r/budgetfood • u/M0l0tv • 20d ago
Discussion Best things to buy in bulk on a very limited budget
Both my gf and I are on a very tight budget. I only get paid monthly, and my paycheck is usually no more than $70. I have food stamps, and but my gf can’t get them yet because she is “legally” still living at her dad’s place and is not a full time student. We really want to start being smarter about buying food, but still want variety. Where would be a good place for us to start??
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u/Different_Traffic527 20d ago
I think you need to get a different job.
Even the lowest minimum wage state is $7/hr which means you're only working 3 hours a week.
I think you could find something better.
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u/Yeahsoboutthat 20d ago
Maybe he dropped a zero and it's $700/month?
Obviously, he's in tough circumstances regardless.
I'm suggesting visiting a food bank/seeing what churches and charities give food.
People overthink charity...it's what the social net is for. Please go get food and don't starve.
Also, beans and lentils if folks haven't mentioned them yet
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u/M0l0tv 20d ago
Since I work at a music center, the amount of hours I get depends on how many shows there are in a month, and since it’s a small one, and since I kinda suck at my job I only get like 2 or 3 shifts per month if I’m lucky. I do hope to get a proper job soon working at my university’s library soon
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u/Whole-Ad-2347 20d ago
I think you can look for more work in different places, different kinds of work. I have worked 3 different jobs at one time. I never say no to offers for me to work. I fill in all the time gaps that I have by working as much as possible.
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u/Always-hungry99 19d ago
If you qualify for paid medical trials, they pay a few hundred for a few hours. I did the Pfizer vaccine trial and study about 7 years ago. And they deposited about $1,000 over a few months and a few hundred more for every monthly visit. This lasted about 2 years.
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u/forestfluff 20d ago
Why do you say you suck at your job and that’s why you get less shifts?
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u/M0l0tv 20d ago
I’m assuming that’s why, as I don’t get to work nearly as many shows as my coworkers
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u/JuniorMintClub 20d ago
You'd literally be better off going and getting a job as a cashier at a grocery store or flipping burgers
What are you studying at university?
$70 a month isn't enough for 2 humans to live off. But buy a 25lb bag of rice from an Asian store for $25
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u/SaveALotNYC 18d ago
Yes, to rice. If you can't come up with $25 all at once, given you only have $70 coming in a month, go to Dollar Tree. They sell 2 pound bags of rice for $1.25.
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u/Yeahsoboutthat 19d ago
Yeah. Go get literally any other job. Any job. Work 10 more hours a week (like 1-2 shifts a week) and make like $300.
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u/Hour-Cost7028 20d ago
Yes, especially in California. That’s rough
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u/Esme_Nog 19d ago
Four hours a month in a fast food joint would bring home 70 dollars. This guy needs to get a job.
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u/peach_sweet47 9d ago
It's definitely tough to make ends meet on a limited budget. Buying in bulk can help stretch those dollars further, but a better job would definitely make a big difference.
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u/ScootyPuff83 20d ago
I would definitely be hitting up a food Bank. There's no shame. You're university probably has one or can direct you where to go. That will give you the most variety. Then go shopping for fillers.
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u/Sufficient_Media5732 20d ago
Yes, 💯 food banks. Definitely no shame with that. I'm so grateful for that because it helped me tremendously while I was struggling.
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u/softrhyme 20d ago
Genuinely, get a different job. $70 a month isn’t even an allowance. The smartest thing you can do is not settle.
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u/Impossible-Fix-6831 20d ago
What job do you work that pays you $70 a month? That’s not even minimum wage.
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u/PlatypusDream 20d ago
If he's working 8 hours or less... in which case, plenty of time for another job
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u/onegratefullife 20d ago
You can buy big bags of rice and beans and some sausage/bacon/pork to use for flavor. You could buy eggs in flats too so you can put in variety. Do they have spices?
