Eating on the Cheap

[OntarioVanMan]

I posted this because there are guys/gals living load to load..and we've all run into them....newbees and people well with bad business skills or just running on a real tight budget because of some very bad set of circumstances( insert LUCK here)...They have to chose between eating and fuel with less then 2 dimes to rub together....most of them should not be out here like this BUT they are at leasts trying to work and support themselves without a handout from the government...lets give credit where it is deserved...

While some downplay the Hot Dogs value sometimes that is all between starving and filling the stomach.

 

[chefdennis]

ohhh yea red beans and rice on mondays!!! MMMM good!!!

 

[supertom]

definetly an amen to that ,leave my health care alone ! i pay for it and fine with,so why do i have to pay for everyone out there that dont want to work! bs,we have enough trouble trying to work against the illegals comming in here stealing our work now they want to give em all a free citizenship! bs, a citizenship in this country is something we earn and shouldnt come cheap!, food for thought.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

definetly an amen to that ,leave my health care alone ! i pay for it and fine with,so why do i have to pay for everyone out there that dont want to work! bs,we have enough trouble trying to work against the illegals comming in here stealing our work now they want to give em all a free citizenship! bs, a citizenship in this country is something we earn and shouldnt come cheap!, food for thought.

Hey Chef...Layout...Lookie...another candidate for the Soapbox...we'll fit right in...*lol*


Welcome SuperTom!

Hey Tom..don't worry bout our resident critic Greg...I've been here forever and I have never been right either...in the world according to Greg...*L*

 

[cheri1122]

OVM is correct: one can be temporarily short of cash, rather than longterm.
One thing that I notice, though, is the total absence of nutrition in many of the suggestions - hot dogs? Ramen noodles? Even with limited funds, we can do better than that. Try Healthy Choice soup, tuna sandwiches, [pick up the mayo at the truckstop] Even peanut butter has more to offer than hot dogs: a loaf of brown bread, peanut butter, and "Simply Fruit" jam will feed you lunch all week for the same cost as hot dogs, but with more nutrients & fiber for the money.
I eat inexpensively [restaurants are rare, fast food even more so], but try to make nutrition a priority too. It can be done, if you want to do it.
Oh, and I'm not a health food nut, either. I eat candy bars, popcorn with real butter, etc - I just don't feel guilty about it because most of my diet is pretty healthy.

 

[chefdennis]

Yeap OVM, you are right, at least they are workin to not be on the gov dole.....and while i do believe that no one should go into a business as a "self employed" person without properly setting themselves up to begin with, i am not going to bust on anyone that finds themselves in the situations you brought up here. As Greg pointed out we talked about something close to this a while back when Phil gave a driver cash....you know id like to think that even though some might not have a appreciation of however someones gets to this point, I'd like to think that most would help out anyone they can, even if it doesn't "Fix" the issue, it helps in the short term.....

Thanks for bring it up Ken, and the next time we run into each other, ask if i have any "Pot Roast" in the frig, i am sure it won't be as good as Juju has for you at home, but i know you will "enjoy".....

And Oh Yea, SuperTom will fit right in!!!

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I've given my spare shower credits to a few now...and even though it ain't a meal..the smile when they are done walking across the lot makes ME feel good...they have a smile from ear to ear...nothing like that clean feeling to lift the spirits...

 

[LDB]

Interesting topic and the primary point is valid, there are times when economy is the primary factor to be pursued. Also valid is the suggestion to pursue the healthiest and most nutritious options possible. Hot dogs may not be the best meal one can consume but as stated, they can be filling and satisfying at times.

Playing devil's advocate, how many of those drivers that can't really afford both meals and gasoline still aren't without their smokes? And how many of those eating the healthy foods/fruits/nuts/etc. are smoking?

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Interesting topic and the primary point is valid, there are times when economy is the primary factor to be pursued. Also valid is the suggestion to pursue the healthiest and most nutritious options possible. Hot dogs may not be the best meal one can consume but as stated, they can be filling and satisfying at times.

Playing devil's advocate, how many of those drivers that can't really afford both meals and gasoline still aren't without their smokes? And how many of those eating the healthy foods/fruits/nuts/etc. are smoking?

Very Valid point Leo....no money but a pack of smokes...

