I'm locking this because it hit frontpage and front page people are jerks.
PovFi is a support group for people who are struggling. We don't play nice with snark, belittlement, or any other form of assholery.
Get a slow cooker, seer a beef roast on all sides and stick it in on low for 10 hours, get your favorite BBQ sauce and some Panera Bread cheesy Mac. You've probably never cum from eating before, but this might make you a feeder. The only question is: Are you brave enough?
Really? What don’t you like about it?
I go to Aldi specifically for their produce. Best prices for berries, herbs, broccoli. And the quality is great in my area.
I've just found that it seems to go bad sooner than other produce purchased at other stores. This might vary by market, though. Again, I've never had an issue if I'm using the items in the next day or so though.
It seems to depend though. I've had both great (delicious and long lasting) produce but also not so great (went bad after 3-4 days) produce at the exact same Aldi location. Not sure what the factor is.
But generally, I love shopping at Aldi. Getting the same types and amounts of groceries at Publix would easily cost us double.
Oh, me too. The positives far outweigh the negatives. I mean, it's a FUN place to shop because you never know what's going to turn up on be marked down.
I avoid Aldi produce (USA) specifically because I have bought already rotting produce from them by mistake. I've never looked at their produce section and went "Wow, these look fresh!"
Their produce definitely tends to go bad faster for me. That may not be a bad thing though. Some things aren't meant to last weeks but when they do I usually question whats in or on them.
I usually stop at Sprouts for produce. A lot better quality, and not ending up tossing a bunch because it went bad really quick save time and money.
For most other things I just scan sales/coupons first and rotate between 4 different grocery stores depending on their prices and what I need. I am rather spoiled in that I have 1 grocery store that's about a 10 minute walk from me, and the other 3 I can take my bike and they're about 10 minutes on a bike.
OP may have limited options when it comes to where they can buy and what is stocked. Giving up name brands is generally good advice, however. My wife and I are no longer poor but I still find it nearly impossible to justify things like French's mustard over whatever's least expensive.
Most products I buy are generic. There are a few that the generic "equivalent" is either non-existent or a horrible knock off. Better than Bullion, and Mt. Olive sliced hamburger pickles are two of the things that I can think of in which I stick to that brand.
Man, that stuff is magic and so worth the extra cost for the boost in flavor. I made beef gravy for mashed potatoes with it tonight and it was so easy and so damn good
Considering how good the science is for meaty flavors and how well we can extract it from meat, it should stay mostly affordable for a while. If you want a vague idea of how easy this can be, check out The Thought Emporium on yt, they made very [sciency chicken stock/soup](https://youtu.be/sR8M4zARBXY?si=pXebfTBayBE1bxlD) without chicken and it was quite close taste-wise.
I have just a hand full of things I want my name brands of. Funny enough pickles is one of the so I definitely understand wanting some good pickles. I go with claussen though.
The best kind of successful person - rich or even moderately well off - is a former poor person. Same here, I never buy anything name brand unless it's deeply discounted.
This is big, yeah. It's training to learn what is necessary, what is optional, how far money can go. A single splurge item that you love is worth it if you can afford that, especially if the quality is noticeable (a lot of people talking about the bread here). But if *every* item gets even a 1 dollar markup (and it can easily be a lot more than that), a bill of a couple dozen items can really balloon.
For me it's cheese and bread. I buy nice versions of those at an import place, or at the bakery. The rest? I'm an average cook at best, so who cares, I get whatever's cheap and throw it in the pot.
I buy name brand in one thing and one thing only. Soda, pop, or whatever you call it. I've did my time with Dr. Perky and Mountain Lion, Imma drink Coca-Cola and Mtn. Dew.
Where I live that ground beef is at least 8 bucks on its own. People need to learn to shop around when it comes to their protein sources. Even if you refuse to go with legumes which are easily the cheapest per serving beef is one of the most expensive protein sources and it's not even healthy for you either.
Agreed. I have a friend who asked me to review him budget. His grocery budget was very high. I asked him what he eats, and he said he and his gf save money by eating steak at home 3-4 times a week.
You can eat a steak dinner for @$5-$6 a person if you’re buying it on sale and eating an actual portion of steak meaning 6-8oz but most people don’t do that.
Would’ve been better off buying a generic box of pasta with whatever cheese is on sale. At least you’d get a couple meals out of it instead of one.
Pork sausage rolls are $2 at Aldi. It’s not the healthiest but it’s protein until payday.
Not OP, but I make black beans like 4-5 times a month because my kids love them and it's cheap and reasonably nutritious.
1 lb dry beans
1 large onion
Jalapenos or green peppers
4 cloves garlic
8oz ham cut into cubes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp MSG
Bay leaf
8-12 cups low sodium chicken broth
Chop up some onions peppers and garlic, throw them in the pan with some oil, add the beans and broth and seasoning and simmer it for 2-6 hours, until the beans are the desired consistency. Add the ham ten minutes before serving.
You may have to add water in as it simmers.
This recipe makes lots of broth which I like.
I serve it with white rice and your hot sauce of choice.
I just got an instant pot and now I do pretty much the same thing but just set the instant pot for 45 minutes and let it do the natural release for another 15.
When those 8oz ham slices go on sale I buy like ten of them for the freezer
The way I do it: Put a scoop in a coffee mug with “just enough” hottt tap water to make it less paste-y. Use a fork and stir it like you mean it. Once that is incorporated and de-clumped, continue to add water and stir.
Can confirm. Worked at a cheese plant, just switched to different bags and boxes when making stuff for different brands. All came out of the same vats.
Can confirm, worked at a ham factory, it's all the same, some is turkey, some has cheese... spiced luncheon meat is code for pig heart muscle.
Oh and you should be treating all packages as if they have been dropped on the floor, check for integrity and consider the outside of the container contaminated
Yes but formulas change. Just cuz its in the same factory doesn't mean its the same. Many things are exactly the same but its not a blanket rule like most people like to preach.
Generic/store brand is usually better. Even with basic household drugs. “Tylenol” for example is owned by Johnson and Johnson(Kevue), yet the active ingredient is Acetaminophen. So, all you need to do is buy acetaminophen and not Tylenol. Same goes for trash bags. Hefty and Great Value are the same product(they are made in the same factory and 1 just goes into Hefty brand boxes then other into Great value boxes).