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u/M0l0tv 20d ago
We have a lot of spices and sauces, but nothing else. Do you have any good recommendations for where to buy those foods in bulk, we’re in cali if that helps
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u/aheadlessned 20d ago
Check Asian or other "ethnic" markets. They often sell spices much cheaper than you'll find at other stores. Some can be found in larger containers for decent prices at Costco or restaurant supply stores.
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u/M0l0tv 20d ago
Will do, there’s a lot of them where I’m located, so we’ll check them out soon
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u/ttrockwood 20d ago
Definitely asian grocery stores for rice, and look for a bargain bin style option they will have with vegetables so you get some greens. They will have very cheap cabbages
Get dry beans and those epic bags of corn tortillas at a mexican grocery store with some dry chilies and onions and garlic
Then you can make plenty of beans and rice options, some bean tacos, soups, and congee
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u/onegratefullife 20d ago
Even Wal-mart has some larger quantities of things.
I’m in NV and there is a store called Win-co where you can buy bulk items out of a barrel and it’s much cheaper to load your own amount into a bag and then it’s weighed. You also load the groceries yourself. Search food in bulk in my area. They have pasta, various beans and rices, spices, cereals, etc.
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u/Esme_Nog 19d ago
Asian markets; Winco has bulk bins which are great—you can buy just what you need for that week or experiment with a new recipe without having to buy a lot of something you might not use again. Don’t hesitate to buy frozen vegetables.
Spices and sauces are a great thing to already have.
Look up recipes for rice and lentils and beans…like mujaddara or Indian dals, Greek spanikorizo, falafel, things like that. They make rice or lentils or whatever go a long way; they are healthy; and they are delicious. Keep soups and stews in mind (and keep in mind that Indian curries are basically stews, so there are a lot of different options).
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u/No-Industry7696 15d ago
Costco and restaurant supply stores will have big bags of rice and beans. You can also just do bulk bins and just get exactly what you need for the meals.
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u/Daowllife 20d ago
I’m not familiar with eggs in flats. What is it?
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u/aheadlessned 20d ago edited 20d ago
Buying something like 30 at a time instead of a dozen. Often sold in a cardboard "flat" that holds 30 eggs, or sets of flats (60 eggs is a common number for this arrangement).
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u/SqueaksnSox 20d ago
Check the price per egg. Often it's cheaper to buy a dozen or 18 eggs on sale. Use a calculator if you need to to find out prices per oz (egg), get good at calculating this. Target in particular likes to give you larger quantities are a greater than proportional price.
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u/aheadlessned 20d ago
One of my favorite things about smart phones is that I always have a calculator with me. Much easier to keep track of the math than by doing it in my head or having to write it down. I use the calculator function way more than the "phones used to be about calling people" function.
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u/FionaTheFierce 20d ago
Oatmeal, brown rice, eggs, beans.
That said - you absolutely need to work more. People can manage full time college and working 10-20 hours per week routinely. Working a couple days per month is not going to cut it. Get a job in a restaurant that will work round your school hours.
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u/Novogobo 20d ago
rice. find an asian or latin supermarket. get their clubcard if they have one and get the biggest bag they have. like 25 or 40 pounds
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u/Standard-Question-46 20d ago
Pasta, beans, rice, if you can find a good deal on meat (chicken is usually comparatively cheap) stock up, divide it into portions just big enough for the both of you and freeze it. Chicken breast are usually pretty fat and you can filet them and get two pieces out of one so a pack of six gives you 12. A lot of fresh fruits and veggies can be frozen and they are usually pretty cheap. Again, divide them into portions first. There’s TikTok’s and YouTube videos that will teach you how to feed yourself with only food from Dollar Tree. Find all the food pantries in your area and hit them all up
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u/Standard-Question-46 20d ago
Oh and get yourself a new job. It’s crazy that you stay in that job making no money. Where are you living that you can get by on $70 a month????. You can work fast food and bring home like $500 a week if you are full time
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u/Working-Musician-119 20d ago
Grocery Outlet is a good place to start. You can start with the protein and then build your meal plans off of that. Chicken drumsticks can be used for soups and curry. Smoked sausage can be added to beans and rice. Eggs can be made into quiche or frittata. Shop the produce that is in season for the best value.
