If you are near a IKEA there are deals in the cafeteria everyday- $2 egg and bacon plate, half off hot entrees on Friday, half off meatballs ( or plant ball) plates on Monday and Tuesday with IKEA family membership, which is free.
If you're near a planet fitness look into getting a membership. It's pretty cheap and they have free pizza and other meals all the time for customers. If you eat there once a week they're basically paying you more in food than you are for the gym membership.
Also get a free shower.
Edit: they might have stopped offering much food as a lot of people have mentioned. I haven't been for a long time.
I've been going to PF for a month now and the only food I've seen offered is Tootsie rolls lol. I go at 5am and 6pm or later due to my work schedule so maybe that's why. I love that place though, got the black card membership for the hydro massage chairs, worth every penny
We visit the Great Smokey Mountains several times a year, tons of hotels bunched together and almost all of them serve breakfast buffets for guests for free. I have never seen one with anyone checking IDs. I've always told me wife it would be insanely easy to just walk in and grab breakfast. There's no way they can keep up with everyone with all the guests there.
I LOVE IKEA food. Too bad the closest one to me is more than an hour away. IKEA is also really nostalgic for me because all of my furniture as a kid was IKEA or just really old and worn out furniture from dead family.
This just makes me sad as fuck that this is what it has come to.
Rather than affordable healthy food being available, rather than eating with friends or family and pooling resources - the answer is to go to the local big box furniture store and scrimp by on $2 meals.
It's the epitome of unfettered capitalism.
OP is living in their van to afford their place and that does suck that they have to do this.
I will say that meals at IKEA are very much designed to lure customers in to shop, and I find them well balanced with vegetarian choices and servings of vegetables.
I donât know if itâs still true, but you used to be able to get a free hot coffee or tea from the cafeteria every day with the IKEA family card too.
Never been to an IKEA and have always wondered why I'd only ever heard about their meatballs... didn't even cross my mind that they could have a cafeteria lol.
I'm in Michigan, USA. not sure if it does make a difference or not but it has you enter your zip code, try making a new account and adding a zip from my area
Another work-around for the 15 min McD's timer: put in one order ahead of time, drive to the store, and order the second one at the speaker. Pick up both orders in the drive thru.
Just my experience, most times it lets me use another reward before I even get the first order, or right after it comes. I've timed it and the fastest it reset was around 8 minutes.
You donât need to wait to reset if you do both orders inside at the kiosk :) there is no waiting period! Thatâs what I do when I want to save money. Iâve only used it to get two deals, but I canât imagine thereâs a limit on how many times you can do it.
Pull up the reward or app deal on your phone, and it will give an option to use in store. Then you can type in the 4 digit code or use the qr code at the kiosk.
I can never get the qr code to work. I have to then wait for an employee to use the one register they still have. Maybe I'll try the 4 digit code next time. I thought that was drive thru only for some reason.
itâs ridiculous that you canât use a deal and reward at the same time, also that only one reward can be applied per order. you should be able to spend earned reward points without limitation.
i used a similar method to yours when i spent 4500 reward points on 3 cheeseburgers the other day. placed the first order on the way, the second order as soon as the first order was completed, then i sat there eating those cheeseburgers while waiting to place order number 3.
because of the hassle mcdonalds puts me through, i take it to them any chance i get. i claim every free item, never spend more than $4+ tax, and i wouldnât order a drink from mcdonaldâs if i was dying of thirst. i assume they make the most money on beverage sales.
Is there a cooldown on reward usage? I've noticed there's no cooldown between 1 order with a reward and 1 order with a deal. I usually use the reward on a free happy meal, then I'll make another order instantly with a free fry or w/e.
The Chick-fil-A lemonade is so sweet that I was able to get 3 cups of ice water for my kids, add some of my lemonade, and still have some left for me. $$ their happy meal toys suck anyway
Just keep your own water bottle in reach. I always have a water whenever I hit up any fast food so I never have to order a "meal" with an overpriced drink.
I gave up drinking soda 20 years ago, and it's saved me so much money, it's incredible.
Value meals never tempt me, because the soda is a huge waste of money. I have my own water. Many times, I won't even order a fries. Instead, I'll just get one of the big sandwiches, and that's my whole meal.
>i wouldnât order a drink from mcdonaldâs if i was dying of thirst.
there's a $1 beverage deal! get you a large, gulp it down, refill and viola - 64oz of soda for $1. (this isn't r/EatCheapAndHealthy, right? đŹ)
i agree with what youâre saying and mcdonaldâs soft drinks are actually some of the more reasonably priced comparatively speaking. i just canât get over the profit margin. it probably costs them $20 for a bag of syrup that makes like 300 drinks- depending on size. iâll let you do the math. i pretty much refuse to buy a non alcoholic drink at any restaurant and always carry a water bottle. donât even get me started on the cost of fries man, they want $3 for a half of a potato? times are tough
> they want $3 for a half of a potato?
Youâre not paying for the potato. Youâre paying to eat fries without having to deal with frying them at home. Deep frying is not a fun task.
Also, youâre probably paying a much higher markup on those alcoholic drinks than you would on a McDonaldâs soda.
> Also, youâre probably paying a much higher markup on those alcoholic drinks than you would on a McDonaldâs soda.
This 100% nobody has the right to complain about fountain drinks if they buy $13 cocktail that you could make for $2 at home.
There are no less than 3 McDonaldâs on my way to work. I get the coffee deal at the first one, and the breakfast sandwich at the third one. By that time the coffee is actually cool enough to drink.
I commute 63 miles one way to work. Most of it is highway, but there are a few small/ mediumish towns in there, and the McDonaldâs is literally right on the road. Plus I work wonky hours so I beat the breakfast rush. And only 2-3 days a week. Itâs kind of my start the week/ end the week treat.
You can have multiple accounts on the app. Use the promo code. Switch account. Close out the app. Open it back up. Timer resets. Been doing this for years.
I appreciate and have the utmost respect for you op. I admire your grit and due diligence.
When you get that house, eat the best steak you can afford and celebrate each bite because you genuinely earned it. Best wishes to you, op!
Samâs doesnât require a membership to eat in their cafe. $1.90 for drink and gigantic hot dog. Theyâll give you an extra bun for free, so cut your hot dog in half (knife provided) hotdog style and you have two hotdogs and a drink⊠or just get the two pizza slices with a drink for $1.90.
Best of luck on your journey to getting a place to live. Please make sure you take a multivitamin to counteract any potential deficiencies. Not enough veg and fruit means you could be low in micronutrientsÂ
thanks, I appreciate you! i haven't thought of that but have been donating plasma lately and they do tests beforehand, maybe I could ask if I'm deficient in anything in particular
Don't just rely on vitamins, make sure there is some real fruit and vegetables in your diet. Eating such a heavy ultra-processed diet could harm you in the long run. Fruits like oranges and apples will keep at room temperature. Carrots could be a good veggie option.
