I spend too much for a single male!

**disneysteve** · 12-10-2014, 06:20 AM

Originally posted by investingnoob View Post

What can I do to save money?

Stop eating out! It's crazy expensive and horrible for your health. It is way cheaper, tastier, and better for you to prepare your own meals. Cooking is definitely a skill that takes practice and experimentation to get it right the way that you like it. There are endless websites with recipes and instructions. YouTube has tons of videos that teach you techniques and take you through things step by step.

So no, $500-600/month to feed one person is certainly not normal. Many don't spend that much to feed their families. My wife and I don't spend that much for the 2 of us or even 3 when my daughter is home.

**autoxer** · 12-10-2014, 06:36 AM

So far this year my family (of three) has spent on average $539/month, but I know there is a lot of excess in there. The most helpful thing for me is to cook a big dinner, so that there is leftovers, package up some for lunch while you are cleaning up dinner and you remove the temptation to run out and buy lunch. I'm not picky, so I'll eat whatever leftovers are around, just so that they don't go to waste. And regarding being lazy, it is a lot easier to put some leftovers in the microwave, then it is to hop in the car and drive to some fast food joint.

If you want a resource for cooking inexpensively, check out www.budgetbytes.com

I don't know what grocery store options you have, but here is an ALDI meal plan, 25 meals for $150. I thought that was a very good example on how to eat well on a budget.

49 Cheap Dinner Ideas That Will Change Your Life

http://www.iamthatlady.com/25-meals-for-under-150-at-aldi/

If there’s one thing that every family needs, it’s a way to make sure that their nightly dinner doesn’t break the bank! Cheap dinner ideas are ALWAYS useful, to feed your family healthy meals without totally ruining your monthly food budget!

Here is my confession: I have an obsession with avoiding fast food. Partially because I don't like how processed the food is and partially for financial reasons.

**investingnoob** · 12-10-2014, 07:05 AM

Thanks guys, looks like I need to just buckle down and stop being lazy.
I thought I was spending way too much a month on food for just me.

**disneysteve** · 12-10-2014, 07:58 AM

Originally posted by investingnoob View Post

For work I almost always get Mcondalds or Wendy's for lunch. On the weekend I usually get Domino's

I enjoy cooking but it always seems like it costs more or the same than just getting dollar menu stuff.

Funny that you mention the dollar menu. Is your typical tab at McDonalds or Wendy's $1.00? I doubt it or else you wouldn't be spending so much. I'll take a guess that you rarely walk out of there for less than $6. Is that about right?

**hamchan** · 12-10-2014, 08:45 AM

Originally posted by investingnoob View Post

Hey guys just looking at how much I spend on food and find it a bit much for a single guy.
I just looked at my Discover spending analyzer and found I spent $500-600 each month on food. Usually half of it is at fast food for lunch, the other at Walmart for groceries.
I will confess I have a fast food obsession, I love the taste and the convenience.
For work I almost always get Mcondalds or Wendy's for lunch. On the weekend I usually get Domino's and I'll go to Walmart for all my other food needs.
I'm not even going to lie, I'm lazy...I enjoy cooking but it always seems like it costs more or the same than just getting dollar menu stuff. Or else sometimes what I cook turns out terrible and I end up throwing it out and just waste more money.

Is this a normal amount for a single male to spend a month on food?
What can I do to save money?

Learning to cook well is not as easy as some people make it out to be. It took me over a decade to feel comfortable with it. Start small. Learn the basics, like how to fry an egg, and how to stir fry meat and vegetables. How to cook pasta or rice. How to make spaghetti sauce. Find videos online if that helps. Follow all the instructions exactly. Don't try to take shortcuts or substitute ingredients. Once you feel comfortable with a few basic things, try something new and keep adding new skills as you get better. Eventually you will have enough of a solid knowledge base that you can find shortcuts that won't hurt the outcome, and you will figure out which substitutions will work and which ones will not.

While you are building up your cooking skills, sandwiches are a great way to fill out your meals and they require little effort or knowledge. I find it worth it to buy the mid range to higher end breads, meats, cheeses and condiments. The better your sandwich tastes the more likely you are to eat it. But even if you are buying Boar's Head meat from the deli and artisan bread from the bakery, you will still spend less per lunch than you would going to McDonald's.

**disneysteve** · 12-10-2014, 10:12 AM

Originally posted by hamchan View Post

Learning to cook well is not as easy as some people make it out to be. It took me over a decade to feel comfortable with it. Start small. Learn the basics, like how to fry an egg, and how to stir fry meat and vegetables. How to cook pasta or rice. How to make spaghetti sauce. Find videos online if that helps.

If you find you are cooking-challenged, it may be worth finding a basic cooking class in your area. Look at community colleges, kitchenware stores, or other places that offer classes. Either that or if you have a friend or relative who cooks well, they may be willing to give you some lessons.

**LittleMissSplendid** · 12-10-2014, 11:05 AM

To further address being single and lazy....

Wanting to stop eating out doesn't mean you have to cook. Like you I used to regularly make things that didn't taste good and then was irritated I wasted my time and still wound up going out to eat. I accepted the fact that I had no idea how to cook and decided to save money with no cook options instead. Sandwiches and salads are perfectly acceptable lunches, cheap to make, and not at all time consuming. I also ate a lot of cereal and heat/serve canned soups during this period as well.

When I got a bit more comfortable and was ready to try cooking again I invested in 2 things, a crock pot and a rice cooker. They're seriously meant for lazy people! You throw stuff in, place lid on, press start, and it does everything for you. Most even have auto-off switches so they turn off when the cooking is done and you don't have to stand there hovering. Because I was cooking for one I bought a smaller crock pot and found it made 4-6 portions so I could freeze the rest. Oh and rice cookers are not just for cooking rice. I use mine to make any kind of grain, soup, eggs, oatmeal, pasta, beans, steamed veggies, etc.

From here I eventually branched out to actually using my oven and stovetop as I became more interested in learning how to make a lot of the stuff I'd go out for. Like others suggested there are cooking shows, youtube videos, books, and websites for every taste and budget.

I spend too much for a single male!