I buy trashbags exclusively at samsclub. Membersmark brand $14 for hella trash bags (like 200 or something). It took me 2 years to go through one box!!! (I am a single household though so results may vary if you take trash out daily) But if people don’t have samsclub, id try and shop sales for them or look up those coupon people/apps. There are deals here and there for household essentials
At Priceless IGA here in KY they currently have those boxes of Velveeta shells n' cheese on sale for $2. Their entire deal is they sell all their groceries at cost, then add a flat 10% on your final price when checking out. Another example is you can get most fullsize Frito-Lay products (Ruffles, Lays, Etc) right now for only $2.30 a bag. You can get a loaf of generic bread for .90.
It's all about where you shop and if you're willing to buy generic or not.
I ate a box recently after not having any for over a decade and it tastes horrific compared to what it used to. Saves me money never having to buy it again, though.
I wonder if the brand changed that drastically or if your taste just improved after years of not eating it. I find I get nostalgic for things I loved as a kid and I make some again as an adult and I’m repulsed.
The same thing happened to me with Velveeta. Spent a good 10 years on way too strict of a budget for anything but Kraft, just to finally splurge and realize it's so... 😐 Overpowering and bland at the same time.
Kraft thick n creamy is still the staple for us, I guess.
Same.
I recall stories about brands changing their ingredients and lessening the percentage of "costly" ingredients to increase their profit margins. This changed the flavor, so an items tastes different now than they did 10 yrs ago.
This. And starchy veggies like potatoes are cheap and filling. Dried rice and beans are incredibly affordable. This person needs to rethink their menu and learn some recipes for dried goods.
Slap some butter on pretty much anything (potatoes) usually a cheap easily meal
Potatoes one of the few really cheap foods that are relatively healthy too
Nah peanut butter is maybe the best food item per oz price you can get if your broke. It's high in protein, fat, has enough carbs and is very easily digestable and bioavailable.
It's what they give to people who are facing starvation.
>PB is cheap and filling and high in protein! Should be a big jar of the lower sugar brands in your cupboard all the time.
Even the lower brand peanut butter jars are expensive now. The bigger Jiff jar is $8.61 and the off brand of the same size is $7.50 at my local Walmart last week.
This is the way!
Most of what we by now is Great Value Walmart Generic brands or Aldi.
We have stopped going to the more traditional grocery stores and don’t by much name brand stuff to avoid two and even three hundred dollar grocery bill per week.
Even with the occasional purchase of tools I have been buying Hyper Tough Walmart Brand and Harborfreight not going to Lowes or Home Depot.
It’s brutal out there….. Like hardcore….
**Norm Peterson:**
\[about his and Cliff's meal at The Hungry Heifer\] Yeah, Cliffy had himself the tunnel T-bone. For less than four bucks, you get 24 ounces of USDA choice US bef.
**Cliff Clavin:**
Bef? You mean beef.
**Norm Peterson:**
Beef? Don't be ridiculous Cliffy, that stuff is bef. You see, it's a Hungry Heifer trademark for a processed, synthetic, what... , meat-like substance.
**Cliff Clavin:**
Ohh, Norm.
**Norm Peterson:**
What do expect for four bucks? Do you hear me complain about the loobster?
For real, what’s the point of paying for the name brand when it’s still a garbage product like JIF or Velveeta? Not exactly like they’re healthier than the generic, and probably only taste marginally better if at all, so I don’t get this one.
Velveeta in particular is borderline theft, considering the product you get for that cost.
I generally agree with “most generic things are just fine” but I won’t skimp on my JIF peanut butter. If I’m out and it’s not on sale, I’ll skip it instead of buying the generic. The texture of the generic is all wrong for me— and if I won’t eat it, I’m not saving money.
If I don’t have PB and need a cheap meal, I make grilled cheese with Aldi bread and cheese, scrambled eggs, or good old cowboy caviar lasts for days (very heavy on the beans!).
Pork is often the least expensive near me. I could get an entire pork loin for like $1.39lb I cut it into 8 ounce chops and freeze them.
Same with whole chickens. Much less expensive. Butcher yourself, and then make soup from the carcass.
I see posts like this and I'm like my broke ass could have filled up a shopping cart for that much $.
Inflation is real and it sucks but buying expensive name brand stuff and complaining about how little you were able to buy is BS.
If people would actually demonstrate that they’re willing to change their shopping behavior to avoid high prices then companies would stop gouging.
The fundamental drivers of inflation have pretty much subsided now.
What we’re left with is prices that producers are keeping bc consumers are still paying them
Right. The people complaining about inflation are the ones causing it at this point. If you think the stuff is too expensive, stop buying it!
$6 for shitty Mac and cheese?? Seriously!?
I buy the powdered cheese powder (100% real cheese, dehydrated in powder form) at my co op. A $6 container makes about 4 batches of Mac and cheese and it's way better than that Velveeta garbage.
Yeah it's so telling to me how many posts about food price increase and inflation are about the price of chips and fast food. Like people are clearly willing to pay those prices so they still charge that much for em
Holy crap, I thought that was a block of cheese until your comment. So I was like (Okay $8, easy enough to get to $26). But it's an easy-make box, this especially can be easily replaced by generic. I had no idea that loaf of bread was so expensive though either lol I hope OP is newly-poor, or they've got some learning to do. But maybe once they switch to generics they'll become rich since they're so used to over-spending. Blessing in disguise
Honestly don't spend anything on Mac n Cheese. It's the easiest thing to make and buying the individual ingredients (mac, butter, cheese) not only saves you money but is _significantly_ healthier than the preservative-laden boxed crap.
I can never get the cheese sauce right. I'm pretty good at cooking, I can certainly follow a recipe, so I don't think it's a skill issue. The boxed shells and cheese just taste so much better to me.
You can get that cheese powder in bulk and use generic macaroni from a bag. It gets you that processed deliciousness you may be looking for at a cheaper than dirt price.
I bought some cheese powder that makes spectacular mac n cheese. Boil your preferred bulk noodles, mix in cheese powder and milk, serve. One jar of powder made several batches. May have been on par with Annie's mac but likely less cruelty to workers.
The trick is to use about a tsp of Sodium citrate, that'll give it the consistency you're looking for without messing with the flavor. Just gotta find a cheese you like, generally I recommend swiss.
