Grocery Shopping on a College Budget!

       Saving money while going to college can be tough. Tuition,books,living costs and so much more can be a burden on your pockets. I have lived on campus twice in my life one had only a microwave and the other a full kitchen! Some dorms dont have kitchens so you have a meal plan and sometimes that gets boring eating the monthly regulars. If you're fortunate enough to have a kitchen in your dorm then by all means this is the post for you. Now when it comes to making groceries (I'm from New Orleans and we make groceries don't judge!), you can go two different routes either buy groceries for yourself or make it a group effort and everyone puts in for groceries. I have never been a fan of buying for the group because it can be hassle, everyone has different tastes, some people make several trips which can get annoying plus sometimes some roommates think every is up for grabs. If you are a solo shopper like myself then lean in closer for my secret. I live off of 60-80 dollars worth of groceries for up to 4-6 weeks! Yes you read that right sixty to eighty dollars. How you might ask? Keyword:BULK. I dont use coupons and I dont skimp out on what I love and I buy as many fresh ingredients as possible.  If you are a solo shopper, then you can make your money last. .My local store is Wal-Mart so prices may vary depending on where you are.Here is a typical grocery list for me

GROCERY LIST

chicken breast                      $10.78

pork chops                             $9.60

frozen tilapia                           $6.98

  (fresh fish is really 

   expensive where I 

    live.)

Rice                                       $1.98

Rice-a-roni                             $6.00

 (each box is a dollar)

Pasta                                      $4.00

    (ea. box a dollar)

Frozen veggies                       $6.00

    (price and type varies)

Silk Soy                                $2.98

Cap N Crunch                      $3.49

Salt and Pepper                    $3.00

Oreos                                   $2.50

Strawberry Fanta                  $1.50

TOTAL:                            $58.81 (without taxes)

As you can see this grocery list is very basic, very simple so satisfy everyday basic meals. Never buy by the meal unless you can afford to, those dishes go very quickly and you end buying something else to cook a day or a few days later which can add up pretty quickly. I always try to make sure my ballpark range is 60 dollars but I allow myself wiggle room for extras. Once I get back to my dorm, I wash each piece of meat and place them in individual Ziploc bags and freeze them ALL. This way, you always have something ready to defrost!This is fail proof and has always lasted me 1-2 months sometimes 3! 

Any questions, comments or concerns leave a comment below see you next time!