The Minimum Wager

The lunchbox classic PB&J, served with carrots and a 12oz glass of milk. This lunch rings in at .95 cents (though we ended up using store brand bread for the photo, so that may even be cheaper). We've hit four out of the five food groups with this one. I wouldn't count the grape jelly as a fruit. Jelly is fairly high sugar without a lot of nutrients, so it's addition is mainly for taste. We used a full tablespoon for this example, since that's the suggested serving size...but if you can use less or nix the the jelly all together you get a cheaper, healthier sandwhich. If you cut the jelly and reduce the milk, you have the space to add some fruit (raisins) and stay at the .95 level.

Lunch #1 Breakdown:

.24 Milk (store brand) 12oz.
.28 2 Slices of Nature's Own Whole Wheat Bread
.22 Jif Peanut Butter - 2 tbsp
.10 Smucker's Concord Grape Jelly - 1 tbsp
.11 Whole carrot, approx 2 oz.
.95 lunch

Jelly Free Variation (less milk, add raisins):

.16 Milk (store brand) 8oz.
.28 2 Slices of Nature's Own Whole Wheat Bread
.22 Jif Peanut Butter - 2 tbsp
.19 Sunmade Raisins 1oz.
.11 Whole carrot, approx 2 oz.
.96 lunch

1/2 Size Sandwhich Variation (1/2 Jelly, add raisins):

You can reduce carbs by dropping a bread slice and making a half sized sandwhich. We halved the jelly cause it's squishy sugar, but kept the peanut butter cause it's all protein packed.

.24 Milk 1 (store brand) 2oz.
.14 2 Slices of Nature's Own Whole Wheat Bread
.22 Jif Peanut Butter - 2 tbsp
.05 Smucker's Concord Grape Jelly - 1 tbsp
.19 Sunmade Raisins 1oz.
.11 Whole carrot, approx 2 oz.
.95 lunch

While I don't think it's necessary everytime, it was fun measuring out 2tbsp of Peanut Butter and 1tbsp Jelly and comparing that to what I normally put on a sandwhich.  We cut up our carrot, but you could save a little time by skipping the cutting; just wash, peal, and eat.  We will build up to more complex meals, but it's nice to touch on the basics that don't require any cooking skills.

I wanted to talk cereal a little more before moving on. Pictured here is an .82 cent breakfast. First, let's talk portion size. While I don't think it's necessary every morning, I challenge you to pull out a measuring cup, read the label, and measure out a suggested serving of your favorite cereal (usually 3/4 to 1 cup, but it varies). Put this in your normal breakfast bowl and compare to what you normally pour out. Notice anything? Read the label again and understand that the calories, fat grams, fiber, vitamins amounts, etc. only apply to this portion size. Then read the fine print and understand the percentages only apply to an average 2000 Calorie diet, which may or may not be your average.

Cereal can be a great low cost meal option, but to get the best nutrient punch, you have to learn to read labels. While the extra sugar should be avoided, the added vitamins are generally a good thing. You want high numbers on things like fiber, protein, and vitamins, and low numbers on Saturate fat, sugar, and sodium. (Trans Fat should always be 0.)

Your body processes vitamins better when they enter your body along with sugars, fats, and proteins, so it makes sense to insert vitamin into food over taking them in pill form. Total is more vitamin rich than most cereals, while this means a higher price tag, it still may be a better deal than buying cereal and multi-vitamins independently. Buying cereal based on the nutrient content rather than the overall sticker price will allow your body to get the nutrients it craves, and ultimately will save you money since you need to eat less to sate those cravings.

Paying attention to nutrients can also help you pair your cereal more effectively. For instance, Total Raisin Bran has 0 Vitamin C, so OJ is a nice compliment. However Whole Grain Total & Honey Almond Flax flavor both have 100% Vitamin C, which makes the O.J. overkill.