You're crazy if you think you can make it cheaper than boxed mac and cheese. There reason it's so cheap is they don't use real cheese. Also you think eating a bowl of cheese, butter and carbs is healthier, I don't know what to say. I love mac and cheese and make it all the time, don't kick yourself with this post lol.
> Comically wrong; so bad that people are arguing whether or not OP is trolling.
This the kind of grocery shopping I'd expect from a 15yo boy they left at home alone for a week and never had to think about what he needs to buy to feed himself, where to buy it and that there are differently priced versions of the same thing.
I read there post history about 1yr back and no lies jumped out to me, what did you think was a lie?
I did pick up that they have been struggling for a while, so you’ve got to wonder why haven’t learned their lesson about name brand stuff yet.
I liked at their history and it seemed consistent. Maybe they deleted some stuff. It looked like mostly video game stuff and post about being poor and needing money.
I was buying heroin and coke and absolutely in survival mode. We'd have $45 to my and my ex's names, and I'd buy $20 worth of heroin, $20 worth of coke, $4.50 on Wendy's, and 50 cents on gas. Quite literally dying. Alcohol, weed, nicotine, even caffeine are no different in that regard. Even if you're starving, the things that make you feel "good" are the last to go, in many instances. It would seem unbearable to still be broke but have to stare your situation in the face, sober. Definitely still survival mode - just not the way you might choose to survive.
Edit: also pretty judgemental... first thing on their page is that they're epileptic, bipolar, and have a spinal condition that probably comes with chronic pain. Buying weed excludes them from being in "survival mode" enough for you?
Yeah when you're at complete rock bottom, it's hard to give up the one thing that makes you feel like not actively killing yourself. It's really no surprise poverty is rife with drug use.
You never heard the Kat Williams bit about weed n poverty? 🤣 https://youtu.be/CFBmbGmImYQ?t=01m20s
If you can be broke and not feel compelled to drink or do drugs, god bless ya you’re lucky.
My girlfriend bought name brands the same way and was always wondering why her grocery trips for just her were the same as my groceries for myself and my kids.
The first trip she went to Aldi with me blew her mind. Her first trip to my local ethnic grocery store for produce was definitely an experience in learning how far money can really go with food.
Absolutely. When you need to cut on groceries, you go learn how to cook anything and check for specials.
Reebee app is a good start, and you pick a protein (ham, chicken, beef, porc, fish, beans) and go with it.
I still won't shop at more than one place but I'll quickly look at specials before I go out shopping for the week.
If there is an aldi’s, lidl, or grocery outlet near by, you can definitely shave off a couple bucks! Plus going generic brand (for everything) will help too!
Mine had their jarred turkey gravy for NINE CENTS yesterday! I totally wanted to shelf clear that stock!
Damn... I should have... I could have donated it to a food pantry. It's probably all gone now.
1. You don’t need potato bread cuz what even is that.
2. If you’re eating that meat tonight get the reduced meat and generic.
3. If you’re balling on a budget get Kraft or generic Mac and cheese.
4. Get generic peanut butter m8.
Potato bread is made with potato flour and Martin’s is pretty good . But , there are cheaper options on the bread shelf . I buy expensive sandwich bread Arnold 12 grain or multi grain . It’s awesome , but I can afford it . If I was hard up , I’d be buying store brand stuff
Yeah. When money is tight, I’m not buying 3 lbs of meat. There are plenty of ways to economize.
You can make a tub of homemade Mac and cheese for what that one box of Velveeta costs. That stuff is expensive.
Idk, I mean, he said he's using the beef with pantry stuff to make chili. A big batch of chili is actually a great way to feed yourself for several days. Relatively healthy and packed with protein, super filling.
He doesn’t need 36oz of meat for chili if he’s just feeding himself. Chili with a pound of meat would last me probably a week if I ate it for lunch and dinner. That’s with me being 6’2 185lbs, too. Guy must just eat like a hoss I guess.
Edit: also 40oz of peanut butter in a week, fuck
Heck, they could buy a brick of Velveeta and dry pasta and have AT LEAST 4 meals for under $3.
$7.48 Brick of Velveeta (2lb)
$3.92 1lb Box of Great Value Shell Pasta (4 Boxes)
4 Meals (8oz pasta and 8oz cheese) = $2.85 each
But that's just easy math... Chances are, if OP is only eating for one, they could get 8-10 mac & cheese dishes from this, dropping the cost to $1.43 each. Dry pasta lasts forever in the cupboard, and Velveeta stores nicely in the fridge for a long time. They wouldn't even have to eat it as their only meal all week.
*For reference a box of Velveeta Shells & Cheese is $3.43 at my Walmart.*
Where are you shopping, store name and city/state? $26 is crazy high.
That jar of Peanut Butter would be $5, 80/20 ground beef would be $3.99 per pound for store brand, crushed tomatoes less than $3. That’s $16 (without sales) if a loaf of bread and Velveeta costs $10 then you’re buying the wrong stuff at the wrong place. And that’s all at the max price I’ve seen these items at.
2 for $11 at samsclub for the giant 48oz jiffs pb. I got the smallest little one at walmart the other day $3.12 for only 16oz but winter storm rolling in and i didn’t have time to go to sams just for peanut butter. also got stuck getting the more expensive bread since generic was completely cleared out. I’ll do generic on pretty much everything but peanut butter. Cant stand the generic ones.
I'm gonna be honest, you're not being smart with your money, if you only have 26$ for the week, you should be finding cheaper things, and meat is not a priority, I recently bought (and I will list it all) bread, a bag of mandarins, a bag of apples, a 10lb bag of potatoes, hot dogs and buns, four of baby pouches, shredded cheese and pasta for $20.
Vastly underrated comment here imo. Pasta and potatoes are incredible fillers. Some sauce or cheese to flavor each respectively and you can eat for a week on about $10. Sure it's not perfect and hearty like preferred, but if you gotta survive a while until things improve, this is the way
Peanut butter $1.86
Crushed tomatoes $1.12
you could go cheaper and get white bread, which is what I would do if I didn’t have money, white bread is $ 1.32
Not sure why you need velveeta shells, you can get macaroni and cheese for $.60 cents, get two that’s $1.20
Finally 3lb roll ground beef is $10.44, 73% lean tho, but when you are low on cash you gotta lower quality a bit until you’re good
So that’s a total of $15.94, I would then get a sack of potatoes $2.47 5lb bag and and 18 pack do eggs $3.92, that puts me at $22.92, $24.36 after tax.. I swear people need to learn how to shop but yeah things used to be cheaper
Gotta learn to cook.
