Treating Yourself on a Budget

Hello! Today on Wondering Whisk, we will be talking about useful methods and strategies to use in order to stretch your dollar when grocery shopping and going out to eat. 

Grocery shopping on a college budget can be a tricky task when faced with the decision to purchase a cheaper, more calorically dense item in bulk that will last longer, such as Ramen Noodles, compared to purchasing a more expensive and nutrient dense item that will not last as long, such as fruits and vegetables. You can decide on a compromise by finding a balance that works best for you and following some of the tips stated below:

• Decide on a budget prior to grocery shopping

• Look for coupons on websites such as: coupons.com, smartsource.com, redplum.com, kroger.com/Kroger app

• Look up simple recipes to make

• Make a grocery list, write it down, bring it with you & stick to it

• Categories to incorporate on your grocery list: Protein, Dairy (Alternatives)/Eggs, Legumes, Carbohydrates, Vegetables/Fruits, Nuts/Seeds, Herbs Spices, Cooking Oil and Miscellaneous

• Do not go grocery shopping hungry

• Buy what you NEED first and then buy what you WANT second

• Take the time to compare prices by checking the white box on the price sticker to see which deal is the best deal

• Bulk up on nonperishable items such as: beans, pasta, rice, oatmeal, toilet paper, toothpaste, and laundry detergent 

• Freeze anything and everything if you can 

Going out to eat on a college budget can also be a very tricky task because a part of being a college student, and a human being for that matter, is treating yourself to good food and good company. With that being said, here are some tips you can utilize to find a balance between sticking to your budget and treating yourself. 

• Research menus before going out to eat 

• Look for coupons on groupon.com and livingsocial.com 

• Subscribe to your favorite restaurants emails to receive current promotions and sales

• Calculate your total price prior to ordering as well as incorporating the servers tip into the equation 

• Skip the soft drinks and order a water 

• Skip the appetizers (unless you’re going to make a meal out of them)

• Order lunch items if possible; they tend to be smaller portions and less expensive 

• Split the meal with a friend

• Eat half of your meal for dinner and save the other half for lunch the next day (this is one less lunch meal you need to buy at the grocery store, so you could take this out of your grocery budget) 

Finding a balance between treating yourself, sticking to your budget when grocery shopping, and going out to eat on a college budget is a difficult responsibility. This responsibility may take some trial and error; however, it is most certainly possible! 

Feel free to request blog topics you would like to learn about and be sure to check in for Wondering Whisk’s blog post next Thursday.