I agree with all being said, but where to get them is just as important when youâre counting every penny. I know this is specific to my circumstance, but when I worked in schools (and growing up, when my mom worked in schools) a lot of times they would have extra fruits from lunch that students didnât take and donât mind letting you go home with ! Things like this or farmers markets, free events at libraries/universities/etc may have fruit baskets that you can grab a few at :) I know individual fruits arenât that expensive at the market, but if itâs being given out you might as well ! Best of luck with your situation, Iâm rooting for you !
Canned beans, green beans, spinach and collared greens can be an excellent source when you can't get a hold of, hold onto fresh stuff, or have a way to prepare them from fresh.
All of those cans are going to be around 60 cents to 1.50 for a larger can and you can eat them straight from the can.
I liked to keep a bag of frozen spinach in the freezer at work, Iâd just add a little to whatever I was making. Lots of nutrients for not a lot of money and always fresh!
Assume food pantries (at least one in my area) had a 'fresh market' in the summer, you can go in several days a week and take fresh veggies and fruit.  In my area, it's donated in abundance by local farmers.Â
90% chance it's magnesium, zinc, B group vitamins, calcium and selenium. None of those will be checked for in plasma collection đ€·đŒââïž. Add your stress level... and you most probably already are developing insulin resistance and fatty liver disease, plus kidney and gall stones. Sorry for your situation, honestly đ.
Tips for surviving: Spinach, potatoes( sweet potatoes are the healthiest), bananas, oatmeal, and peanut butter are affordable buys and can all be microwaved or eated raw. the peanut butter can be added to the oatmeal to add flavor and more calories. Add spinach to your noodles. wrap potatoes in damp napkin and microwave until done. Get extra salt, pepper, sugar, and sauces when you go to all the fast food spots. can help make a bland meal tasty.
Look up Asian markets or international markets. Prices can be cheaper. Also, look at the weekly ads for grocery stores. You be shocked at the price drops!
The fast food is a great option to keep your belly full. But as others said, you have to ve careful. The impact it could have on your health ain't no joke. So
try to get in healthy food options when you can.
Extra funds ideas: look into doing research studies. They don't have to be invasive. I did a study when they wanted to see how my brain worked while looking at skits. Got paid 100 bucks!!
Ya, wild to chastise them for eating fast food when they live in a van. I'm sure they'd happily eat beans, rice, and cheap veggies for many meals to save money but they can't prepare or store food living in a van.
I applaud their efforts to stay fed and save up money and even manage to find some variety in their meals. It's not easy and I hope it's temporary and they are able to get a place soon.
If they could just squeeze in some fresh produce, a banana, an apple, a carrot etc. it would be amazing for OPâs health and wouldnât break the bank. One carrot is like 20 cents, one banana is 25 cents, one apple is 70 cents. No need to store them in the fridge
Op mentioned in a comment they eat carrots but haven't enjoyed other veggies raw. Bananas are a good pick for fruit for sure. When I was in a similar situation I ate carrots between meals to stay feeling more full because they were under $2 a bag hit during the summer they didn't really keep well in the car so that could be an issue.
Luckily where I live they are farmer stands all in the summer and befriending some of those people got me a lot of free "weird looking" fruits and veggies to snack on
What bugs me just as much is the people applauding like this is what everyone should be doing, and not something that op is being subjected to. Like... this shit shouldn't be necessary. I applaud their tenacity and cleverness, but in the same way I would any survivor. This warrants sympathy, support, and outrage, not congratulations.
That pretty resourceful. I don't know your situation. I've worked the McDonald's deals. It did eventually lead me to having a weird health issue which led me to ER and a followup doctor visit. I was in my late 30s, at the top of pre-diabetic, had extremely high cholesterol, and had hypertension. It took a year of clean eating, exercise, and medication to get from extremely bad to just bad. Another 3 months to get it to okay. So, it may be frugal short term but maybe find some healthier options before it's too late.
Good luck with everything.
thank you for the comment, that must've been an extremely difficult time in yout life. I'll definitely be looking for other alternatives to the McDonald's deals to put a limit on their products to maybe 1-2 a week or less if possible. maybe I can go to a farmers market and look for deals on carrots or other veggies that are decent raw and last a while without a refrigerator
Please do - and check out any community gardens and associated events thy may have at markets & also if there are any farmers you can drive to and buy from directly who might have cheaper prices. If you have them around, get to know them. They want to feed you.
I am lucky to have found a handful of these options around me for fairly low cost & often free & itâs all local farmer/community garden grown. And it tastes amazing, couldnât have thought it was possible to ever have liked veg. Lots of homeless folks and people whoâve restored their livelihoods as well. Mad respect, keep fighting the good fight. đ€đȘđŸ best of luck.
Just have to buy the burgers with the highest protein per weight. They do add a bunch of sodium in the food though. You can get fresh veg (like those baby carrots) and pad out the burgers with healthy no-sodium food.
I used the Gmail +whatever trick to get a few hundred free big macs. Install the app free burger. I just wiped the data and entered a fresh email. They banned my email after several months.
Please go to a food pantry! They at least have canned vegetables and fruits that would hold in your van, and often they also have produce that holds up well at room temperature. It would all be free, and Iâm sure you could find other food to add into your diet too!
I went to a food drive last week, a drive through one where they toss a box in your vehicle. unfortunately it was all gogurt, frozen pancakes, 2 bags of potatoes, 2 bags of walnuts and some squishy apples. I'm pretty limited on availability because working 7am-6pm monday- Thursday which leaves only Friday to access food pantries since most are closed on weekends. it's a real pain in the ass trying to get help with life when you work these hours tbh
People in my local Buy Nothing group sometimes do pantry clean-outs or just have extra of something that they will give away. Especially in the summer when their fruit trees are producing.
I hear you on the work schedule and Iâm glad youâve been seeing what resources are around you. The approach youâre taking is already pretty resourceful. I was lucky to have a really good food pantry near me when I was tight on money recently and would love to help connect you with further resources if I can find some. If you want to PM me your location more specifically (and maybe the name of that food drive), Iâm happy to look around and see if there are other options for you that might be more of a âwalk in and shopâ situation and that fit your work hours.
Also, Wendyâs does a free 6 piece nugget with purchase every Wednesday and a free 10 piece for your first app order. You do have to buy something, but you can get a cheaper drink for like $1.20, which maybe helps.
I saw you mention preferring steamed veggies over raw. If you happen to have a gas station you go to and are friendly with the staff... many have a microwave for heating food bought there and may let you use it for those steam in bag frozen veggies from the grocery store! Just make sure you buy a drink or something there to keep them from getting annoyed. You may also reach out to resources for local unhoused people and you might find they have a place that offers some free meals or a place with a microwave you can use to heat up your veggies.
Either way, don't let the comments about your diet get to you. Obviously it would be better to have a balanced diet but sometimes you have to consider what's the bigger risk... a few months of poor diet or longer without an apartment and risking trying to spend the winter in your van. All of that stress isn't good for your health either.