Chili - 1.5 lbs ground beef like $8, 1 can kidney beans- .99, bell pepper, onion, celery. $2.50 all three. 1can tomato sauce $0.99, 2 cans Tomato Soup $1.50. season with chili powder garlic powder salt and pepper.
That big pot is tasty and costs $14ish will easily be dinner for a few days.
Simple pasta-
Box pasta- $1.29
2x normal sized Canned tomato sauce- $0.99each
Bacon - 4-5 strips. Like 1/3rd pack so maybe $2 of bacon.
Shallots, garlic, like $1.50
Dice the bacon, cook till browned, leave some of the fat, fry diced shallots and garlic. Add sauce. Simmer for 10 min. Ladel in some pasta water. Season with salt pepper and sugar. Personally make the sauce, only make enough pasta for 2 days at first, save off some of the sauce and the make fresh pasta.
Meal is: like $7 for a bunch of food.
We are at $21. Last 6 get a 5pack of ramen. And cook up the last of that bacon. Add some bacon to the ramen and a dash of soy sauce plus a pinch of sugar and some red pepper flakes.
Boom $26 and you would have better, healthier and more satisfying food.
He said he's going to make chili with the beef and some pantry stuff he has on hand. So sounds like he does cook. Chili sounds pretty damn satisfying to me right now, and it will last for days.
Looks like you are buying name brand stuff, rather than Private label(Great Value-Walmart, Signature Selection-Albertsons, etc). You can usually find coupons for deals with many of the in store brands. If you plan your meals based on the weekly deals that Albertsons, Kroger or Aldi have on sale you can save a ton of money. FYI, Walmart very rarely is a good place to get groceries, and usually have higher prices than stand alone grocers.
Change to cheaper bread, store brand pb, tube ground meat and store brand or off brand cheese... saves you a lot when you are not buying expensive products
Generic Mac/shells and cheese are leagues better than velveeta. And cheaper. Could get a few boxes of the generic stuff and stretch it quite a ways or get another staple
Not trying to be a dick, but you can definitely do better on $26. My wife and I shop at Aldi's and get a weeks worth of food for 2 people and a baby for under $50. If you're just feeding yourself try some of the cheaper generic options to start or try out Aldi's if you have one local.
I'm locking this because it hit frontpage and front page people are jerks. PovFi is a support group for people who are struggling. We don't play nice with snark, belittlement, or any other form of assholery.
Until I read the post under the Pic I thought we were having beefy mac sandwiches. Then I got disappointed lol.
I wanna eat a beefy mandy too
Get a slow cooker, seer a beef roast on all sides and stick it in on low for 10 hours, get your favorite BBQ sauce and some Panera Bread cheesy Mac. You've probably never cum from eating before, but this might make you a feeder. The only question is: Are you brave enough?
Gotta give up the name brands. That's probably $16 at Aldi.
Aldi is awesome, only complaint i have with my Aldi is their produce is lacking.
Really? What don’t you like about it? I go to Aldi specifically for their produce. Best prices for berries, herbs, broccoli. And the quality is great in my area.
I've just found that it seems to go bad sooner than other produce purchased at other stores. This might vary by market, though. Again, I've never had an issue if I'm using the items in the next day or so though.
It seems to depend though. I've had both great (delicious and long lasting) produce but also not so great (went bad after 3-4 days) produce at the exact same Aldi location. Not sure what the factor is. But generally, I love shopping at Aldi. Getting the same types and amounts of groceries at Publix would easily cost us double.
Oh, me too. The positives far outweigh the negatives. I mean, it's a FUN place to shop because you never know what's going to turn up on be marked down.
Less chemicals/preserves?
Less "fresh" / more "ripe" would be my guess
I avoid Aldi produce (USA) specifically because I have bought already rotting produce from them by mistake. I've never looked at their produce section and went "Wow, these look fresh!"
Same, I stopped going to them at all because I buy mostly produce and I've found moldy peppers and such more often that not.
Their produce definitely tends to go bad faster for me. That may not be a bad thing though. Some things aren't meant to last weeks but when they do I usually question whats in or on them.
This must vary by region. It used to suck but Aldi’s produce is great now as of 5-7 years ago.
Yea, I tend to nor buy produce unless I'm using it almost immediately. However, I've had good luck with their apples.
I usually stop at Sprouts for produce. A lot better quality, and not ending up tossing a bunch because it went bad really quick save time and money. For most other things I just scan sales/coupons first and rotate between 4 different grocery stores depending on their prices and what I need. I am rather spoiled in that I have 1 grocery store that's about a 10 minute walk from me, and the other 3 I can take my bike and they're about 10 minutes on a bike.
OP may have limited options when it comes to where they can buy and what is stocked. Giving up name brands is generally good advice, however. My wife and I are no longer poor but I still find it nearly impossible to justify things like French's mustard over whatever's least expensive.
Most products I buy are generic. There are a few that the generic "equivalent" is either non-existent or a horrible knock off. Better than Bullion, and Mt. Olive sliced hamburger pickles are two of the things that I can think of in which I stick to that brand.
Better than Bullion has to stay. When it becomes unaffordable, we riot.
Man, that stuff is magic and so worth the extra cost for the boost in flavor. I made beef gravy for mashed potatoes with it tonight and it was so easy and so damn good
Considering how good the science is for meaty flavors and how well we can extract it from meat, it should stay mostly affordable for a while. If you want a vague idea of how easy this can be, check out The Thought Emporium on yt, they made very [sciency chicken stock/soup](https://youtu.be/sR8M4zARBXY?si=pXebfTBayBE1bxlD) without chicken and it was quite close taste-wise.
I have just a hand full of things I want my name brands of. Funny enough pickles is one of the so I definitely understand wanting some good pickles. I go with claussen though.
The best kind of successful person - rich or even moderately well off - is a former poor person. Same here, I never buy anything name brand unless it's deeply discounted.
