I'm ready to start again...

[IronMaiden756]

I used to post under a different name that I can't remember now, so I re-registered as IronMaiden756 (I'm a HUGE fan of the band)

BOY, am I frustrated! First, I was divorced in 2006 and my daughter turned 18 so I lost quite a bit of child support. That was stressful.

In 2008 I was in a car accident, and my minivan with no payments was totaled, so now I've got a new car which is safer transportation for me, but, I am now making a car payment I didn't have and my car insurance payment tripled because it's a new car and I want full coverage . MORE stress.

The fact that I am struggling financially impacts what I spend on groceries, and I haven't really been able to afford Atkins-friendly food and since 2006 when I was 102 lb I've gained a substantial amount of weight in my mind, and I'm now at 115 lb (I am 4 ft 10 in).

How am I able to buy better groceries and stay within my little bitty budget? Any tips, advice?

Thanks.

[judyintn]

Re: I'm ready to start again...

Eggs, chicken, canned tuna, and ground beef can be bought rather inexpensively. I buy the chicken thighs or leg quarters, and can usually find them for around .69 a pound. I use shredded cheddar cheese and buy it in a great big bag at Sam's Club and keep it in the freezer, and just take out what I need. I dress my salads with mayo and ranch (I also buy the mega containers from Sam's Club), and my side dishes consist of lettuce, frozen broccoli, frozen stir fry veggies, and olives. I have found that my grocery bill has actually gone down, and my family is eating pretty well the same way I am. We are buying a lot less in the way of chips, snack cakes, frozen pizzas, ice cream, and soft drinks. I haven't had any expensive cuts of meat since I restarted two weeks ago, and on my present budget, no steaks are in my future!!

You can do it!!

[disneydiva21]

Re: I'm ready to start again...

buy frozen veggies which are around $1.00 a bag or 2 for 3.00
bags of frozen chicken breast (3.5 or 4 lbs) which is about 7.00

[imagood1]

Re: I'm ready to start again...

hi - glad to have you back!!!! Another place you might want to try is Aldi -- I'm pretty sure Michigan has them....I use to live on the absolute corner of NY and PA and we had them there. Other cheaper places to buy are Walmart or Sam's Club (Costco).....chicken is normally always cheap - hamburger can really be stretched - tuna is another easy meal. Don't buy pre-packaged salads, make your own - less expensive.

If you need help with recipes there are a couple real good ones: Linda's is Linda's Low Carb Menus & Recipes - Daily Menus. I like here website because she has pictures of nearly every meal and she has induction only meals!!! I haven't made anything from her site that I wouldn't have again.

Good luck on your journey -- read as much as you can on this site...read your book when it comes (I ordered mine from here and it was here in 3 days) ask questions and most importantly, enjoy this -- it's not hard - you can do it!!!

Carole

[AlaskaGirl]

Re: I'm ready to start again...

Welcome.

I think if you can find a way to buy in bulk and then re-package into what ever size you find easiest to work with.

I can buy 5 dozen eggs at Costco for about $ 5.50 or a single dozen for $2.99. I have been eating a lot of eggs. Almost 6 today (I hate eggs but loose really well on them).

Also for me I usually spend less now because I am buying whole foods rather than processed junk.

Good luck,

Julie