Kollel Budgeting

[TimT]

shabbos on a budget:

2.50 half bottle grape juice
5.00 fish roll
5.00 cold cuts
5.00 challah home made or buy a pack of challah rolls
4.00 2pcs chicken
1.00 chicken bones for soup
5.00 half pack of meat for chulent
2.50 misc cake cookies (a muffin costs 1.19)
10.00 for other ing including
rice
couscous
zuchinni
potato
beans
onion
tomato
cucumber
chulent beans
barley
pepper
garlic
celley
scallion

that's $40. and very doable and enjoyable.

No dessert ?

[CS1]

shabbos on a budget:
2.50 half bottle grape juice
5.00 fish roll
5.00 cold cuts
5.00 challah home made or buy a pack of challah rolls
4.00 2pcs chicken
1.00 chicken bones for soup
5.00 half pack of meat for chulent
2.50 misc cake cookies (a muffin costs 1.19)
...

that's $40. and very doable and enjoyable.

dessert for one Shabbos meal or two meals ? For two people....

[MC]

dessert for one Shabbos meal or two meals ? For two people....

Duncan Heinz mix - 99 cents and plenty for two meals

[aygart]

No dessert ?

dessert for one Shabbos meal or two meals ? For two people....

Duncan Heinz mix - 99 cents and plenty for two meals

He included for cake cookies, but not CG chips:P

[12HRS]

http://wallstcheatsheet.com/personal-finance/3-signs-that-you-spend-too-much-money-on-food.html/?a=viewall

And thats without the higher costs of kosher food

[Ergel]

He included for cake cookies, but not CG chips:P

That joke was funny the first time

[aygart]

That joke was funny the first time

that's why one got a wink and the other a tongue

[YankyDoodle]

Is it just me or is this whole budgeting food thing down to the dollar distasteful and stingy? I'm all for budgeting, but food and to this extent just seems wrong to me.

[etech0]

Is it just me or is this whole budgeting food thing down to the dollar distasteful and stingy? I'm all for budgeting, but food and to this extent just seems wrong to me.

People who naturally budget and try to save $ don't really need to do this. But people who tend to buy without thinking and then wonder where all their $ went might find something like this useful.

I don't think it's a long term solution... just a way to take stock and see where you could save by cutting a few corners in your regular spending habits.

Just my 2 cents. Take with however many grains of salt you can afford.

[incendia]

http://wallstcheatsheet.com/personal-finance/3-signs-that-you-spend-too-much-money-on-food.html/?a=viewall

And thats without the higher costs of kosher food

the OP is on target for the low cost plan which is where they want to be

[CS1]

Is it just me or is this whole budgeting food thing down to the dollar distasteful and stingy? I'm all for budgeting, but food and to this extent just seems wrong to me.

I think that the OP thought that it would be relatively reasonable to have a $120/wk budget for food during Shana Rishona, however, if it's 3 meals per day and it's 2 adult,
then people were trying to figure out how to fit all the weekly expenses, including Shabbos into that total. (Avg. of $17/day, for 2 people. It's possible, but it looks tight to me.)

[Ergel]

Is it just me or is this whole budgeting food thing down to the dollar distasteful and stingy? I'm all for budgeting, but food and to this extent just seems wrong to me.

I really don't get why what someone else does bothers you. Say it's not for me. But why the need to say it's distasteful

[smurf]

How do the first comments jive with the last?

I don't want to get involved in the whole maaser is a minhag, maaser is a chiyuv, maaser ksafim is derobanan, deoraisa, etc.

Hashem provides for all of our needs, one of which is a parnassah. He gives us money: some for us, some for others. The way we handle the money which is entrusted to us for the benefit of others is a barometer by which Hashem decides (or not) to entrust further monies to our care.

Should a person, chas v'shalom, mismanage that money the Wealthy Benefactor may find another money manager.

In my very humble opinion, saying "well, I make $x.00 a week/month, and my expenses, are $x.00 a week, too, so I am absolved from maaser," even if there is a yesh lismoch, is foolish.

How many of us truly have no room in our budget for maaser? How many could cut a starbucks coffee from the daily ritual, or not have two side-dishes with dinner, or maybe just drink water for a week instead of soda? Sure there may be some, but I imagine they're in the very small minority, thank Gd, and it is those the rest of are tasked to assist with maaser, not run away from.

I once heard from a rabbi.that even if someone cannot afford to give maaser to the extent that he would even be an eligible recipient of maaser. Nonetheless he should be mafrish the maaser and if need be, use it himself for the more noble expenses he has. Being that the hafrashah itself is a mitzvah/minhag/segulah

[churnbabychurn]

Is it just me or is this whole budgeting food thing down to the dollar distasteful and stingy? I'm all for budgeting, but food and to this extent just seems wrong to me.

Its called poverty and indeed its horrible.

[PlatinumGuy]

Its called poverty and indeed its horrible.

Yet there's nothing more beautiful than going thru horror for the right cause.

[moko]

Its called poverty and indeed its horrible.

you are aware there are millionaires who could hardly be called thrifty who do monthly budgets down to the last dollar. Now, I'm not a millionaire but I do what is referred to as a "$0" budget (no money left on the budget chart) which has  a hefty sum going to savings and tzedaka

[smee123]

Is it just me or is this whole budgeting food thing down to the dollar distasteful and stingy? I'm all for budgeting, but food and to this extent just seems wrong to me.

distasteful?
you should never know.
And i spend allot more than 40 for shabbos. but if you must it can be done

[YankyDoodle]

Its called poverty and indeed its horrible.

distasteful?
you should never know.
And i spend allot more than 40 for shabbos. but if you must it can be done

I knew as I was writing that I would get lit up for this, obviously I am not referring to someone who is truly impoverished. But believe it or not, the OP nor almost everyone else here is in dire poverty. I know this by looking at the budget that OP proposed. In it he includes, dry cleaning and rent (implying that they have their own place and are not living with parents/family). Furthermore, the OP is choosing to go to kollel, while this is a wonderful thing to do, he has the option of getting a paying job if her were truly impoverished.

Everyone has different priorities and I understand that, but to me to budget food to such an extent is distasteful. I'm all for having some idea of how much you spend - even on food - but to nitpick whether it's $35 or $40 for a shabbos meal and whether you can get 1 danish or 2 desserts just seems silly when there are things that can make a much greater impact (budget-wise) with less detriment to one's sanity while shopping.

[Baruch]

I knew as I was writing that I would get lit up for this, obviously I am not referring to someone who is truly impoverished. But believe it or not, the OP nor almost everyone else here is in dire poverty. I know this by looking at the budget that OP proposed. In it he includes, dry cleaning and rent (implying that they have their own place and are not living with parents/family). Furthermore, the OP is choosing to go to kollel, while this is a wonderful thing to do, he has the option of getting a paying job if her were truly impoverished.

Everyone has different priorities and I understand that, but to me to budget food to such an extent is distasteful. I'm all for having some idea of how much you spend - even on food - but to nitpick whether it's $35 or $40 for a shabbos meal and whether you can get 1 danish or 2 desserts just seems silly when there are things that can make a much greater impact (budget-wise) with less detriment to one's sanity while shopping.

If it makes you feel better, you should know that I agree with you 100%

[Redbull3]

If it makes you feel better, you should know that I agree with you 100%

+200%