WA
6415 posts
Friend rang me tonight telling me he has $28 left till next pay day.
Works two jobs in furniture sales,has being taking home $790 for last 9 months.
Rents a small unit in posh Dalglish for $280 pw.
Still leaves tidy sum of over $500 left.
Got down to the nitty gritty.
Asked him what exactly he spent today on food,sad endictment of society!
Two cups of takeaway coffee around $8,pack of bbq chips,two powerades,small yugurt,takeaway curry.
It added up to $36 for the day.
Reckons he is addicted to the high quality taste of the takeaway coffee,and averages two a day,previously four per day.
Mentioned to him at $8 for two that is $56 p/w or nearly 3k per year.
Did not even realise that he was spending nearly $60 p/w on coffee.
Turns out he never cooks at home short of tinned stuff and lives on takeaway.
Probably spends $300 average on food,most of it unhealthy stuff.
Around $100 p/w can be done if you don't live on processed food.
NSW
9029 posts
You can live on fresh food for around $50 a week.
Buy fresh vegetables from a Chinese grocery for about $1.50 for two bunches. If you buy five bunches that will give you vegetables for lunch and dinner. Fry, steam or boil them. Season with a bit of salt and pepper if you want. So that is about $10 at the most.
Buy cheap fish six days a week, something like a mullet. Steam or grill them. Should cost you less than $15 in total but that depends on the price of fish. Finish it off with some spring onion for about $3 for the week and soy sauce. Maybe 50 cents worth over the week. So that is about six to eight meals.
Boil rice, probably use a dollars worth during the week. Buy a 10 kg bag for $20 and that will last one person quite a long time.
Buy a kilo of chicken wings for about $2.50 or $3. Fry or grill them. That will be enough for a fair few meals during the week.
Buy a kilo of sausages from a local butcher. Fry or grill them. Should cost you about $8. Should get you about fifteen sausages which is good for eight meals.
Add some onions. Buy a 10 kg bag for $10. That will last you around couple of months. So it works out to be about $1 a week for onions.
Have something like rolled oats for breakfast. an 800 gram bag costs about $2. Add $2 worth of milk for the week.
Probably around $4 worth of olive oil is used for the week for cooking.
Probably around $5 worth of energy is used to cook and keep cool all of this.
Of course this sort of expenditure is dependent upon living where fresh food is available and there are alternatives to the large supermarket chains. These alternatives are usually in the form of independent fish shops and Asian grocery shops. Not many places outside of metropolitan areas can you find these options.
Maybe you should invite your friend over for dinner till payday. It does not cost too much more to cook for two rather than one and company makes the meal much more pleasant.
QLD
6525 posts
Dude a $15 popcorn popper and green coffee @ $11/kg, he can roast his own and have the freshest highest quality coffee around - puts most cafes to shame. Couple with a $200 grinder and $200 coffee machine 2nd hand off coffeesnobs.com.au . Sounds like a bit of money up front but if he's spending $8-$16 on coffee per day it's a wise investment paid for within a couple of months.
VIC
5000 posts
Both replies great but if he's working 2 jobs he prob doesn't have time or the energy left to do them.
My sister lives alone, pays a small mortgage (inexpensive rural city), has a full-time job with a car supplied and struggles to make ends meet. Unfortunately today's economy requires a double income...unless you can be frugal with your spending.
WA
319 posts
If you're running out of money you really can't go past a good lentil curry.
Dahl taste's awesome, it's good for you and for $10 you can make so much of it that you'll be sick of eating it before you run out.
WA
312 posts
Depending where you shop and if your cool with fruit n veg grown with 'boosters'. You can live for under $100 a week. Thats inc sweet treats such as cakey and biscuits. If your an organic/ gluten free person then add an extra $50.
I spent months shopping at spud shed and my whole food bill for the week never maxed $70.
WA
6 posts
Costing on food is too much high.Just let you know that 300 Dollars for food is a enough and sufficient amount for a single one.
http://www.byronquarter.com.au/accommodation-features.html