Total already boasts 100% of many vitamins, but it has smaller amounts of Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Phosphorus, and Magnesium. Doesn't even list some Essential Nutrients like Potassium or Vitamin K.

Milk is a particularly good source of Vitamin D. Cantaloupe and apricots are good Vitamin A sources.  Bananas are rich in potassium.  Foods rich in Magnesium like Spinach and Pumpkin Seeds, Phosphorus like Broccoli and Garlic, or Vitamin K like herbs and brussel sprouts may not compliment a bowl of cereal so well, but would be good things to include for other meals and snacks later in the day.


Breakfast #2 Breakdown:

.30 OJ (store brand) - 6oz.
.44 Total Raisin Bran - 1 cup
.08 2% Milk - 1/2 cup
.82 breakfast

I haven't finished my price breakdown on cantaloupe, but in season, it's a fairly inexpensive fruit and would make a nice nutrient compliment if the single serving of cereal is not enough.

So what does a $1 meal look like anyway? Pictured here is an .85 cent breakfast. For the next several months, I'm going to be doing a series of example meals that cost approximately $1. Understand food prices are always in flux and vary by area and season. So don't expect my prices to match exactly what you find at the store. You can bring down the price of the meals by taking advantage of sales, coupons, and mark down items or growing your own. However, we're going to be putting together meals using regular (non sale) prices from our local grocery store to demonstrate that healthy and cheap are not mutually exclusive things.

Breakfast #1 Breakdown:

.30 O.J. (store brand) - 6oz
.25 Cheerios - 1 cup
.08 2 % Milk (store brand) - 1/2 cup
.22 Banana - approx 6oz.
.85 cents total


Not a bad way to start the day. Nitpickers may be wondering why we used 6oz rather than the standard 8oz juice serving listed on most packages. There are a few reasons. First off, we want you to understand that the serving sizes listed on packages are rather subjective. They're intended to show nutrient ratios but don't really dictate how much we should eat. Two, while 100% juice is good for you in moderation it does pack a lot of sugar and the acid is hard on your teeth (good reason to brush). O.J. is a part of my daily routine (I use it in place of coffee to wake up), but 5-6oz is my normal dose...though I will double that if I'm feeling sniffly.

You may also be wondering how we determined the cost of each item. Simple enough, we took the cost of the full size product and divided by the number of servings or ounces, then multiplied by how much is used in the meal. Generally we rounded up the fractions of cents.

Variations on this meal:

Add 2oz of O.J. = .95
Double the cereal = 1.10
Drop the Banana = .63
Skip the O.J. = .55

We're kind of a funny culture to have developed specific time of day foods, but traditional breakfast food is an easy place to save a few pennies.

You will notice a lot of these meals are simple, and that's kind of the point too. Healthy doesn't have to be complicated. In fact in many cases, simpler is healthier.

For disclosure reasons, we're getting most of our prices from the North Lake Kroger store.  They were chosen because we can walk there (walking is thrifty and green).  Good store with moderate prices, but we're in no way trying to endorse them over other grocery chains.

One of the tricks to getting the most out of your food budget is learning ways to avoid waste. Tortilla pizza is a fairly easy meal that's also a good way to use up small amounts of left overs or veggies that are past the peak of freshness but not quite bad yet. Because it's very customizable, it's hard to fix an exact number on how much this meal costs. I'll try to get some more specific examples in the future.

For the pizza pictured, I used 1 wheat Tortilla, 1 cup greens (spring mix), 1/3 cup cheese, 1-1/2 tbsp Prego Traditional spaghetti sauce, minced a small bit of leftover fresh onion, and sprinkled on a small amount of powdered garlic.

If you're worried about what happened to the rest of that Prego jar, the sauce actually keeps really well after being opened as long as it's resealed and refridgerated. I like keeping a small jar in the fridge for individuals meals like this. I write the date opened on a label, so it doesn't stay in there too long, but the sauce has literally gone months without change in texture, look, or flavor. (Again keep sealed and in the fridge...Leaving the sauce open or sitting out very long invites mold, so best to get it closed and back in the fridge quickly.)

