In many of Life of Boris' videos, he suggests living near a generous babushka to help stretch our budget. However, if you don't have access to a babushka garden like I do, you can still find ways to make the most of a small budget.In the past, I've had to live on a very tight budget of around $45 per month. Life of Boris provided some helpful tips and ideas for how to make the most of a small budget. However, his cooking often focuses on a Slavic-based diet with ingredients like potatoes, onions, bread, and butter. While he does sometimes incorporate other ingredients into his meals, potatoes are a staple in many of his dishes. One thing I appreciate about Life of Boris is that he emphasizes both nutrition and flavor in his cooking, even when working with limited resources.

Our diet may be completely different but we all can agree that we need carbohydrate, protein, and fiber. Although ramen is a cheap and convenient option, it is not a good way to sustain your life long-term even if you’re on financial pizdec. So, if you don’t know what to do, then maybe some of this stuff will help you!

Numero Uno, identify the carbohydrates that you enjoy eating and know how much of them you typically consume

I recently set myself a challenge to spend only $15 per week on groceries, which is even less than the budget featured in Life of Boris' videos. In Indonesia, it's possible to shop at traditional markets, but I prefer to go to a grocery store because I have a membership and can use discounts and coupons. At first, I was unsure about how to make the most of such a small budget, but I quickly learned that it's possible to eat well on $15 per week if you know how to cook with the ingredients you have. One tip I would recommend is to identify the carbohydrates that you enjoy eating and know how much of them you typically consume.

For example, I like to eat bread, potatoes, and rice. But I only eat little, so I would get a good bread for $1 that would last exactly 7 days, 4 small potatoes for $0.50, oatmeal for $1and 2.5kg of rice that cost me $2.05. This rice will last me for 3 weeks because I rarely eat rice. For carbs, I ended up spending $4.55. Now that we get the carbohydrate covered, we just need protein and fiber to pair with it.

Finding affordable protein and fiber sources and pairing them in creative ways to make meals satisfying and nutritious.

For protein and fiber, my budget was $7. I was surprised to find what I can actually buy with it. I ended up getting 10 eggs which is $1.25. When my mom is not around, I only get 6 eggs which cost half of the price. Egg is a good source of protein when you’re in financial pizdec. Then, I also get tempe for $0.40 that would last me 2 days. Since I drink milk, I also get 500ml of milk for $1.2. A pack of carrots was costing me $1, this last 7 days. Then, I would add vegetables like spinach, watercress, and water spinach in total for $0.70.

For more extra nutrition I added a pack of corned beef and a pack of sardine for $1. Then, I would scan the fruit section to find seasonal fruit and I am often surprised by it too. I usually get apples for $1 and I’d get 4 of them while the rest, I found half cut watermelon/papaya for 0.40. $7 is plenty as long as you don’t eat steak and seafood. Maybe when you get rich again, you can have some steak. So, my second tip would be finding affordable protein and fiber sources and pairing them in creative ways to make meals satisfying and nutritious. When you think there’s nothing, it’s really about pairing them!