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My food budget is sooo blown this month!

February 25th, 2007 at 05:40 pm

We've been doing a lot of commercial satellite jobs and they've taken us far from home. We're generally home each evening but on the road for hours a day. Well, because of that we've spent almost $400 on food so far this month! That might not seem like a lot to some but we generally spend less than $200 a month to feed 4 people so $400 by the 25th of the month, and a good deal of it fed only two people, is just outrageous! We have to put an end to that, period. We can't afford it. I don't think there will be more commercial jobs for awhile so that will solve most of the problem right there. But I need to come up with a back up plan in case we end up doing another one or two or twelve. The money is good so we won't turn them down but we need to not eat out every time we do those jobs!

Anyone have ideas on something to take to eat other than sandwiches?

5 Responses to “My food budget is sooo blown this month!”

  1. Ima saver Says:
    1172425350

    My husband makes up meals out of leftovers (roast, potatoes, etc.) and he has a microwave that he takes with him to the job.

  2. denisentexas Says:
    1172425888

    We don't have a micro we can take with us but most of the commercial places have one we can use and we have several coolers we can take along packed with food so that should work. Smile Hopefully we'll be doing mainly wireless installs for awhile and those are local. Smile

  3. nance Says:
    1172427131

    When we are on the road, instead of going to a restaurant or fast food place, we will go to a grocery store and get a loaf of French bread, a block of good cheese, and some fruit, like grapes. We take bottled water we get at Sam's or walmart, and keep the food and water in a cooler. It tastes great, is better for us, and is cheaper. We take good quality zip lock bags to put the cheese, etc. in so it doesn't become water-logged when the cooler's ice melts. My husband has a pocket knife to slice the bread and the cheese.
    We never buy soft drinks. DH takes a thermos of coffee made at home. I don't drink coffee. Paying a dollar or more for a bottle of water at a gas station, etc. is ridiculous. You can get a case reasonably at Wal-Mart or Sam's.
    Sometimes, we will get a roasted chicken at a grocery store, and have that for a meal or two. Sometimes you can buy just a few pieces at a grocery store. We keep wet wipes, and napkins in the car/truck too.
    If the weather is nice, we will stop at a small park, and enjoy the scenery, while eating, walk around, and relax before getting back in the vehicle.
    We have even used a coupon to get Arby's sandwiches 4/$5.00, and eaten half of them for a meal and put the other two in a zip lock bag in the cooler for later. We don't get fries, etc. We don't need the calories! It
    is easy to take fresh fruit, esp. grapes in a cooler and snack on them. We also take snack crackers, pretzels, etc. to snack on, or eat with meals.

    If you only take water purchassed by the case, and a large thermos of coffee, you will save.

    If you really want to eat in a restaurant, stop at Pizza Hut for the noon buffet, and drink water. It is a good deal, and though it is more expensive than the other things I suggested, it is a nice change. They offer a salad buffet, all the pizza you want, and even dessert pizza for one reasonable price.

  4. denisentexas Says:
    1172495784

    Nance, thanks for the suggestions! Smile

  5. Lux Living Frugalis Says:
    1172498722

    Use your crockpot the night before a day of driving and use a couple of wide mouth thermos'z to eat a hearty rib sticking meal on the road. Leftovers to the freezer for another day. I second Nance's ideas of a small cooler & fruit & veggies to snack on.

    If water is too bland for either of you think iced tea in a thermos or the little crystal-lite drink mixes that you can pour into your home filled water bottle.

    If major frugalness need is the issue, buy yourselves each one of those bottled waters and refill them from the home tap, why buy a whole case? Or get yourself a decent large-ish refillable thermos w/the sippy top and fill 'er up in the mornings and along the route during the day.


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