 

[cheri1122]

Yep, Leo, you got me: I eat healthy, and I smoke. What contradictory cusses we humans can be!
However, the subject was those who eat cheap because they need to, and that's not why I avoid restaurants & fast food. I would rather make my own, and get exactly what I want. [I'm making spaghetti right now]
But pinching pennies doesn't have to mean a diet of nutritional junk, which is all that was mentioned in the first few posts on stretching the food budget, ok?
Now I'm going to stir the sauce, and take the Reese's Cups out of the fridge, so they'll be ready for dessert.

 

[chefdennis]

Cheri,

Those Heath Bite Size Pieces are good for Dessert also! Reese's, Heath Bites, and Snickers are always in the freezier in the van......

 

[greg334]

Chef, if it was the case that they didn't work for FedEx, then I would say yep lets all help them but there is something really wrong with the picture as Phil painted it.

OVM, well ... um ... never mind ...

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Chef, if it was the case that they didn't work for FedEx, then I would say yep lets all help them but there is something really wrong with the picture as Phil painted it.

OVM, well ... um ... never mind ...

Greg..I know you are right.....

 

[Shadowpanda]

When I was teaming at SNC I used a Coleman 12v cooler that fit perfectly in the driver side upper storage bin (this was a Freightliner Century) a 12v sandwich maker and 12v lunch-box oven. With some planning and a trip to Wal-Mart on the way to the drop lot and then one or two more while on the road its pretty easy to eat nutritiously and cheaply.
This isn't gonna help if you're in a van I guess or already verging on starvation. But if you have $175 to invest in eating cheaper than truck stops, those three items will do the trick in style and pay you back quickly.
Now with this Fed Ex gig coming up I'm gonna be in a KW T600 or T660 and I'm hoping there is space in those things to duplicate my previous set up.

@ chefdennis: How do you keep 7 days of prepared food from spoiling? Have you found a 12v freezer?

 

[chefdennis]

Shadow, I removed the pass seat, i have a 120 volt dormroom frig and freezier and a 1200 watt microwave in a cabinet i built. they are powered by (2) 6 volt golf cart batteries and a 3000 watt inverter......I also have a 19 in flat screen TV mounted on the wall a twinsize bed, 12000 btu's of heat and 12000 btu's of AC....all in a CV....and i still can haul up to 3000 lbs and (2) 52X48 skids if the need arises.......one of these days ill figure out how to post pictures up here and get pictures of my setup on here....

 

[layoutshooter]

Eating cheap is easy, OVM. A one time investment of a 12volt cooler and shop smart at Wally World etc. Stay away from any fast food, even your hot dogs. Making your own sandwiches, soup once in a while. etc. It is not hard.

 

[Shadowpanda]

Shadow, I removed the pass seat, i have a 120 volt dormroom frig and freezier and a 1200 watt microwave in a cabinet i built. they are powered by (2) 6 volt golf cart batteries and a 3000 watt inverter......I also have a 19 in flat screen TV mounted on the wall a twinsize bed, 12000 btu's of heat and 12000 btu's of AC....all in a CV....and i still can haul up to 3000 lbs and (2) 52X48 skids if the need arises.......one of these days ill figure out how to post pictures up here and get pictures of my setup on here....

Ok wow, thats a sweet setup for a van to be having, would love to see the pics one day!

 

[transporter]

ovm i have run into a few in this position. one couldnt move until he got and advance and was eating using j dollars.
funny thing was he had money to buy booze.

it is one thing to have compasion BUT how did these people get in this position. Are they alcohlics. how many have a list of places they wont go. how many have cussed out there dispather. how many didnt put money aside when they did have a load. how many are cheap haulers not making any money but bringing down freight rates. what happens when their truck breaks down. their done any way if they have a break down.
if this happens it hurts all of us. we are premium service providers. shippers will go somewhere else for there needs.
the sooner these people are gone the better. for the professional expediter and those people to.


now for the professionals here 3 thing can save u money a plug in cooler, a crockpot, and a forman grill.

 

[skyraider]

oat meal,,5 bucks all week, lunch peanut butter sandwiches 7 buck all week, supper 15 bucks for microwave oven food, plus 2 red potatoes all week, and 90 second microwave rice, yep Ive done this, counting milk,,maybe 10 bucks a day total equals 70 bucks for 7 days, but I was always hungry. I don't do that anymore, I make enough to eat well,,so who are u all running for that u are that broke,,times are rough, but mercy sakes,,don't starve yourself, it ain't worth it............

 

[layoutshooter]

Not needed either. Don't forget to look for the day old bread rack at store and bread outlets.