I spend $50/mo on just blueberries. I don't each much processed food, but eating fresh real food is generally more expensive. I probably eat too much too. For the three of us our total "grocery" spend is about $600/mo right now with about another $150 eating out.holy crap, you people must be incredibly wasteful/buy shitty box food or something. ^As I said, the budget for two was as low as $300, pretty easily...and also like I said, I don't really do this anymore.
Whole chickens are cheap, and one can provide material for almost a dozen meals: either roast the whole chicken, or pressure cook to make stewed chicken (for brunswick stew or other things, and the broth reserved for tons of things). That's a ton of calories for like, $5.
A pork shoulder can feed me for more than a week--not every meal, but most of the meals. Key is to shop on the outside of grocery store. It's cheaper, fresher, actual food. If it comes in a box, it's wasteful (expensive) and terrible for you. ....not that I'm exclusively anti boxed food, but if you do want to see how easy it is to eat "proper" and do it cheaply, then you should avoid it.
It helps to be able to tolerate eating the same/similar meal most of the week. I get that not most people enjoy that, but I like what I cook and can eat it for a while (and yes, I will get sick of it). Also, you people need to be drinking your Metamucil, whether you accept that or not, it's essential for everyone, and is also a great appetite suppression/snack/meal.
I make a vat of rice and beans (black beans; a single 500lb bag--again, if you're buying canned beans, for anything, you are buying garbage and throwing money in the trash when you do that)--with chicken and sausage and smoked turkey legs and the broth that I make myself, and this lasts for about 2 weeks. easy pressure cooker meal. And yeah, that does get old.
I had it down to just under $2 per meal for nearly half of a year. Yes, that's insane, but it's not that difficult. I eat more than a child, so it's absolutely ludicrous to think you'd need to spend 3x more ....of course, I know kids are picky and obnoxious with their taste, so there's not a whole lot you can do there to keep them happy, but kids also eat what they grow up with.
Train them on Pop Tarts at your own peril I guess, lol.
This how we are, got a shit ton of points in the SW account because of all the flights we cancelled last year. Now have the campaign pass.We have 185k points in my wife's Southwest RR account and I'm her companion the rest of this year.
In my account I have like 40k (we used points recently to book trip to Puerto Rico in August) and she's my companion the rest of this year. I'm waiting for a decent SW signup deal to happen and I'll get one for myself. That's why I went and signed up to the United card today since the SW ones aren't very good right now.
This how we are, got a shit ton of points in the SW account because of all the flights we cancelled last year. Now have the campaign pass.
My vacation days have also piled up so when things open up more we'll be spending a good chunk of time Not Here
What cards are you using to get United and CUR points? I couldn't find any with any really good specials with my quick look yesterday. One of the airports near me is a United hub with direct flights to some places in the Caribbean that the other SW hub near by doesn't get us to.I just canceled the last of our flights booked last year to I'm back up to 500,000 United miles. Between cancelations and continuing to work on CC signups I've got a crap ton of miles, points, vouchers and credits to use. Should hit over 250,000 UR points again in a month or two, back over 100,000 Amex miles, $1200 in travel credits from Barclays etc. My vacation days have also piled up so when things open up more we'll be spending a good chunk of time Not Here
I've been to Cancun too many times. This is like our 6th trip in 10 years. Last time I went, I stayed at the Ritz Carlton.Have you been to Cancun before? It's tons of fun but it's definitely more party centric and definitely super American there.
I had about 150k UR saved up, but I've used nearly all of them via pay yourself back, which is offering the same quality of redemption - other than the fact that perhaps you can buy well priced airfare right now. I've been perfectly happy with redeeming to cover restaurant bills & home improvement bills.this thread is now about eating lentils
i spend like 400-500$ a month on groceries/eating out for just myself
feel free to mock me
edit: also i have amassed 170k points on my CSR but have absolutely nothing to spend them on because no travel
i decided to keep the CSR this year because the gas credit, doordash credit and passport credit pays for the whole annual fee
What cards are you using to get United and CUR points? I couldn't find any with any really good specials with my quick look yesterday. One of the airports near me is a United hub with direct flights to some places in the Caribbean that the other SW hub near by doesn't get us to.
Booked my room in St. Thomas yesterday for May so now definitely need to book that flight sooner than later so hoping I can get that United card approved at least so I can use it to book my flights and get free checked bags.
I've been to Cancun too many times. This is like our 6th trip in 10 years. Last time I went, I stayed at the Ritz Carlton.
http://www.portvapes.co.uk/?id=Latest-exam-1Z0-876-Dumps&exid=threads/money-cant-buy-happiness.2512322/
I thought about booking Ritz again but decided to check out JW Marriott instead since JW recently did renovations to their rooms in 2019. And JW has much better pool area. Ritz has better food, better service, and better private beach cabanas but the style and decor of the hotel is just tired old money looking with gold trims and 90s mahogany woods. And Ritz pools suck compared to JW. Beaches are about the same since the hotels are like right next to each other but man, I'm going to miss Ritz food/service and the beach cabanas.
