I have to feed a family of 3 for 10 days on $65- what would you buy?

[Rob Babcock]

Bless you, Deb! Lots of people get in a short term bind, and there's no shame in it, especially given the economy! Take a little to get you by, then when things get better give some back. That's the "Social Contract Theory" in action. It's why civilization exists.

 

[SherryDAmore]

Consider going here: HotCouponWorld. This is a huge website - about 300,000 members, from around the world. It's much more than coupons; people share deals, sales, and where to get coupons, and debt reduction, frugal living, etc. It's a terrific site, but it is huge, and takes a while to get used to navigating.

So many people are in the same bind as you, and as one poster said, people who have never had to ask for help are having to. There is no shame in it. Everything is temporary, and you'll get through this.

 

[simonbaker]

I grew up in a family of 9 kids. Some months were a little tough to make ends meet too. We would buy the cheap bologna & chop it up or grind it with hardboiled eggs to make a sandwich. Cook up some dried lentils with any vegetables available. Makes for a nice soup & sandwich dinner.

 

[luv2cook35]

Also watch the weekly circulars for local stores - our Stop & Shop has coupons every week for free items, buy one get one free, cents off your gas prices etc - I scour them when they come in the newspaper on Thursday and make a plan for the weekend. Good luck - so glad to hear your family was able to persevere. Things can only improve

 

[Claire]

When I was young Mom used to be able to make $5 go where most people would spend $25. We ate a lot of imaginative meals using hot dogs and ground beef (the cheapest meats at the time). At one point we had a weekly meal of New England Boiled Dinner made with a few beef soup bones and various root vegetables. It actually was a favorite. We'd mash the potatoes and carrots, put in a dollop of margarine, and pour the stock over the mess and were happy. One thing: There was NO room for fussy eaters. I have one sister who got over being a fussy eater, but to this day hates anything made with ground beef.

 

[Claire]

Another answer is beans and rice in almost any combination.