Broad on a Budget

HELP!! I'm going to die of starvation!! Thanks to living in NYC after losing the job I moved for, I racked up some debt. I'm thankful it isn't anything over the top but we all know (and it's logic) that it's hard to pay off bills if you're barely makin dough! 

Forgive my dramatic entrance, I won't die of starvation but I'm kind of freaking out. This will be my last week with my additional Babysitting income. I'm actually scared that after ensuring my rent & bills are paid (the minimum amount due) I will have small funds with which to buy food. I won't be starving but I'll be living like your average college student: on ramen. And listen, I love Ramen as much as the next drunk girl at 3am but the reality is that my body & skin despise it. But at 10cents a pop -in some strores- it seems like the cheapest way to stuff your face.

I eat well. I mean that in two ways: I'll have a salad for dinner AND that salad will be a huge one. A head of romaine lettuce, a cucumber, an avocado, a tomato, half an onion, maybe some shredded carrots, a little bit of cheese, etc...I love salad, but not a sissy salad hahah I buy fresh veggies almost daily. This adds up. I'm going to have to really monitor my portions.

It's good I don't shop much in general unless I'm feeling stressed or find something I really love and it's on sale. I have more than enough clothes and junk to keep me covered and busy for awhile.Over the years I've become really aware of how fortunate I am and decided to be more "adult" about my purchases, meaning I prefer to step back and decide if something would be useful to me. I don't believe in weighing "I need" vs "I want" because the reality is that we don't NEED more than we already have. We are WAY above and beyond compared to a lot of the populations from around the world. Stop whining and start appreciating.

I was wondering if anybody has any good tips to share that help them save money or spend less or get the most bang for their buck? Do you put away your loose change? Do you plan meals/grocery shopping? Do your prioritize payments as to which bill you wanna pay off faster? Do you stock on household goods when they're on sale (toilet paper, paper towels, etc)?
At the beginning of every month I make list of all my bills and dates they are due and what the current balance is on each account. Seeing the numbers is much less frustrating than avoiding them and being in the dark about it.

Hope to hear from you!!

Ciao for now,

TT