My boyfriend (20) and I (18) have been living together for 2 years in an urban apartment. For us, it usually goes like this:

  1. Delivery
  2. Eating out
  3. Cooking at home

We visit our parents (and they visit us) often, and they give us lots of home-cooked food. We mostly cook at home just for fun.

I’m curious what it’s like for other people, especially in different age groups or family setups!

  • palordrolap@fedia.io
    15·
    14 days ago

    I envy your financial situation that you can afford to do that.

    My weekly grocery budget (single person household) is £25 (~US$34), which is about the price of a decent meal for one person in a low-end restaurant here. Seven days food and other household supplies for the price of one meal. Stop and think on that for a bit, maybe.

    Family do help me out from time to time, but they’re not exactly rolling in money either, so what they provide would otherwise be covered by that budget. They just help me stretch things a bit further.

    Could I afford to spend a bit more? Possibly. But I like to keep a little extra put by for that inevitable disaster where I have to hire someone to fix what neither I nor my family can handle.

    Perhaps importantly here, I like to know that I could get by without family help, and I’m pretty sure I could. Can you say the same?

    • DominusOfMegadeus@sh.itjust.works
      6·
      14 days ago

      Would you be willing to discuss your grocery list on that budget? I recently allotted myself $175 per 2 week pay period for groceries for me, a single man living alone. I find myself going over. I think my biggest weakness is snacks, which are extremely difficult for me to not have on hand.

      • klemptor@startrek.website
        3·
        14 days ago

        Some thoughts:

        • Buy in bulk - if you compare unit prices, you’ll see the bulk version is usually cheaper
        • Make your own snacks - e.g., granola is pretty quick and easy to make at home
        • Try Aldi or Lidl
        • Give generic versions of things a try - a lot of the time they’re pretty close to the ‘real’ thing
        • Things that are convenient are usually more expensive. Just looking online quickly, I see the big tub of old-fashioned oats is $6.39 for 30 servings (=21¢/serving), vs a box of instant oatmeal at $3 for 8 servings (=38¢/serving). So to save money, choose the less convenient version.
        • Plan your meals before you shop, and pick up only what you need - this helps avoid impulse purchases
      • icystar@lemmy.cif.su
        1·
        14 days ago

        Snacks are an incredible waste of money and they have some of the largest profit margins of all grocery items. $5 for a bag of chips that isn’t even a pound is disgusting, but they charge it because people pay it. It only makes sense to buy snacks if you’re wealthy from screwing other people over, or you’re on welfare.

        If you want to eat cheap, you need to swallow your pride. Probably one of the best meals that just about anyone can make is a microwave meatball sub with raw broccoli and carrots on the side. Extremely easy, very cheap, filling, and it’s always going to be delicious if you’re actually hungry.

        Get used to eating the same things over and over again, and stop treating food like entertainment.

    • sunzu2@thebrainbin.org
      1·
      14 days ago

      A lot of people don’t understand is that food out is a luxury.

      The entire premise of the OP assumes that people have this choice lol

    • icystar@lemmy.cif.su
      1·
      14 days ago

      £25 (~US$34), which is about the price of a decent meal for one person in a low-end restaurant here.

      Bullshit.