Why does my "budget" chili always cost more than I expect

I tried making chili from scratch last week thinking it would be cheap, but after buying ground beef, beans, tomatoes, and spices I was out $18 for one pot. Next time I am just buying the $3 canned stuff and calling it a day. Has anyone else had their cheap meal plans backfire like this?

2 comments

2 Comments

barnes.shane16d ago

Honestly, "$18 for one pot" hit me like a brick. I thought I was bad at budgeting but that is genuinely shocking for chili. Ngl, I usually spend like $10-12 max on a big batch and that already feels like a lot. Did you get some fancy organic beef or something? Because regular ground beef and canned tomatoes should not push it that high. Tbh, your grocery store might just be price gouging you on the spices.

terry116d ago

Had a buddy who swore he was saving money by buying all organic ingredients for his chili... ended up spending $22 on one batch and couldn't even taste the difference. His wife made him switch back to regular ground beef and store brand tomatoes, now he's back under $12 a pot. Sometimes fancy labels just trick you into spending more.