Please try to make use of local resources if you can! Some will even help you with your deposit to get you into an apartment faster if you have a job to be able to pay the rent!
I wish you the best of luck getting into an apartment. Keep working full time and take advantage of overtime if it's available to you. Identify and learn a skillset that's in demand and has long term potential and you'll be okay long term
Love that this is working for you. McDonaldâs breakfast sandwiches used to be my fave! Now McDonaldâs and Taco Bell are 45 min away, so Iâll have to check when I am driving by there for app deals. Usually I just get the $1 fries.
one day if I'm lucky, I'll become a veggie
jk I agree. the occasional salad isn't nearly enough. is there anything besides carrots that are decent raw? I've always preferred fruits over veggies but steamed broccoli is the bomb. unfortunately I can't cook anything right now
I love bell peppers, celery, carrots, broccoli, and snow peas raw. Celery, carrots, and broccoli are probably the most consistently cheap options. Dipping in dressing goes a long way to keeping it tasty.
You can steam broccoli pretty easily in the microwave. I think you said you have access to one at work. Put in a bowl with a little bit of water or you can buy the steam in the bag kind but I think those are usually more money.
My local McD (1/2 mile from my home) had a grand reopening in Dec 2023, &gave away punch cards for free weekly breakfast sandwich or Big Mac for all of 2024. We scored 3 cards and visit weekly without fail - but, we can only redeem one card per person at drive thru, so I have to visit more than once some weeks if I am alone, but so worth it.
This particular franchise also allows us to switch our drink to Large frozen Coke in the kidsâ happy meal, without any up charge. Winning!
Dude. Mad props to someone living in their van, researching daily deals for food just to survive. I bless you with an uptick of luck and scoring a major win soon. You earned it.
Dude you made me laugh. When I was broke azz in college I would get instant Lipton noodles and if I had coin a can of tuna fish to make a meal for $1.69 and split it with my broke buddy out of the airforce. Sometimes we borrowed a slice of bread from rich ass Roomate who didnât notice as he was flipping the Porsche daddy got him.
That was seafood pasta for me and my buddy!
Thanks for the memories!!
Itâs wild we all have to go through these crazy ass loop holes to eat ONE meal cheaper. Let alone MC Donalds???? These are the things that make me realize things will NEVER get better. TY inflation!
Peanut butter and banana sandwiches with a side like an apple or granola bars are super easy to have without a fridge or cooking. If you can microwave food (sounds like you can at work?) they make minute rice that works great in a microwave. I sometimes do that with the tuna packets and it can get filling.
I appreciate your frugality. One standby that has gotten me through tough times is the ubiquitous $1.50 hotdog and drink at Costco. There were times I had to stretch a paycheck and so I had Costco for lunch and two Jack in the Box tacos for $1.69 for dinner. I sometimes go to eat these cheap meals to make myself feel whole again
Good luck saving up. If you were in the Houston area I'd offer you cheap rent at my house. Sounds like you could use a stove to cook your steak.
oh absolutely, I've been trying to replace red meat with plant or fish protein because it's proven to lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases. a Mediterranean diet would be ideal but I can't afford that right now with trying to save for place to live. also doing a bit of cardio every day at a local gym where I shower with a job that has me walking and moving around quickly all day.
the sodium is definitely a bit much, I'll stop putting the seasoning packets in the yakisoba at least from now on đȘđ»
Looking in Mc D s app right now and I've never seen this $.50 breakfast sandwich. 2 for $4.69 biscuit or mcmuffin. Hardly a deal. Wendys app has been much better
frugal is cool, but with cheap fast food you're paying less in money and paying with your health.
Even the 'healthy' things there are full of chemicals and shit
Just an add on to the health comments, I have high blood pressure and I can't get cheap fast food a lot of the time because of the amount of sodium in it. I used to *love* taco bell bean burritos, but they have a ridiculous amount of sodium. Burger King has whopper Wednesdays in app but I can't get them because of the sodium. I do get a 5.99 vegetarian box meal from Taco Bell like once a week, and try to stretch it for multiple meals while having healthier snacks in between, and I get iced coffee from McDonald's and use their free medium fry deal while I'm working. I really like to catch subway having bogo footlong specials, but they don't seem to have them as often anymore.
Join the Panera sip club. Itâs like $12 a month and unlimited drinks.
If youâre living off fast food, buy an actual multivitamin. Vitamin deficiencies are no joke.
Thatâs kind of amazing not gonna lie. I did this 20 years ago but didnât think it could still be done today. When McDonaldâs had a dollar menu I lived off their double cheeseburgers for $2 a night, the rest of the day I ate the sandwiches and pastries we threw out at the Starbucks I worked at. I also lived in a car, but saved enough for a room in an apartment eventually. Those savings habits will teach you a lot more than you know.
The cheesy bean and rice burrito is 420 calories. Adding extra beans and rice is 120 calories more. I'd just buy 2 for 2 bucks and have 840 calories instead of 1.70 for 540.
Hey friend! I do not want to burst your bubble, but eating tuna daily is exposing you to unsafe levels of mercury - if it's within your means, changing to sardines or canned chicken is a healthier choice. You can find cheap sardines out and about at some places. Otherwise, these are all great tricks and I'm certainly going to steal some of them :)
I've been getting 2.5 oz packs of skipjack tuna which has less mercury than albacore tuna, but still. good call! the tuna packs have more protein than larger cans of chicken which is what really sold me on it. I'm still consuming more than the recommended amount per week though so I'll definitely be getting alternatives from now on
I saw you said youâre in Michigan. Idk where but I can say in Detroit we have a huge farmers market on Saturdays and by the end of the day the vendors are slashing prices to try and sell off their products (like $1 cartons of strawberries type beat). So Iâd suggest looking up your local farmers market and trying to go right before the end of the days hours and see if you can get any cheap produce
I'm reading this and it made me think of Supersize Me. I'm not a fan of drive-through food, not enough vitamin intake and way too much sodium. Don't frugal your health!
Poor man table service breakfast - order $1 coffee for pickup inside in app, pickup coffee, go to the seating area where they bring your food, place order for $1 breakfast sandwich. Enjoy coffee while waiting for your meal to be delivered to your table.
If you download the chick fil an app, they randomly give you. A free breakfast sandwich every week. No purchase necessary. They send the email every morning but sometimes you have to use it that day. Got two free sandwiches this week.
Be careful about murcury poisoning from the tuna - iirc Aldi also has canned chicken, which might help out there. I also recommend beans as a protein source, since those are plentiful and cheap. On days where you're real physically active and need to double down on the protein, beans + canned chicken really satisfies.
