Often we have to stretch when we choose to live on less. For me the area I find me stretching in the most is my food budget. Gone are the days of ordering in or take out so how do I stretch my money in a city where food prices are well lets put it this way: in the US I fed a family of 5 on the same amount.So what are my strategies:
1. Shop flyers for the loss leaders. These here in Canada seem to cycle about every 8-12 weeks. So that means I know I can get 24 rolls of toilet paper for $3.99 after my dollar off coupon every 8 to 12 weeks so I get it when it is at that price.
2. Collect and share coupons. I use both Save.ca and Frugal Shopper for coupons and if you are really a good collector you can trade or even get on a coupon train.
3. Menu Plan: I like to plan on Monday mornings for my week, using what I have in the house..things bought from flyer’s or my staple list.So how does $200 get spent:
1 have 4 basic areas
- Meat and eggs: here I spend no more then $50 a month and it stretches for about 20 meals, and includes deli meat for lunches
- Fruit+Veggies: here I spend about $40 for a mix of fresh and frozen( I usually buy seasonal and on sale).
- The Basics: or as some would call them dry goods..here I spend about $60
- Leaving $30 for the fillers: cookies, chips, baking supplies etc.
With $20 left over for milk!
So that is how I live on less in the grocery store.
Today I am thankful that up here the school week is over and I get some Roo time in yeah!
Flickr Photos
- Add new tag blessings Blog blogging books catholic church cheap choice Christmas chritmas tip church comment contest contesting contests conversations cooking craft idea debate earth hour education faith family fire food free freebie Freebies frugal frugal lifestyle frugaltip frugal tip fun give away giving going green go to site gratitude green grocery shopping Halloween health healthy How to introduction isagenix loves memories menu Menu Monday menu planning money NaBlo news opinion personal political comment reading recipe recipes religion saving shopping site recommendation special needs thanksgiving Toronto TTC volunteer WFMW win WWFMW
Living on Less
Some of my regular readers know that I live on really what is very little in Canada’s largest urban center. This is what has forced me to be cheaper later maybe I can then be Cheap and after that maybe I can graduate to frugal. This week here in Toronto a study came out about poverty in Canada and more specifically here in To and the number of children. Did you know that 1 in 8 children live in hoseholds that are well below the poverty line, and that gap is growing rapidly here in the city..
I am going to give you some facts:
A single mom who is forced onto welfare( and many are because of unfair IE rules here in Canada) who has one child receives $874.00
She will then receive $ 266.00 for Child tax on the 20th
If she is volunteering she will receive another $100 for a bus pass.
So a mom with one child lives off of $1240 at the most…this is the amount that I receive.
How does that get spent here in the big city?
Here is my budget:
Rent $700 ( for a small basement 1 bedroom that is actually an illegal apt)
Phone and Internet ( the net is my only luxury but it is also a tool for job hunting and school work for Roo) $74.10
Food-$200 ( tomorrow I will write about how I make $200 stretch)
Busfare- $75
Laundry-$40
Personal Grooming and Cleaning Supplies -$15
After School Program for Roo-$10
School Expenses(field trips, pizza lunch, scholastic etc) -$20
Clothing $25
which leaves me with just over $100 for anything else that may come up like the dentist which is not covered properly here in To for poor adults.
In 10 years Roo has never been on a vacation – she doesn’t know what they are. She has never spent a holiday with my family who live in Nova Scotia. These are the realities. Does this bug me? No it is my reality for now..
I am job hunting and luckily I have been given the tools that most months I can squeak by. I will admit with things like Christmas and 2 birthdays around the corner I do worry. I have never wanted Roo to know how poor we are so I don’t talk money with her. I try and teach her that some times mom can say yes to a request and some times the answer is a no. I am trying to teach contentment with what we have.
With that said and done I am really trying hard to live with less. I do this most months by shopping well and entering lots of contests which have given Roo and I some fun times in the city, however we would love that trip to Whistler to play in the snow, or one of the computers , which are only a couple of the contests I am entering all the time right now.
So any ideas for living on less but living well?
4 Comments
Posted in contesting, political comment, Uncategorized
Tagged contesting, frugal, money, political comment