Counting Pennies

One of the few areas I don’t pay much attention to in my budget is food. Because I live alone and I don’t eat meat, I always figured I don’t spend much. Since I’m now counting every single penny I’m spending, it makes sense to look into this as well. I think my major flaw is that I buy a lot of snacks. They’re usually healthy things (trail mix, dry fruit, yogurt) but I normally buy them in individual servings, which ends up costing more. For example, I just read that if you buy a bag of chips a day for $1.98, you end up spending almost $100 by the end of the year. Definitively gives you something to think about.

I don’t cook much (another money drainer, I know), but for those who do, there’s a great free e-book online on how to “Feed Your Family For Less Than $200 A Month.” Lots of great ideas there, even if you live alone and even if your budget is larger than that.