c/cheap-eats-hunters

The taco truck by the auto shop sells lunch plates for half price after 2 PM

Stopped by Los Primos on 12th Street last Tuesday for a burrito and the guy behind the counter told me they box up the leftover meat into $5 lunch plates right at 2:30, same portions as the $10 dinner order. I grabbed two and fed the whole family, has anyone else got a spot that does late shift pricing?

Tuesday was a goldmine at the farmers market in Fresno

I usually skip the market because the early bird stuff is gone by the time I roll out of bed, but I got there at 7am this week. Scored a whole flat of strawberries for $6 and a giant bag of mixed peppers for $3 from the same vendor. Made three meals out of it and still had leftovers for lunch today. Anyone else got a specific stall or day that just works better for deals?

The $3 taco stand that vanished on me last Thursday

I was driving home from a job in Tacoma and spotted this little red cart by the gas station on Pacific Ave. Two al pastor tacos for $3, handmade tortillas, the works. I ate there twice that week, told my buddy about it, went back on Thursday and the spot was just empty. No cart, no sign, nothing. Asked the gas station clerk, he said they just stopped showing up. That stung more than a price hike. Has anyone else had a favorite cheap spot just disappear without warning? How do you track down where these mobile joints end up?

That $15 all-you-can-eat sushi deal in Austin was a trap

My buddy swore this place on Riverside had great sushi for $15, but after two rolls I got the worst fish I've had in years. Ended up spending $8 at a gas station taqueria down the street to actually feel full. Anyone else find a 'deal' that's really just a tourist bait?

The taco guy at 2am who talked me out of the $9 burrito and into the $3 quesadilla

He told me 'the meat's been sitting since 9, but the cheese is fresh, trust me' and honestly that man saved me from a sad breakfast and I still think about his honesty every time I pass that food truck on Foster Ave, has anyone else gotten a weird but solid recommendation from a late night vendor?

Used to skip lunch shifts at the hospital, now I pack a $4 meal kit from a taco truck near the bus stop

For two years I'd just grab a sad vending machine sandwich during my break, spending like $8 and still starving an hour later. Then one night a coworker told me about La Chingada's truck parked at 3rd and Main after 11pm, where they do a burrito bowl with rice, beans, and your choice of meat for $4. Now I stop by on my way to the night shift every Friday and it actually keeps me full until 6am. Anyone else found a specific food truck that beats every grocery store deal in their area?

That one Tuesday where every lunch spot came through for under $8

Last Tuesday I hit a taco truck near the bus depot in Portland and got two massive carnitas tacos for $5.50, then the grocery store next door had day-old bakery bags at half price, so I snagged a loaf and some muffins for $2. The whole day felt like a fluke, but it made me wonder if certain weekdays are just better for bargains in your town too?

Had to choose between two taco trucks and picked wrong

Last Friday I was starving and had to pick between two taco trucks parked right next to each other downtown. One had a huge line and the other was empty, so I thought I'd be smart and skip the wait. Paid $12 for three tacos that were cold and the meat was dry. I watched the busy truck's customers walk away smiling with loaded plates. Should I just always go where the line is?

Used to think spending $8 on a fast food combo was a good deal compared to cooking at home, but after I started meal prepping on Sundays with $20 worth of groceries from Aldi in Chicago my weekly lunch costs dropped to like $2.50 per meal and I dont even miss the drive thru

My old way was grabbing whatever was cheapest on the way to work but now I batch cook rice beans and roast veggies for the full week and pack it in those glass containers from Target so which side are you on for saving real money, convenience or planning ahead and has anyone else noticed their stomach feels better too?

PSA: Hit $200 in grocery savings just by checking clearance bins at my local H-E-B in Austin

I started scanning the meat and bakery clearance sections around 8 a.m. every Wednesday. This morning I found pork chops marked down from $12 to $4 and a loaf of sourdough for $0.79. Over the past 8 weeks my total savings added up to exactly $200. Has anyone else found a hidden goldmine like the dairy clearance or is it just my store that does this?

My buddy swore the cheap grocery sushi was fine after 2 days in the fridge... I spent the whole night regretting that $5 deal.

He kept saying 'it's basically just rice and fish, what could go wrong' but after 6 hours of stomach cramps I learned that $5 wasn't worth the gamble on day-old California rolls from a bodega downtown, has anyone else been burned by trusting that kind of clearance sushi advice?

