Eating on the Cheap

**chefdennis** · 01-16-2010, 07:05 PM

Cheri,

Those Heath Bite Size Pieces are good for Dessert also! Reese's, Heath Bites, and Snickers are always in the freezier in the van......

**greg334** · 01-16-2010, 07:17 PM

Chef, if it was the case that they didn't work for FedEx, then I would say yep lets all help them but there is something really wrong with the picture as Phil painted it.

OVM, well ... um ... never mind ...

**OntarioVanMan** · 01-16-2010, 07:27 PM

Originally Posted by greg334

Chef, if it was the case that they didn't work for FedEx, then I would say yep lets all help them but there is something really wrong with the picture as Phil painted it.

OVM, well ... um ... never mind ...

Greg..I know you are right.....

**Shadowpanda** · 01-16-2010, 07:49 PM

When I was teaming at SNC I used a Coleman 12v cooler that fit perfectly in the driver side upper storage bin (this was a Freightliner Century) a 12v sandwich maker and 12v lunch-box oven. With some planning and a trip to Wal-Mart on the way to the drop lot and then one or two more while on the road its pretty easy to eat nutritiously and cheaply.
This isn't gonna help if you're in a van I guess or already verging on starvation. But if you have $175 to invest in eating cheaper than truck stops, those three items will do the trick in style and pay you back quickly.
Now with this Fed Ex gig coming up I'm gonna be in a KW T600 or T660 and I'm hoping there is space in those things to duplicate my previous set up.

@ chefdennis: How do you keep 7 days of prepared food from spoiling? Have you found a 12v freezer?

**chefdennis** · 01-16-2010, 08:29 PM

Shadow, I removed the pass seat, i have a 120 volt dormroom frig and freezier and a 1200 watt microwave in a cabinet i built. they are powered by (2) 6 volt golf cart batteries and a 3000 watt inverter......I also have a 19 in flat screen TV mounted on the wall a twinsize bed, 12000 btu's of heat and 12000 btu's of AC....all in a CV....and i still can haul up to 3000 lbs and (2) 52X48 skids if the need arises.......one of these days ill figure out how to post pictures up here and get pictures of my setup on here....

**layoutshooter** · 01-16-2010, 08:38 PM

Eating cheap is easy, OVM. A one time investment of a 12volt cooler and shop smart at Wally World etc. Stay away from any fast food, even your hot dogs. Making your own sandwiches, soup once in a while. etc. It is not hard.

**Shadowpanda** · 01-16-2010, 08:39 PM

Originally Posted by chefdennis

Shadow, I removed the pass seat, i have a 120 volt dormroom frig and freezier and a 1200 watt microwave in a cabinet i built. they are powered by (2) 6 volt golf cart batteries and a 3000 watt inverter......I also have a 19 in flat screen TV mounted on the wall a twinsize bed, 12000 btu's of heat and 12000 btu's of AC....all in a CV....and i still can haul up to 3000 lbs and (2) 52X48 skids if the need arises.......one of these days ill figure out how to post pictures up here and get pictures of my setup on here....

Ok wow, thats a sweet setup for a van to be having, would love to see the pics one day!

**transporter** · 01-16-2010, 08:42 PM

ovm i have run into a few in this position. one couldnt move until he got and advance and was eating using j dollars.
funny thing was he had money to buy booze.

it is one thing to have compasion BUT how did these people get in this position. Are they alcohlics. how many have a list of places they wont go. how many have cussed out there dispather. how many didnt put money aside when they did have a load. how many are cheap haulers not making any money but bringing down freight rates. what happens when their truck breaks down. their done any way if they have a break down.
if this happens it hurts all of us. we are premium service providers. shippers will go somewhere else for there needs.
the sooner these people are gone the better. for the professional expediter and those people to.

now for the professionals here 3 thing can save u money a plug in cooler, a crockpot, and a forman grill.

**skyraider** · 01-16-2010, 09:05 PM

oat meal,,5 bucks all week, lunch peanut butter sandwiches 7 buck all week, supper 15 bucks for microwave oven food, plus 2 red potatoes all week, and 90 second microwave rice, yep Ive done this, counting milk,,maybe 10 bucks a day total equals 70 bucks for 7 days, but I was always hungry. I don't do that anymore, I make enough to eat well,,so who are u all running for that u are that broke,,times are rough, but mercy sakes,,don't starve yourself, it ain't worth it............

**layoutshooter** · 01-16-2010, 09:27 PM

Not needed either. Don't forget to look for the day old bread rack at store and bread outlets.

**guido4475** · 01-16-2010, 10:07 PM

As far as cheap ways/places to eat:

Pizza Hut, the Panourmous 9" pizza,1 topping.$5.45,enough for 2 meals.

McDonalds, 10 piece Mcnuggets and small fry, $5.00
Hotcakes and sausage,1 milk, $5.00
Churches/Popeyes chicken, $5.00 will fill even me up there.

One can of Campbell's soup, carry a microwaveable container with a sealed lid, and go to Wa-Mart and spend $!.25 per can, and use the t-stop microwave and that will fill a person up as well.

There are many other ways to eat cheap as well, but these are just a few.We all fall on bad times at one time or another in our lives. I hate to spend money on something knowing I can get it cheaper some other way.AS much as I love to be clean, and take a shower,I can't stand paying $10.00 for a shower.

**OntarioVanMan** · 01-16-2010, 10:14 PM

You guys have some great ideas but some are getting ahead of my initial suggestions... I am referring to the new guy maybe driving for a fleet owner van/truck is virtually empty..every cent he/she makes just pays the bill at home..they are out there...

**guido4475** · 01-16-2010, 10:21 PM

So it is up to us to guide and help them where we can, right?

**OntarioVanMan** · 01-16-2010, 10:24 PM

From a business point of view..I hate to see these types out here and wish they'd go away...

From a human point of view...I wish them no harm and kind of respect that they are trying to make ends meet in a very rough profession.

**guido4475** · 01-16-2010, 10:32 PM

And we all have to admit, this is a different lifestle than most would want to be accustomed to...Takes alot of patience, from us and our spouses as well.