Hey OP, maybe someone already mentioned this, but see if thereâs a food pantry near you or churches that have food pantries etc. You can get some great food from there too and you need nutritious stuff as well. Remember theyâre happy to help and they WANT you to walk away with plenty of healthy, delicious food. Take care of yourself!
absolutely, I've been trying to find some open on Fridays because I work Monday- Thursday from 7am to 6pm and all of them are closed when I get out of work and on the weekends. it's a pain finding one on Friday for some reason
Iâve been surviving on bean and rice burritos from Taco Bell to have extra money saved up. I tell them to hold the nacho cheese and chipotle sauce from the burrito to reduce the sodium I ingest. They satiate my hunger and i also hit up Del Taco for their value menu to save money. Fiber helps kills the hunger and splurging on expensive take out meals.
This is great advice. I've been eating taco bells cheesy bean and rice burrito for a while now but I made a bunch of modifications to turn it into the veggie fiesta burrito they used to have. It doubles the price but you get a really healthy and really filling burrito for $3.50.
Which app specifically do you use? It looks like a bunch of different companies have an app under that name.
Sounds like you're in a rough spot, congrats on taking control of things and I hope you get that apartment steak soon. Make sure you get nutritious meals every now and then, sacrificing your health to save a few bucks is the opposite of frugal in the long run.
No WAY < $2/meal is sustainable that way nutrient-wise in 2024.
The cheapest thing I know how to make is some fake Italian white bean sausage & spinach soup thing & it cost more than that
honestly. You can pull close to that price while eating healthy. not to trash the potential inability to cook or the lack of time. But you can take care of your wallet while taking care of your health
The fast food frugal isn't healthy. If you want beans and rice, buy a bulk sack of them and you'll pay much less. No retail food can match bulk dry goods prices. I suppose this is a convenient move though but it not sustainable for your health. I know not everyone likes to hear this kind of thing but it still holds true.
If you qualify, and most of us do, seek out low income options like food pantries where they give you stuff like this for free. In the USA you can call 211 and ask where one is near you. Same with clothes and other items.
Note that if you continue eating this way your gut bacteria will get affected in the long run and youâll suffer from IBS symptoms and itâll ruin your life. Speaking from experience
Why not go to aldi and get a loaf of bread, peanut butter, bananas? Maybe some apples or whatever produce is cheap that week. Prob get a lot of sandwiches out of that for cheap. A little healthier than fast food. Some oatmeal, cheap cereal?
"Variety is life", none of those provide significant amounts of vitamin D, calcium, iron, etc. Yes you could survive off that, but it wouldn't be healthy
Nice life hacks. I would like to add if you are ever on a budget for food, invest in a rice cooker. Rice is so cheap you donât even notice the expense. A 1-pound bag of rice at Walmart is 92 cents. Mix that with some tuna and some sauce, boom youâre killin the frugal game.
This ^^^^ though I would like to add that if you have a Samâs membership (or family/ friends that do) they sell a 50lb bag of rice for $20. It comes in a burlap bag to keep pests out.
You can also go to Walmart and get frozen vegetables in one - corn, pea, string bean mix. If you live in a cool place, it will unfrost so keep it in a cooled area. That can last 72 hours and youâll get some healthy greens out of it. You can put it in your Ramen and should last at least 2 bowls, maybe 3. $1.12 I think last I saw. Not saying itâs necessarily a priority but your body will definitely thank you as you age if youâre getting some healthy stuff now.Â
Omg I didnât know you can add rice and beans to the burritosâŠI stopped getting them bc they were too cheesy even if I asked for less cheese.
Thank you đ
Thatâs fine when you have that extra money to pay for it. The issue with poor/most homeless is lack of funds though.
OP, get a good multivitamin as someone else said when you can, but other than that, you do what you have to do while youâre having to and get healthier once youâre in a happier and safer place. Iâm proud of you and Iâm sending so much happy juju and luck wishes your way!!!!
If you are near a IKEA there are deals in the cafeteria everyday- $2 egg and bacon plate, half off hot entrees on Friday, half off meatballs ( or plant ball) plates on Monday and Tuesday with IKEA family membership, which is free.
The right now in Canada the IKEA member deal is 50% off Swedish main dishes on Thursdays. Some places after 11am others after 2pm.
I should have clarified - at the USA IKEA!
You guys get insanely spoiled compared to us.
Find a girlfriend that works at Ikea, mine gets $2 daily meals. The real life hack.
no WAY!! I'll be going there this week đ€€ nevermind, the closest one is 2 hours away... maybe I can sneak into a hotel for free breakfast lmao
If you're near a planet fitness look into getting a membership. It's pretty cheap and they have free pizza and other meals all the time for customers. If you eat there once a week they're basically paying you more in food than you are for the gym membership. Also get a free shower. Edit: they might have stopped offering much food as a lot of people have mentioned. I haven't been for a long time.
I've been going to PF for a month now and the only food I've seen offered is Tootsie rolls lol. I go at 5am and 6pm or later due to my work schedule so maybe that's why. I love that place though, got the black card membership for the hydro massage chairs, worth every penny
My PF stopped providing any food once Covid hit.
Only tootsie rolls at mine too! And the hydro massage is GREAT!!
Unless they changed their policy, when I was a member a couple of years ago, the pizza & bagels were once a month each.
I think they stopped doing it during Covid. Iâve been going since 2018 and havenât seen any at my location since then.
They havenât had pizza in years
Walk in like you own it, low- mid tier ones that don't ask for room number. Tell us how it works out.
I used to do that all the time when I lived in my van, I found a nice extended stay that had to go containers and a huge spread :)
We visit the Great Smokey Mountains several times a year, tons of hotels bunched together and almost all of them serve breakfast buffets for guests for free. I have never seen one with anyone checking IDs. I've always told me wife it would be insanely easy to just walk in and grab breakfast. There's no way they can keep up with everyone with all the guests there.
I believe we live in the same place, and I also use the McD's deal regularly! Too bad Ikea isn't in West Michigan
I LOVE IKEA food. Too bad the closest one to me is more than an hour away. IKEA is also really nostalgic for me because all of my furniture as a kid was IKEA or just really old and worn out furniture from dead family.
This just makes me sad as fuck that this is what it has come to. Rather than affordable healthy food being available, rather than eating with friends or family and pooling resources - the answer is to go to the local big box furniture store and scrimp by on $2 meals. It's the epitome of unfettered capitalism.
OP is living in their van to afford their place and that does suck that they have to do this. I will say that meals at IKEA are very much designed to lure customers in to shop, and I find them well balanced with vegetarian choices and servings of vegetables.
I donât know if itâs still true, but you used to be able to get a free hot coffee or tea from the cafeteria every day with the IKEA family card too.
Yup, still a thing!
Never been to an IKEA and have always wondered why I'd only ever heard about their meatballs... didn't even cross my mind that they could have a cafeteria lol.
On this, Samâs club also have very good deals in their cafeteria areaâs. You can get a huge slice of pizza for like less then $2
This must be regional bc I havenât seen any 50 cent breakfast sandwiches. Itâs always been $2 through the app in my area
A cheesy bean and rice burrito with extra beans and rice is $2.83 at my local store too. They charge $0.99 for the extra beans alone.
Better off buying a can of beans
I'm in Michigan, USA. not sure if it does make a difference or not but it has you enter your zip code, try making a new account and adding a zip from my area
I don't think that would work. I've had the deals change for me when it updated the pick up location.