Fell for the hype at a fancy burger joint downtown and lost $25 on a dry patty with truffle mayo

Everyone kept raving about this place near Market Street, but my burger was overcooked and the fries were cold by the time they hit the table. Anybody else find that trendy spots with big crowds are more miss than hit for cheap eats?

Switched from meal kit deliveries to the produce auction near me and saved $60 a week

I used to order those meal kits for convenience, but after my third week I realized I was paying $80 for ingredients I could get for $20 at the Lancaster County produce auction. It’s a little out of the way off Route 30, but you show up at 7am on a Tuesday and walk out with a whole crate of peppers for $8. Anyone else have a weird spot like that where you just show up and pay cash?

Update: I used to think Walmart grocery pickup was a ripoff

I always figured you were paying extra for the convenience and that the produce would be trash. But last Tuesday I was really short on time and broke down and tried it. The total came out exactly the same as going in-store, and the bagger actually picked out better apples than I do myself. Has anyone else found their produce selection is actually decent or did I just get lucky?

Costco rotisserie chicken is better than any $15 grocery store bird I've tried

I compared a $5 Costco chicken to a $14 one from Safeway last week and it's not even close. Costco's is bigger, juicier, and I can get 3 meals out of it easily. The Safeway one was dry and barely lasted 2 servings. Anyone else find this or am I just lucky with my local Costco?

Hot take: spending 15 bucks on a grocery store rotisserie chicken is smarter than a fast food combo

I was talking to my buddy Mike last week after we grabbed lunch from a food truck near downtown Austin. He laid out that a $7.99 rotisserie chicken from HEB gives you 3 meals easy, while a $12 drive-thru combo barely covers one meal. It hit different because he showed me the math on his phone. I'm torn though - do you guys value the convenience of fast food over the value of cooking a meal from a grocery chicken?

Best cheap lunch day I've had in months... then the worst meal of my life the next day

That $5 rotisserie chicken trick I ignored for years finally clicked

I kept seeing people say you can get 3 meals out of one $5 rotisserie chicken from Costco. Always thought it was BS until I tried it last Tuesday. First night ate the legs and thighs with rice. Second night shredded the breast for tacos. Third night boiled the carcass for broth and made soup with some leftover veggies. Has anyone else actually stretched one this far or am I just lucky?

Had a cashier at H-Mart show me how to save $12 on kimchi

The lady at the H-Mart in Doraville pointed out I was buying the fancy jarred stuff when the fresh bulk kimchi in the deli section was like half the price and way better. She even let me taste a sample before I bought it - has anyone else found hidden deals behind the prepared foods counter?

Used to think Aldi was just for people who hated spending money until I ran out of cash halfway through the week

I was at the Aldi in downtown Raleigh last Tuesday with only $20 left until payday and grabbed a rotisserie chicken, a bag of apples, and some pasta for under $10 total - fed me for three days. Has anyone else had that moment where you suddenly get why people swear by a place you'd been ignoring?

Ordered the 'mystery burrito' from a taco truck in Austin for $3 and ended up with something that looked like a science experiment lol

I figured it couldn't be worse than a gas station taquito but the guy behind the counter warned me 'you sure?' and after one bite I realized it was stuffed with pickled pig skin and hot sauce that tasted like regret, has anyone else fallen for a mystery menu item that backfired?

The $4.50 burrito I used to get is now $7 even though nothing changed

I've been getting a breakfast burrito from a little taqueria on 14th Street for about two years now, and the price was sitting at $4.50 the whole time until last month. Now it's $7 even though they didn't change the size or ingredients at all. Has anyone else seen a random jump like that from their regular spots and found out why?

Broke my rule about diner breakfasts last Sunday

Always avoided diner breakfasts cause they seemed like a rip for $12 eggs. But I grabbed a $6.50 early bird special at Mel's in Pittsburgh and it was a full plate, real home fries, not the frozen kind. Anyone else find a hidden cheap menu time slot?

Chatted with an old timer at the farmers market about leftover bones

I was buying a whole chicken for $6 at the market last Saturday and this older guy told me he saves every bone for broth, even the tiny ones from wings. He said he gets about 3 quarts of stock from one chicken carcass, and I never thought to do that before. How do you guys stretch a cheap cut of meat or leftovers into another meal?

Debate: pack your own lunch for work vs. hit the taco truck every day?

I used to brown bag it every shift and saved maybe $40 a week, but now I hit Pedro's taco truck outside the warehouse and spend $7 on two al pastor tacos that actually fill me up for the whole afternoon, so is the convenience worth the extra money or am I just being lazy with my budget?