How to survive on extreme budget?

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What are your best ideas for living on a very strict budget?
I still live at home and both me and my mom have strict budgets temporarily at least. I know some people enjoy budgeting even just to save all their money and have great tricks to make it work.
I dont treat myself to anything besides chips on the weekend.
Me and my mom both contributes to groceries and share everything but we dont like the same food and this is starting to get difficult. Neither of us likes cooking either. I definietely cant cook but im willing to learn as I have to anyways. Frozen meals all the time is not a good way to live. What are any ideas to not find cooking to be a complete and utter murderer of all joy and happiness?
When it comes to clothes i'm fine I guess, I dont mind thrifting and I guess I could learn to sew and patch things even, but household items and food are an issue.

I'm always very anxious about money. I feel like the older I get the more the truth comes up about how many people really struggle financially and that most of those who seem able to spend however they want are actually reckless with their money and deep in loans or working illegally a lot. It's so common it feels quite depressing. Plus I chose a path for my future that will never earn me a lot of cash but I chose it because it's a job I would enjoy. Hopefully it was a good decision...

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Comments ( 6 )
  • dude_Jones
    2 years ago

    To save money, start with the most expensive things first.
    --------------------------------

    1. Prescription drugs. Have your Doctor switch you
    to the cheapest generics in its class. And, buy
    a pill cutter and cut them in half.

    2. Buy tools and learn to fix your own car. Use
    a bicycle as a backup.

    3. Cut the cable, for television programming.
    Your cell phone on wifi should be enough.
    Or better yet, get a cheap HD antennae for $15.

    4. Credit card interest is horrendous. Get rid of credit cards.

    5. Energy expenses can be made lower.
    Invest in more insulation if you own your own home.
    LED light bulbs for any light that's on more than an hour a day.

    6. Eat soup and sandwiches. Popcorn makes a nice change.

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    • 1WeirdGuy
      2 years ago

      Rice too is super cheap. You get 10lbs for 3 bucks. Throw some soy sauce on that shit and you're good to go.

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  • olderdude-xx
    2 years ago

    1st rule of extreme budgeting is to find where you can reduce expenses.

    Oats (oatmeal) is about the cheapest highly protein and vitamin balanced food you can eat. Flavor with fruit and a bit of cinnamon does wonders.

    Liver is also very cheap and very nutritious (its the real super food - much more nutrition than all the other so called superfoods. So much so that you should only eat it every few days.

    Many vegetables can be eaten raw, and they are far more satisfying and nutritious that way.

    I wish you well...

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  • ThatOneGuyYouNeverWantToMeet
    2 years ago

    I grow some fruits/vegetables the only food I buy is snacks, milk, bread products & meat (I can't kill an animal, it would make me sad) Plus collect, purify & boil rain water, all that saves me about 100/200$ a month depending on the harvest/gathering (If you live near a river/pond that might save you more with the water).
    If you have a bike, ride that to anywhere you need to go within a 5 mile distance to save on gas & get a work out.

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  • 1WeirdGuy
    2 years ago

    What you need to do is run your finances like a business. Its easy. Go to the bank and tell them you want 6 new checking accounts. You should be able to access these with their online app. When you get paid split your money into different accounts.

    For example: if your paycheck after tax is $500

    Account 1 BILLS: (do the math to find out weekly bill amount) say its $100

    Account 2 FOOD: $175

    Account 3 Spending: $135

    Acount 4 emergency: $30

    Account 5 savings: $30

    Account 6 car repairs: $30

    Automatically split the funds into the different accounts and only use those accounts for their intended purpose. The money will gain fast and its easier to track your money. Its sooo much easier to do it like this if its all in one account you dont know what you csn or cant spend.

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    • 1WeirdGuy
      2 years ago

      Just to be clear I am saying piece out that $500 weekly paycheck into those seperate accounts. I wish i had started doing it earlier.

      The amounts obviously dont have to be the same as I wrote.

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