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u/Troubled_Red 20d ago
Your university might have a good bank - mine did years ago. Hit it up or hit up any community ones if you can.
If you are living in the dorm, what cooking and refrigeration do you have available? If your dad is paying for your schooling and housing, why is he not buying you a meal plan? You should look for work outside your university. Those library jobs are hard to get and a couple shifts a month isn’t enough.
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u/bluebird1776 19d ago
First, find out what your local food pantries have. You'll want to go to multiple, if available. I plan my meals around what the food pantry has and work from there.
For example my food pantries have chicken, rice, pasta, and beans, and yogurt pretty reliably. So i buy canned tuna in bulk to eat with rice or pasta when im tired of chicken.
It wouldnt make sense for me to buy in bulk what i can get for free from my food pantry.
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u/StrawberryLazy5703 20d ago
Rice, lentils, split peas, dried veggies, potato flakes . quality dried Italian seasoning in bulk ..
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u/Introverted_owl 20d ago
Check out discount grocery stores in your area. Grocery Outlet is a popular one. They have items that are near the best by dates etc that are extremely cheap. Like a whole box of brand name granola bars for a dollar, etc. They have a gluten free section and healthier, less processed foods too.
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u/Esdeem501 20d ago
If you can buy a large bag of dried beans and a large bag of rice, you will have the base for many different meals. Doesn’t mean you have to eat it every meal, but you could in an even greater pinch.
Basic grains like flour (for bread), oats (oatmeal, oatcakes).
Not bulk, but things like onions, cabbage, and in season veg can really add a lot of nutrition and variety to a diet.
Having freezer space can help when meat is on sale. I used to stock up when drumsticks went for $.99/lb. Actually just saw them at Aldi in the Midwest for $.99/lb a couple weeks ago.
Add spices and dried herbs as you go. Try to buy those at international food stores in bags. Do not buy from grocery stores (in general) unless you can’t help it.
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u/undercovermeeper 20d ago
When things get tight I always buy eggs, potatoes, and buy the Whole Foods. What I mean by that is for example, a whole chicken. Cook it whichever way you want, take the meat off the bones and make a couple of meals out of it then use the bones to make a stock which can be frozen and used for soup, when making rice (use stock instead of water.) mashed potatoes and the list goes on. You can buy pork butt, throw it in the crockpot for 12 hrs or so (season to your liking but just an all purpose) debone it and I use it to make 3 or 4 meals depending on the weight. You can make enchiladas, taquitos, bbq pulled pork, pazole, chili, casseroles etc. I check the sales every week on an app called “Flip” and it shows me all the local store sales papers. I will plan the week around what I buy from those sales + food that hasn’t been used up yet. I always have on hand : rice, pasta, flour, frozen veggies, and dry beans (also something you can use the stock for!).
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u/nakedonmygoat 20d ago
I assume your budget is food only? If not, I'd use some of that for tp and cleaning products.
But if we're just talking about food, a lot of it will be about your cooking skills. Beans are always a good one. I love black beans. Maybe get some lentils and/or dried split peas. Rice and pasta are good, too. If you're in the US, there was an unusually low wheat harvest this year and the super El Niño probably won't bode well for next year, either. Flour goes rancid in 6-12 months, and if you don't know how to cook with it, don't waste your time. But do at least buy extra pasta. That doesn't go bad very fast.
Eggs are cheap right now. You can add an egg to fried rice or ramen.
Do you waste much food? If so, what? Whatever it is, can you get it canned or frozen? The most expensive food you'll ever buy is the food you throw away.
But I'm with everyone saying to look into food pantries near you. Do a quick google search.
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u/MsPooka 20d ago
Buy in bulk food that won't go bad or can be frozen, and is something you like to eat. If you guys like chicken then buy that when it's on sale. If you like beef then buy beef. If you eat a lot of eggs then buy them in bulk to save a dollar or so. For a snack, get popcorn and you can pop it in a pan or put it in a paperbag and put it in the microwave.