I've also found a large onion will keep for weeks even after sliced if sealed up in a gladware container and kept in the fridge. This has been great for sandwhiches too, since it's rare I want a whole onion for anything. (If your food isn't lasting as long, try a colder fridge setting.)

Loading the pizza with more veggies and less cheese will make for a healthier (often cheaper) meal. You could also add bits of leftover meat or pineapple. Honestly I think the full cup of greens was a bit excessive, but I needed to use them up before they wilted.

With most ingredients either precooked or edible in their uncooked state, the oven temperature isn't vital. However I usually set mine at 400 and cook for about 10 minutes. A pizza with meat added may need longer.

Probably the best thing about the Tortilla pizza is it takes very little skill to prepare. I set the oven, put the Tortilla on the pan, use a spoon to dip and spread a thin layer of sauce, then I sprinkle with veggies and shredded cheese. I measured ingredients for experiment purposes this time, but usually that's not necessary.

It's not necessary to mince the veggies, though it will create more consistency from bite to bite. I've also made this with a single layer of fresh spinach leaves straight from the bag.

I've used sliced cheese too, though I break it into pieces for better melt consistency. Mozarella is traditional, but Mexican blend, American, Swiss, etc. all melt nicely, so you can experiment with what's on hand.

Other ingredient ideas: Mushrooms, olives, tomatoes, chicken, pepperoni, sausage, ground beef, corn, parsley, oregano....honestly you can put almost anything on a pizza, so get creative.

How are your label reading skills? If you're an experienced pro, you're already gravitating to the 100% juice on the left but know the important part of the label is on the side. If you're a normal, visually oriented person, you probably gravitated towards the "Healthy" label on the right, proudly boasting it's "health" stats on the front of the package.

Those "health" stats are true but deceptive. Naturally, Healthy Balance has significantly less sugar, it's only 20% juice. What's making up the other 80%? Water.

Here's the kicker. Both Juices are from the Old Orchard Company. At Big Lots yesterday, Healthy Balance was $2.00, and the 100% was $1.95. Both bottles were 64oz, but Healthy Balance contains only about 12.8 oz of actual juice. So while the liquid per oz price is practically the same, the price per juice oz is $0.03 vs $0.16 per oz. Seen that way, 100% juice is the clear winner.

I've found the phenomena in other stores and juice brands as well. Motts for Tots is only 50% juice, which is a recommended ratio for children under 2 (though I wonder why 50% less juice only translates to 40% less sugar, as the package boasts...odd). But you're essentially buying bottled water when you thought you were getting juice.

The trouble with watered down juice is while, yes you're getting less sugar, you're also getting less nutrients. Drinking apple juice won't give you the fiber of actually eating an apple, but it still does good things for your body. OJ is packed with vitamin C. Red grape juice is good for your heart. Cranberry juice fights bladder infections. V8 Fusion was the only way I got vegetables into some of my toddlers. Etc.

On blends and cocktails...

Not all blends are bad, but you need to understand what you're buying. V8 Fusion is a 100% veggie and fruit juice blend, vitamin packed. However V8 Splash is only 10% juice. Juicy Juice is 100% juice, however it tends to be mostly cheaper juices like apple and pear, which are not bad for you but lack the anti-oxidant power of grape, pomegranite, etc. 4 oz of grape flavored Juicy Juice won't provide the same heart health power as 4oz of 100% red grape juice.

Cocktails, often denoted simply as "_____ juice drink" are usually watered down and often add sugar, which is even worse. Juice is naturally sweet. It doesn't need extra sugar. You won't know for sure what's in the juice you are buying until you read the label.

Moderation is key. Most advice I've heard on the subject says to limit juice to a max of 2 cups per day. Understand your body, particularly your brain, needs sugar to function. So some is good for you, particularly when it delivers other important nutrients to your system. You can always water down your own juice if you'd like a bigger glass with the same nutrient content.  And there's no rule saying you need a full 8oz serving for each drink.  Do what's right for your body and activity level.

