from separating like homemade versions often do.
one person who lived it
To start a natural yeast culture for ginger beer, use organic sultanas instead of dried yeast.
Organic sultanas retain natural yeast on their skins.
one person who lived it
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Consume ginger-carbonated juice quickly to avoid ethanol buildup, and be aware that active fermentation may cause stomach pains for some people.
Sugar turns into ethanol during fermentation.
- Not everyone's gut can handle active fermentation; some experience stomach pains while others do not.
one person who lived it
Cut out beer, wine, soda, and coffee creamer, keeping only black coffee and water.
one person who lived it
Do not use artificial sweeteners like Splenda for fermented soda; use sugar instead.
Sugar is required for fermentation to create full flavor and carbonation.
one person who lived it
Use Blue Powerade drops instead of liquid Powerade when mixing with Mountain Dew to preserve carbonation.
Liquid Powerade is non-carbonated and can reduce fizz.
one person who lived it
Use water kefir or ginger beer cultures instead of brewer's yeast for carbonating beverages.
These traditional cultures produce acids predominantly rather than alcohol.
one person who lived it