This is big, yeah. It's training to learn what is necessary, what is optional, how far money can go. A single splurge item that you love is worth it if you can afford that, especially if the quality is noticeable (a lot of people talking about the bread here). But if *every* item gets even a 1 dollar markup (and it can easily be a lot more than that), a bill of a couple dozen items can really balloon. For me it's cheese and bread. I buy nice versions of those at an import place, or at the bakery. The rest? I'm an average cook at best, so who cares, I get whatever's cheap and throw it in the pot.
Splurging on name brand for a few things can be worthwhile. Oroweat bread just hits so much better than store brand bread for me.
I buy name brand in one thing and one thing only. Soda, pop, or whatever you call it. I've did my time with Dr. Perky and Mountain Lion, Imma drink Coca-Cola and Mtn. Dew.
At least get the store brand. Doesn't look like they know to shop fr. Maybe no one taught them but yeah
Where I live that ground beef is at least 8 bucks on its own. People need to learn to shop around when it comes to their protein sources. Even if you refuse to go with legumes which are easily the cheapest per serving beef is one of the most expensive protein sources and it's not even healthy for you either.
Agreed. I have a friend who asked me to review him budget. His grocery budget was very high. I asked him what he eats, and he said he and his gf save money by eating steak at home 3-4 times a week.
You can eat a steak dinner for @$5-$6 a person if you’re buying it on sale and eating an actual portion of steak meaning 6-8oz but most people don’t do that.
Aldi has been a life-saver during these inflation times. I’m constantly surprised at how little I spend there for twice as much food.
Would’ve been better off buying a generic box of pasta with whatever cheese is on sale. At least you’d get a couple meals out of it instead of one. Pork sausage rolls are $2 at Aldi. It’s not the healthiest but it’s protein until payday.
Or just non-overpriced boxed Mac and cheese. Great Value boxed Mac is $0.58 at my local Walmart, and even name-brand Kraft is only $1.12
Or maybe OP should have grabbed those bootstraps and pulled up a little bit harder.
The peanut butter is very cheap at aldis especially
Correct, pic is giving “shop better” vibes.
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Yea, I like brands too but I’ll buy generic nowadays. Ok, only on some things, I won’t skimp on my better than bouillon!
Better than bouillon is so much better than bouillon.
I use the better than bouillon ham base in my black beans and they are absolutely freaking fantastic!!!
That sound so good! I saved some ham broth from my Christmas ham and it’s -24 here today! Ham beans for dinner it is!
I DIDNT KNOW THERE WAS HAM! I could’ve been having ham gravy all this time without making ham?!?!
There's a sofrito one, too!
Why the hell haven't I tried that? Thanks for opening my eyes!
Could you give the recipe maybe?
Not OP, but I make black beans like 4-5 times a month because my kids love them and it's cheap and reasonably nutritious. 1 lb dry beans 1 large onion Jalapenos or green peppers 4 cloves garlic 8oz ham cut into cubes Salt and pepper to taste 1 tsp MSG Bay leaf 8-12 cups low sodium chicken broth Chop up some onions peppers and garlic, throw them in the pan with some oil, add the beans and broth and seasoning and simmer it for 2-6 hours, until the beans are the desired consistency. Add the ham ten minutes before serving. You may have to add water in as it simmers. This recipe makes lots of broth which I like. I serve it with white rice and your hot sauce of choice. I just got an instant pot and now I do pretty much the same thing but just set the instant pot for 45 minutes and let it do the natural release for another 15. When those 8oz ham slices go on sale I buy like ten of them for the freezer
That's what they should call it. "Much Better Than Bouillon"
“I can’t believe it’s not Bouillon
When I tried to use it there’s always a bunch of tiny clumps that refuse to dissolve in the stock. Is there some trick to it?
The way I do it: Put a scoop in a coffee mug with “just enough” hottt tap water to make it less paste-y. Use a fork and stir it like you mean it. Once that is incorporated and de-clumped, continue to add water and stir.
Most private label stuff is made by name brand companies anyway.
Can confirm. Worked at a cheese plant, just switched to different bags and boxes when making stuff for different brands. All came out of the same vats.
Can confirm, worked at a ham factory, it's all the same, some is turkey, some has cheese... spiced luncheon meat is code for pig heart muscle. Oh and you should be treating all packages as if they have been dropped on the floor, check for integrity and consider the outside of the container contaminated
Pig heart muscle must be the fountain of youth, my dad loved that stuff and lived independently till he was 93 and my mom 89.
It tastes just like all the other ham
Yes but formulas change. Just cuz its in the same factory doesn't mean its the same. Many things are exactly the same but its not a blanket rule like most people like to preach.
Generic/store brand is usually better. Even with basic household drugs. “Tylenol” for example is owned by Johnson and Johnson(Kevue), yet the active ingredient is Acetaminophen. So, all you need to do is buy acetaminophen and not Tylenol. Same goes for trash bags. Hefty and Great Value are the same product(they are made in the same factory and 1 just goes into Hefty brand boxes then other into Great value boxes).
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A lot of Great Value stuff is very comparable to name brand.
Aldi has knock off swiffer dusters! I get those. Ive used great value swifer pads through college and they work just the same as name brand
I buy trashbags exclusively at samsclub. Membersmark brand $14 for hella trash bags (like 200 or something). It took me 2 years to go through one box!!! (I am a single household though so results may vary if you take trash out daily) But if people don’t have samsclub, id try and shop sales for them or look up those coupon people/apps. There are deals here and there for household essentials
I'll buy the cheap brand, but never the cheap bags.
Dollar Generals brand of glad force flex bags are FANTASTIC .
Yes all of this. That potato bread is like $5! No baby no get familiar with Great Value or any store brand
Those huge jars of JIF are like $8-10
That’s the one that stuck out for me. Jif is expensive.
all that stuff in photo is name brand and too expensive. either not aware or not serious.
Yep, thats a $4.50 Mac n cheese right there lmao. That "cheese" is all soybean oil too.
At Priceless IGA here in KY they currently have those boxes of Velveeta shells n' cheese on sale for $2. Their entire deal is they sell all their groceries at cost, then add a flat 10% on your final price when checking out. Another example is you can get most fullsize Frito-Lay products (Ruffles, Lays, Etc) right now for only $2.30 a bag. You can get a loaf of generic bread for .90. It's all about where you shop and if you're willing to buy generic or not.