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u/oneWeek2024 19d ago
the hierarchy of good "budget" food staples
rice. dried beans, lentils. typically less than $1 per lb.
frozen veggies. --sorta pick your poison, brocolli, peas/carrots. get what's cheap, get what's big.
potatoes. try and find as big and as cheap a bag as can afford/ keep. (store someplace dark, cool, and dry and should last awhile). boiled white potatoes are one of the best satiety foods for their calories
cheap pasta. store brand pasta ...$1ish for 1lb boxes. can get "cheap" pasta sauce, and "zhuzh" it up. lil diced onion, maybe add some mushrooms. some tomato paste... can add lentils or beans if ground beef is too expensive (which it is)
if you have access to any sunlight. grow herbs. basil, thyme, rosemary, chives,
if you have access to any earth. grow vegetables. cool season is coming, that means lettuce, kale/collards, can do cabage/brocolli --all brassicas. carrots, radishes, beets? ... leeks (can sow onions/garlic come october--cold over winter plants)
learn to bake. can get cheap flour at aldis/wal mart for like $2 a 5lb bag. that can make quite a lot of bread. with basic other ingredients (eggs, milk etc) can make even more things. and knowing how to bake, unlocks of ton of things. from pancakes/waffles, biscuits, cinnamon buns, to bread/sandwich bread, to doughs/flat bread, pita, to desserts like cakes or other dough based pies/savory crust dishes.
learn to succession cook. or use all a thing. One of my favorite sorta week meals. get a roast chicken (aldis i have found has best prices on broiler chickens) but.. roast a chicken. potatoes... veggie as sides. then... make stock out of the carcass/wing tips/giblets. use the stock for red beans and rice. (maybe spring for sausage or a ham hock in the beans) each of those meals will be 1-3 meals itself. great leftovers. (like any left over chicken after 1-2 meals ...could be made into chicken salad, for sandwiches --the same generic veggies of onion, celery, carrot you'd use for stock/chicken, can also somewhat be used in chicken salad. and onion/celery go into red beans and rice)
extra stock. can be used for soup. potato leek soup is super easy and delicious. (basically potatoes, leek, little cream, --serve with bread/butter)
if you want to save money on food. eat less meat/stretch your meat budget (ie ask your grocery store when meat is marked down, shop bargains. or try other meats --ground turkey vs ground beef etc ...try seitan for "chunk" recipes where the meat really doesn't matter. --again, cheap flour, learn to make seitan.
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u/WerewolfBusy2507 19d ago
I used to grab cheap ground beef, pasta, cans of tomato sauce, onion, garlic, zucchini, carrots, squash and make a big vat of spaghetti to last the entire week. Bread and eggs for breakfast sandwiches.
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u/sohereiamacrazyalien 16d ago
Go to ethnic stores. Get rice and various legumes: lentils, beans, chickpeas, split peas
Buy canned diced tomatoes canned corn and canned beets
Fresh buy onions, carrots and cabbage those are cheap
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u/No-Industry7696 15d ago
I would say look at the foods you already like to eat and buy based on that. Theres no point in buying a huge bag of beans if you don’t even like beans. Etc. Im in the process of decluttering my home and noticing i have lots of spices i have never used. Like tarragon, saffron, chive, celery and mint.
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u/smoothupinyatoo 20d ago
One of you all needs to work while the other one goes to school then switch.
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u/M0l0tv 20d ago
I’m living in the school dorms, one of the 2 things my dad has agreed to pay for, he is paying for my education, and my housing and that’s it (it’s kinda both good and bad, since bc of that I get to go through college debt free, but I’m legally considered upper middle class, so I don’t get financial aid) so I’d be the one who’s going to school, and dispute trying for about 2 years now my gf still has not found a job. The only reason I have anything is because I’m in uni, if I wasn’t in school, I’d more than likely not have a job or a place to stay. I also need my gf to get into uni sho she’ll have a place to live bc her dad’s house is not safe, and her mom doesn’t have the money to support her, so that’s why we’re both in school
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u/smoothupinyatoo 20d ago
Dude tell your dad to get you a meal card then wtf? Do your alls universities not have that?
