Comments on: Eating Well On $1 A Day: Day 31 – Final Day

By: amanda more

amanda more — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 01:56:49 +0000

If people still ask how to do it and you tire a bit explaining refer to the book I wrote "Eating on $1 A Day" (well cowrote with Tom) but I also say easiest way? eat rice

By: Mo

Mo — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 22:12:50 +0000

Kudos and congrats! I know that I, too, have come late to the game, but I just read days 1-31 this afternoon and I am truly inspired by you! To coupon, to cook more, and to make use of all the food lying around in my pantry that I pass up almost every single day.

Also, your sister is crazy! PB and bananas is heavenly. Especially with a little honey and on the whole wheat toast.

You also won this, hands down!!!!

And I also wish you had treated yourself to that ice cream, but I applaud your stick-to-it-ness with bringing it completely under budget…I have a feeling that had a lot to do with making sure sister couldn’t say anything about you coming out over.

Well played, sir! I can’t wait to read the rest! (C:

By: Dash

Dash — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 13:48:19 +0000

I just sat here and read through your entire account of this. I think you did an awesome job and you probably ate a healthier diet than I did this month.

Your sister has issues. She can’t just change the rules after the challenge is set. Saying you are the only one who would eat this way is absolutely false. Maybe SHE wouldn’t find this simple food edible or appetizing, but she doesn’t speak for everyone. I’ve eaten just like that because I don’t know how to cook so I fashion a crude meal out of basically whatever “snacks” are around.

You got by with fairly healthy fare and you were certainly wise with the way you handled your coupons. I would have held on to more of the cream cheese and cereal than you did just in case, but still, you did it.

You did great. But clearly on some days you weren’t getting enough calories, especially carbs. It’s heartbreaking that people have to live with less than even what you had sometimes.

Well done!

By: Will Berg

Will Berg — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 15:46:51 +0000

Your blog has inspired me to quit my job and live off of $1 per day (I have enough saved up for several years worth of food). Thank You.

By: Melanie Wood

Melanie Wood — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 11:02:59 +0000

So, I came in super late here…. It’s just after New Years, 2011, and someone gave me The Coupon Mom’s book for Christmas. I am only just beginning to see the benefits of coupon use on this, my first day. It is almost 3:00 am and I have been up far to late reading your posts from beginning to end and I am inspired. Even if you and your sister differ about what is tasty and what is peanut butter and bananas, you win, in my humble opinion, because you managed to not only feed yourself for $1 day, you also managed to donate food and expensive personal care products to your local food bank. You ate AND helped take care of other people for that one dollar a day, which is totally amazing. Times are tight, jobs are lost forever and we are left to find our way in a new world where the old rules don’t apply anymore. Giving to charity in addition to taking care of yourself and your family seemed like a rich man’s game or a luxury item we had to forgo. You have proved that to be false. You have proved that you can feed yourself and your soul as you contribute to a better community, all for a less than a good number of us used to spend on our morning lattes and mochas at trendy coffee shops back when we used to commute to a job we don’t have anymore. You win, peanut butter and bananas notwithstanding. And you have made everyone who reads this think twice about how we spend a dollar a day. Thank you!!!

By: Tara

Tara — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 03:25:21 +0000

I just read the entire first thirty days of this challenge in one sitting, and the LEAST I can say is “absolutely amazing!”

As for your sister, it sounds like she’s just being a sore loser and picking fights on the tiny issues D: To eat on $1 a day AND still give regular donations to a food bank is an accomplishment. Most people can’t even do that with a “normal” grocery budget.

I will admit a few of the recipes you created made my stomach turn (mainly the rice and salsa creations, peanut butter and banana, black beans, and anything with fresh tomatoes. YUCK.) That’s a preference of taste and it’s not unusual. I noticed you don’t have much of a sweet tooth. That wouldn’t have changed the challenge much either. It would be interesting to see this challenge with a set guide of recipes or cooking according to someone else’s taste.

All in all, hats off to you, sir.

By: Nora

Nora — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 22:22:56 +0000

Congrats. Even if your sister doesn’t agree, I clearly think you won. I had a roomate just after college that ate food like that all the time even though she wasn’t trying to do it on a budget.

As for the ice cream, I agree that the overcharge for the potato would have offset it, and you still would have been under budget. Another thought is that you could have gotten it at CVS, because I know they carry it at my store. I also agree that with all of the food you donated you have way more than $.07 worth of good Karma! Congrats again!

By: Amanda

Amanda — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 03:22:59 +0000

While I admire your willpower in taking the ice cream back – it was technically purchased when the challenge was over – on Day 31.

I agree with everyone else that says they would eat peanut butter and bananas – but I can’t eat it during the day, kiddo’s allergic to nuts…no eating food in front of him that he can’t have.

By: Shawn

Shawn — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:00:40 +0000

Maybe it’s just because I’m a late-20′s yuppie, but despite the fact that I know how to cook for a family of 4 I still was intrigued by some of the “recipes” you came up with. The peanut butter and banana “burritos” in particular sound tasty, as does the rice cooked with V8 juice, and they’re simple enough that they pretty much eliminate any excuse to pay for fast food instead of taking a couple minutes to make something like these.

It occurs to me that you bought the right ingredients to make Huevos Rancheros several times, and a couple of times you almost made it too. You might want to throw that into your list of “appetizing recipes” in the future.

By: Paula

Paula — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 02:49:06 +0000

I’m so glad you treated yourself to a steak – you sure deserve it! I do wish you had kept the ice cream.. you deserved that too! You donated soooo much! I agree with the others that you earned good karma with that for sure.

I read all your posts just tonight and I have to say you’re a pretty amazing guy!

Thank you.

~paula