How to save on food and eat $ 2 a day

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

In the wake of interest in Elon Musk's experiment - to live a whole month on $ 2 a day - I decided to challenge myself as well. I was very worried that it would not work out, but passing this test is much easier than it seems. As a result, I learned useful lessons for myself: for example, I found some great ways to save money.

The initial conditions of the experiment are as follows: I am 25 years old, I write for the Lifehacker, I lead an active lifestyle. There are no bad habits, so money was spent only on food. And here are the secrets of saving I learned.

Card or cash?

Some will categorically advise you to use only the card when making payments at the checkout. Others say that cash is the only right choice. I'll say: it's about self-control. It was a challenge for me to buy food for exactly $ 2 (130 rubles) a day. Therefore, the desire to cheat and spend a little more did not arise.

If you find it difficult to restrain yourself, then it is better to use cash: take with you exactly as much as you can spend.

Save your receipts

Not just to keep track of your spending.

Checks helped me remember that there were days when I spent much less than 130 rubles and was full and happy. This also spurs the excitement and makes you try to save a little more. And a little more.

The place of purchase cannot be changed

During this test, it became clear that they would have to abandon markets with their abundance of products in favor of supermarkets. Either because of my shyness, or because of unspoken generally accepted laws, I could not ask the sellers to put me one medium tomato so that its cost does not exceed x, one cucumber so that it costs no more than y and, if possible, a-scarlet head of cabbage, so that it also costs a little.

A couple of such trips - and I would definitely be considered crazy. In addition, the sellers in the bazaar like to put a little more on the scales, and I am always embarrassed to say that 330 grams will not work, you need exactly 300.

It is much easier to find the perfect product for you in the supermarket. Here I could weigh just as much cereals or pasta as needed. Find a vegetable that is suitable in size and, therefore, in price. At the end of the shopping, evaluate the contents of the basket for the value / nutritional ratio and remove those products that turned out to be too expensive.

Be sure to follow the promotions and discounts. Chances are, you will actually be able to buy food a little cheaper.

At first I thought it was very petty, but as the total amount of money saved began to increase, tracking "special offers" was no longer shameful.

It is good if there are several supermarkets nearby. After several shopping trips, I noticed: in one of the stores there are always fresh and cheap vegetables, but everything else is sold there at high prices. Another store pleased with the grocery department, but it had no other advantages. Consider such details and, if time permits, shop at several stores at once.

Learn to cook

For some, the test of two dollars a day will be unrealistic, because for this amount it is almost impossible to eat semi-finished products, there is in restaurants and cafes. In my experience, in a week you can save some of this money so that you can go to a coffee shop or pastry shop with friends on weekends and eat something delicious. But in general, you cannot count on ready-made food.

You need to learn to cook. If you know how to do this, the 130 rubles limit is practically not embarrassing.

With this money, it is quite possible to cook something tasty, nutritious and even unusual. If you do not know what you can do with a chicken leg or a head of cabbage, you urgently need to change it or give up trying to save on food. Otherwise, you will switch to unhealthy food, and this will soon make itself felt with unpleasant consequences.

Plan large purchases in advance

For me, such purchases were coffee and, when it got hot, a large piece of good meat. It was difficult with coffee: either I went to a deal with my taste buds and bought a cheap drink, or I cut other costs and bought a pack of good coffee.

I chose the second option and did not regret it. Firstly, saving on other things for the sake of coffee did not bring much suffering. Secondly, a cup of hot drink in the morning tasted even better than usual.

But a large purchase will only fit well into your budget if you plan ahead. I knew I would have to buy coffee. But I didn't count on buying expensive meat.

But I know myself: there are days and nights when the state “I urgently want to eat just this” develops into an obsessive syndrome. Sometimes it doesn't work out, and I initially included this risk in my budget.

Learn to say no

This skill follows logically from the previous point. When I drew up my budget and understood that I would have to moderate my desires and see how this would affect the budget, it was very important to plan only one “risk”. Otherwise, it would have escalated into indulging in one's own sudden impulses and, most likely, would have led to the failure of the test.

I had to immediately take it as a rule: you need to fight pressure from the outside. After all, every Friday (Saturday, Sunday) you will be offered to spend an evening in the company or just take a walk. Walking into a bar and ordering one glass of juice is a bit weird. It's even weirder to explain to everyone in the company that you can't afford a big check.

The best option is to plan your “outings” in advance, try to persuade your friends to find an economical way to spend your time, and otherwise, deny yourself entertainment that requires significant costs.

Do not rely too much on your willpower: it still has to be educated. Psychologists say: most of us find it easier to go into debt, but "save face" and eat well with friends in a restaurant, than calmly explain that you cannot afford it. Better save yourself from temptation.

Before making a purchase, consider what else you can buy with this money

Buying a chocolate bar or a packet of chips may seem insignificant at some point. However, you need to think for a second and imagine what else you can buy for the same money. Perhaps you buy something for a side dish or add another ingredient to the planned dish. Maybe you can get something no less tasty, but more useful.

Constantly compare the prices of products and make the best choice, satisfying the maximum of your needs for a certain amount of money.

Other findings

It seemed to me that buying food for 130 rubles a day is not so difficult. Honestly, I was happy about success only at the beginning: the first delicious and very cheap soup, the first Asian-style rice wok, the first vegetable stew only at first seemed like a great achievement. Within a week it became clear that there was no feat in this.

True, it also seemed to me that it would be difficult for an adult man who is engaged in physical labor to adhere to a normal, healthy diet for this money.

I also appreciated how important it is to have a selection of good spices and sauces in the kitchen. The wider the choice, the more different dishes you can prepare, the more varied the taste of even bored foods will be. If I had soy sauce, I knew for sure that I would gladly eat a large bowl of rice and it would not bother me.

The same goes for inventory. If you only have a saucepan at your disposal, it will be hard. The more cooking methods and techniques you have in stock, the more fun and enjoyable it will be to invent a new dish with common foods.

And one more thing: always take the bag with you to the supermarket.:)