How to live on a pension of less than 10 thousand rubles - the real budget of a pensioner

Long awaited retirement

At the beginning of 2015, I, Ilmira Imelyevna Gavrilova, joined the huge 42 million army of pensioners in our country. I won’t lie, I was looking forward to this moment and left work with pleasure. I wanted to live freely: take care of my health, my beloved grandchildren, devote more time to hobbies and reading, and not jump up and run to “work hard” every morning.

Maybe this wouldn’t have happened if I worked in my favorite profession. Due to “optimization”, with 22 years of teaching experience, I became unemployed and had to get a job as a salesperson in a grocery store for a private owner on the basis of a mutual agreement without registration.

Therefore, the size of the pension, despite the total 30 years of experience, turned out to be slightly higher than the minimum, equal to the subsistence level per capita in our region - 8,200 rubles.

What problem did I face in the first months of retirement?

This is what my pension looks like

The first months of my “free” life flew by instantly: I didn’t feel any shortage of funds—my small savings helped. But everything comes to an end: savings have dried up, and a bare old-age pension has become the main means of livelihood. Out of habit of living lavishly, I continued to spend money twice as much as my allowance. In the end, I got into debt with friends, took out loans...

The former optimism diminished and the constant question “how to continue to live on 8,000 rubles” haunted me. For example, in Moscow the minimum pension is 14,500 rubles. What's worse about me? It’s completely incomprehensible to me why there is such injustice. How can I live on half the money?

Results

All pensioners who live in the Moscow region note that in the city there are many interesting and free places for pensioners to visit. If a woman retires at 55 years old, and previously she worked constantly, her salary can be 20-25,000 thousand rubles.

There are groups of active pensioners who practice Nordic walking together, organize theater studios on a voluntary basis, and organize and attend exhibitions. Also, those whose eyesight and health allow them, some engage in handicrafts and knit beautiful things. The still active pensioner loves to travel in Russia and abroad, but this requires certain financial resources.

What to do when your pension is not enough?

The bitter experience of constant lack of money made me understand that I need to change my lifestyle: live within my means, learn to plan my budget, or go look for work again. I had to seriously think about this issue and look for a way out, relying only on my capabilities. The solution to the problem did not come immediately, I tried various options for a whole year, and I want to share with you my advice and my bitter experience of getting out of a state of constant lack of money.

Why is the problem of lack of money relevant for pensioners?

The number of pensioners in our country is growing rapidly, and it is becoming increasingly difficult for the younger generation to feed us unemployed people, so there is no need to wait for an increase in benefits as “manna from heaven.”

Most older people are unable to work due to poor health, and the crisis and rising unemployment prevent them from finding work. I don’t argue that not all pensioners are “offended”: hundreds of thousands of former officials, administrative workers, military personnel, judges, oil and gas workers receive a lot. This is only a few hundred thousand people, but the remaining millions: disabled people affected by radiation disasters, orphans without a breadwinner, old-age pensioners live on funds ranging from 7,000 rubles. up to 14,000 rub.

It turns out that millions of people have the same meager funds as my pension - 8,000 rubles, in most cases even less. But you shouldn’t despair about this, you can live, and you need to learn to live on what you have.

I offer some tips for solving this problem, based on personal experience. I hope that the knowledge I acquired during my first years of retirement will help you not only learn to live within your means, but also change your outlook on life itself.

Rent

Of course, everyone's rent will be different. Not even within the whole of Russia, but also within one city. For example, let’s take a one-room apartment in St. Petersburg with an area of ​​34 m2. The house is comfort class, quite expensive maintenance. Hot water consumption is 1 cubic meter, cold water is 3. The payment for June 2018 included 1,980 rubles - this includes radio and television, plus 200 rubles for electricity. The total is 2,180 rubles .

Maintaining an apartment in ownership (Devyatkino, this is the Leningrad region) of a slightly larger area costs 2 times more - it comes out to 4,000 rubles. We will also include the Internet as part of the rent, the cost of which is 450 rubles per month. Our balance is 7,370 rubles.

How I looked for a pension increase

I’ll tell you about the methods of increasing your pension that I excluded. I do not advise pensioners:

Take on hard physical work.