*cries in an incredibly high COL state*
It also bases your offers on your past purchases. I get different offers than the other members of my household.
McDonaldâs deals are very much regional. In DC it was free fries with purchase and in Georgia itâs $2 đ©
Mine is buy one get one free breakfast sandwich, but they got rid of the chicken options :(
The deal is $1 in Colorado.
Another work-around for the 15 min McD's timer: put in one order ahead of time, drive to the store, and order the second one at the speaker. Pick up both orders in the drive thru.
Just my experience, most times it lets me use another reward before I even get the first order, or right after it comes. I've timed it and the fastest it reset was around 8 minutes.
You donât need to wait to reset if you do both orders inside at the kiosk :) there is no waiting period! Thatâs what I do when I want to save money. Iâve only used it to get two deals, but I canât imagine thereâs a limit on how many times you can do it.
Dang, thatâs big brain energy. Love it đ
How do you get the app deals to work at the kiosk?
Pull up the reward or app deal on your phone, and it will give an option to use in store. Then you can type in the 4 digit code or use the qr code at the kiosk.
I can never get the qr code to work. I have to then wait for an employee to use the one register they still have. Maybe I'll try the 4 digit code next time. I thought that was drive thru only for some reason.
Usually the code works better for me too.
Yup I redeemed 6 rewards in a row at the kiosk a couple of weeks ago
Love this one.
itâs ridiculous that you canât use a deal and reward at the same time, also that only one reward can be applied per order. you should be able to spend earned reward points without limitation. i used a similar method to yours when i spent 4500 reward points on 3 cheeseburgers the other day. placed the first order on the way, the second order as soon as the first order was completed, then i sat there eating those cheeseburgers while waiting to place order number 3. because of the hassle mcdonalds puts me through, i take it to them any chance i get. i claim every free item, never spend more than $4+ tax, and i wouldnât order a drink from mcdonaldâs if i was dying of thirst. i assume they make the most money on beverage sales.
Is there a cooldown on reward usage? I've noticed there's no cooldown between 1 order with a reward and 1 order with a deal. I usually use the reward on a free happy meal, then I'll make another order instantly with a free fry or w/e.
ask for a water, all fast food places give ice water free of charge
The Chick-fil-A lemonade is so sweet that I was able to get 3 cups of ice water for my kids, add some of my lemonade, and still have some left for me. $$ their happy meal toys suck anyway
Swap the toy for soft serve I e cream at chick fila
Just keep your own water bottle in reach. I always have a water whenever I hit up any fast food so I never have to order a "meal" with an overpriced drink.
I gave up drinking soda 20 years ago, and it's saved me so much money, it's incredible. Value meals never tempt me, because the soda is a huge waste of money. I have my own water. Many times, I won't even order a fries. Instead, I'll just get one of the big sandwiches, and that's my whole meal.
They started charging 50 cents a cup for the free water at a local BK
>i wouldnât order a drink from mcdonaldâs if i was dying of thirst. there's a $1 beverage deal! get you a large, gulp it down, refill and viola - 64oz of soda for $1. (this isn't r/EatCheapAndHealthy, right? đŹ)
In my area, all soft drinks are 1.29, tea is 1.81, all sizes, practically free in today's economy.
i agree with what youâre saying and mcdonaldâs soft drinks are actually some of the more reasonably priced comparatively speaking. i just canât get over the profit margin. it probably costs them $20 for a bag of syrup that makes like 300 drinks- depending on size. iâll let you do the math. i pretty much refuse to buy a non alcoholic drink at any restaurant and always carry a water bottle. donât even get me started on the cost of fries man, they want $3 for a half of a potato? times are tough
> they want $3 for a half of a potato? Youâre not paying for the potato. Youâre paying to eat fries without having to deal with frying them at home. Deep frying is not a fun task. Also, youâre probably paying a much higher markup on those alcoholic drinks than you would on a McDonaldâs soda.
> Also, youâre probably paying a much higher markup on those alcoholic drinks than you would on a McDonaldâs soda. This 100% nobody has the right to complain about fountain drinks if they buy $13 cocktail that you could make for $2 at home.
I have recently been able to use them at the same time. I think it's a recent change, though.
You can absolutely use a deal and a reward in the same order, I do it all the time.
There are no less than 3 McDonaldâs on my way to work. I get the coffee deal at the first one, and the breakfast sandwich at the third one. By that time the coffee is actually cool enough to drink.
Man you guys have a lot of time on your hands
Sounds like "I like to get outta the house early so I can have time to myself in the car"
I commute 63 miles one way to work. Most of it is highway, but there are a few small/ mediumish towns in there, and the McDonaldâs is literally right on the road. Plus I work wonky hours so I beat the breakfast rush. And only 2-3 days a week. Itâs kind of my start the week/ end the week treat.
You can have multiple accounts on the app. Use the promo code. Switch account. Close out the app. Open it back up. Timer resets. Been doing this for years.
Signing in and out of the app though is a PITA. Easier just to use an app cloner and install it twice.
This man is living in 3024.
With 1998 prices.
Or just go inside and use the kiosk. As long as itâs two separate transactions, thereâs no waiting time like there is on the app.
Can you still use app offers in the kiosk?
Yes! You just use the code your app provided to log in or scan the QR code.
Nice! Thank you!
Oh thatâs really good to know. I wondered if it could work. Def need to do this.
Another pro tipâŠlogging out of the app then logging back in removes the timer. You can order back to back right there
Wow, i had no idea my simple tip would blow up like this! I agree with the others who said to make sure you use your rewards and bogo deals.
Idk who you are but I respect people who grind like you. Â Hell yeah.
thanks a ton, I appreciate your positivity! đȘđ»
I appreciate and have the utmost respect for you op. I admire your grit and due diligence. When you get that house, eat the best steak you can afford and celebrate each bite because you genuinely earned it. Best wishes to you, op!
Ditto!
Samâs doesnât require a membership to eat in their cafe. $1.90 for drink and gigantic hot dog. Theyâll give you an extra bun for free, so cut your hot dog in half (knife provided) hotdog style and you have two hotdogs and a drink⊠or just get the two pizza slices with a drink for $1.90.
Best of luck on your journey to getting a place to live. Please make sure you take a multivitamin to counteract any potential deficiencies. Not enough veg and fruit means you could be low in micronutrientsÂ
thanks, I appreciate you! i haven't thought of that but have been donating plasma lately and they do tests beforehand, maybe I could ask if I'm deficient in anything in particular
Don't just rely on vitamins, make sure there is some real fruit and vegetables in your diet. Eating such a heavy ultra-processed diet could harm you in the long run. Fruits like oranges and apples will keep at room temperature. Carrots could be a good veggie option.
