There used to be a homeless guy who lived under our bridge that I'd help out whenever I could. He's been gone for awhile, but in these troubled times it made me wonder just how quickly any of us could be in a similar situation. Thinking of him made me recall prior periods when money was tight and I had to find ways to stretch the few dollars I had.

One thing financial adversity will teach you is how to be thrifty and find ways to do more with less. Since I'm the "responsible one" in my family, there have been times when I had to assist other family members when they were down on their luck. A sudden downsizing in a tough job market, can leave one in a hole and needing a helping hand. So I've always tried to be there for my family.



I wanted to take the time to share some tips which allowed me to get through some tight spots in the past. One of things I did was to keep track of what I was spending my money on from month to month. Students are known for stocking up on ramen noodles, but I'd add little extras in order to make for a more substantial meal. Hot dogs became a staple during those times, being inexpensive, I'd chop one up and fold it into the noodles. When done, I'd add some barbecue sauce, and we were off to the races!

At Walmart, I'd pick up a few loafs of bread, to go with a couple sixteen pack of sausages. For less than $10, I had lunch and dinner for the week. Now of course you could throw in a cheap pack of cheese along with the BBQ sauce I mentioned above. Mac & Cheese would get the hot dog treatment as well, not to mention spaghetti, which could be added to the other dishes or consumed on its own.



Breakfast usually consisted of some generic oatmeal topped with fruit slices. Peanut butter with crackers were added to the mix, and all of this was intended as food that would "stick to your ribs." The point was to walk away feeling full, while spending as little money as possible. Those of you reading this overseas, may not be familiar with fluffernutter. When "your money is funny" it's a tasty combination to slap onto some crackers, or generously slather on two pieces of bread. Some add slices of banana to spice things up.

Again, we're talking about items that are low-cost, which I'd often buy in bulk. Walmart sells value bags of sausage patties. These I'd team up with eggs and cheese to make a quick omelet. Yogurt became my friend, and the big tub became a good source of my daily probiotic intake. Checking the unit price at stores, taught me that it would be cheaper to buy in bulk. You've all seen those big giant cans of green beans, chili, and chocolate pudding sold mainly to commercial buyers? I'd pick up a few of those as they were always cheaper than multiple smaller cans.

There are many ways to make limited funds last. Food purchases were highlighted as they can take up a sizable chunk of your monthly budget. Finding ways to reduce food costs and free up money for other much-needed projects on the blockchain. Do you really need to eat out? or will a couple of baloney and cheese sandwiches do until you're back on your feet. Being frugal when your wallet is thin, will open up a host of possibilities when prosperity returns.