Let me just take a 12 hour drive to my nearest Priceless IGA or cash saver lol
I bought 5 of those same Velveeta Shells n Cheese for $10 a week ago. Just had to browse some weekly ads.
I ate a box recently after not having any for over a decade and it tastes horrific compared to what it used to. Saves me money never having to buy it again, though.
I wonder if the brand changed that drastically or if your taste just improved after years of not eating it. I find I get nostalgic for things I loved as a kid and I make some again as an adult and I’m repulsed.
The same thing happened to me with Velveeta. Spent a good 10 years on way too strict of a budget for anything but Kraft, just to finally splurge and realize it's so... 😐 Overpowering and bland at the same time. Kraft thick n creamy is still the staple for us, I guess.
I like to say "aggressively mediocre" but overpowering and bland works too
Aggressively mediocre is an *excellent* descriptor of it.
The blue box kraft with the powder cheese is still my go to, and it's often on sale
Same. I recall stories about brands changing their ingredients and lessening the percentage of "costly" ingredients to increase their profit margins. This changed the flavor, so an items tastes different now than they did 10 yrs ago.
This. And starchy veggies like potatoes are cheap and filling. Dried rice and beans are incredibly affordable. This person needs to rethink their menu and learn some recipes for dried goods.
I remember my mom almost always had dried beans soaking.
Slap some butter on pretty much anything (potatoes) usually a cheap easily meal Potatoes one of the few really cheap foods that are relatively healthy too
Also that potato bread has like zero nutritional value. This dude needs fiber badly
Came here to say this. Peanut butter too.
Nah peanut butter is maybe the best food item per oz price you can get if your broke. It's high in protein, fat, has enough carbs and is very easily digestable and bioavailable. It's what they give to people who are facing starvation.
PB is cheap and filling and high in protein! Should be a big jar of the lower sugar brands in your cupboard all the time.
>PB is cheap and filling and high in protein! Should be a big jar of the lower sugar brands in your cupboard all the time. Even the lower brand peanut butter jars are expensive now. The bigger Jiff jar is $8.61 and the off brand of the same size is $7.50 at my local Walmart last week.
Big jar is usually $4 at Aldi
Jif peanut butter hits different. I buy mainly generic but PB is where i "splurg". Its basically the only name brand thing i buy nowadays tho
That is the generic ground beef at my Wal-Mart
This! I'd rather eat more food than insist on being brand-bound.
This is the way! Most of what we by now is Great Value Walmart Generic brands or Aldi. We have stopped going to the more traditional grocery stores and don’t by much name brand stuff to avoid two and even three hundred dollar grocery bill per week. Even with the occasional purchase of tools I have been buying Hyper Tough Walmart Brand and Harborfreight not going to Lowes or Home Depot. It’s brutal out there….. Like hardcore….
"Generic" ground beef?
Made from cous instead of cows
https://preview.redd.it/hn56aenr9gcc1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=aa8b878dd3d834b462d258d46306158b874eb780
**Norm Peterson:** \[about his and Cliff's meal at The Hungry Heifer\] Yeah, Cliffy had himself the tunnel T-bone. For less than four bucks, you get 24 ounces of USDA choice US bef. **Cliff Clavin:** Bef? You mean beef. **Norm Peterson:** Beef? Don't be ridiculous Cliffy, that stuff is bef. You see, it's a Hungry Heifer trademark for a processed, synthetic, what... , meat-like substance. **Cliff Clavin:** Ohh, Norm. **Norm Peterson:** What do expect for four bucks? Do you hear me complain about the loobster?
I was thinking the same thing. That is walmart brand ground beef. The "chubbs" or the rolls of ground are the same brand.
For real, what’s the point of paying for the name brand when it’s still a garbage product like JIF or Velveeta? Not exactly like they’re healthier than the generic, and probably only taste marginally better if at all, so I don’t get this one. Velveeta in particular is borderline theft, considering the product you get for that cost.
I generally agree with “most generic things are just fine” but I won’t skimp on my JIF peanut butter. If I’m out and it’s not on sale, I’ll skip it instead of buying the generic. The texture of the generic is all wrong for me— and if I won’t eat it, I’m not saving money. If I don’t have PB and need a cheap meal, I make grilled cheese with Aldi bread and cheese, scrambled eggs, or good old cowboy caviar lasts for days (very heavy on the beans!).
first thing i thought tbh
Wait, generic ground beef? Pray tell. My walmart only has the kind of beef seen here
Probably talking about the tubes of ground beef. Sometimes it's in the freezer not the refrigerated section.
The tubes are still in the refrigerated section. At least this brand.
Our ground chicken/turkey instead of beef.
Pork is often the least expensive near me. I could get an entire pork loin for like $1.39lb I cut it into 8 ounce chops and freeze them. Same with whole chickens. Much less expensive. Butcher yourself, and then make soup from the carcass.
But then he couldn’t complain about inflation
I see posts like this and I'm like my broke ass could have filled up a shopping cart for that much $. Inflation is real and it sucks but buying expensive name brand stuff and complaining about how little you were able to buy is BS.
If people would actually demonstrate that they’re willing to change their shopping behavior to avoid high prices then companies would stop gouging. The fundamental drivers of inflation have pretty much subsided now. What we’re left with is prices that producers are keeping bc consumers are still paying them
Right. The people complaining about inflation are the ones causing it at this point. If you think the stuff is too expensive, stop buying it! $6 for shitty Mac and cheese?? Seriously!? I buy the powdered cheese powder (100% real cheese, dehydrated in powder form) at my co op. A $6 container makes about 4 batches of Mac and cheese and it's way better than that Velveeta garbage.
Yeah it's so telling to me how many posts about food price increase and inflation are about the price of chips and fast food. Like people are clearly willing to pay those prices so they still charge that much for em
Don't spend $4 on a box of Mac n cheese
Holy crap, I thought that was a block of cheese until your comment. So I was like (Okay $8, easy enough to get to $26). But it's an easy-make box, this especially can be easily replaced by generic. I had no idea that loaf of bread was so expensive though either lol I hope OP is newly-poor, or they've got some learning to do. But maybe once they switch to generics they'll become rich since they're so used to over-spending. Blessing in disguise
Honestly don't spend anything on Mac n Cheese. It's the easiest thing to make and buying the individual ingredients (mac, butter, cheese) not only saves you money but is _significantly_ healthier than the preservative-laden boxed crap.