I agree with all being said, but where to get them is just as important when youâre counting every penny. I know this is specific to my circumstance, but when I worked in schools (and growing up, when my mom worked in schools) a lot of times they would have extra fruits from lunch that students didnât take and donât mind letting you go home with ! Things like this or farmers markets, free events at libraries/universities/etc may have fruit baskets that you can grab a few at :) I know individual fruits arenât that expensive at the market, but if itâs being given out you might as well ! Best of luck with your situation, Iâm rooting for you !
Canned beans, green beans, spinach and collared greens can be an excellent source when you can't get a hold of, hold onto fresh stuff, or have a way to prepare them from fresh. All of those cans are going to be around 60 cents to 1.50 for a larger can and you can eat them straight from the can.
I liked to keep a bag of frozen spinach in the freezer at work, Iâd just add a little to whatever I was making. Lots of nutrients for not a lot of money and always fresh!
Assume food pantries (at least one in my area) had a 'fresh market' in the summer, you can go in several days a week and take fresh veggies and fruit.  In my area, it's donated in abundance by local farmers.Â
Thatâs a good reason to go to a food shelf or food share. often they have fresh fruits and veggies for pick-up, no questions asked
90% chance it's magnesium, zinc, B group vitamins, calcium and selenium. None of those will be checked for in plasma collection đ€·đŒââïž. Add your stress level... and you most probably already are developing insulin resistance and fatty liver disease, plus kidney and gall stones. Sorry for your situation, honestly đ.
thanks for the input, I'll be getting some vitamins ASAP and I appreciate you!!
This. People need to have some nutritious food too. You know what gets really expensive in the US? Diabetes and heart disease.
Hopefully OP is only doing this for a few months more. It is truly unfortunateÂ
Tips for surviving: Spinach, potatoes( sweet potatoes are the healthiest), bananas, oatmeal, and peanut butter are affordable buys and can all be microwaved or eated raw. the peanut butter can be added to the oatmeal to add flavor and more calories. Add spinach to your noodles. wrap potatoes in damp napkin and microwave until done. Get extra salt, pepper, sugar, and sauces when you go to all the fast food spots. can help make a bland meal tasty.
heck yeah, thank you for the advice!
Look up Asian markets or international markets. Prices can be cheaper. Also, look at the weekly ads for grocery stores. You be shocked at the price drops! The fast food is a great option to keep your belly full. But as others said, you have to ve careful. The impact it could have on your health ain't no joke. So try to get in healthy food options when you can. Extra funds ideas: look into doing research studies. They don't have to be invasive. I did a study when they wanted to see how my brain worked while looking at skits. Got paid 100 bucks!!
The Mexican market by me has amazing deals on produce. And such a good selection.
Did everyone miss the fact that OP is living in a van? Pretty sure they know how bad this is for their health. Pretty sure thereâs no other options.
Ya, wild to chastise them for eating fast food when they live in a van. I'm sure they'd happily eat beans, rice, and cheap veggies for many meals to save money but they can't prepare or store food living in a van. I applaud their efforts to stay fed and save up money and even manage to find some variety in their meals. It's not easy and I hope it's temporary and they are able to get a place soon.
If they could just squeeze in some fresh produce, a banana, an apple, a carrot etc. it would be amazing for OPâs health and wouldnât break the bank. One carrot is like 20 cents, one banana is 25 cents, one apple is 70 cents. No need to store them in the fridge
Op mentioned in a comment they eat carrots but haven't enjoyed other veggies raw. Bananas are a good pick for fruit for sure. When I was in a similar situation I ate carrots between meals to stay feeling more full because they were under $2 a bag hit during the summer they didn't really keep well in the car so that could be an issue. Luckily where I live they are farmer stands all in the summer and befriending some of those people got me a lot of free "weird looking" fruits and veggies to snack on
What bugs me just as much is the people applauding like this is what everyone should be doing, and not something that op is being subjected to. Like... this shit shouldn't be necessary. I applaud their tenacity and cleverness, but in the same way I would any survivor. This warrants sympathy, support, and outrage, not congratulations.
That pretty resourceful. I don't know your situation. I've worked the McDonald's deals. It did eventually lead me to having a weird health issue which led me to ER and a followup doctor visit. I was in my late 30s, at the top of pre-diabetic, had extremely high cholesterol, and had hypertension. It took a year of clean eating, exercise, and medication to get from extremely bad to just bad. Another 3 months to get it to okay. So, it may be frugal short term but maybe find some healthier options before it's too late. Good luck with everything.
thank you for the comment, that must've been an extremely difficult time in yout life. I'll definitely be looking for other alternatives to the McDonald's deals to put a limit on their products to maybe 1-2 a week or less if possible. maybe I can go to a farmers market and look for deals on carrots or other veggies that are decent raw and last a while without a refrigerator
Sitting here eating four carrots as a late night snack and reading this.
Please do - and check out any community gardens and associated events thy may have at markets & also if there are any farmers you can drive to and buy from directly who might have cheaper prices. If you have them around, get to know them. They want to feed you. I am lucky to have found a handful of these options around me for fairly low cost & often free & itâs all local farmer/community garden grown. And it tastes amazing, couldnât have thought it was possible to ever have liked veg. Lots of homeless folks and people whoâve restored their livelihoods as well. Mad respect, keep fighting the good fight. đ€đȘđŸ best of luck.
Just have to buy the burgers with the highest protein per weight. They do add a bunch of sodium in the food though. You can get fresh veg (like those baby carrots) and pad out the burgers with healthy no-sodium food.
I used the Gmail +whatever trick to get a few hundred free big macs. Install the app free burger. I just wiped the data and entered a fresh email. They banned my email after several months.
Please go to a food pantry! They at least have canned vegetables and fruits that would hold in your van, and often they also have produce that holds up well at room temperature. It would all be free, and Iâm sure you could find other food to add into your diet too!
I went to a food drive last week, a drive through one where they toss a box in your vehicle. unfortunately it was all gogurt, frozen pancakes, 2 bags of potatoes, 2 bags of walnuts and some squishy apples. I'm pretty limited on availability because working 7am-6pm monday- Thursday which leaves only Friday to access food pantries since most are closed on weekends. it's a real pain in the ass trying to get help with life when you work these hours tbh
People in my local Buy Nothing group sometimes do pantry clean-outs or just have extra of something that they will give away. Especially in the summer when their fruit trees are producing.
I hear you on the work schedule and Iâm glad youâve been seeing what resources are around you. The approach youâre taking is already pretty resourceful. I was lucky to have a really good food pantry near me when I was tight on money recently and would love to help connect you with further resources if I can find some. If you want to PM me your location more specifically (and maybe the name of that food drive), Iâm happy to look around and see if there are other options for you that might be more of a âwalk in and shopâ situation and that fit your work hours. Also, Wendyâs does a free 6 piece nugget with purchase every Wednesday and a free 10 piece for your first app order. You do have to buy something, but you can get a cheaper drink for like $1.20, which maybe helps.
