We’re already paying a lot to attend Pacific so who wants to worry about whether there will be enough to eat? Food is something we always want more of, but can never really seem to get enough of. How can we enjoy those dilectable delicacies without burning a hole in our pockets? Here’s a few suggestions.
1) Shop in bulk somewhere cheap. Safeway and Freddy’s are closer, but WinCo (or even CostCo) are well worth the extra drive. We can pick up what would cost $200 worth of groceries for $125 at WinCo. That’s two weeks’ worth of food for four people. Getting Ramen, Mac & Cheese, Chili and other similar items can provide a lot of sustenance for a ridiculously low price.
2) Avoid the expensive stuff, or, don’t rely on name-brands. It can be tough getting rid of that Haagen-Dazs addiction, but seriously, it’s just not worth it. Not when you could pick up ten boxes of Mac & Cheese for the same price. If you have to get ice cream, get the cheapest thing you can find. Usually it will satisfy a craving just as well, and save you a few dollars in the process. A word of warning – it’s not always best to go cheapest. Use this only as a rule of thumb. Cheese, detergent, ice cream, chips, and other products don’t make much of a difference as far as taste goes. However, if buying meat or produce it might be worth it to put in a couple extra bucks to make sure you get something healthy.
3) Utilize coupons. You can save A LOT using coupons. I got a page of Quizno’s buy one get one free coupons a couple weeks ago, and that one page of coupons amounted to over $40 of sandwiches, chips and drinks for free! Whether it be for groceries or restaurants, saving those coupons can mean a good free meal here and there.
4) Save eating out for special occassions. Nothing will make you go broke faster, other than an addictive hobby, than eating out once or more a week. It’s nice to go to La Sierra, Primetime, Elmer’s, Shari’s or Red Robin every once in a while, but save those dinners for birthdays or family visits. Fifteen bucks for a single meal could translate into three days’ worth of food in groceries. Although it’s often tempting, try to cut back to going out once, maybe twice a month, if that. Put that extra money to getting higher-quality groceries and you will be able to have food at home that’s just as good.
5) Eat with friends. Not only is it fun, but it means, if you have good friends, that you only have to cook some of the time. Cooking for many people uses more food, but it’s ultimately worth it and saves money if you plan ahead and buy the ingredients in bulk. Ramen or Mac & Cheese en masse make for a great quick-fix for starving college students. Any pasta works great, as does homemade pizza, burritos, bento bowls or rice bowls - use a rice bottom layer, then stack it with black beans, peppers, onions, avocado, tomatoes grated cheese, olives, sour cream and whatever else you want.
These are just a few tricks I’ve picked up after three years on campus with very little in the way of food money. Hopefully if you’re wanting better meals but don’t have much like I do, you’ll be able to use some of these ideas and have a healthy, well-rounded dinner for a very reasonable price.
-Alan