Food Budget Tips for Campus Students

Food is one of the most important expenditures which college students must purchase. This particular budget item can be extremely expensive or, if carefully planned, very affordable. There are several things to avoid when money is tight. One is fast food which is not only expensive, it is not very nutritious. Those who absolutely cannot seem to live without it can make a vow to only eat it once a week. This can actually be included in the budget and viewed as a reward. Another place to avoid when budgeting is campus shops. These can destroy a budget in a single purchase.

Food Budget

Creating a food budget or household budget is a very wise move. Sticking to it may be difficult at first; however, it is well worth it. Start by designing a weekly budget and deciding upon an amount to be spent on food and household goods. Opt to buy large amounts instead s single serving sizes. It saves money to purchase this way then divide it into portion sizes at home. Most individuals do not want to eat the same things every week and it is not necessary to do so. Choose an amount for the budget and then use it to decide what to cook each week.

Look for coupons and weekly grocery sales. Create a list based upon the budget and sales. Coupons are available in three styles today. Some may be loaded onto value cards, some can be printed, and they are still bundled into Sunday newspapers. Coupons can also be found on food and household item packages to use during the next grocery run.

The two main keys are sticking to the amount of money set and the list created. Try to avoid last minute and impulse buying, especially in the junk food category.  Keep in mind that brand names are not always the best. Many generics are produced by the very same companies and popular brand name items.

Spend a Little Time and Energy, Save a Lot of Money

One off the simplest ways to save money on groceries is to buy items which require more time and effort to prepare. These almost always cost much less. For example, for the cost of a package of processed muffins, around four packages of muffin mix can be bought. Many of these only require water to prepare. While it may take a little time and effort, it will cost very little. These can be baked ahead of time and eaten as a quick breakfast or on the go snack. Cake mixes are also cheaper than processed snack cakes and usually healthier.

Rice may be bought in large bags, cooked, and frozen to use in recipes at a later date. Beans may be purchased dry, in bags, and cooked in the crock pot. These too can be frozen then microwaved to eat on another day or added to a wide variety of recipes. Both beans and rice are inexpensive, especially when purchased in bulk, very filling, extremely nutritious, and pretty easy to cook.

It can be fun to create a weekly grocery list and menu. There are many mixes and foods like the above examples that will save a great deal of money. The largest costs are time and effort. A little planning, effort, and self-control can go a long way in budgeting practices. Use creativity to discover new recipes to cook and save money. Keep track of these savings and review them at years end to see how very productive these efforts have been.

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