Feeling the first financial difficulties, I immediately went back to the store as a salesperson, fortunately they respected me there and did not forget me. I worked for three months, paid off debts and closed loans... But hard physical work and being on my feet for 12 hours undermined my health: my joints ached. Doctors explained that senile changes in the body cannot be cured, but can only be slowed down: reduce physical activity and alleviate it with the help of painkillers... There was no talk of continuing to work... Costs for medicines have increased significantly.

Take out loans.

Loans to pensioners are issued without guarantors and unnecessary documentary evidence: easily and quickly, but it is almost impossible to pay on time from a small allowance. I have already told about my such experience before. There is a big risk - getting stuck in a debt hole for a long time - also not a suitable option for replenishing the budget.

How I found the right method and started planning a budget

Having left my job, which gave me the opportunity to get out of the debt hole, but which completely undermined my health, I began to learn to live in a new way, within my means. Changing the entire way of life and attitude towards it in accordance with the sudden onset of physical and material disadvantages was difficult, but it turns out it is possible.

First I calculated all my expenses:

• communal apartment,
• nutrition,
• cloth,
• medicines,
• gifts for relatives,
• feasts on holidays,
• necessary household goods,
• repair

etc. per month. The result was an impressive amount, much higher than my allowance. I crossed out everything that was not urgently needed at the moment. The list contains the essentials for each month:

• communal apartment,
• food,
• medicines,
• household goods.

The total amount of money previously spent on this list did not suit me: if utility expenses remained within a certain amount, then expenses for food and medicine were large and did not change for the better.

Tip : You can reduce your utility bills by applying for a subsidy.

It was necessary to change the range of products, reduce medications, and reduce expenses on household goods. This means changing your lifestyle, your diet, a set of medications and necessary goods. My new life principle of “eat half as much and exercise twice as much outdoors” helped bring them into line with retirement.

Menu for a pensioner with a small pension

Nelly Yakovlevna usually goes to a nearby supermarket for groceries.

We meet Vitebsk pensioner Nelly Atrakhimovich, a former accountant, near a chain supermarket on Moskovsky Prospekt. Before us is a charming woman in a bright burgundy jacket, a colorful scarf, with neat makeup and styled hair. But all I did was go to a nearby store for kefir!

Nelly Yakovlevna’s pension is 330 rubles. She has to rely only on them, since the woman has no other sources of income, such as selling vegetables from her garden.

— We have a dacha, but we go there to relax.

Having received a pension, Nelly Yakovlevna first of all saves money to pay for housing and communal services. In summer it is about 70 rubles, in the heating season - about 90. Another 10 rubles are spent on hygiene products and household chemicals.

“This is a small expense: a pack of washing powder lasts for several months, a tube of toothpaste lasts for a month.

The main part of the pension - 230 rubles - goes to food. If we divide by 30, then our heroine can afford to spend no more than 7.5 rubles on food per day.

— I go to the store almost every day. I usually make a shopping list.

The buyer purchased everything from this list except eggs. I decided to buy eggs at the market - they were cheaper there.

So, today on the list: kefir, eggs, cutlets (meaning semi-finished product), loaf, rice.

- Well, let's go to the dairy first!

Along the way he stops at the meat department. She decides that she doesn’t need store-bought cutlets after all, and takes a package of the semi-finished “Student” beef product.

“Good and inexpensive ribs,” comments the customer. - I’ll make some borscht. Of course, we pensioners cannot afford meat. Sometimes I allow myself sausage, not without it. I buy cheap cheese and keep an eye on promotions. And if the cheese is above tens per kilogram, it’s already expensive for me. Canned fish at 2 rubles per can is also expensive, I’m looking for something cheaper. In general, I try to buy fish. There was recently inexpensive mackerel - 3.90. I baked it.

Nelly Yakovlevna also decided not to buy store-bought eggs. In her opinion, they are very small and expensive.

“It’s better to buy eggs from the market,” the pensioner shares her life hack. “Both the Gorodok and Orsha poultry farms bring their products there. A dozen small eggs - the same as in the store, they sell for 90 kopecks. This is almost half the price of these, 2 rubles each. And large ones on the market cost 1 ruble 70 kopecks: although not much, but also cheaper.

In the dairy department, a customer takes a liter package of kefir with a fat content of 3.2%.

