so, i was so proud of myself for paying off my over draft, until i realized that i forgot to set aside 100 bucks for rent. so next friday i get paid 700 dollars and 550 of that goes to rent, 60 for bus, 35 for gym, 15 for birth control, 20 visa and 10 for laundry... that leaves me with *gasp* 60 dollars for girceries? oh geeeez... anyone have any idea on how to make that stretch for 16 days until my next cheque? i'll eat anything! but i have to have breakfast, snacks, lunch and supper because i am on a diet (not a starvation diet, or this would be perfect).... i dont care if it is healthy, for 2 weeks i can fudge it... just as long as i dont go hungry... help!

oh, i forgot to mention that i live in a small bachelorette suite, so no oven... small toaster oven, though and 2 burners... but no microwave either. thanks!

I would check out hillbillyhousewife.com there are many frugal recipes there. Better Times Cookbook and Almanac of Useful Information for Poor People is another link with frugal recipe ideas. Good luck! Do you have food in your pantry already or have nothing?

That's basically how much we can spend on groceries right now $60.00 we have been doing it for a while now. Normally I set aside $80.00 every two weeks but it always comes to $60.00 never over. I feed my family of three with these. I basically never use a "menu" for a whole week or two weeks. I just get the basic. Meat, vegetables, can beans, tomatoes etc... then I figure out what I can make from those. I buy a lot of pasta and rice too. I make steak with rice, fried rice, soup etc.. but it always works good for us. We have been doing this since July of this year and so far so good. You can do it just be creative.

First of all, make a list of what you have on hand right now. Figure a way to use up what you have.

Now look at the sale ads from the stores.


See what you can come up with. One box of pasta can be spaghetti, turn the rest into a cold pasta salad with veggies. Cook a chicken. Us some for dinner, take some for lunch on a salad, chop up the rest into chicken salad and eat on bread or crackers. You could use the bones to make chicken stock and make a pot of soup. Or add some of that chicken to some rice and veggies for a stir fry meal. You could also use some chicken, cream of chicken soup, and some veggies and top with biscuit mix and bake a chicken pot pie.

Make a meal, then turn the leftovers into something else or freeze a portion of it for next week's lunch or dinner.

Sorry I don't know what your diet allows, but hope this gives you some suggestions.

I would eat sandwiches alot.

You can have tuna, ham, egg sandwiches. Pasta is cheap and lasts a while. Soups are also pretty filling. Salads are also good and filling and pretty cheap to make. Can you make baked potatoes in your toaster oven?? Potatoes are cheap and filling also. I think you will be fine just be creative and it will all work out.

Definitely take stock of what you have on hand and see if you can go from there. Peenut00 is right sandwiches are a great option. In fact I have a pb&J sandwich everyday for breakfast.

Potatoes are great too. Since you have a toaster oven you should be able to bake them in there. I eat baked potatoes for a meal a lot because I love them. See who has fruit or veggies on sale this week and go for that for your snacks.

Pasta dishes with ground turkey are great and cheap. Pasta salad alone is a good lunch or snack also. I made tuna salad and can eat on that for a couple of days.

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Proud mommy to adorable Kinsley expecting #2 May 2010

I see you're in Canada. I'm not sure what stores they have there, but I highly recommend Aldi for staples (milk, butter, eggs) and fruits and veggies. Also, Big Lots has great prices on rice, pasta, cereal and cereal bars (for snacks). With these basics you should be able to stretch whatever you have in your cabinets already so that you are eating a healthy diet and staying within your $60.

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~ Jen
http://halfpintjen.blogspot.com/

I would see how much a big package of english muffins would cost- we can get a big package for about $1.50- you can make little pizzas, egg mcmuffins and so on. I agree with the other posters of seeing what you have on hand, check out local sale ads (coupons) and you can do it! For snacks you can get a package of oranges or something and ration them out. Good luck- we all have been through something like this and you can do it!!

I think those bags of cereal are reasonably cheap. Eggs are a good choice since you can do a lot with them. Ramen is always super cheap. You could buy a big box of those instant potatoes and some of those gravy packets. Or do as was suggested and bake a potato in your toaster oven.

I would say if you're pantry is completely empty and you have and Aldi's or something similar nearby go there. Some good staples that can make a variety of foods that will last for those two weeks are: Pancake mix (the complete kind only needs water), eggs, bread, a rotissiere chicken can make maybe 3 or 4 different things for one person - chicken salad, the chicken itself with a baked potato or some rice or pasta, the bones can be boiled with a carrot, celery and some onion and make some healthy chicken stock and then add some frozen mixed veggies and some noodles and make a good size pot of chicken soup. Potatoes are also great and filling, canned beans are great for protein. Ramen noodle soups are also good and cheap. Hope this helps.

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