Eating on a Budget

You can’t go anywhere without hearing something about our current economic crisis. More people are out of work, more homes are in foreclosure, and people are cutting back on expenses wherever they can. Not surprisingly, as people struggle to put food on the table, the financial crunch is also affecting what you eat. However, eating lean during tough economic times does not have to mean Top Ramen or fast food dollar menus. By following a few guidelines, you can eat well on a budget. As with any fiscally sound business, a good practice is to put a (family) food budget in place. It’s often difficult to decide how much should be allotted for food. To help determine this, you should take a hard, realistic look at your monthly income and expenses. Start by making a list of all your expenses. Begin with the expenses you have to pay, like rent/mortgage, loans, insurance, utilities, transportation, etc. Next, make a list of items you choose to pay, like entertainment, magazine subscriptions, cel