Groceries

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I work at a grocery store. Unless it's in season, don't bother with fresh fruit, just buy the frozen and canned stuff, these days it's probably of better quality anyways. Finding decent melons out of season is truly the stuff of nightmares.

Also, don't underestimate how much you can boost the quality of what you're getting by buying a cheaper item and upgrading it with a bit of fresh herbs.

The frozen food aisles these days have a bunch of foods that are still pretty cheap, but both healthy and delicious. Especially if you upgrade them with a small amount of condiments, herbs and protein. Just read the label as there also a lot of junk food.

Yes, I've had to deal with a major (nearly double) rent increase since my lease expired. A reduction of hours at work, Higher utility and fuel prices, mandatory Health insurance premiums (Since my co-workers and I have been re-classified as independent contractors we now pay for the full cost of Health insurance. For me thats and additional $300 a month) etc. So the food budget is the only place left to cut right now. so yes, my monthly food budget hovers around $15 a week for actual food (I have to spend a bit more on non-food items like soap, TP etc)

As a single person, Costco bulk sizes are merely wastage a lot of the time, as freezer space is finite and fresh foods only stays that way for a limited time. Costco can be great for a family or if you have the storage space, but its not universally so.

I hope you're shopping for a better job - something full time with health benefits that pays enough to afford groceries. There's no way someone can sustain themselves and their general health on $15/week worth of groceries in our region of the world - not unless you also have one hell of a garden, chickens, maybe a cow and some goats in your back yard.

I still think Costco is a bargain, especially in the USA. Even without tons of freezer space there are tons of non-perishables at great prices that can sit on a shelf or w/e that'll feed you for a long time on the cheap vs. smaller packages sold elsewhere that add up to much higher prices. But we do have multiple fridges & freezers so Also make the most of buying frozen foods there, too, which makes it more worth it.. but even just on the canned food, soups, cereals etc it's still worth it. Mind you, $15/week doesn't go far buying things in bulk at Costco to justify the membership. I tend to do a big shop every couple months-ish or so and spend $700-1000.

But yeah.. unsustainable for long term general health and well being. Income has to rise or housing costs have to reduce or both. Different job, second job, additional roommate - some combination of a change in finances seems necessary asap so you don't get weak & sick from malnutrition and stress.

Oh yes, looking for a better job for sure, but the post-pandemic job market here isn't great and Tent-Cities are popping up in parking lots all over my area. So the fact that I can maintain shelter and meet expenses puts me way ahead of most folks. I don't even qualify for assistance because my gross income is too high (which is also a plus as 1-in 4 households do receive it in my area)

If I'm not mistaken, you don't need a membership if you can get a friend to buy you a gift card. You just have to pay with the gift card and cash.

^ that’s true I think but just a hassle to obtain gift cards every time you wanna go shopping vs the convenience of having a membership card and just dropping in whenever. But ya I’ve heard that too and it makes sense they want members to gift cards to others who then do a shop and then get sold a membership and a credit card. But it is a workaround lifehack type thing for non members to go shopping there I guess.

Costco definitely did not pay for me. I don't see how anyone single could justify the membership cost unless they're absolutely useless in the kitchen and can only manage ready-made meals.

I cook just about everything I eat and the cost of basic staples hasn't yet made me change my diet. I also tend to seek out discount grocers a lot which often have great deals on meat and dairy, which are the most expensive items. I also have a pressure cooker which makes cooking things like quinoa, brown rice, lentils, etc. a lot easier. I had a cup of quinoa and sliced up half a pork loin into the pot last meal. It doesn't get much easier. I also often fry up sweet potatoes, onions, etc. with maybe ground beef, bacon, or whatever. Whole foods are generally only expensive out of season.

Whats really expensive for me these days is fuel!

We have a household of 3, so Costco shopping is more economical.. but I definitely eat the most food as the youngest working age person. Even solo I would still save money shopping at Costco. Pretty much everything is cheaper - rice, flours, fruits & veg, meat & fish, canned foods, cereals, chips/nuts/chocolates, beef/pork jerkies, protein/nut/granola bars, protein powder, soap, toiletries, vitamins & probiotics etc etc as well as clothing - by a country mile! Their jeans are $18.99 regular, $12.99 on sale. Can’t find anything that fits me elsewhere for anywhere near that price. Many other cheaper things there too, including once in a blue moon big ticket item purchases like when I bought an inflatable stand up paddle board for $150-200 cheaper than anywhere else for the exact same one.

Even without the regular shops if I were to buy one big ticket item per year it makes the membership cost worth it. But I don’t buy a big ticket item like that every year and it’s the savings on regular shops that make it worth it.

Only other place to get almost everything for not much more money is Superstore (Loblaws in the East) buuut you tend to have to sacrifice on quality a fair bit on many items for a low price. And you have to deal with having a dirtier store to shop in due to the less than respectful clientele that make messes of things. Just all around better to shop across the street at Costco - even for a single person.

Only thing I’d change up if I moved out is that I’d have to buy less fridge/freezer stuff at a time if I only had one fridge/freezer to use. I’d just make a trip a little more frequently I guess.

I do agree about cooking instead of buying takeouts, Its much healthier. I do grocery shopping every weekends and I gotta say, its cheaper than always buying takeouts too in most cases. Plus you can get creative when cooking. Wet market here is also cheaper than the groceries in the supermarket, although you have an array of choices at the supermarket

I've noticed my cheese bill has gone through the roof

Cheese is one of the most stolen & resold foods because it's so expensive. I eat nearly zero dairy, so my cheese bill is about Zero unless I buy some cheese once a year to offer it to others on burgers kind of thing.

Cheese, steaks, salmon/chicken/bacon/pork etc are all commonly stolen by boosters (typically fuelling their drug habits) and sold on street corners in certain neighbourhoods. The very poor people that live there can eat fairly well for cheap as they can get those items for about 1/3rd of retail or so.

I didn’t know you can freeze fruit? What kind of fruit? I love buying bananas, but it doesn’t last around summer time, my apartment can get too warm, avocados don’t last either I don’t know the right way to take care of avocados & bananas. I love eating baby carrots, it’s healthy & good for your eyes. I found out if I put carrots in a little baggie, it will last longer

You can freeze bananas.Peel , dip in lemon juice so they don’t turn brown and freeze separately in a small baggie so they don’t stick together. Use frozen in blender to make a smoothie., add a bit of whatever milk you like to it.
Or banana bread.
Most frozen fruit is mushy when thawed so best for smoothies or baking.
Frozen grapes are good for a sweet treat instead of candy.

Can't go wrong with rice and beans.
Have lived off of those many.times.

While I definitely think it would be worth it for you and really anyone to.cook your own meals I realize I'm biased there ( being trained as.a.cook)

What.I do.is try to keep my pantry stocked with a.good balance of dry goods (like.the aforementioned rice.and beans) canned goods, frozen goods (vegetables usually) and things for building sauces (vinegars stock etc) that.way should I need to.depend on it more heavily i.can make a variety of food.

When my roomate.lost their job for four months this helped alot.