It had been my hope to kick off the meal examples with more traditional fare, but our pricing research suffered a set back. So instead I present you with today's lunch.

Under that layer of cheese, the mushroom was stuffed with veggies, so it's healthier than it looks. I have no recipe to share, because I picked it up pre-made at the grocery store today in a two pack on Manager's Special for $1. My co-author ate the other one, but had I been solo, I could have saved it for tomorrow. So each stuffed mushroom was 50 cents.

The green tea was a gift from a kind reader. The milk was also purchased on Manager's Special, a half-gallon for $1.49. I believe there are 64 oz in a half gallon, which is a little over 2 cents per oz. I added approximately five ounces. So we'll round up to 12 cents.

I added a very small amount of sugar to the latte and used a little olive oil on the pan to heat the mushroom. I'll admit to not having properly measured the sugar/oil, but it was such a small amount, I'm comfortable saying it was only a few cents worth.

50 cent mushroom + 12 cent drink + 3 cents for oil/sugar = 65 cents

Even if we're more generous with the oil/sugar allowance and add TN sales tax, we're safely under $1 for the meal. I'm able to use my sibling's employee discount on store brands, which helps compensate for the sales tax.

As a challenge this might be considered cheating, it's my plan to present meals which at their "normal" price still cost under or near $1. But I didn't buy this for any challenge. It was just a cheap lunch and surprisingly filling.

I absolutely want to encourage you to use sales, coupons, discounts, freebies, and home grown supplements. The $1 Meal Plan can work without them but works much better with them.

It was a great day for Manager's Special. We got two large veggie/meat/cheese party trays for $1 each (normally about $15), Pomegranate juice for $2 (normally $8), and a Gallon of Chocolate Milk for $2.49 (Normally about $4). Taking advantage of sales and clearance items will help you stock the pantry and eat more variety.

Unlike Extreme Couponing, which hurts stores and often leads to waste, buying clearance items actually helps them. The store takes less of a loss, and they don't have to throw out as much food.

P.S. I'm now posting most of the interesting articles I find on my twitter account.  So friend KayIscah on Twitter if you'd like to get these updates.

We introduced the $1 Meal Plan on the blog back in 2007, and I thought it was time for a reintroduction. There's a chapter devoted to it in our current book, and my co-author has started research for our $1 Meal Plan idea book, and I'm hoping to do a long series of blog posts on the subject.

The purpose of the $1 Meal Plan is not to make you do insane amounts of math or try to spend exactly $1 per meal (per person). Quite the opposite. $1 per meal is meant to be an average and a starting place. I will be doing insane amounts of math to demonstrate why it works, but all I want you to do is control your grocery spending. (Unless of course you're a fellow math geek. In which case, you'll have lots of fun with this.)

First the disclaimer, not everyone will be able to pull off a $1 per meal average. Some people need more calories (like an professional athlete). Some people have special dietrary restrictions and requirements. Some people live in areas where the cost of food is higher. However, some of you will find you can actually get by with less than a $1 per meal average. Adapt your budget to your needs, this is simply a starting place.

Before you think this sounds extreme, go check out the Eating Well on $1 A Day blog (for the record, I don't support extreme couponing). I've lived on the $1 per meal plan with minimal couponing and a far less restricted diet. If you want to read through a sampling of that experiment, you can look through the early 2008 posts marked with the food tag.

It's important to note that the $1 Meal Plan does not include restaurants or desert items (soda and junk food count as desert).  Those should come from your entertainment budget. Nor does it include water (which deserves it's own category) or the energy or appliances used to cook food...that much micromanaging would land you in a straight jacket.  Prepared meals (frozen or deli) should be rare items.

