If you are a student, most likely you have already figured out that your budget is not so large. You do not have a steady salary, you have to buy textbooks, to pay to your writers and tutors, and you have to learn how to live by yourself. This means that you have to buy your clothes, to pay for your place, to pay for your transportation, and to buy the food for you. Sometimes it can be challenging and it requires many efforts to get used to it. Often times, students prefer to buy takeaway food, to eat pizzas and hot dogs instead of cooking on your own. Definitely, it is easier, but it is important to take care of health and physical condition if you want to study. Your brain and your body need a healthy nutrition in order to work properly and effectively.
How to eat healthy food and keep yourself on budget
If you want to eat healthy food and do not spend too much money on it, do not buy it outside. As a rule, takeaway food is far more expensive than the same meal, prepared at home. Moreover, when you buy the ready to eat meal, you cannot control what you eat. You do not know how many calories are in there, what the quality of the products used there is, how many carbons, fat, and proteins contain that dish.
You can buy some veggies and other cooking items with less amount of money from discounted grocery shops to cook tasty restaurant-type food at home easily using your electric griddles, stove, and microwave to save large amount of money which can be used to buy books or some other useful purpose without compromising your food nutritional value.
Next, eat before you go out with your friends. It is a good suggestion because when you do so, you do not risk overeating with your friends. In addition, the meal in the cafes and restaurants is expensive, so, if you do not eat a lot there, you will spend less money.
The third recommendation is – always have some nuts, crackers or other snacks in your bag when you are going out with your friends or alone, especially if you are going to the place with access to food. First, food in grocery stores is cheaper than in cinema, cafe or on the riverbank, so, you will not buy the same for a bigger price. Secondly, you can control your hunger by eating a little every time you are slightly hungry.
The next priceless tip is to stop buying food on an impulse. When you go to the grocery store, have a list of what you are going to buy. Buy exactly what is on that list and get out of there. If you do not have a list and stick around looking for something, you will make an impulsive buying, empty your student budget, and, most likely, buy something unhealthy.
The second last suggestion is to try going to the grocery store alone. If you take other people with you, they buy different cool things that are not on your list, and you start to desire to buy the same. If you go by yourself, it is easier to go through the list, so you can keep yourself on a budget.
Finally, buy everything from one or two places. You do not need to visit ten different grocery stores to buy what you need. Choose one or two where you can buy the food you usually need to prepare dishes. The best option is the store located near your place or on your route home from the college or university. If you visit too many stores, you will spend more time, more money, and, if you go by car, more gas.
Remember, you can manage to stay within budget only if you spend money wisely.
