My grocery bill dropped by almost $30 a week after I started planning around one big pot of beans.

I used to just buy whatever looked good, which meant a lot of last-minute meat and pre-cut veggies. About two months ago, I saw a post here about cooking a pound of dry beans on a Sunday. I tried it with pinto beans, which cost me $1.89. I used some for chili that night, then had beans and rice for two lunches, and mixed the last bit into a breakfast scramble. The difference was huge. I wasn't running to the store for expensive protein every other day. It forced me to think ahead and use up what I already had in the pantry. Has anyone else found a single cheap ingredient that changed their whole shopping routine?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_piper13d ago

Okay but... is saving thirty bucks a week really that life-changing? I mean, good for you, but it's just beans. You still have to buy all the other stuff. It sounds like a lot of extra work for what... a slightly cheaper lunch? I guess if you really love beans it makes sense.

thomas_johnson3513d ago

Yeah but thirty bucks adds up fast though. That's like a phone bill or a tank of gas. Still, gotta be really into beans to make it a whole thing.