We grow alot of our own food now days and our financial situation has improved alot over 9 years. I think its why inflation hasn't effected us as much as others since we have always operated underbudget and trying to live below our means to save for various reasons. I also grew up financially poor so a 50$ budget a week is pretty standard even in todays economy. We also have a 50$ feed and garden budget each month that should be included in that as our pets are family and the livestock feeds us. So il admit our budget probably comes out to about 100$ a week with those cost included. We have 3 adults, a growing 10 year old, 7 cats (I foster) 2 dogs, 40 chickens, and 8 pigs to feed. Everyone here has wonderful ideas already! Heres hopefully a helpful ramble on how we get by on our budget. It works for our family but every year it changes.
Our feed gets delivered from a Purina feed mill by the ton for a fraction that it cost by the bag. I order a ton and a half and store it in two plastic IBC totes. This will last us 8 months or so with supplements from the garden for the pigs and chickens. We live in Iowa and it was a hell of a time to find a feed mill let alone one that we could use. They dont always have a online site and work by word of mouth. Until I talked to our hog supplier who gave me a couple leads and with some calling around we found one that works for us. Make friends with the other farmers. We may not agree on the practices they use but we can all learn something from each other and we do better united then divided. Plus they may make great food and might share there recipe's with you!
The dogs get high quality kibble supplemented with food scraps, eggs. bones, chicken and pig bits we don't eat and same with the cats. I buy there kibble from Fleet Farm in about 300$ bulk purchases. When you hit this magic number they then give a 50$ free credit to your next purchase if your a member. Yay! A membership that dose something! Dont bother buying dog treats. Making them is so much more affordable and easier then thinking about it. In a pinch we have even bought a day old Walmart rotisserie chicken to use! Cost us 3$ for limited ingredient easy treats when we ran out in the middle of a busy day out!
Then we have the pantry for us that Iv been building for years! And the skills to cook with it! There is more food in our house then just 50$ worth of grocery's every week. The 50$ just maintains the supply and adds to it bit by bit. I bought 100lbs of oat meal one year for 20$. I had no idea how to cook with it and we hated traditional hot cereal oatmeal. It took me a year to finally find a way to cook with it and then use all of that oatmeal! Bread and baked oatmeal bars are what we use it for in case anyone's in a similar situation. We go thru it alot faster now. But the point of the matter is if you are starting from nothing don't try to get everything at once. Buy stuff you know how to make and one new thing. Only know how to microwave your food? Buy a rice cooker for 30$ and make rice and add bagged steamed veggies to it. Now next week you have rice and a easy way to cook it. Get a 4$ skillet from the second hand store and maybe a protein of your choice with some seasonings. Get comfortable with that and add some tortillas to the mix and you really have some options! The lack of new ingredients will help inspire you to look at food in new ways to make new flavors. And get comfortable with repetition. Cut out the processed junk and build up your skills and equipment slowly. Otherwise you wont use them and then you might as well have just thrown away your money.
Not everyone can produce there own food getting creative with your resources is important. Maybe you cant have chickens. That's okay, use that 20 minutes a day you'd have used to care for them to make bread instead. It will probably save you more money then chickens anyways. Cant raise pigs? Look into hunting and foraging. We use our pedal bikes to take to the trails and forage greens, mushrooms and fire wood. Then learn how to can, cook and keep your harvest. Maybe fishing is more accessible for you. You dont need fancy gear to do that. A stick with a bit of line tied to it and a hook and worm off the end of the dock will get you supper! And as I posted 9 years ago foraging your local dumpsters is a art and a skill that Im glad to have today and helped us thur hard times. There's also your local food pantry's and churches that can help you out. If it feels to much like a hand out, volunteer! Our local pantry gives the volunteers double portions and the leftover items at the end of a drive. They get thrown out if no one takes them anyways.
Once again start one new thing at a time. Get comfortable with it then move onto the next thing. Food cost are what brought me to permaculture as a young parent trying to feed her new family. I was not good at it and Im still not good at it. But I am better and food looks different to me after being on this journey for awhile.
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