Goes to fruits and vegetables. Deftly chooses a good bunch of bananas - 1 ruble 89 per kilogram.

— Of course, there are any fruits to choose from now, if only there was money. But I take what is at “pensioner” prices. Now grapes are affordable - 2 rubles and kopecks. I buy almost all the time. I would like to buy a pomegranate, but it is expensive for me.

Nelly Yakovlevna spends the longest time at the grocery store. He thinks about what kind of rice to take - steamed or regular. “The unsteamed one makes a tasteless porridge, but the steamed one is more expensive...” the housewife doubts. He decides to take half a kilo of steamed food - for 1 ruble 9 kopecks.

At the bakery, Nelly Yakovlevna takes half a sliced ​​loaf and goes to the cash register. The check today is 9 rubles 15 kopecks. This means that today the limit of 7.5 rubles has been slightly exceeded. You'll have to save on something later.

“The pension is often not enough,” the pensioner admits. - Especially if you make some large purchases. Recently, for example, I spent a lot of money and installed plastic windows in my apartment. I try to save money on clothes. I keep an eye out for discounts in stores. I bought a jacket at a discounter for 33 rubles. Cheap and cheerful! I also found shoes on sale for the same amount.

- Thank God, I’m not sick and I don’t go to pharmacies.

Pensioner Olga Yakovlevna from Grodno, receiving a 350 ruble pension, manages to help her grandchildren and do home repairs. He says there is enough money for everything - and even a little left. The 79-year-old woman immediately shows us the new double-glazed windows. She says she saved for them from her retirement, and borrowed a little more from friends and relatives. But I made a clear payment schedule for myself and paid everything on time.

“Then I slowly renovated the apartment. “I saved it from retirement,” says Olga Yakovlevna and gives a short tour of her rooms. She also opens her wardrobe and talks about how she has enough clothes: she has a winter coat and jackets to choose from. True, I haven’t bought anything new for a long time. He says there is no need: even though everything is no longer very fashionable, a woman prefers to give money to her grandchildren or great-grandchildren than to buy herself some new clothes.

In general, he jokes, “we live well - we don’t dry the crackers.”

— My pension is 350 rubles, I pay about 30 rubles for utilities - there are discounts, I’m a disabled person of the second group. I have a principle: pay for utilities immediately, and then spend the remaining money at your own discretion. I always find an opportunity to buy something tasty for my grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Of course, I’m not lavish, but I’m not saving much.

Olga Yakovlevna prefers to stock up on food for future use. She says that she is used to having a certain supply in the house in case unexpected expenses arise, and in the freezer there is always a piece of meat from which you can cook soup or cook a roast.

To save money, the woman says, you need to eat simple dishes: cottage cheese with sour cream, soups, porridge. For dessert, she makes pancakes with whey or kefir. And he loves cabbage rolls very much - cheap and cheerful.

- I always make two pots - one for myself for a few days, the second I take to my grandchildren - they love them very much... Look what I have in the refrigerator today: milk, whey, my own tomatoes, a piece of cheese, garlic, a few vegetables.

And in the freezer there is the same food supply: frozen meat, lard, fish bought at a discount, grated carrots (convenient to add to soups).

A pensioner tells how to spend money wisely on groceries in stores.

“I’ve gotten into the habit of going around several retail outlets, seeing where there are discounts, and choosing what’s more profitable to buy right now. I recently bought a supply of flour - 1.20 each, premium grade. In another store I came across sunflower oil at a discount - I bought five bottles, now it will last for a long time. And so it is in everything.

Somewhere I’ll buy pasta cheaper, somewhere I’ll get rice and buckwheat cheaper. I call this prudent planning: why pay more when you can choose a product at fairly reasonable prices? If I see fruit at a discount, I buy it too. I recently came across some great bananas for 1.5 rubles - why not buy something delicious for yourself and your grandchildren?

The pensioner’s family has a dacha - and this is a small help in the budget. The woman used to plant potatoes there when she was younger. Now I have abandoned this idea: the years are not the same, and potatoes at the market are not so expensive - you can afford them. But he enjoys growing tomatoes and cucumbers—the harvest lasts almost until November.

Olga Yakovlevna, of course, has to buy medications, but she pays only 10% of the cost of the drugs prescribed by the doctor. Therefore, admittedly, they do not hit the budget too much.