While there are a large number of cheap and lazy meals you can fix, cooking is a big asset, even if your skills are only basic. This plan is really about understanding how to stock your kitchen with staples you can use to create a variety of meals.

We will be posting a series of example "$1 Meals" which may go up to $1.50 though many will be under $1. Not every meal may be appealing to you, but we all have different tastes. So I hope you'll stick with us and gain some ideas for a cheaper, simpler, possibly healthier diet.

P.S. The government owns the My Plate image and website, but both are for public use.  Go check it out.  Your tax dollars are paying for it.

Since marriage is less of an economic necessity or survival issue in our modern society, we have been given the freedom and responsibility to be our own matchmakers. Traditionally men paid to demonstrate their ability as a provider, and while I still think it's good to demonstrate responsibility and the other person's importance to you with your spending, we have less need to be tied to tradition.  This isn't a case of spending more but spending well. Over spending on dates sets up unrealistic expectations, which is not fair for either party.

Here are some thrifty but still potentially romantic date ideas (for varying stages of dating):

1. The Walk - This is a classic. Healthy, free, leaves much opportunity for talking, hand holding, etc. Appropriate shoes needed. Take some time to consider where you'll be walking; planning a loop helps so you're not retracing the exact same territory.

2. Let's Get Coffee - Even if the coffee is overpriced, this is still a cheaper option than the full meal. The relaxed atmosphere in most cafes can help ease those first date jitters. Most coffee shops offer tea or chocolate for non-coffee drinkers. Ice Cream may be a good alternative for warm weather.

3. Grocery Shopping - Not recommended for first dates, but great for growing relationships. You can learn a lot about someone from how they shop, see where your tastes coincide and differ, discover allergies and attitudes about health.

4. Community Events - Check your local government website and see what free and low costs events are being offered to the public. Pick out the ones that sound interesting to you, and then ask your sweetie which they'd most like. (Obviously options will vary by area, churches and community groups may be more likely to host community events than the government in smaller towns.)

5. Dinner and a Movie (at my place) - For first dates, I recommend a public, well lit place unless this is a friend you already know and trust. However as the relationship grows this is a great way to show off your cooking skill (or learn some), and talking or cuddling during a DVD won't get you kicked out of the theatre. Picnics in public parks are a great variation on this for good weather days.

6. Cooking Together - This is a variation on the last idea. Cooking "with" rather than "for" someone gives you a chance to see how well you work together. Are you able to compromise on spices? Can you agree on a dish?

7. Play a Game - Checkers, chess, backgammon, Scrabble, Othello, etc. Games are a fairly low tech option. You can dust off something lost in your closet. Many classic games like checkers or card decks can be picked up at the dollar stores or yardsales. I've seen multi-game sets at all price levels. This can be a light, fun date idea, but playing chess by candle light can be pretty romantic. Either way, it's a great way to see how the other person handles competition. Are they a graceful loser? Graceful winner? If they feel compelled to cheat at Parcheesi, this might be a red flag.

What's your favorite Cheap Date idea?

We have a deep seated need to be loved and to make a meaningful connection with someone. Personally, I think you can find that outside of a romantic partner, and it's better to be happily single than unhappily married. But those aren't your only two options.

First the reality check, despite the pressures of biology and over bearing family members. You can not only survive but have a happy, full life without a romantic partner. This makes dating a "want" rather than a "need", so money for dates ought to come out of the entertainment portion of your budget.

I also would love for more people to realize romance is a "want" rather than a "need", because that gives you to the freedom to be more selective. Not everyone's looking to get married, but who you marry, and to a lesser degree who you date, is one of the most important financial decisions you can make.

Money is listed as the leading cause of divorce in pretty much every article I've ever seen on the subject and divorce is always costly. I don't think this is because Americans are obsessed with money; quite the opposite. I think the problem is that we're so focused on connecting with someone emotionally or physically that the question of money is forgotten until it rears it's ugly head to cause trouble.