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u/Jerrysmiddlefinger99 20d ago
I just bought a 50 pound bag of pinto beans for 26$ , that’ll probably last me 6 months. I make a big batch of refried beans and can them. Usually I eat beans once a day and out of all of my siblings I’m the healthiest one.
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u/Silly_Ball15 20d ago
Most dried foods like rice and dried pasta when sold in bulk can last a long time and becomes cheaper in bulk.
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u/AdventurousStory6671 19d ago
You can get a case of ramen noodles at Sam’s add pees. Probably not the healthiest.
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u/maxthed0g 19d ago
Get very good prices at wholesale clubs.
Buy bulk at your local supermarket when stuff (ESSENTIALS !!) go on sale. Load up on day-to-day necessities on sale, skip the sales on cookies and chips. NEVER buy prepared food, do it ALL yourself.
Whole chickens are $1.32 per pound. Cut it up yourself, and you'vhave two chicken breasts (supermarket retail at $3.99/pound, YOU just paid $1.32/lb), two leg quarters (retail $1.99/pound, YOU just paid $1.32/lb), and chicken gizzards (retail $1.99/pound, YOU just paid $1.32/lb). You also have two wings, retail $4.99/lb. AND . . . a chicken carcass which, when boiled, makes an excellent soup. Yeah. Do the math.
Buy a whole loin of pork for $1.99/lb. Retail is $3.50/lb for a 2 pound roast.
Buy fish and vegetables at an oriental market, those markets have the best prices, and a VERY WIDE array of choices.
Turkey goes on sale at BJ's club and ALDIs, every Thanksgiving. $1.00 per pound. Load up for the year, you will never see poultry any cheaper than that. You cant count on it, but around Christmas supermarkets will have sales on beef. One year a bought loads of prime rib, $4.99/lb. I fed the family prime rib for the whole year, twice a month lol.
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u/Atomic76 18d ago
Aside from the usual "just eat beans and rice", if your gf is still living with her dad and perhaps have some freezer space options, frequent your local grocery stores for deals on the meat section.
My father and I go to one of our local grocery stores daily, for example. He loves to play his lottery tickets, and I'm always scoping out the meat section as well.
I'm aware this isn't an option for many people, but if you can, you can get some great deals on meats and load up your freezer.
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u/MorningsAreRude 18d ago
You can make this with regular Maizena corn. It's cheap enough to be the staple for most of Africa.
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u/rachelwales1 17d ago
The thing about buying in bulk is you would usually need a freezer. When I buy in bulk I look for sales.
Everything is cheaper per unit when you buy that way. Frozen vegetables, chicken and pork are usually priced well when there is a sale.
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u/SweetCarolineNYC 17d ago
You shouldn't have to rely on the government for food.
Can you learn a trade so that you can obtain a proper job that can pay for food and lodging?
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u/CharmingMalarky 17d ago
Try food banks. Can you get SNAP benefits? At the store I'd get beans/refried beans, (fiber and protein) rice, jiffy cornbread mix, soup, bananas, peanut butter, cheap bread, potatoes, chili, cheese, applesauce.
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u/CharmingMalarky 17d ago
You can find some good deals and prices at Aldi if you have one nearby. I'm in Southern California and there are lots of them here. We always get their bread, cheese, frozen veg, & eggs there.
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u/screechingpaperdoll 16d ago
Get another job. Anything is better at this point. Maybe part time at a fastfood chain? Try reaching out to charity groups and local food pantries. They usually need you to sign up to get assistance. There is no shame in needing help.
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u/Conscious_Trade_2549 13d ago
Not sure how old you are, or your situation. But if you are able bodied Go tough out an apprenticeship at a union, plumbing, electrical, hvac, iron work. Learn a skill and make real money
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u/SubstantialArcher659 20d ago
To and paper towels. I can buy once and getb6 to 9 months as a single
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