Lower your food costs to $1 per day?

[David]

I believe the best investment you can invest in is only yourself, if you believe eating more expensive/quality foods will make you work harder and feel satisfied then why not. Eating on $1 a day is a joke to me.

A have a friend who owns a very successful business, generating plenty of income. AND NO he doesn't blow his away money on clothes, cars or other luxuries. Instead he takes his family out every week to nice restaurants.

 

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[PEERless]

I think it's a personal choice. I derive a lot of enjoyment out of food, but not as much as I I would from other things. $10,000 in fine dining would not bring me as much pleasure as $10,000 of real estate equity or a $10,000 vacation.

 

[hatterasguy]

Man I drank your months food budget last night in Scotch!:smx6:


IMHO a more realistic goal so you can still have a good quality of life, is to average $10 a day. That way you can eat lunch out once or twice a week.

My usual lunch is a sandwich, chips, and a water. Which is about $7-$10 depending on the deli I go to.

I rather cut elsewhere, like cell phone, cable TV etc.

 

[PEERless]

^Hey, I'm just trying it for a month. Living on $365/year is WAY below the poverty line, and probably not sustainable (for me).

 

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[PEERless]

Tomorrow is the official start date. Follow the drama here. Just grocery shopping for this challenge was so enlightening. I'm already seeing another book coming of this.

 

[tbsells]

Thanks to all for an interesting read. It has me thinking about all things wasteful in my life. Alot. I don't even know what I spend feeding my family of five. I can look around and see most of us eat too much....

I (we) have been guilty of living the typical over the top, over indulgent American lifestyle of the last 7-8 years. Things have to change and this thread has helped me to start looking and thinking in that direction.

 

[andviv]

Tomorrow is the official start date. Follow the drama here. Just grocery shopping for this challenge was so enlightening. I'm already seeing another book coming of this.

Skyler, good luck with the project.

I am following your blog now. I'll be paying attention.

 

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[PEERless]

I feel normal today -- full, energetic. I'm a little nervous about the fact that I only got 1,000 calories today, especially since I also worked out. I will need to pay attention to getting more calories more cheaply if I want to maintain my activity level and weight.

 

[biophase]

I feel normal today -- full, energetic. I'm a little nervous about the fact that I only got 1,000 calories today, especially since I also worked out. I will need to pay attention to getting more calories more cheaply if I want to maintain my activity level and weight.

I don't really understand the need to only spend $1 a day on food. Maybe if you are on a diet or trying to slim down, but the dollar amount to me has no bearing on the quality of food that you eat. It would be more impressive to make your goal 1000 calories a day for 30 days than to just spend $1.

BTW, my trainer said I only take in about 1100 calories a day and I need to eat more, but most of my calories are lean proteins. I haven't added up the costs but it's not much, probably $4 a day (if I dont eat out for lunch) is my norm. With a restaurant lunch $12/day.

Examples:

typical breakfast - 4 hard boiled egg whites, 1 apple, 1 banana, 8 pistachios (about $1)
typical dinner - 4oz chicken breast, 1 fruit (about $1.50)

 

[PEERless]

I don't really understand the need to only spend $1 a day on food. Maybe if you are on a diet or trying to slim down...

No, I don't really want to slim down any more. I look good! It's more about a personal growth experiment. I have always been able to eat whatever the hell I want. I think I should learn a little something about another perspective.

 

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[PEERless]

I quit on Day 10. Week One felt fine, but I have lost four pounds in the last 48 hours. This diet is not safe. Still, I learned a lot. Click here to see my final post (with before and after pictures).

 

[CMCarlin]

Well I do have to say hats off to you for even trying, which is more than what most people I think that have the luxury of spending what you spend on food on a regular basis would do.

Though, I do think you could have kept going and not risk anything too adverse. So long as you kept hydrating yourself, rice and beans will make you live for a very long time. Though I'm no doctor, I'm not sure if losing 4 pounds in 2 days is entirely abnormal considering you're used to going out all the time, stopped that, and then abruptly switched to a mega low calorie diet. I'm sure that eating out, you're used to taking in a ton of calories every day. Losing weight is what happens when you all of a sudden burn more calories than you take in :smug2:

I don't know, I've just heard of other people losing more weight in that same amount of time.

