What a 28-Year-Old Laid-Off Marketer Eats on Unemployment Aid in Buffalo, NY

Bon Appétit Contributor
·23 min read

Illustration by Maggie Cowles

Welcome to The Receipt, a series documenting how Bon Appétit readers eat and what they spend doing it. Each food diary follows one anonymous reader’s week of expenses related to groceries, restaurant meals, coffee runs, and every bite in between. In this time of rising food costs, The Receipt reveals how folks—from different cities, with different incomes, on different schedules—are figuring out their food budgets.

In today’s Receipt, we follow a 28-year-old laid-off marketer who receives $441 a week in unemployment in Buffalo, New York. Keep reading for her receipts.

Skip ahead

  1. The finances

  2. The diet

  3. The expenses

  4. The diary

The finances

What are your pronouns? She/her

What is your occupation? Unemployed

How old are you? 28

What city and state do you live in? Buffalo, NY

What is your annual salary, if you have one? Not anymore! My salary before I got laid off (and before taxes) was $70,000. Since January, I’ve been receiving $441 a week from unemployment. Sometimes I do freelance and self-employed projects (writing and focus groups, mostly) to supplement my funds, but the payment can vary a lot per project and they’re catch-as-you-can. I’ve done three so far this year, earning me roughly $1,080 between January and March. My severance and last paycheck combined totaled less than $4,000.

How much is one paycheck, after taxes? $441

How often are you paid? (e.g. weekly) Weekly

How much money do you have in savings? Roughly $70,000, including 401k.

What are your approximate fixed monthly expenses beyond food? (i.e. rent, subscriptions, bills)

  • Rent: $400 (My share, I live with my boyfriend.)

  • Car payment: $298

  • Streaming services (Hulu, Netflix, Patreon): $30.04

  • Gym: $28

  • Internet: $25 (Again, my share.)

  • Heat: $70 (Again, split with my boyfriend.)

  • Electric: $24 (Split again.)

  • Insurance (Dental and vision): $36.26

  • Insurance (Health): $460

  • Insurance (Pet): $21.47

  • Total: $1,392.77

The diet

Do you follow a certain diet or have dietary restrictions? No, though my diet leans Mediterranean. My boyfriend loves to cook Korean food, so I’d say I eat a fair amount of that as well.

What are the grocery staples you always buy, if any? Green bell peppers, avocados, garlic, spaghetti squash, parsley, onions (green, yellow, white and red), lemons, oranges/grapefruits, feta, Parmesan, kimchi, sriracha, labneh, eggs, Greek yogurt, strawberries. Plus cans of black and garbanzo beans, diced tomatoes.

How often in a week do you dine out versus cook at home? I’d say about four times a week—twice during the week for lunch, twice during the week for dinner.

How often in a week did you dine out while growing up? Probably once or twice a week. Friday was always takeout pizza night.

How often in a week did your parents or guardians cook at home? At least five times a week. My mom was always doing Weight Watchers or something of that nature, so a lot of protein-rich or veggie-laden meals.

The expenses

  • Week’s total: $339.46

  • Restaurants and cafés total: 7

  • Groceries total: $89.92

  • Most-expensive meal or purchase: Dinner at Inizio, $74.81

  • Least-expensive meal or purchase: Lime, $.34

  • Number of restaurant and café meals: 5

  • Number of grocery trips: 5

The diary

Monday

I squeeze fresh lemon over all of it and mix it together, then add a pinch of each spice for presentation’s sake.

12:13 p.m. I wake up and linger in bed. Yesterday was St. Patrick’s Day, which is a big deal in Buffalo—it’s a holiday that reminds Buffalonians that spring is coming, though winter won’t feel like it’s over til April. So I’m a wee bit hungover. I gnaw on a couple of saltines on my nightstand. (Previously purchased.)

12:32 p.m. I finally get up out of bed and yeah, my back’s creaky and I’m certainly hungover. On today’s breakfast menu is Turkish eggs topped with olive oil-fried garlic and fresh parsley, accompanied by whole wheat pita (all ingredients previously purchased). I decide on this specifically because it’s flavorful, fresh, and I could whip it up in my sleep. I spoon Karoun labneh into a bowl, mix in Z&Z za'atar (that I learned about from this article, FYI), Aleppo pepper, a sprinkle of Trader Joe’s everything bagel seasoning, and a splash of Spitiko Greek extra virgin olive oil. I squeeze fresh lemon over all of it and mix it together, then add a pinch of each spice for presentation’s sake.

12:35 p.m. I fry two eggs in chili oil and chop up garlic. I toast the garlic in a tiny cast iron skillet.

12:44 p.m. When the eggs are done and garlic lightly browned, I add them to the bowl with the fresh parsley and wolf the whole thing down. I feel refreshed, revived and ready for my job interview in a couple of hours. Wish me luck!

3:57 p.m. I make avocado toast and drink some chocolate milk after my interview (previously purchased). I’ve been told I’m moving on to the next round, so the chocolate milk is a little treat for doing well. I got along with the interviewer, so I’m hoping this job will be “the one.” I’m still hungover though, and my body says it’s time for a nap.

