15 Cheap Groceries To Buy When You’re Broke

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1. Rice

Rice is the ultimate broke-life superhero.

It fills you up, costs pennies, and somehow goes with literally anything.

You can eat it plain, with beans, with eggs, with chicken, or even just with ketchup when things get really rough.

It doesn’t judge you; it just sits in the pot waiting to keep you alive.

And the best part? You buy one big bag and it lasts forever.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Buy a 20-pound bag of rice at Costco or Walmart, store it in a sealed container, and use it as the base for meals with whatever’s left in your fridge.

2. Beans

Beans are the sidekick to rice, the Batman and Robin of broke groceries.

They’re cheap, packed with protein, and come in a million varieties.

Canned beans save you time, and dry beans save you more money.

Plus, they’re like magic. One bag of dry beans turns into a mountain of food after cooking.

Ever notice how beans make you feel full for hours? That’s your wallet saying thank you.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Grab dry beans in bulk, soak them overnight, and cook them in a slow cooker or Instant Pot for meals all week.

3. Pasta

Pasta is that friend who always shows up when you need them.

It’s quick, filling, and costs less than a dollar a box.

Throw on some butter, garlic, or a little tomato sauce, and boom. You’ve got dinner.

And if you’re really broke, spaghetti with just olive oil and salt tastes fancier than it should.

It’s cheap, fast, and Instagram-worthy if you angle the plate right.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Buy a few boxes of pasta when they go on sale and pair them with canned sauce or olive oil for easy meals.

4. Eggs

Eggs are the Swiss Army knife of groceries.

Scrambled, fried, boiled, or thrown into a sandwich. They just work.

You get protein, healthy fats, and enough energy to push through your day.

And when you’re broke, eggs can literally be breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Who doesn’t love breakfast-for-dinner nights?

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Buy a dozen eggs weekly and cook them in different ways. Scrambled for breakfast, hard-boiled for snacks, and fried with rice for dinner.

5. Potatoes

Potatoes are humble but mighty.

You can mash them, roast them, fry them, or just bake one and call it a meal.

They fill you up without emptying your wallet.

And if you top a baked potato with butter and cheese, it suddenly feels like comfort food heaven.

Seriously, is there anything potatoes can’t do?

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Buy a 10-pound bag of russet potatoes, store them in a cool, dark place, and rotate recipes like mashed, baked, and pan-fried.

6. Oats

Oats might look boring, but they’re a broke person’s breakfast of champions.

They’re cheap, filling, and surprisingly versatile.

Cook them with water for the cheapest version, or add peanut butter and banana for a power meal.

And oatmeal isn’t just for breakfast. You can make overnight oats, snacks, and even oat pancakes.

They’re basically a quiet money-saving ninja.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Buy a giant tub of oats at Sam’s Club, and prep overnight oats with fruit for grab-and-go meals.

7. Frozen Vegetables

Frozen veggies are the cheat code for eating healthy on a budget.

They’re cheaper than fresh, last forever in your freezer, and still pack nutrients.

You toss them in stir-fries, pastas, or soups, and suddenly you look like you meal-prepped on purpose.

The best part? No chopping, no rotting in the fridge, no guilt.

Frozen corn, peas, or broccoli can stretch any boring meal into something balanced.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Buy family-size frozen veggie bags, steam them in the microwave, and toss them into pasta, rice, or soup.

8. Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is broke-life fuel.

It’s protein, fat, and comfort all in one jar.

Spread it on bread, mix it into oats, or just eat it with a spoon when you’re too tired to cook.

One jar can last weeks and still keep you full.

Also, peanut butter + banana = cheap perfection.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Grab the store-brand peanut butter, pair it with bread, crackers, or fruit, and keep it as a quick snack option.

9. Canned Tuna

Tuna is like protein in a tin can waiting to rescue you.

It’s cheap, shelf-stable, and loaded with nutrients.

You can make tuna sandwiches, tuna pasta, or even tuna rice bowls when things get desperate.

And hey, it’s not glamorous, but it works.

Plus, it’s way cheaper than chicken or beef.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Stock up on multi-packs of canned tuna at warehouse stores and mix with mayo or mustard for cheap sandwiches.

10. Bread

Bread is the classic broke staple.

It’s cheap, versatile, and always there for you.

Toast it, sandwich it, or make French toast when you want to feel fancy.

One loaf can stretch into breakfast, lunch, and snacks.

It might not be glamorous, but it gets the job done.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Buy a couple of loaves of bread on sale, freeze extras, and pull them out when needed.

11. Milk

Milk does more than sit in your cereal bowl.

It’s protein, calcium, and cooking magic in one jug.

Use it in coffee, oats, pancakes, or smoothies. It stretches across meals.

And let’s be real, chocolate milk on a broke day feels like luxury.

Milk turns cheap groceries into filling meals.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Buy a gallon of milk weekly, use it for cereal, oatmeal, or baking recipes to make meals stretch.

12. Bananas

Bananas are nature’s snack pack.

They’re cheap, portable, and always ready to eat.

Perfect for smoothies, oatmeal, peanut butter combos, or just as-is.

And they give you energy for pennies compared to energy drinks.

If you let them go brown, banana bread saves the day.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Buy bananas in bunches, eat them fresh for snacks, and freeze extras for smoothies or banana bread.

13. Lentils

Lentils are the underdog of cheap groceries.

They’re dirt cheap, cook fast, and deliver protein like a champ.

You can throw them in soups, curries, or just season them up and eat with rice.

They’re filling, healthy, and stretch your meals way further.

And IMO, they taste way better than beans sometimes.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Buy dry lentils in bulk, cook a big batch, and use them throughout the week for soups or rice bowls.

14. Onions

Onions are the secret weapon in every kitchen.

They’re cheap, last forever, and make everything taste better.

Without onions, half your recipes would taste like cardboard.

They’re the flavor upgrade you pay almost nothing for.

And yes, they make you cry, but they also make your wallet smile.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Buy onions in bulk bags, dice and freeze extras, and use them to season rice, soups, or stir-fries.

15. Carrots

Carrots are cheap, crunchy, and versatile.

Eat them raw, roast them, or toss them into soups.

They last a long time in the fridge and give your meals a fresh vibe.

And hey, cheap groceries that double as snacks? Win.

Carrots keep you healthy without hurting your wallet.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Buy a big bag of carrots, peel and chop them for snacks, or cook them into soups and stir-fries.

📌 SAVE IT FOR LATER, BABY! 📌


And that’s it!

Never forget it, baby… 

✌️ Your Rich Life Is Waiting For You! 

😉 Dale!

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Claudio Garcia

Hi! I’m the founder of Money Vice and a passionate personal finance enthusiast. I started this site to help people across America save more with the least difficulty, get rid of debt, and to start putting their money to work (in the easiest way possible).