Groceries are costly and appear to get increasingly pricey on a regular basis. However now we have to eat.

Regardless of the rise in costs, it’s nonetheless doable to feed 2 folks on $50 per week.

Ibotta is my favourite money again grocery app. With Ibotta, you may earn actual money again each time you store on-line or in-store. Obtain the app, select and unlock rebates you need at numerous shops. After buy, scan or {photograph} your receipt throughout the app. When your receipt is permitted, the money will probably be added to your account.
$50 Meal Plan For Two and a Grocery Listing
With the intention to make this plan work, two persons are primarily consuming two meals on a bit greater than $7/day.
This plan additionally components in gross sales on sure gadgets and solely consuming water.
Needless to say Indiana costs are sometimes cheaper than different areas with larger cities.Â
Breakfast:Â
- Eggs and toast (4 days)
- Pancakes (3 days)
- Eggs, avocado, and toast (1 day)
It would look one thing like this:

Dinner:
- Spaghetti
- Pork loin and potatoes
- Hen and rice
- Alfredo
- Fish and rice
- Hamburger Helper
- Chili
Any of these meals may very well be repeated in different weeks and sometimes used for lunches. (Spaghetti and Chili go a great distance!)Â
It would appear to be this:

The whole on this week is just $38, which leaves room for spices, fruits, and greens.
It additionally components in gadgets that don’t have to be bought in different weeks (pancake combine, syrup, butter, pork loin, potatoes, and tilapia).
If any gadgets had been on sale, they may very well be purchased in bulk (with the additional cash) and saved.Â
Simply in case you assume it’s a fluke week, right here’s one other (extra strong) instance.
Breakfast:
- Eggs and toast (2 days)
- Eggs, toast, and sausage (1 day)
- Pancakes (2 days)
- Cereal (1 day)
- Waffle with fruit (1 day)
It would look one thing like this:

Dinner:
- Hen parmesan
- Fish, broccoli, and rice
- Tuna Helper
- Meatloaf
- Pork chops with potatoes
- Potato soup
- Home made pizza
It would appear to be this:

With this plan, breakfast price a bit extra at $13.50, however dinner is cheaper at solely $23 for a complete of $36.50.
With the leftover funds, you should purchase one thing particular to drink (in addition to water or milk), or you may boost your present meals.
Add garlic bread to your hen parmesan, potatoes to your meatloaf, or fancy toppings to your home made pizza.Â
If you happen to want any assist right here’s our most cost-effective grocery record.
The best way to feed 2 folks on 50 {dollars} per week
First, it’s vital to grasp learn how to lower your expenses on groceries. There are 5 strategies that we’ll spotlight.
- Develop your personal
- Barter
- Discover offers/gross sales
- Enterprise into expiring shelf-life
- Coupon
Develop your personal
You don’t want a ton of area or expertise to develop your personal groceries, however you do want some persistence. Herbs are extremely simple to develop from house. Tomatoes are additionally pretty simple to develop at house. You probably have a bigger area, a backyard is right. Seeds price subsequent to nothing, and you may typically get starters free of charge.Â
Barter
If you happen to’re not able to develop your personal groceries, you may think about bartering for meals. Bartering is among the finest methods to commerce sources. Let’s say that you’ve a talent for woodworking.
You possibly can barter one thing you created with somebody who makes bread or who raises livestock.Â
Discover offers/gross sales
Discovering offers or gross sales are one other good way to economize.
With the intention to do that, it could imply it’s important to go to some shops for the perfect deal, so it’s important to think about the precise profit.
It additionally means you might need to replenish when an merchandise is on sale.Â
Enterprise into expiring shelf-life
It’s also possible to replenish on gadgets whose shelf life is likely to be expiring quickly.
If you happen to replenish on these gadgets, it’s important to use them shortly or protect them indirectly.
Usually, yow will discover meat that expires quickly with a coupon or discount. You possibly can convey that house and freeze it.
Coupons
Coupons are a necessary manner to economize. Coupons might be digital or printed coupons.
Our Saturday or Sunday paper has coupons.
In case your newspaper is $2, however you get two $1 coupons, you’ve already paid for that $2 that you simply spent.
You probably have assist system, think about beginning a coupon swap the place you and others collect and swap coupons.
Mainly, you clip and collect all of the coupons you may entry (and divide them into classes) earlier than assembly up with others who’ve completed the identical. You divide them up as an entire group after which cut up them up.
Right here’s how one can Get Free Coupons by Mail.

