Blog 2

Healthy eating on a budget for college students

Eating healthy can be very difficult, especially as a college student because we're all broke. We have to live off of Mac&Cheese and Ramen noodles every day, but it gets boring and it isn't healthy for us. It can actually be easy to eat healthier by not spending too much on groceries. Here are a few tips that can be helpful for the next time you make a trip to the grocery store. 

Tips for eating healthy on a budget

1. Don't shop when you're hungry 

When you're hungry, everything you see looks delicious. When you walk past an isle full of chips and cookies, you might think "I must get it", but in reality it's expensive and it's super unhealthy for you. After eating a meal or when you're not hungry, go to the grocery store and buy what you need, not what you want or what you're craving. 

2. Use coupons

Who uses coupons anymore? We don't normally go through newspapers as college students to find coupons, but they can actually help a lot when it comes to shopping on a budget. Coupons basically mean "buy more and pay less" and they can be found anywhere. There are coupons that are "buy one get one 50% off" or even "buy one get one free", these could save lots of money because you will be buying two for the price of one. More food, less money. What a deal! Next time when you see coupons, don't throw them away, save them because it could eventually benefit you next time when you go shopping. 

3. Make a grocery list

When you make a grocery list, make sure you only buy what you wrote down. It's very easy to become distracted when we go shopping because we see new things that look good. By sticking to your grocery list, you are less likely to purchase unhealthy snacks and other things that you don't need. 

4. Only use cash

By having a debit or credit card, we have access to all our money at once and we always end up spending more than we wanted. By bringing cash, you'll have a limited amount of money to spend, making you question yourself when you pick up a bag of chips or a tub of ice cream.You'll only buy foods that you need that are healthy for you. 

5. Buy generic brands 

Almost every grocery store offers a variety of generic branded items. It honestly tastes the same as name branded items and you'll be saving a few dollars for every item you purchase. Great Value is a very common brand that is found in grocery stores and it is a great way of saving money on your groceries.