Still, you've done better than I ever could have done.

 

[PEERless]

^ Thanks for the thoughtful response. Since I am already at the bottom of the healthy BMI range, every pound counts. "Safe" weight loss for me is 1 pound per week. That term is relative, because I probably won't die. But I didn't want to start digesting my own muscles.

I think I see another book in this experience, though...

 

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[hatterasguy]

You should have shoot a deer or some other game animals. I don't know whats around in winter where you live. You probably could have ice fished and eaten some trout.


Kill a deer and you get a lot of meat, and bullits are cheap. A $.50 bullit can get you enough meat for a month.

This way you could have still eaten good food.

 

[PEERless]

^I'm a vegetarian, but thanks.

 

[hatterasguy]

So having a coat of arms makes you a snob, thats nice.

Whoever wrote that website doesn't understand any part of the meaning of the word "gentleman". Hippie smoked to much pot.

 

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[PEERless]

So having a coat of arms makes you a snob, thats nice.

Whoever wrote that website doesn't understand any part of the meaning of the word "gentleman". Hippie smoked to much pot.

LOL! Well, I made that website. I guess I'm not a gentleman by your standards, although I do have a coat of arms. But I don't smoke pot.

 

[hatterasguy]

Sorry I said anything, I don't want to get into it, I'm out.

 

[Oski]

I saw a video of this a while back...

I thought it was crazy, but I applaude the people who were able to do this.

I don't think that any human being should have to live like this permanently though, but unfortunately some do.

 

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[CMCarlin]

Even though you did find that you cannot live off from 1 dollar a day, what has this experiment taught you and what are you going to do to change the way you eat from this day on?

 

[hakrjak]

You should have shoot a deer or some other game animals. I don't know whats around in winter where you live. You probably could have ice fished and eaten some trout.


Kill a deer and you get a lot of meat, and bullits are cheap. A $.50 bullit can get you enough meat for a month.

This way you could have still eaten good food.

I thought about this as a cheap source of food before, but once you pay for the hunting gear, and getting out to the woods and the permit, and paying the butcher to cut and package the meat for you, etc -- You might as well have just gone to the grocery store and bought some steaks.

My neighborhood is overrun with rabbits right now though... Hmmm, rabbit stew anyone?

- Hakrjak

 

[hatterasguy]

Well most people do it for the sport, and to have good food.


But I do know poor people with big family's where hunting is an important part of their food budget. All you need is a rifle, which most people already have, they also butcher it themselves.

 

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[PEERless]

Sorry I said anything

No biggie. Just pointing out that hunting isn't an option for everyone.

I don't think that any human being should have to live like this permanently though, but unfortunately some do.

YES! I learned so much about poverty -- not just through experience, but through my research during the project. I've seen those starving African kids on TV a thousand times, but it didn't feel real.

Even though you did find that you cannot live off from 1 dollar a day, what has this experiment taught you and what are you going to do to change the way you eat from this day on?

I am still assimilating my conclusions, but thank you for asking. The basic ones I cite on my blog are

1. $1.00 is not enough money to buy a nutritious daily volume of food for my body-type.
2. It could buy enough calories (in sugar) or enough vitamins and minerals (in a supplement), but not both.
3. My personal experience indicates that I can survive approximately one week on 1,046 daily calories without adverse health side-effects. It is unclear whether that threshold is physical, mental, or emotional.
4. In my opinion, the current domestic agricultural system is inadequate to ensure nutritious food to Americans in poverty.

It seems there are two important genres of lessons to be learned: microeconomic (how food/money interact in my life) and macroeconomic (how they interact on national and global scales.)

Microeconomically, I am changing the way I look at food. Needs, wants, luxuries... Reprioritizing my spending.

Macroeconomically, I wonder what I can do locally or politically to bring affordable, nutritious food to everyone. Isn't health a civil right? I hold that truth to be self-evident.

 

[hakrjak]

Well most people do it for the sport, and to have good food.


But I do know poor people with big family's where hunting is an important part of their food budget. All you need is a rifle, which most people already have, they also butcher it themselves.