The best way to store and keep away from waste
The second a part of this course of is realizing learn how to store and learn how to keep away from losing meals. You need to begin with our free funds and a meal planner.

A funds is crucial for profitable planning and for staying on monitor. It doesn’t must be something fancy, but it surely must be efficient. You may additionally have to mess around with codecs and funds restrictions right here and there.
To begin your discount, think about beginning nearer to what you presently spend and lowering every month till you’re right down to $50/week.Â
Your decisions proceed with frequency and learn how to store. You should purchase meals each day (wasteful), weekly, or month-to-month. Personally, I like to buy month-to-month after which possibly seize a number of gadgets (typically with a shorter shelf life) as wanted.
You additionally have to resolve in your buying technique. Meals supply is pricey and sometimes leads to errors, so ordering pickup from the shop or going to the shop are higher choices.
As an impulse purchaser, I keep away from the shop and order on-line. If you understand that you simply’re an impulse purchaser, order on-line to choose up.
Most grocery shops have waived charges for now, however you can too get coupons or simply add the $5 cost to your funds.
If you understand that you could keep away from impulses and resolve to enter the shop, use money to your purchases to be sure you don’t go over.Â
Upon getting your technique arrange, be sure you are prepared to wash and put together groceries to increase their life.Â
Vegetables and fruit
Recent vegetables and fruit must be cleaned instantly whenever you get house.
There are tons of meals cleaners, however water normally does the trick. It’s vital to retailer this stuff accurately to maximise their life.
You possibly can preserve them of their unique packaging, which is commonly made to permit that meals to avoid wasting so long as doable.Â
A couple of suggestions:
- Separate fruits from greens
- Ripen fruits on the counter earlier than storing them within the fridge
- Refrigerated fruits as soon as ripe in a container or bag with holes (remove moisture) to increase their life
- Freeze no matter vegetables and fruit you’ll not use inside per week to keep up their life
- Maintain greens (broccoli and lettuce) saved within the fridge after cleansing separating with a paper towel (to keep away from slime)
- Maintain root greens (potatoes, onions, candy potatoes) in a cool, darkish spot
Meats
Storing meat means utilizing freezer-safe baggies and labeling the meat.
I like to wash the packaging and retailer the label with the meat.
You can depart the meat on the underside shelf of the fridge, however in the event you’re trying to protect it, ensure that it’s completed accurately.
Thawing doesn’t take that a lot time to do it safely.Â
Plan it out
It doesn’t matter what funds you’re making an attempt to stay to, it’s vital to plan it out. Planning is the strongest approach to keep on monitor. Make the most of gross sales and alternatives as typically as doable.
And when you’ve got an opportunity to barter, attempt to discover somebody with these high-ticket gadgets (like meat). You possibly can even provide to cook dinner for a pal or member of the family who buys the meals. That’s an effective way to scale back your meals price and revel in others in your life.
Try our 20 Dust-Low cost Meals and Recipes.

Martha Warner is a author, editor, and educator. As a single mother for a few years, Martha is aware of the worth of cash, learn how to work onerous, and learn how to hustle. Her freelance profession began as a facet hustle (to assist her love of journey) and shortly grew into probably the most profitable profession she’s ever had. Martha nonetheless teaches on the college in addition to different on-line and in-person programs, together with Writing to Make Cash, School Scholarship Writing, and Write that Grant. Discover out extra about her on her web site.