Meal Budgeting for the Busy Entertainer
When you’re struggling to gain a foothold in the entertainment world, you quickly learn all kinds of hacks for budgeting and saving money. You’ve likely gotten pretty creative with some daily routine workarounds to save a buck or two, and part of the daily routine is meal planning. It can be difficult to grocery shop with limited means, especially if you’re living in the big city, which can be outrageously expensive. So, what can you do to avoid putting holes in your pockets? Here are a few tips for saving money on food that will go a long way.
Buy staples items. There are certain foods you can pick up that can be transformed into a variety of tasty dishes. Consider jotting down a few items you know you tend to include in a multitude of recipes and stick to your list, maybe adding in just an item or two to complete your meal.
Embrace leftovers. If you have a history of shying away from reheating food from the night before, it’s time to come up with ways to make amends with your microwave. This doesn’t mean you have to eat the exact same thing you did the previous day – here is where your natural creativity comes into play. Add a spice or two, switch the sauce, or mix in new ingredient to transform your night-before dish into something that seems brand new.
Borrow one-off ingredients. It may seem like a scene from a corny old movie you watched once upon a time but borrowing a small ingredient here or there from your neighbor can save you big bucks in the long run. After you’ve shopped for your staples, if you realize you need something that didn’t make it back to your kitchen, it never hurts to ask. Of course, you don’t want to overstep and cause undo awkwardness, so keep this tactic to a minimum and only use when necessary.
Potluck with friends. Host get-togethers for your closest friends that include bringing a dish to pass. This will allow you to enjoy a wide variety of delicious meals with minimal impact to your bottom line. Potlucks also tend to produce leftovers, so if someone leaves behind a few bites, you may be set for another meal the next day.
Be cautious about dining out. This can get expensive – real quick. You’ll likely find you’re paying far more by eating out than dining in. If you must visit a restaurant to network, take some of the dish home with you. You also tend to get more than you can eat in one sitting, so it’s easy to split.
These are just a few of the ways in which you can save a few bucks on your food budget when you’re struggling to manage all of your other must-haves. Eventually, when you strike it big, you’ll be able to look back on these meager beginnings and pat yourself on the back to hanging in there and persevering!