— I have enough TV and radio. In general, my days are occupied by my grandchildren and great-grandchildren, whom I go to visit. From time to time I also look after a 93-year-old friend with whom we go for walks and talk a lot, because she lacks communication. This is how I live.

You can prepare for retirement in Russia in advance by saving a certain amount. If this was not possible and now it is difficult to survive on paid security, you can take into account the following tips:

• Contact the social security authorities for help and find out whether additional payments, subsidies and compensation are available.
• Contact the Red Cross. Here you can receive humanitarian aid (free clothing, some household items, food, medicine).
• Buy cheaper products in stores during promotions.
• Move to a country house or village for the summer, thereby saving on utility bills or, conversely, making money by renting out housing.
• Install meters for gas, water, heating.

How do I spend my 8,000 ruble pension? Specific plan of my budget for the month

I divided my monthly expenses into several groups.

Calculating utility costs

Communal payments. I live in my own house, so the costs of sewerage and general repairs are not included here.

• heating (gas) – 1600 – 1700 rub.
• electricity – 300 – 350 rub.
• water – 100 rub.

Total – (maximum) 2150 rub.

How to live on 3,000 rubles a month: list of products

Going to the store now only with a list!

Nutrition. Probably, many are interested in the menu of a pensioner for 3 thousand rubles. Indeed, for this small amount you can eat normally. I excluded from my diet expensive meat products, sausages, canned food, smoked meats, overseas fruits and other food delights imposed on people by the insatiable trading industry.

Here is my grocery list for the month:

• Bread – 1/2 loaf per day, that is, 15 pieces. – 300 rub.
• Cereals:
• oatmeal (most of all) 5 kg – 150 rub.
• pearl barley 3 kg – 90 rub.
• semolina 1 kg – 45 rub.
• buckwheat (favorite) 3 kg – 210 rub.
• millet (cheap) 2 kg – 50 rub.
• rice 3 kg – 150 rub.
• peas 3 kg – 75 rub.
• Flour 2kg – 70 rub.
• Meat and fish (usually chicken and cheap pollock) – 1000 rubles.
• Dairy products and 2 liters of cheap sunflower oil – 300 rubles.
• Eggs 3 dozen – 180 rub.
• Sugar 2 kg – 100 rub.
• Vegetables and fruits (most necessary):
• potatoes 10 kg – 200 rub.
• apples 1 kg – 65 rub.
• cabbage 3 kg – 60 rub.
• onions 3 kg and garlic 3 pcs. – 100 rub.
• salt and seasonings – 100 rub.

Total – 3245 rub.

How to save on medicines

Here are the most essential medications (the ones designed for me, you can change the list, but choose cheap domestically produced analogues instead of the recommended expensive imported ones, eliminating as much as possible the risk of buying a counterfeit):

• Medicine for hypertension (one tablet every day) 1 package – 250 rubles.
• paracetamol 2-3 packs (for colds, fever, joint pain) – 180 rubles.
• nimesulide 1-2 packs (for joint pain) – 120 rub.

Total – 550 rub.

How much does the minimum set of household goods cost for a month?

Household goods (most necessary):

• Washing powder 1 pack – 50 rub.
• toilet soap 2 pcs – 30 rub.
• toilet paper 5 rolls – 50 rub.
• dishwashing detergent – ​​50 rub.
• toothpaste and razor – 150 rubles.

Total – 330 rub.

We create an emergency reserve

The total amount of expenses is in the range of 6275 - 6300 rubles per month. Of the remaining amount of 1,700 rubles, 700 rubles. I put it in my wallet (for unplanned expenses), and put away 1000 rubles for a “rainy day”. Of course, you can spend them right away, but the ability to withstand the onslaught of “habitual” desires and needs, to be content with the minimum, denying yourself the pleasure of eating delicious food and showing off fashionable clothes, is a new way of life.

I even noticed an improvement in my health on a meager diet of porridge in water with vegetable oil.