In the early stages of dating, money is a fairly minor issue, effecting mainly the places we can afford to go as we get to know each other. But when we start taking steps to combine our finances, either through co-habitation or marriage, it's important to be able to have a healthy, open, and on going dialogue on the subject. (Yes, guys, you have to talk. Yes, girls, that means crunching numbers. Yes, everyone, those are stereotypes.)

Co-habitation is something I generally advise against, because it puts you in a shakey and awkward state that gives you few rights and little legal protection. If you want to risk it, I strongly suggest treating your finances as though you were living with a roommate and dividing expenses accordingly. It's still good to work on that healthy and open dialogue. If you're willing to share a bathroom or bedroom with someone, you absolutely ought to be willing to admit how much you owe on student loans. The fewer surprises; the better. However, this is not the time to share PIN numbers.

Marriage is a social institution with significant legal ramifications. With the right partner, it's a blessing with financial benefits, but it's important to know where your potential partner stands before signing legal documents. Good people can be terrible with money. But financial irresponsibility, or worse secrets, can quickly lead to trust issues through the entire relationship. And there are lots of other things that may not seem like financial issues at first but certainly having financial ramifications. This Huffpost Article is good to read if you're considering (ever) getting married or cohabitating: Pre-Wedding Blood Tests

I'm pushing over word count again...the more fun side of this on Friday.

Several years ago I read an article in a financial magazine (either Forbes or Money). They had done some research that determined that having money does indeed make you happier, a whole 2% happier. (Not sure exactly how they measured that.) After this exciting news, they went on to admit that what made the biggest difference in your level of happiness was the quality of relationships in your life, health, and feeling like you had a purpose. (There was a longer list, but this is what I remember.) These factors made something like a 60%-40% difference.

When we talk about "Living Well" on our book cover this is mainly the sort of thing we're refering to. Making connections and feeling like you make a difference while you try to keep your nose above water.  So while networking may sound like an abstract business term, it's really one of the most crucial elements to living as opposed to existing.  The last blog post encouraged you to break out of your comfort zone and make connections with people who are different than you.

This post is about encouraging you to create a comfort zone.  We all need people who "get us" and have our back.  Finding those people comes more naturally to some of us than others, but it is worth the effort.  Long term friends are rarely instantly recognizable.  They usually start with a hello and a conversation, and may or may not grow from that.

This is a bit of a stereotype, but among my single friends who are climbing the ladder and making it financially, I usually feel like I have to schedule an appointment to see them.  If they're married as well, the appointment needs to be made a month in advance.  My single friends who are low income earners, even though they certainly work hard for their money, seem to have an easier time finding time.  They're a little more willing to be up for the last minute request to just hang out, watch TV, play a game.

My low-income friends are also far more likely to be cool with cheap ways to have fun.  They're less likely to insist on eating out.  They pitch in to move furniture instead of recommending a moving service.

One stereotype that does have some statistical backing is that people in the low-income group tend to be less well educated.  In terms of formal education, this is probably true.  However, education and intelligence are two different things.  Some of the most intellectual people I know only have a high school diploma but are extremely well read.  Others, while perhaps not high I.Q., are very knowledgable in other areas, particularly about their job, hobbies, and interests.

At our Gallatin meeting a single mom asked if we'd start doing regular meetings for low income singles.  That's not something I could commit to, but it's not a bad idea.  If you'd like to create a club or start meetings for low-income singles, I think that could be a great way to connect to people who share your boat.  Go for it.  If you want to use our book as a starting point, you have my blessing but don't restrict yourselves to it.  It's just a place to start.

P.S. We'll be at Hendersonville Public Library (TN) at 5:30-7:30 tonight, discussing the book.  Feel free to drop by, talk money, and make a connection.

P.P.S. No YouTube videos this month, after all.  We've been given the opportunity to participate in a songwriters preformance at Steve's Restaurant & Bar in Nashville Thursday night (short notice), so we've been rehearsing like crazy.