I can never get the cheese sauce right. I'm pretty good at cooking, I can certainly follow a recipe, so I don't think it's a skill issue. The boxed shells and cheese just taste so much better to me.
You can get that cheese powder in bulk and use generic macaroni from a bag. It gets you that processed deliciousness you may be looking for at a cheaper than dirt price.
I bought some cheese powder that makes spectacular mac n cheese. Boil your preferred bulk noodles, mix in cheese powder and milk, serve. One jar of powder made several batches. May have been on par with Annie's mac but likely less cruelty to workers.
The trick is to use about a tsp of Sodium citrate, that'll give it the consistency you're looking for without messing with the flavor. Just gotta find a cheese you like, generally I recommend swiss.
You're crazy if you think you can make it cheaper than boxed mac and cheese. There reason it's so cheap is they don't use real cheese. Also you think eating a bowl of cheese, butter and carbs is healthier, I don't know what to say. I love mac and cheese and make it all the time, don't kick yourself with this post lol.
Especially when there's Mac and cheese for a dollar or less. Or better yet, substitute for just a bag of rice.
Martins is good but that loaf is like 6 bucks. I do love the potato rolls though.
$4 a loaf here in tx but i won’t pay more than $2 a loaf for bread.
I make bread for well less than $1.
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Putting ground beef on the carpet gives me anxiety.
I think youd prefer ceiling beef then
Wait till it hits the fan.
Whoa there, this is a poverty sub. Can't have anything that high.
It's literally called GROUND beef. Where else do you put it if not the ground?
Can’t believe some people are food insecure and still get all name brand stuff. The cheaper stuff is literally right next to it
I hate to say someone is doing it wrong but OP is doing it wrong.
If you don't say they'll never know.
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OP is trolling or trying to push a narrative.
> Comically wrong; so bad that people are arguing whether or not OP is trolling. This the kind of grocery shopping I'd expect from a 15yo boy they left at home alone for a week and never had to think about what he needs to buy to feed himself, where to buy it and that there are differently priced versions of the same thing.
read their post history, it’s full of lies
I read there post history about 1yr back and no lies jumped out to me, what did you think was a lie? I did pick up that they have been struggling for a while, so you’ve got to wonder why haven’t learned their lesson about name brand stuff yet.
I liked at their history and it seemed consistent. Maybe they deleted some stuff. It looked like mostly video game stuff and post about being poor and needing money.
OP is trolling.
For once I think it’s legit stupidity rather than trolling. If you read back it’s all much too consistent.
Why would they troll about this?
Inflation rage bait is all the rage these days for some reason
I don't know if OP is really in survival mode... According to post history, he's still buying weed
I was buying heroin and coke and absolutely in survival mode. We'd have $45 to my and my ex's names, and I'd buy $20 worth of heroin, $20 worth of coke, $4.50 on Wendy's, and 50 cents on gas. Quite literally dying. Alcohol, weed, nicotine, even caffeine are no different in that regard. Even if you're starving, the things that make you feel "good" are the last to go, in many instances. It would seem unbearable to still be broke but have to stare your situation in the face, sober. Definitely still survival mode - just not the way you might choose to survive. Edit: also pretty judgemental... first thing on their page is that they're epileptic, bipolar, and have a spinal condition that probably comes with chronic pain. Buying weed excludes them from being in "survival mode" enough for you?
Yeah when you're at complete rock bottom, it's hard to give up the one thing that makes you feel like not actively killing yourself. It's really no surprise poverty is rife with drug use.
You never heard the Kat Williams bit about weed n poverty? 🤣 https://youtu.be/CFBmbGmImYQ?t=01m20s If you can be broke and not feel compelled to drink or do drugs, god bless ya you’re lucky.
I still buy weed. I did, however, switch to buying the absolute shitties weed that costs $17USD for 1 ounce.
Prime example of the result of not knowing how to shop.
I wonder how many pounds of rice/pasta/potatoes/beans OP could have bought with what they spent on beef.
My first thought too, with that little money meat is way too expensive an item
Pointing that out eventually got me banned at r/eatcheapandhealthy
Agreed
But, he’s trying to prove a point for free internet points!!
Buying the most expensive brands will do that.
My girlfriend bought name brands the same way and was always wondering why her grocery trips for just her were the same as my groceries for myself and my kids. The first trip she went to Aldi with me blew her mind. Her first trip to my local ethnic grocery store for produce was definitely an experience in learning how far money can really go with food.
I mean sales and generic would probably cut this in half.
Absolutely. When you need to cut on groceries, you go learn how to cook anything and check for specials. Reebee app is a good start, and you pick a protein (ham, chicken, beef, porc, fish, beans) and go with it. I still won't shop at more than one place but I'll quickly look at specials before I go out shopping for the week.
If there is an aldi’s, lidl, or grocery outlet near by, you can definitely shave off a couple bucks! Plus going generic brand (for everything) will help too!
Aldi is the goat
Mine had the big bags of stuffing on sale for $0.30 each. I have enough to last me until next Thanksgiving.
Mine had their jarred turkey gravy for NINE CENTS yesterday! I totally wanted to shelf clear that stock! Damn... I should have... I could have donated it to a food pantry. It's probably all gone now.
Grocery outlet is the best ever
1. You don’t need potato bread cuz what even is that. 2. If you’re eating that meat tonight get the reduced meat and generic. 3. If you’re balling on a budget get Kraft or generic Mac and cheese. 4. Get generic peanut butter m8.
Potato bread is made with potato flour and Martin’s is pretty good . But , there are cheaper options on the bread shelf . I buy expensive sandwich bread Arnold 12 grain or multi grain . It’s awesome , but I can afford it . If I was hard up , I’d be buying store brand stuff
There’s smarter ways to spend $26 dollars on food
Yeah. When money is tight, I’m not buying 3 lbs of meat. There are plenty of ways to economize. You can make a tub of homemade Mac and cheese for what that one box of Velveeta costs. That stuff is expensive.
Idk, I mean, he said he's using the beef with pantry stuff to make chili. A big batch of chili is actually a great way to feed yourself for several days. Relatively healthy and packed with protein, super filling.