Obligatory payments

On average, utilities are 3,500 rubles. Low-income pensioners can apply for a subsidy to pay for utility bills. The amount of compensation is 25-30%. The payment will go to the pensioner’s personal account in the housing and communal services. The benefit period is 1 year. Payments are provided if the cost of utility services exceeds 22% of the pension. You can reduce the amount of payments:

• By refusing additional services. For example, from a landline telephone or intercom.
• Collecting money for poor quality services. If housing and communal services do not repair the entrance on schedule or neglect their duties, you can recover money from them through the court.
• By writing out “extra” people.

After receiving the benefit, it is better to pay housing and communal services month to month. If the subscription fee increases, the subsidy amount will be automatically recalculated taking into account the existing debt. If a citizen pays money in advance, the amount of the benefit will be reduced.

Pensioners are reimbursed for capital repairs after they reach 70 or 80 years of age. The recipient of the benefit is a non-working citizen living on one pension. The amount of financial assistance is determined by regional standards. Citizens over 70 years old are paid compensation at 50%, over 80 years old – 100%. Funds paid will be returned subject to the following conditions:

• the pension recipient is the owner of the home;
• the living space complies with current social standards;
• There are no fines or debts for the apartment.

The amount of the subsidy is determined by regulations in force at the level of the entire state and specific regions. The official federal rate is 22% - this is the percentage of their income that older people must spend on paying for housing and utilities. Some regions are trying to improve living conditions for their elderly residents, so they set this indicator lower than it is at the state level.

When using a reducing factor, an individual receives a subsidy at a lower level of overpayment. The following regions have their own rate:

• St. Petersburg – 14%;
• Moscow – 10%, region – 22%;
• Smolensk region – from 5%;
• Chelyabinsk region – from 11%;
• Tula region – from 10%;
• Murmansk region – 10%;
• Orenburg and region - from 10%.

When calculating the size of the regional rate, the cost of the utility tariff, the state of the housing stock of the applicant for benefits, and the general level of improvement are taken into account. The minimum size of the reducing factor is established if the individual is classified as needy or is disabled. When making calculations, social workers take into account the number of dependents in the family.

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The size of the payout is mainly influenced by the type of terrain. The most favorable rates are set for urban residents, and the minimum for rural residents. Each region has the right to introduce personal conditions for receiving subsidies. For example, so that an individual has a certain amount of work experience. Former teachers can use electricity and heating systems on preferential terms.

Opinions of people and doctors on the problem

True, there are not enough people who agree with my current daily routine. Strict accounting of budget expenses and income and strict adherence to what was planned seems almost indecent to people: like a manifestation of stinginess. But in developed capitalist countries people have been living like this for a long time.

Material on the topic: How to live on the minimum wage?

Medicine has long convinced us that most people get sick due to poor nutrition: excessive consumption of high-calorie protein, fatty, sweet, salty and smoked foods has a bad effect on health. Eating carbohydrates and plant foods, on the contrary, improves health.

Stock game

In general, it is better not to play on the stock exchange - there is a high probability that you will not earn anything, and maybe you will lose. For the inexperienced and smart, there are completely reliable ways to make money in the securities market. Firstly, especially for them, the state launched the sale of federal loan bonds (OFZ for the population): the yield on them is higher than on deposits, there are absolutely no risks and taxes, the instrument is designed for investments for a period of three years - just right for a future pensioner . The first issues of OFZ for the population showed that the Ministry of Finance was not in vain.

Secondly, you can open an individual investment account. This is a more complex phenomenon, but also more profitable than investing in government debt: having purchased 400 thousand rubles worth of securities, you can, regardless of the investment results, receive 52 thousand rubles from the state in the form of a tax deduction in the form of gratitude for the presence of an individual in the stock market.

For those who still want to take risks, win and lose, there is the opportunity to play a classic game on the stock exchange: open a regular brokerage account and buy securities at your own risk - but only the most liquid ones, that is, those companies that everyone knows about . However, while the sanctions war is in full swing, it is better to keep the thrill to a minimum; it is too easy to be left in the cold: believe me, this is a very bitter feeling.

There are also many tempting offers to play on electronic exchanges. Unfortunately, entering the game is quite simple: you need to open an electronic wallet and put a certain amount of money on it (a couple of thousand rubles will be enough for the first time), and then register on one of the sites that provide access to various exchanges and patterns (price charts for those or other promotions, goods and services). Usually, beginners are offered to play on transactions with a short time period: you buy chips for a number of positions and sell them within an hour. On some operations you win, on others you lose, and in total you get a small income or a slight loss. Under no circumstances should you risk a lot of money.