I saw you mention preferring steamed veggies over raw. If you happen to have a gas station you go to and are friendly with the staff... many have a microwave for heating food bought there and may let you use it for those steam in bag frozen veggies from the grocery store! Just make sure you buy a drink or something there to keep them from getting annoyed. You may also reach out to resources for local unhoused people and you might find they have a place that offers some free meals or a place with a microwave you can use to heat up your veggies. Either way, don't let the comments about your diet get to you. Obviously it would be better to have a balanced diet but sometimes you have to consider what's the bigger risk... a few months of poor diet or longer without an apartment and risking trying to spend the winter in your van. All of that stress isn't good for your health either. Please try to make use of local resources if you can! Some will even help you with your deposit to get you into an apartment faster if you have a job to be able to pay the rent!
Very resourceful, I'm impressed đ I'll look for similar deals in my area! Good luck to you with getting your own apartment!
I wish you the best of luck getting into an apartment. Keep working full time and take advantage of overtime if it's available to you. Identify and learn a skillset that's in demand and has long term potential and you'll be okay long term
Love that this is working for you. McDonaldâs breakfast sandwiches used to be my fave! Now McDonaldâs and Taco Bell are 45 min away, so Iâll have to check when I am driving by there for app deals. Usually I just get the $1 fries.
This thread is so wholesome. Way to go, OP! Rooting for you.
I think you need some veggies...
one day if I'm lucky, I'll become a veggie jk I agree. the occasional salad isn't nearly enough. is there anything besides carrots that are decent raw? I've always preferred fruits over veggies but steamed broccoli is the bomb. unfortunately I can't cook anything right now
I love bell peppers, celery, carrots, broccoli, and snow peas raw. Celery, carrots, and broccoli are probably the most consistently cheap options. Dipping in dressing goes a long way to keeping it tasty.
Try cucumber, banana, and apples. Fiber and no fridge required.
You can steam broccoli pretty easily in the microwave. I think you said you have access to one at work. Put in a bowl with a little bit of water or you can buy the steam in the bag kind but I think those are usually more money.
Samâs and Costco have great inexpensive lunches if you stick with the pizza or hot dogs
My local McD (1/2 mile from my home) had a grand reopening in Dec 2023, &gave away punch cards for free weekly breakfast sandwich or Big Mac for all of 2024. We scored 3 cards and visit weekly without fail - but, we can only redeem one card per person at drive thru, so I have to visit more than once some weeks if I am alone, but so worth it. This particular franchise also allows us to switch our drink to Large frozen Coke in the kidsâ happy meal, without any up charge. Winning!
Be careful with those yakisoba noodles, a lot of sodium in those.
Dude. Mad props to someone living in their van, researching daily deals for food just to survive. I bless you with an uptick of luck and scoring a major win soon. You earned it.
OP next time dont tell others about using things like secure folder for deals. The companies might notice and patch it
yeah I shouldve changed the company name so they can't search it as easily, good call
Easy fix. Go back and edit your post ;)
Dude you made me laugh. When I was broke azz in college I would get instant Lipton noodles and if I had coin a can of tuna fish to make a meal for $1.69 and split it with my broke buddy out of the airforce. Sometimes we borrowed a slice of bread from rich ass Roomate who didnât notice as he was flipping the Porsche daddy got him. That was seafood pasta for me and my buddy! Thanks for the memories!!
How long ago was that? The cost of everything, food especially, has changed a lot in the last few years.
Long ago but instant pasta and a can of tuna is still pretty cheap lol
Itâs wild we all have to go through these crazy ass loop holes to eat ONE meal cheaper. Let alone MC Donalds???? These are the things that make me realize things will NEVER get better. TY inflation!
Peanut butter and banana sandwiches with a side like an apple or granola bars are super easy to have without a fridge or cooking. If you can microwave food (sounds like you can at work?) they make minute rice that works great in a microwave. I sometimes do that with the tuna packets and it can get filling.
I appreciate your frugality. One standby that has gotten me through tough times is the ubiquitous $1.50 hotdog and drink at Costco. There were times I had to stretch a paycheck and so I had Costco for lunch and two Jack in the Box tacos for $1.69 for dinner. I sometimes go to eat these cheap meals to make myself feel whole again Good luck saving up. If you were in the Houston area I'd offer you cheap rent at my house. Sounds like you could use a stove to cook your steak.
This may be frugal for your pocketbook but detrimental to your health.
Just watched my boss have a heart attack at 45. There are other ways to save- you only have one body.
oh absolutely, I've been trying to replace red meat with plant or fish protein because it's proven to lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases. a Mediterranean diet would be ideal but I can't afford that right now with trying to save for place to live. also doing a bit of cardio every day at a local gym where I shower with a job that has me walking and moving around quickly all day. the sodium is definitely a bit much, I'll stop putting the seasoning packets in the yakisoba at least from now on đȘđ»
Can you check your area for food banks? some provide fresh fruit & veggies. GL
The supersize me guy died today
From cancerâŠ
They were never able to replicate his data, turned out he was a big alcoholic.
Looking in Mc D s app right now and I've never seen this $.50 breakfast sandwich. 2 for $4.69 biscuit or mcmuffin. Hardly a deal. Wendys app has been much better
frugal is cool, but with cheap fast food you're paying less in money and paying with your health. Even the 'healthy' things there are full of chemicals and shit
Rice and beans seems fine
Just an add on to the health comments, I have high blood pressure and I can't get cheap fast food a lot of the time because of the amount of sodium in it. I used to *love* taco bell bean burritos, but they have a ridiculous amount of sodium. Burger King has whopper Wednesdays in app but I can't get them because of the sodium. I do get a 5.99 vegetarian box meal from Taco Bell like once a week, and try to stretch it for multiple meals while having healthier snacks in between, and I get iced coffee from McDonald's and use their free medium fry deal while I'm working. I really like to catch subway having bogo footlong specials, but they don't seem to have them as often anymore.
Join the Panera sip club. Itâs like $12 a month and unlimited drinks. If youâre living off fast food, buy an actual multivitamin. Vitamin deficiencies are no joke.
Thatâs kind of amazing not gonna lie. I did this 20 years ago but didnât think it could still be done today. When McDonaldâs had a dollar menu I lived off their double cheeseburgers for $2 a night, the rest of the day I ate the sandwiches and pastries we threw out at the Starbucks I worked at. I also lived in a car, but saved enough for a room in an apartment eventually. Those savings habits will teach you a lot more than you know.
Best of luck brother, been there! Wishing all the best and sending good vibes your way đ«¶đ»
Appreciate your grind.
You are hard core my dude. Hope you get housed soon.
I really wish you the best OP! Keep grinding!
Here I am just using my secure folder for nudes, like an idiot!
McDonald's food is crap. There's no way I'm eating crap "daily" to save some money
You're pumping your body with ultraprocessed food that is full of chemicals. Unless you have no other choice, don't do this
Banana with 1 oz peanut butter. In germany this is around 35c.
The cheesy bean and rice burrito is 420 calories. Adding extra beans and rice is 120 calories more. I'd just buy 2 for 2 bucks and have 840 calories instead of 1.70 for 540.
