Top 10 Food Budgeting Tips for College Students
As more parents who are helping to support their kids through college are looking to be budget conscious they find themselves asking, how much should I be giving to my kid for food each month? Or maybe you’re the student and your paying your own way and really trying to figure out how much to budget for food per month.
The quick and dirty answer is $150 to $250 a month.
With a little planning and know how you can be the envy of your stomach and refuse to bow down to Ramen noodles.
Here’s 10 tips to help you eat well on a shoestring budget.
1. Don’t eat out.
2. If it’s at all possible try to live close to affordable food or at the very least make sure to shop at an affordable store
3. Cook with friends (sharing the load will allow you all to eat better and for less)
4. Search for coupons or store circulars for bargains
5. Buy canned goods (they are less expensive than fresh, last longer and are more convenient
6. Freeze your bread (it will last longer)
7. Buy in bulk (you’ll get a lot more for less expensive). Just make sure you can keep it fresh.
8. Buy Generic or store brands (they are usually the exact same except for the picture on the box)
9. Use store rewards cards
10. Write down what you are going to buy before you go and how much you are going to spend. Buy foods with good nutritional value (more of the hearty soup and less on Twinkies)
Click below for more great suggestions on how to budget and still eat well in college.
http://www.investoverse.com/personalfinance/budget/howtoeatwellonabudget__p3.aspx
http://www.ehow.com/how_4665282_eat-well-starving-student-budget.html