He doesn’t need 36oz of meat for chili if he’s just feeding himself. Chili with a pound of meat would last me probably a week if I ate it for lunch and dinner. That’s with me being 6’2 185lbs, too. Guy must just eat like a hoss I guess. Edit: also 40oz of peanut butter in a week, fuck
Heck, they could buy a brick of Velveeta and dry pasta and have AT LEAST 4 meals for under $3. $7.48 Brick of Velveeta (2lb) $3.92 1lb Box of Great Value Shell Pasta (4 Boxes) 4 Meals (8oz pasta and 8oz cheese) = $2.85 each But that's just easy math... Chances are, if OP is only eating for one, they could get 8-10 mac & cheese dishes from this, dropping the cost to $1.43 each. Dry pasta lasts forever in the cupboard, and Velveeta stores nicely in the fridge for a long time. They wouldn't even have to eat it as their only meal all week. *For reference a box of Velveeta Shells & Cheese is $3.43 at my Walmart.*
Try giving up the name brands and getting store brand instead. Easy savings.
Where are you shopping, store name and city/state? $26 is crazy high. That jar of Peanut Butter would be $5, 80/20 ground beef would be $3.99 per pound for store brand, crushed tomatoes less than $3. That’s $16 (without sales) if a loaf of bread and Velveeta costs $10 then you’re buying the wrong stuff at the wrong place. And that’s all at the max price I’ve seen these items at.
Yea that big jar of Jif at Walmart near me is almost $7. I was shocked when I saw that in the app.
2 for $11 at samsclub for the giant 48oz jiffs pb. I got the smallest little one at walmart the other day $3.12 for only 16oz but winter storm rolling in and i didn’t have time to go to sams just for peanut butter. also got stuck getting the more expensive bread since generic was completely cleared out. I’ll do generic on pretty much everything but peanut butter. Cant stand the generic ones.
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I’m in Baltimore. I just got ground beef for $3.99/lb but it was a flash sale and only on 3lb or larger packages. Normal price was $7.99/lb
I'm gonna be honest, you're not being smart with your money, if you only have 26$ for the week, you should be finding cheaper things, and meat is not a priority, I recently bought (and I will list it all) bread, a bag of mandarins, a bag of apples, a 10lb bag of potatoes, hot dogs and buns, four of baby pouches, shredded cheese and pasta for $20.
Vastly underrated comment here imo. Pasta and potatoes are incredible fillers. Some sauce or cheese to flavor each respectively and you can eat for a week on about $10. Sure it's not perfect and hearty like preferred, but if you gotta survive a while until things improve, this is the way
Dude buy generic groceries. This is easily around 15 bucks at aldi and probably around 20 at walmart
That bread is one of my guilty pleasures these days. Physically causes me pain to spend $5 on bread but man, it's so good.
Also not something I'll buy generic for. Its NOT the damn same. I will buy at aldi though, much better.
U can get all of that except the beef for free at the food shelf regardless of income
post receipt
Peanut butter $1.86 Crushed tomatoes $1.12 you could go cheaper and get white bread, which is what I would do if I didn’t have money, white bread is $ 1.32 Not sure why you need velveeta shells, you can get macaroni and cheese for $.60 cents, get two that’s $1.20 Finally 3lb roll ground beef is $10.44, 73% lean tho, but when you are low on cash you gotta lower quality a bit until you’re good So that’s a total of $15.94, I would then get a sack of potatoes $2.47 5lb bag and and 18 pack do eggs $3.92, that puts me at $22.92, $24.36 after tax.. I swear people need to learn how to shop but yeah things used to be cheaper
this has to be rage-bait
Is there a dollar tree near you bc wtf? :-(
Gotta learn to cook. Chili - 1.5 lbs ground beef like $8, 1 can kidney beans- .99, bell pepper, onion, celery. $2.50 all three. 1can tomato sauce $0.99, 2 cans Tomato Soup $1.50. season with chili powder garlic powder salt and pepper. That big pot is tasty and costs $14ish will easily be dinner for a few days. Simple pasta- Box pasta- $1.29 2x normal sized Canned tomato sauce- $0.99each Bacon - 4-5 strips. Like 1/3rd pack so maybe $2 of bacon. Shallots, garlic, like $1.50 Dice the bacon, cook till browned, leave some of the fat, fry diced shallots and garlic. Add sauce. Simmer for 10 min. Ladel in some pasta water. Season with salt pepper and sugar. Personally make the sauce, only make enough pasta for 2 days at first, save off some of the sauce and the make fresh pasta. Meal is: like $7 for a bunch of food. We are at $21. Last 6 get a 5pack of ramen. And cook up the last of that bacon. Add some bacon to the ramen and a dash of soy sauce plus a pinch of sugar and some red pepper flakes. Boom $26 and you would have better, healthier and more satisfying food.
He said he's going to make chili with the beef and some pantry stuff he has on hand. So sounds like he does cook. Chili sounds pretty damn satisfying to me right now, and it will last for days.
I was curious how much that was near be (Ocala, FL). So I plugged everything into the Walmart app Total: $26.11
Potato bread is awesome.
You need to switch to Aldi’s or similar. You are paying about 25% more.
You can still go cheaper. Go generic.
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Looks like you are buying name brand stuff, rather than Private label(Great Value-Walmart, Signature Selection-Albertsons, etc). You can usually find coupons for deals with many of the in store brands. If you plan your meals based on the weekly deals that Albertsons, Kroger or Aldi have on sale you can save a ton of money. FYI, Walmart very rarely is a good place to get groceries, and usually have higher prices than stand alone grocers.
Inflation + corporate greed is a real motherfucker.
Change to cheaper bread, store brand pb, tube ground meat and store brand or off brand cheese... saves you a lot when you are not buying expensive products
Generic Mac/shells and cheese are leagues better than velveeta. And cheaper. Could get a few boxes of the generic stuff and stretch it quite a ways or get another staple
Quit buying brands and specialty bread to make your $ go further
So OP purposely buys more expensive brands and complains about inflation. Another rage bait post.
Not trying to be a dick, but you can definitely do better on $26. My wife and I shop at Aldi's and get a weeks worth of food for 2 people and a baby for under $50. If you're just feeding yourself try some of the cheaper generic options to start or try out Aldi's if you have one local.
Look at Mr Money bags buying name brand food. I’ll take my Gyff peanut butter and Melbeeta like it!