8:53 p.m. I sleep longer than I wanted to. My boyfriend is back from work and he hasn’t eaten dinner yet, so we make a quick omelet together. This one features white onion, spinach and Jake’s smoked gouda. We top it with our favorite hot sauce: Red Farm hot sauce from Dutch’s in Portland, Maine. I’ll have to go to the store this week for more eggs and sriracha too, which I’ve run out of. But that can wait until tomorrow—it’s so late that I just do my physical therapy exercises after we eat, certify my unemployment benefits, and settle into bed.

Monday total: $0

Tuesday

My boyfriend can’t get enough of the ricotta salata and tops our bowls generously with the cheese.

12:28 p.m. Though I’ve been up for a couple of hours already, I’ve spent them cleaning the house and going to an appointment to consign my clothes. I have a free ticket to see Cabrini at North Park Theatre at 1:00 p.m., so I grab some lunch nearby. It’s cold and on-and-off snowing today and I want cozy food. I pay a visit to The Bloom & Rose on Chandler Street. It’s braising my favorite smoked pastrami today and therefore out of it, so I opt for a corned beef Reuben ($16.31). I’m happy with my choice since I didn’t have any corned beef on St. Patrick’s Day.

12:40 p.m. The sandwich is done and I take it back to my car. I eat it pretty quickly since I have to head to the theater soon. If the ticket wasn’t free, I probably wouldn’t have made this plan—it’s getting crappier and colder outside by the minute. The Reuben is solid; the corned beef is unusually sweet, in a good way. I didn’t realize how hungry I was—I demolish the entire sandwich. I guess that’s fine since the movie is two and a half hours long. I don’t realize the bread has Russian drinking butter on it and it splatters my pants and car seat. Oh well.

1:03 p.m. I buy an Evian water ($3.50) at the theater. Almost everyone sitting in the audience is a senior citizen. It makes me feel weird to be on their schedule.

3:58 p.m. I go to the Lexington Co-op to grab eggs ($3.39) since it’s so close. After watching a priest eat pasta in the movie, I decide to buy additional ingredients for pasta alla Norma, such as fire-roasted diced tomatoes (three cans for $4.98). I already have the eggplants I’ll need for this recipe at home. My total bill is $14.00.

4:26 p.m. I forgot basil so now I have to stop in Wegman’s. I hate when I have to make multiple stops. I guess it’s for the best because I forgot to pick up sriracha too. I get a decently large container of basil ($4.99), plus a large bottle of Huy Fong sriracha ($7.99) and some extras such as ricotta salata ($5.82), Huy Fong sambal ($3.49) and storebrand coconut water (a recent addiction, $3.79). My bill totals $30.60. I wince when I pass by the eggs and realize they’re cheaper here by a dollar. I know I need to be thriftier. I’m looking forward to cooking with sambal this week as I’ve never done so.

5:27 p.m. I arrive at Hodge Wine & Liquor to grab Corvo Nero d’Avola wine ($10.99) for dinner tonight and Ardbeg Wee Beastie scotch whiskey ($58.99) since I know I’m out. The bill from this trip is definitely high for me right now, but I will split it with my boyfriend. While checking out, I receive an email notifying me of my finalist status for the job. I just have to firm up a time for a second interview later this week.

5:43 p.m. My boyfriend and I put away groceries together and talk about our days. He takes a shower while I chop eggplant.

5:55 p.m. I fry the eggplant in Casa Pareja extra virgin olive oil. In another pan, I prepare a simple marinara sauce of canned crushed tomatoes and garlic (both previously purchased).

6:09 p.m. Around this time, I boil water for my pasta. As that’s happening, I clean and cut basil for topping the pasta.

7:15 p.m. I mix everything together—pasta, sauce, and eggplant.

7:28 p.m. My pasta alla Norma is done and my boyfriend and I are eating together. This recipe took a bit longer than I would have liked, but I was also trying a Cooking with Nonna recipe with some additional steps, such as frying the eggplant in olive oil separately from the sauce initially. My pasta is perfectly al dente and the recipe is okay for tonight, but I think I like the way I normally make pasta alla Norma better. My boyfriend can’t get enough of the ricotta salata and tops our bowls generously with the cheese.

Tuesday total: $134.38

Wednesday

We’re in a good mood, dancing in the kitchen, being goofy, laughing a bunch.

11:50 a.m. I have not been sleeping well and woke up late this morning. I open a strawberry yogurt (previously purchased) at the back of my fridge but it tastes off. Sure enough, it’s expired. I toss it in the trash.

11:59 a.m. I chop up strawberries and put them over Bowl & Basket Greek yogurt (previously purchased) with a drizzle of honey (previously purchased). This was my old breakfast order at Chobani when I used to work in New York City. I would have eaten this first, but I have a physical therapy appointment…which I’m almost certainly going to be late for since the honey overheated in the microwave and is leaking all over the place.