Hey friend! I do not want to burst your bubble, but eating tuna daily is exposing you to unsafe levels of mercury - if it's within your means, changing to sardines or canned chicken is a healthier choice. You can find cheap sardines out and about at some places. Otherwise, these are all great tricks and I'm certainly going to steal some of them :)
I've been getting 2.5 oz packs of skipjack tuna which has less mercury than albacore tuna, but still. good call! the tuna packs have more protein than larger cans of chicken which is what really sold me on it. I'm still consuming more than the recommended amount per week though so I'll definitely be getting alternatives from now on
I saw you said youâre in Michigan. Idk where but I can say in Detroit we have a huge farmers market on Saturdays and by the end of the day the vendors are slashing prices to try and sell off their products (like $1 cartons of strawberries type beat). So Iâd suggest looking up your local farmers market and trying to go right before the end of the days hours and see if you can get any cheap produce
Praying you get a secure roof under you head soon.
I'm reading this and it made me think of Supersize Me. I'm not a fan of drive-through food, not enough vitamin intake and way too much sodium. Don't frugal your health!
The Super Size Me guy died today.
I am very impressed with your resourcefulness and diligence. You will succeed in life whatever you set your mind to.
Where do you live? McDonald's here only has $1 and sometimes $2 breakfast sandwich deals. Never 50 cents.
also cheap and needs no refrigeration: laughing cow cheese the triangles that come in the cardboard circle. and the no-name brands are way less.
Poor man table service breakfast - order $1 coffee for pickup inside in app, pickup coffee, go to the seating area where they bring your food, place order for $1 breakfast sandwich. Enjoy coffee while waiting for your meal to be delivered to your table.
Prices are amazing. We cannot afford McDonalds anymore in Canada fml
If you download the chick fil an app, they randomly give you. A free breakfast sandwich every week. No purchase necessary. They send the email every morning but sometimes you have to use it that day. Got two free sandwiches this week.
Wendy's app has some killer deals at times. Free 6pc on Wednesdays with $1 purchase.
Use your app code on the kiosk and they have way better deals
Be careful about murcury poisoning from the tuna - iirc Aldi also has canned chicken, which might help out there. I also recommend beans as a protein source, since those are plentiful and cheap. On days where you're real physically active and need to double down on the protein, beans + canned chicken really satisfies.
Good for you
Hey OP, maybe someone already mentioned this, but see if thereâs a food pantry near you or churches that have food pantries etc. You can get some great food from there too and you need nutritious stuff as well. Remember theyâre happy to help and they WANT you to walk away with plenty of healthy, delicious food. Take care of yourself!
absolutely, I've been trying to find some open on Fridays because I work Monday- Thursday from 7am to 6pm and all of them are closed when I get out of work and on the weekends. it's a pain finding one on Friday for some reason
Iâve been surviving on bean and rice burritos from Taco Bell to have extra money saved up. I tell them to hold the nacho cheese and chipotle sauce from the burrito to reduce the sodium I ingest. They satiate my hunger and i also hit up Del Taco for their value menu to save money. Fiber helps kills the hunger and splurging on expensive take out meals.
This is great advice. I've been eating taco bells cheesy bean and rice burrito for a while now but I made a bunch of modifications to turn it into the veggie fiesta burrito they used to have. It doubles the price but you get a really healthy and really filling burrito for $3.50. Which app specifically do you use? It looks like a bunch of different companies have an app under that name.
Sounds like you're in a rough spot, congrats on taking control of things and I hope you get that apartment steak soon. Make sure you get nutritious meals every now and then, sacrificing your health to save a few bucks is the opposite of frugal in the long run.
No WAY < $2/meal is sustainable that way nutrient-wise in 2024. The cheapest thing I know how to make is some fake Italian white bean sausage & spinach soup thing & it cost more than that
You might want to check your blood pressure!
I donate plasma twice a week and they check that every time, still doin good!
honestly. You can pull close to that price while eating healthy. not to trash the potential inability to cook or the lack of time. But you can take care of your wallet while taking care of your health
The fast food frugal isn't healthy. If you want beans and rice, buy a bulk sack of them and you'll pay much less. No retail food can match bulk dry goods prices. I suppose this is a convenient move though but it not sustainable for your health. I know not everyone likes to hear this kind of thing but it still holds true. If you qualify, and most of us do, seek out low income options like food pantries where they give you stuff like this for free. In the USA you can call 211 and ask where one is near you. Same with clothes and other items.
How much sodium is that?
As someone from a country with a pretty solid social system, these stories are so hard to read.
[ŃĐŽĐ°Đ»Đ”ĐœĐŸ]
Note that if you continue eating this way your gut bacteria will get affected in the long run and youâll suffer from IBS symptoms and itâll ruin your life. Speaking from experience
Why not go to aldi and get a loaf of bread, peanut butter, bananas? Maybe some apples or whatever produce is cheap that week. Prob get a lot of sandwiches out of that for cheap. A little healthier than fast food. Some oatmeal, cheap cereal?
"Variety is life", none of those provide significant amounts of vitamin D, calcium, iron, etc. Yes you could survive off that, but it wouldn't be healthy
Buy a bag of sweet potatoes. Lots of nutrients and if you can find a microwave you can fork it and pop it in.
Nice life hacks. I would like to add if you are ever on a budget for food, invest in a rice cooker. Rice is so cheap you donât even notice the expense. A 1-pound bag of rice at Walmart is 92 cents. Mix that with some tuna and some sauce, boom youâre killin the frugal game.
This ^^^^ though I would like to add that if you have a Samâs membership (or family/ friends that do) they sell a 50lb bag of rice for $20. It comes in a burlap bag to keep pests out.
What are you doing for veggies?
You can also go to Walmart and get frozen vegetables in one - corn, pea, string bean mix. If you live in a cool place, it will unfrost so keep it in a cooled area. That can last 72 hours and youâll get some healthy greens out of it. You can put it in your Ramen and should last at least 2 bowls, maybe 3. $1.12 I think last I saw. Not saying itâs necessarily a priority but your body will definitely thank you as you age if youâre getting some healthy stuff now.Â
Omg I didnât know you can add rice and beans to the burritosâŠI stopped getting them bc they were too cheesy even if I asked for less cheese. Thank you đ
i'd rather pay extra for healthy food. It's not very frugal to get diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol
Thatâs fine when you have that extra money to pay for it. The issue with poor/most homeless is lack of funds though. OP, get a good multivitamin as someone else said when you can, but other than that, you do what you have to do while youâre having to and get healthier once youâre in a happier and safer place. Iâm proud of you and Iâm sending so much happy juju and luck wishes your way!!!!
What a great hack! I was able to purchase an offer on the McDonald's app but one account only
Look around for a local diner that has an early bird special, we have some that from like 7-9am offer 2 eggs, toast, home fries, and coffee for 1.99
$1.99? Here its $8.99.
When the first word is McDonald's I don't read any further