If you’re like me, you get tired of eating the same meals from Commons every day for $500-$2,400 a semester. So, last semester I completely cancelled my meal plan and took control of my meals.
After a rough couple of weeks, I was determined to find a way to save money and eat better. I finally did and I’m excited to now share all of my secrets with you.
First, STOP BUYING JUNK FOOD.
Or, at least limit yourself to only spending $20 every two weeks for non-healthy food. If you buy junk food regularly, you might spend time less time preparing your meals, but you’ll also be hungry sooner and will need to go grocery shopping more often.
This means buy more veggie and fruits. You can even buy easily made sides for $1 at Walmart.
Secondly, shop the sales.
This is something many people forget when buying food, but there are so many apps and coupons out there that can save you money. You just need to be aware and use them, and from that, build your shopping list.
Thirdly, stick to your budget.
I go to the grocery store every two weeks and my budget is $40. I usually only end up spending around $30-$35. A helpful tip is to round up the price of your items as you shop. This is to make up for any taxes you will have at the end.
BONUS TIP:
Download the ‘ACME’, ‘Walmart’, and ‘Coupons’ apps.
Acme, previously Giant, is the grocery store off of Route 13 near Walgreens. The prices are slightly more expensive than Walmart, but with the app you can track their weekly deals and save coupons to an account to use in-store. They usually have sliced chicken breasts for Buy One, Get Two Free. Yes, I said Buy One, Get Two Free. A Steal.
The Walmart app allows for customers to get cash back when prices for your purchased items are advertised for lower at a different store. Just scan your receipts and get money.
On this app, you can save coupons to your account, and receive the money back from purchased items based on which coupons you saved. On the Walmart section of this app, they have coupons for free bread, avocados, eggs, and potatoes, up to a certain amount, about twice a month.
So, there you have it. If you would like to see how to cook a good budgeted meal check out Anjelique cook on our YouTube channel.