“A game is a game, it has both advantages and risks,” says Ruslan Grinberg. — There are ways not to lose a lot, and sometimes to win. In addition, trading can be perceived both as entertainment and as a way to improve economic education, and can be used to grow your circle of acquaintances through forums. Therefore, I would really invest a quarter of my income in playing on the stock exchange. But no more. And then you need to look. If you’re unlucky, give up this idea, and if your winnings fail, then play with this money, without going into your main budget.”

The opposite opinion is shared by economic analyst and leading expert on the hydrocarbon market Mikhail Krutikhin: “I would not advise playing on the stock exchange either to pensioners or other people who are not professional brokers. Electronic exchanges are a lottery in which those who have inside information about what price will rise or fall win.”

How to live on retirement in Russia: ways to survive, tips

So, my advice to retirees:

1. Make a budget plan and stick to it strictly.
2. Change your diet.
3. Do not spend money on expensive gifts, but rather sew, knit or make a souvenir for your children or grandchildren.
4. Do not follow the lead of the trade industry and do not “buy” into advertising.
5. Take advantage of the opportunities: vegetable garden, garden, picking berries, mushrooms and herbs.
6. Take advantage of subsidies and benefits offered by the state.
7. If your health allows, continue to work at light jobs.

Transport

It is difficult to calculate how much money a family spends on gasoline per month, so the cost of public transport will be taken into account. A simple unlimited travel card costs 2,900 rubles . In other words, if you live far from the center and cannot be reached by one means of transport, then you will have to buy it. The balance will be 4470 rubles.
A travel pass for a student costs 1,035 rubles , and a pension pass will cost 576 rubles . This means that the pensioner will have 6,794 rubles .

Unexpected ways to receive a pension of more than 100 thousand per month

You can save on travel tickets in St. Petersburg through combined options: they go only to the metro or bus, only to ground transport or to a trolleybus. If you can get to work exclusively by “top”, then you can save 1200-1300 rubles.

In small towns, everything is somewhat simpler, especially for those who work relatively close to home. A 30-minute walk to work saves the family budget. Of course, you can’t walk like this in winter, because the money you save will then be spent on treatment if you get sick.

Let's clarify the balance - a pensioner with a travel card will have 6,794 rubles left, and a working person will have 4,470 rubles.

How to save money on your phone

1. Call on Skype . Skype is a program installed on a computer that allows you to communicate anywhere in the world with any person absolutely free and without time limits. Calls are made from computer to computer. Of course, using the program you can make calls to a telephone (both cell and landline), but such calls are paid. The program is installed very easily.

1. Pay less for your home phone . Each region has its own local telephone operator. The subscriber usually has the opportunity to choose a tariff plan.

1. Change tariffs on your cell phone . I recommend reviewing the tariffs provided by your mobile operator once every six months. Perhaps he had a better offer. Moreover, you can change the tariff without losing your phone number, even if you switch to another operator.

1. Send SMS for free . There are many services for sending free SMS on the Internet. Even Yandex and Google have such services - they really save a lot of money!

How to save on utilities

1. Pay through Sberbank-online . If you, like most Russians, pay for your utilities through Sberbank, then it is most profitable to do it through Sberbank online. In this case, you will not be charged a commission, and you will save a lot of time.

1. Install meters . Pay utility bills according to the meters. Since recently, the cost of utilities has been growing exponentially, it is worth thinking about installing meters and paying for the resources used.

1. Check your meters at home . Any meters require periodic verification. The most economical way is not to replace the meter, but to have it checked at home. For comparison, ask the service organization for the cost of replacement and the cost of verification, the benefit will be obvious.

1. Do a recalculation . If you are away from home for more than 5 days, you can recalculate your utility bills. This is beneficial for those who spend the whole summer at the dacha or a lot of time on business trips. But this makes sense if you don't have meters installed yet. Recalculation can be done within 30 days after return. If you are eligible, take a subsidy to pay for housing and communal services!

What else can you save on?

1. Buy what you need, sell what you don't need . On sites such as avito or baraholka you can buy almost new things for little money. Of course, you will have to spend your time to choose a suitable option, maybe even go and have a look, but it’s worth a try. On these same sites you can sell your already unnecessary things, thereby replenishing your budget.