Well you also need a Deer or Elk tag, which can vary in price depending on where you are. Warm clothes, and snacks to eat while you're on the hunt can also be a requirement, and if you plan to be out there awhile -- most Elk hunters here in Colorado camp out for a full week or so before they can bag one. I looked into it at depth, but then gave up the idea -- the sport doesn't matter to me, I was just thinking about a source of cheap meat.

- Hakrjak

 

[hatterasguy]

See for me its all sport, I don't eat what I catch/shoot. I go with people who want it, so I don't have to butcher/deal with it. With fishing I'm mostly catch and release.

Hunting for me is cheap, because I have the rifle,(collect vintage rifle's) and I have the cloth's since I spend a lot of time out doors. Fishing is very, very expensive...but I can't think of a better way to spend a day.

 

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[biophase]

I forgot what movie this was in. But it was a future show where civilization ended and they said that all they've eaten in the last 6 months were gophers.

It's funny that right now we hate fast multiplying animals, rats, gophers, rabbits, etc... But if everything went to hell, we would need any animal that multiplies fast!!! You'd be so lucky to have 1000 gophers on your property.

Hatters - do you need a ghillie suit???

 

[bflbob]

I forgot what movie this was in. But it was a future show where civilization ended and they said that all they've eaten in the last 6 months were gophers.

It's funny that right now we hate fast multiplying animals, rats, gophers, rabbits, etc... But if everything went to hell, we would need any animal that multiplies fast!!! You'd be so lucky to have 1000 gophers on your property.

Hatters - do you need a ghillie suit???

I've tried a lot of wild animals.

Muskrat
Squirrel
Rabbit
Groundhog (got it with a 2X4)
Pheasant
Possum
Raccoon

None of them are great, but all of them are good.

When my son spent some time in Peru, one of the local favorites was Guinea Pig.
People raised them in mud houses (where they lived).
The houses were dug down about a foot into the ground, so the Guinea Pigs couldn't climb out.

One man's pet is another man's main course.

 

[rcardin]

went today to the angelfood ministry location. I ordered the January menu for 30.00 and the bacon wrapped menu for another 21.00. Pick up is the 24th so I won't know what kind of deal it is till then. It could very well become my main course shopping for the month.

We spend 3-4 weeks during the summer at the gulf coast of Texas fishing. It is very expensive to fish. We probably average about 12.00 a pound in the fish we bring home by the time you buy new line, hooks, weights, and bait. The fact that we are on the water just enjoying every moment is priceless though.

I went Dove hunting last year. Also expensive by the time you pay for the lease, ammo, transportation to and from, and a couple of cases of beer for the weekend. Chicken fried dove breast is excellent and well worth it.

 

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[BeingChewsie]

I have set a $720 budget for the year. I started January 1st. I took 2 weeks over Christmas and did a total coupon/rebate immersion program from different blogs on the web. I'm going to start blogging about it tonight, when I get some entries in and get how much I have spent vs how much I have saved I'll post a link just in case anybody wants to follow along. That budget is for 3 people and a dog in Orange County CA at the beach..it includes all food, cleaning supplies, dog food, health/ beauty and paper goods. I don't think I'll have too much trouble but I'm still in the learning curve with the coupon/giftcard/rebate thing.

Sue

 

[hatterasguy]

I forgot what movie this was in. But it was a future show where civilization ended and they said that all they've eaten in the last 6 months were gophers.

It's funny that right now we hate fast multiplying animals, rats, gophers, rabbits, etc... But if everything went to hell, we would need any animal that multiplies fast!!! You'd be so lucky to have 1000 gophers on your property.

Hatters - do you need a ghillie suit???

Yeah, thats right. Rabbit isn't bad. I have to say the strangest I have had was Zebra and crocodile. Crocodile actualy does taste like chicken! Its not bad at all. Zebra sucked, like most game animals IMHO. Even wild turkey's are tough.

Nah I don't need a ghillie suit, I like bright orange so the nut jobs don't shoot me.:coco:

I don't paintball anymore, but modern American digi-cam is pretty damn good. The Russian and German stuff isn't bad either. One of the guys I went to school with did some WW2 reinacting and had some pretty good German camo from the SS tankers.