Food Money for Single Male?

Question

I am a single male, 25 years old, who lives with 2 other roommates.

The problem is that last month my food bill was $500, and this month already at that amount.

How much should someone my age spend per month on food? Combined meals at home are not an option, as my roommates will always eat out.

Any suggestions on how much I should spend, AND how I can prepare meals which are less? I do not even know what the amount should be.... $200? $300? More? Less?

Any ideas would be helpful!!

Answer 1

i am single 25 i live by myself but i only spend about 75 a month on food...i eat healthy...fruits veggies chicken fish.....with the occasional treat......when i lived with roommates we only spent about 150 for three of us....the best thing is to watch sales and buy in bulk when you can....and if your roommates are getting into your food we always labeled what was ours and only ours....hope that helps

Answer 2

I buy all the food for my boyfriend and I and spend about 80-100 bucks a week. At the most- 400 a month. I think for just one person $500 is a lot! At first, I was spending way too much just like you. Then I started asking my mom about things I could make that would be cheap.. since she had to do that when I was a kid. The best cheap food- spaghetti. Actually, all pasta is great for saving money. If you make a lasagna you can eat that for 2 or 3 days. Stir fry is also great since rice is so cheap and so are frozen veggies. Oatmeal is a good deal- you can get a LOT of bowls of oatmeal out of that package. If you don't want to cook anything there's always ramen noodles, althrough I don't recommend them because they are so bad for you... but if you're in a bind, they are great.

Answer 3

Im a male 31, and i spend no more than 200 a month on food, if that. I cook supper, then have the leftovers for lunch the next day. I dont buy cokes, I make tea.

Buy the store brand foods, they are cheaper. Buy stuff in bulk also. They are cheaper and last longer. Stay away from cereal and milk or instant oatmeal. That gets expencive. Buy pancake mix that will last for a bit as well.

For meats, try getting a big bag of fishsticks. they last for a few meals and is cheap.

If you break down and buy things you actually have to cook and not pop in the microwave, you can save money.

Remember buy in bulk at the cheapest price.

Or you can spend 30 dollars on Raman noodles and be done with it :p lol

Answer 4

Are you consuming alcohol out of this budget? If you shop at discount food/bakery stores you shoudl be able to eat a healthy mix of canned good and fresh fruit and vegetables. You should be able to eat at a fast food joint for less than $7 a meal, x 7 that would be $49 a week x 5 weeks = $245, plus say two cans of quaker oats for breakfast for a month $5. Plus milk, and concentrated juice mix, and tea, $100, so there is $350. Now figure out what you eat for supper, which should be cheaper than a meal at Burger King if you prepare it yourself. I would suggest you get a mouse proof food container like a large cooler or footlocker and keep canned and dry goods under lock and key in your own room, because I bet your roomies or their friends are snacking on your food when not around. My older brother cured a roomate of this by taking the label off a can of dog food and writing "HASH" on it, his room mate threw it away when he found a bone in it, I don't think my brother ever told him the truth. My sister had roomates doing teh same thing and we had an uncle keeping hens that layed green eggs, which no one else would dare eat (in NYC) so she didn't have to worry about losing them. I can tell you right now, find a gal who is a decent cook, of learn how before you poison yourself, baked goods and snacking on crackers, cookies and doughnuts is expenseive and bad for you.

Answer 5

Create meals that will make more than a 1 time meal...like spaghetti or hamburger helper. PB and J sandwiches. xD
Crockpot stuff also lasts me sometimes a week at a time.

Don't blow all your money on fast food. It may be fast and easier at the time but its more expensive in the long run.

Answer 6

Are you eating filet mignon for breakfast, or Kraft Dinner for dinner. Does this amount include household cleaning and hygienic supplies or are those shared with your roomates? Some people can live on $50 a week if they have some cooking skills. What ARE you eating??

Answer 7

You might want to cut out coupons outta the sunday paper like senior citizens do, due to being short on cash. Plus there's coupons for Burgar King,ect.There's the "Entertainment Guide" that has deals in restaurants, buy 1 get 1 free (in classy places too, plus lots and LOTS of coupons for fastfood, and coupons for local grocery stores.) You need to just buy basics to help w/your cash. Don't buy too many frozen dinners if u do, this can get costly.
You know what I do? I spend a couple to a few hrs. 1 day, make a bunch of stuff up and freeze it in separate little freezer bags, you know like: fried chicken, porkchops,meatloafs,whatever--enough for several meals/a couple of weeks. you just reach in the freezer get 1 for ur dinner and eat w/a salad (just basic w/paul newman's balsamic dressing) and a piece of garlic bread (premade frozen ones) we don't eat a lot of starches here.
bring a calculator w/u at the market. and have a budget in mind. this'll help. don't fall for those overpriced premade meats, when you can just do it all urself, prepare it ahead of time and freeze. and put a camera in the freezer to prevent roomates for munchin your stuff (just kidding)
*make a batch of homemade ice tea to last a few days. don't fall for too many soda's or overpriced individual bottles of beverage. there such a waste of money, when u can just make it urself(the juice that is)

Answer 8

I spend $850 a month for a family of three. Stop buying pop, beer, snacks and only buy "real" food. The extras really add up.

Answer 9

The dollar menu at Mcdonalds.

Baloney sandwiches, hotdogs, burgers, cereal. All of these are cheap and they will fill you up. If you wanted you could go the whole month on 50 dollars. If you want to save your money DON'T eat out.

Answer 10

Just get food stamps then you will have like $500 to spend on all kinds of good food and you can order chinese food.