Yahoo Finance ‘A real thing I’ve been doing lately to deal with poverty': Academic says this one perspective shift helps her cope when she can’t afford groceries. Here's how to stretch your food budget
Life is difficult for many right now, but what if you compared it to how our Victorian ancestors lived?
Dr. Bernadette “bird” Bowen is doing just that. The media and communication academic recently posted a TikTok about how she’s been looking to the past to comfort her when she can’t afford groceries.
Don’t miss
Anything can happen in 2024. Try these 5 easy money hacks to help you make and save thousands of dollars in the new year (they will only take seconds)
Robert Kiyosaki warns 401(k)s and IRAs will be 'toast' after the 'biggest crash in history' — protect yourself now with these shockproof assets
Commercial real estate has beaten the stock market for 25 years — but only the super rich could buy in. Here’s how even ordinary investors can become the landlord of Walmart, Whole Foods or Kroger
“You want to know a real thing I’ve been doing lately to deal with poverty?” she says in her video. “I try to remind myself that if my ancestors had the food that I had right now, they’d be like, ‘Damn, you got pistachios?’”
Bowen’s video is a good reminder to be grateful for what you have — even during tough times.
But that mindset doesn’t take away from the fact that grocery costs rose 1.2% in January 2024 from a year earlier, according to the latest inflation report. So if you’re having some trouble feeling as grateful as Bowen for your bag of pistachios, there are ways to stretch your food budget, even as costs rise.
Buy potatoes
In Bowen’s video, she mentions that alongside her pistachios, she has frozen potatoes to last her until her next paycheck.
“‘They’re frozen, you have access to heat them up?’” she imagines her ancestors saying to her. “‘You’re living a life of luxury.’”
Bowen is correct that potatoes can take you far. Mashed potatoes are found to be particularly satisfying, according to a 2020 study in a journal aptly called Nutrients. The study adds that white potatoes aren’t just filling, but healthy; they contain vitamins, minerals and fiber, giving you energy.
Read more: Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now cash in on prime real estate — without the headache of being a landlord. Here's how
Plus, potatoes can be cooked in so many different ways — mashed, boiled, baked — so you won’t get bored of eating them day after day.
The best part about potatoes is that they only cost an average of 97 cents per pound across U.S. metros, according to the most recent numbers from Federal Reserve Economic Data. You really get the most bang for your buck with them.
Fluids and fish
Bowen mentions that she has coffee, a kettle and water in her apartment. This, she suggests, is compelling to her ancestors.
“‘You got water in a bottle?’” she says, imitating her ancestors. “‘You got enough to last until you need more? Damnnn.’”
Water can help you feel full and reduce hunger, but you absolutely need to find cheap, nutrient-rich foods to be healthy.
Fish is a good example of this. Seafood is quite expensive, but shopping hacks expert Lora McLaughlin made a TikTok about her money-saving trick: buy frozen fish, which she says is up to 40% cheaper. It may not taste as good as the fresh stuff, but you’ll still get those omega-3s — and at a fraction of the price.
Her other tips include avoiding items at the eye level, buying whole produce and choosing Wednesday to shop since that's when stores tend to restock and have the best deals.
What to read next
A Pennsylvania trio bought a $100K abandoned school and turned it into a 31-unit apartment — but here's a much simpler way to earn real estate riches without a mountain of red tape
Car insurance rates have spiked in the US to a stunning $2,150/year — but you can be smarter than that. Here’s how you can save yourself as much as $820 annually in minutes (it's 100% free)
Here's the annual income you need to fall in America's lower, middle and upper class — plus 3 simple tips to boost you up the ladder
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
