Please Help.

[SinkingFast]

fillingonmyown, did you just argue that you cant save money making your own food? or just saying groceries arnt cheap either? i agree with the later.

For some things, buying food out or pre prepared can be cheaper or about the same as you spend at the grocery.

For us, Taco Bell is actually cheaper than buying all the stuff and making it at home. If we want an "event" or just in the mood for really good tacos/burritos/etc., we make it at home. But when we do, I spend a minor fortune buying extras at the grocery store we don't normally use.

Same thing for burgers. Beef is extremely expensive here. A burger from a fast food restaurant costs about the same as making one at home. If we need it quick we go drive thru. If that's the meal plan for dinner, we cook at home.

I buy salad mixes in a bag instead of buying lettuce, and carrots, and purple cabbage, whatever. I used to buy salad fixin's and wound up tossing stuff cause it didn't get eaten before it went bad. Now, we plan meals to have salad with dinner a couple days in a row, everything gets eaten and there's no waste.

Son is kinda like the poster here. College student who works and is on the run every day. Days where it's school only, he takes his lunch and canned sodas from home. Days when he works, he buys lunch in the deli at work. The store doesn't provide lockers for employees, if it's in the break room fridge people take it, so he doesn't have any place to store lunch until break time. He's learned the deli deals that are cheap, and he get's an employee discount, so it costs about the same as taking his lunch.

[bkfiler]

yes i understand but thats not the case for most people.

ok since i like to be a cheapass and help people get stuff free(er)...

you can get your tacos and burrito stuff cheaper by making it yourself. i know it. i do it all the time. also, next time you go by there get a handful of their sauces. that will make it taste like theres too. also, you can buy frozen meat patties much cheaper in a pack as well. i do that too. even beats the $1 burger stuff. it just takes more time to make it is all.

if for other people that cant take time, etc, then $1 burger stuff will get you fat and is bad for you but at least its kinda cheap. but we are a bankruptcy site were people dont have much money or need to learn some tips on how to save.

if you are shopping at walmart, or discount grocery store then you can save a lot more money. i think you might be shopping at a named stored.

oh, btw, i also buy the packaged salads. i pay $1.

[jetset]

wow...

I'm absolutely in shock of the amount of replies I've got...thank you all!

Well...I was not aware that I could use clothes, cigarettes, etc...when factoring in my expenses. That helps a lot, obviously.

I do agree that the amount/day I spend on fast food and such is excessive, but that's not going to help me now...I do agree that later down I'll see the difference in my checking account.

But to the most important thing...Where does the majority of my money go? Rather than rent, I pay my own tuition, food, clothes, cell phone, car insurance, and life insurance.

One thing did not mention is that I am only 20 years old, and got my first card when I was 18.

[FilingOnMyOwn]

fillingonmyown, did you just argue that you cant save money making your own food?

Thats not what I said. I pointed out the savings can be very little and perhaps not worth the time spent doing so.