1. Save on transportation costs. If the destination is 2-3 stops away, and the weather is good outside, it’s quite possible to walk on foot. This is good not only for your wallet, but also for your figure.

1. Buy equipment during the holidays . On significant dates, stores often hold sales. Just before purchasing, compare prices for the same goods in other stores, in case this is a fictitious discount or the product is stale.

How to eat healthy and inexpensively for a pensioner

For older people, due to age-related changes in the body, it is advisable to adhere to a diet to preserve health. It serves as a prevention for a number of diseases, helps maintain normal body weight, and allows you to save on buying food. Recommendations for proper nutrition:

1. Eat small meals several times a day at the same hours. Eat easily digestible dishes (porridge) for breakfast, nutritious ones for lunch, and dinner should be medium in calories.
2. Drink at least 1 liter of water per day, no later than half an hour before meals and no earlier than an hour after it. This helps reduce hunger and acidity.
3. Replace butter in your diet with vegetable oil. It is better to avoid products with combined fats (mayonnaise, margarine).

4. Buy cheap offal (stomachs, liver). When cooked correctly, they are not much inferior to meat in terms of culinary qualities.
5. Instead of red meat, eat white meat, which is easier to digest - chicken, turkey, rabbit.
6. Include eggs in your diet , which supply the body with lecithin and protein, 3-4 pieces per week.
7. Choose low-fat varieties of fish. Try to cook it at least twice a week, preferably not frying, but steaming or boiling.
8. Eat a small amount of fresh onions and garlic (unless there are medical contraindications). These vegetables help cleanse blood vessels, stimulate blood circulation, and serve to prevent thrombosis.
9. Avoid smoked foods, pickles, canned foods, or limit their intake (no more than 2 times a week).
10. Eliminate fast food (hamburgers, sushi) and carbonated drinks from your family’s diet. Eating such dishes is expensive and unhealthy.
11. When cooking meat products, use the broth to prepare soups; stew the meat itself with vegetables or make a side dish for it.
12. Try to eat no later than 1.5-2 hours before bedtime. About 30 minutes before your night's rest, you can drink a mug of warmed milk with a teaspoon of honey.

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Seasonal fruits and vegetables

Saving on groceries includes buying vegetables and fruits in season, which is cheaper and healthier. After the harvest, prices for these goods are reduced and the quality is better. In the fall, you can put in a basement or cellar a supply of potatoes, carrots, beets, and other vegetables for several months. When purchasing, give preference to products grown in Russia or in nearby countries.

Slowly digestible carbohydrates

To improve the health of the body, it is useful to eat foods with a high fiber content. They improve digestion, metabolic processes, and normalize blood sugar levels. “Slow” carbohydrates have a low glycemic index (an indicator of the rate of conversion of saccharides into glucose).

They also take longer to digest and give a prolonged feeling of fullness. Their use in winter increases the body's resistance to cold and stimulates the production of serotonin.

Slowly digestible carbohydrates include:

• grain legumes: peas, beans, lentils, pearl barley (except corn);
• vegetables (except potatoes, pumpkins);
• fruits, berries, nuts;
• milk, cottage cheese.

Refusal of smoked foods and fast carbohydrates

One of the effective ways to save money and maintain health is to avoid smoked foods and quickly digestible carbohydrates. Sausages, sausages, and smoked fish are not recommended for those who adhere to a healthy lifestyle (healthy lifestyle). These products contain many flavoring, preservative additives, dyes, and are more expensive than natural meat or fish.

“Fast” carbohydrates are often made using the same substances that are harmful to health. Natural products from this category are broken down in the digestive system at a high rate. They satisfy hunger for a short time, promote the formation of fat deposits, and therefore are especially not recommended for women.

Quickly digestible carbohydrates include:

• baked goods made from wheat flour, yeast, puff pastry;
• potato dishes;
• sugar;

• milk chocolate, bars, candies;
• fast food (chips, cola, hamburgers);
• sweet juices, drinks;
• muesli;
• rice, semolina, corn products (cereals, popcorn, cereals);
• noodles, pasta from soft wheat varieties;
• honey;
• bananas, apricots, grapes.