Cancun is tourist trap and pretty boring place if you're not into drinking and partying which we're not. But it's hard to say no when Delta flies direct nonstop from Atlanta to Cancun all day long, and the flight is only like 2 hours. And rooms at gorgeous beachfront hotel resorts are super dirt cheap since there are so many hotels. Food and service you get in Cancun hotels are generally better than what you get in the Caribbean islands. And long as you avoid all inclusive hotels and resorts, you can avoid most of the obnoxious heavy drinkers and loud party atmosphere. While Cancun beach waters are pretty rough and not as pretty as the calmer clear waters in the Caribbean islands, it's still pretty to look at as long as you avoid the seaweed season. I also have lot of Mexican pesos I've accumulated over the years I need to spend and USD is pretty strong against MXN right now.
Yeah I saw that business card but I'm not dealing with a $550 annual fee so I opted the regular one.Mostly business cards for Chase since those don't count towards your 5/24. Our business has finally been around long enough that we're regularly getting instant approvals despite the paltry annual income from it. United Business was up at 100k last Feb and two of the Ink's are at 75,000 UR* after $7500 spending
*Listed as cash back but you actually get an odd kind of UR points. You can't use them the same was as 'normal' UR points like you get from a Chase Sapphire card but if you have another card that earns 'normal' UR points (like a Sapphire) you can transfer the points from Ink cards to the Sapphire card and then use them as normal UR points.
The United Business card (Which was 100k but now 75k miles) is $0 for the first year and $99 after that if you keep it. The Chase Ink Unlimited and Business Cash are both $0 annual fee cards.Yeah I saw that business card but I'm not dealing with a $550 annual fee so I opted the regular one.
Gotcha.The United Business card (Which was 100k but now 75k miles) is $0 for the first year and $99 after that if you keep it. The Chase Ink Unlimited and Business Cash are both $0 annual fee cards.
I've read very good reviews of Le Blanc and Live Aqua. Le Blanc constantly ranks as 1 or 2 best resorts in Cancun. But I never had the opportunity to go and stay because I always took my daughter every trip. Le Blanc, Live Aqua, and couple other top all inclusive resorts are adults only resorts. So no kids allowed.I've only been to Cancun a few times and haven't stayed at the Ritz or JW but some of the nicer all inclusive places like Le Blanc and Live Aqua were able to avoid loud party scene - at least while we were there. We were actually supposed to go back to Live Aqua in last November but something got in the way. Can't quite remember what it was. Hmm....some minor health thing maybe? Anyway - I hate crowds and noisy party goers so I wouldn't have tried to go back if it was a party scene
That looks nice. Almost looks like a painting. I'm so ready to start traveling as well. That's the whole reason why I have the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.All I know is this is the view from one of the balconies in the place I rented for May and I cannot wait to see this for the first time in over a year.
Yeah I have 5 trips planned this year starting in May lol. 1 of them will be driving though, down to North Carolina for a week. The other 4 are all air travel. 2 of them already booked.That looks nice. Almost looks like a painting. I'm so ready to start traveling as well. That's the whole reason why I have the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.
I'd much rather explore life under the sea than walking around a city in Europe. I'll be happy if we never go back to Europe again but my wife really wants to go to a few places.Meh, I'd rather go to Europe and explore their sights and towns than sit by sand + water. I've done it, gets old within a few hours.
I definitely agree though, I really am fucking itching to start milking some more cards for cash. I'm under 5/24 for both me and the wife - and that used to be rare.
I'd much rather explore life under the sea than walking around a city in Europe. I'll be happy if we never go back to Europe again but my wife really wants to go to a few places.
I don't trust anyone who doesn't like the beach. Only miserable people don't like the sun and the ocean.
No one said anything about snorkeling.Snorkeling to visit some crabs and such is really worthy of straight 16+ hour days of sitting by the beach and having a cocktail?
Eh, beauty is in the eye of the beholder I guess.
I don't trust anyone who doesn't like the beach. Only miserable people don't like the sun and the ocean.
I get it. Some people don't like traveling. You're one of those people. It's ok to admit you like money over traveling. You admit you open new credit cards just for the reward points. Which is fine. Lot of people do that. But they do it so they can use those points to travel. However, you do it so you can trade the points for cash instead of using it to travel. That's the big key difference. That tells me everything I need to know about you. It's not about liking the city over the beach. No, you like money over traveling. Like I said, that's fine because some people don't like to travel. But don't try to pretend your travel fan.Snorkeling to visit some crabs and such is really worthy of straight 16+ hour days of sitting by the beach and having a cocktail?
Eh, beauty is in the eye of the beholder I guess.
Or you're white and get sunburn in 30 minutes with or without sunscreen heh.
Now or in 20 minutes or in 2 hours the same thing is there - water, sand, and waves. Eventually there isn't a question - you will get bored of it - want to go out and experience night life, etc...
I get it. Some people don't like traveling. You're one of those people. It's ok to admit you like money over traveling. You admit you open new credit cards just for the reward points. Which is fine. Lot of people do that. But they do it so they can use those points to travel. However, you do it so you can trade the points for cash instead of using it to travel. That's the big key difference. That tells me everything I need to know about you. It's not about liking the city over the beach. No, you like money over traveling. Like I said, that's fine because some people don't like to travel. But don't try to pretend your travel fan.