2:05 p.m. Thankfully, I was not late for physical therapy. (I drove there like Baby Driver, though.) On my way home I almost stop at Moriarty’s Café Bar for a burger because I’m suddenly starving but it closed five minutes ago. I’m close enough to Chandler Street, so I decide to pop in again—this area is a restaurant incubator of sorts. I go to Tiny Thai, which is known for its purple flower-shaped dumplings, but I’ve had those before. I'm always on the lookout for a good Pad Thai and order just that. I get it spicy with tofu ($15.00) and a Thai iced tea ($7.00).

2:17 p.m. My meal arrives—this Pad Thai is on the sweeter side and it hits the spot. I’m given more pepper flakes on the side, which is perfect because it’s another cold-ass snow day outside and my hands are freezing. I can’t wait to go home, settle in with a book, and drink hot tea.

3:14 p.m. I go to Phuthai Grocery Store, an Asian grocery on Buffalo’s West Side. I’m here because I want some fresh bird’s eye chiles ($5.00) for dinner tonight: a Thai basil eggplant stir-fry. I need to meet a $10 purchase minimum to use my credit card, so I also buy two bags of green onions ($1.50 each), two limes ($0.34 each) and a bag of fresh mint ($2.00).

4:54 p.m. I clean some mint, put some in a mug, and pour boiling water over it. Delicious—the best mint tea there is.

7:40 p.m. I start cooking dinner. It’s so late. Why do I do this to myself? My boyfriend helps me—he makes the Thai basil sauce and rice while I handle chopping and cooking the herbs and vegetables (previously purchased). We’re in a good mood, dancing in the kitchen, being goofy, laughing a bunch. I’m thankful the recipe is easy. I sauté the vegetables, add the sauce, mix everything up, and we’re in business. I also fry two eggs in chili oil as a topping along with cutting up green onion and fresh bird’s eye chiles separately.

9:03 p.m. Dinner is served. It’s spicy. My boyfriend loves it and I’m happy with it. He especially loves the fresh bird’s eye chiles.

9:35 p.m. My boyfriend finishes the whole pot! I’m happy this recipe was a hit and I loved cooking with sambal and bird’s eye chiles. Another solid cold-weather recipe for the rolodex.

Wednesday total: $39.38

Thursday

I haven’t had icing in a dog’s age, so it’s welcome.

10:25 a.m. I make Turkish coffee (Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi, previously purchased), which involves spooning the coffee directly into a Briki pot and mixing it with water. I place it on the stove on a high flame. I need caffeine today: I’m catching up with a professional contact for lunch. For some reason, this is the only coffee I can drink without feeling headachy and sick. It makes me talk like Lorelai Gilmore after three cups, which will be good for my meeting today. I alternate between Turkish coffee and oat milk matcha lattes typically.

12:38 p.m. I arrive at Strong Hearts, a vegan restaurant, to meet my contact. I look at the menu and set my heart on the Thai tofu salad ($14.00), featuring grilled maple chipotle tofu chunks. I could use something light. The Portlandia theme song plays overhead.

12:59 p.m. My contact and I review the menu together. She orders a T.L.T ($12.00), some fries, ($5.50) and a Cookie Monster cupcake ($5.00) for us to split. She pays for my meal, which is so nice and appreciated.

1:34 p.m. The salad emerges from the kitchen and it’s huge—like the size of two salads. It’s tasty and has lots of spicy cashews throughout.

2:15 p.m. The cupcake is moist, definitely my favorite part of the meal. I haven’t had icing in a dog’s age, so it’s welcome.

2:52 p.m. I get home from lunch. I make mint tea again using mint from the Asian grocery store. I have to shop there more because $2.00 for a bag this large is a bargain.

10:23 p.m. I was super busy this afternoon doing work on the computer and responding to emails. Then my boyfriend and I attended a book reading and lecture. So I haven’t eaten yet and neither has he. What we should have for dinner is clear: an omelet.

My boyfriend takes the lead on the omelet. To tide me over before I get hangry, I warm some whole wheat pita up in a cast-iron skillet with Greek olive oil. When it’s done, I cut it into triangles and dip it right into our container of labneh. (All previously purchased.)

10:40 p.m. The omelet is done. My boyfriend opted for spinach, shallots, orange bell pepper, and smoked Gouda. I top my portion with cilantro and Dutch’s Red Farm hot sauce once more. This omelet’s even better than the one from the other night thanks to the buttery shallots. (Again, all ingredients previously purchased.) He says I eat too many eggs.

Thursday total: $0

Friday

The pesto is grass-colored and tastes as springy as I had hoped.

11:41 a.m. I started the day with personal training and cardio, but there’s a bitter chill in the air due to an anticipated ice storm. I go to Five Points Bakery for an oat milk matcha latte ($6.50) to warm up and prepare for my next interview, which is taking place this afternoon. I get a loaf of cinnamon raisin bread with toasted walnuts ($8.25) too, because the idea of unwinding with a slice and some tea after the interview is too nice to resist.

11:52 a.m. The matcha makes me feel awake and alert without jitters. The honey in the drink soothes my throat.

1:10 p.m. I arrive home and quickly make an avocado bowl—a mashed avocado base mixed with lemon juice and Trader Joe’s everything bagel seasoning, topped with Kirchenberg Farm chevre, cilantro, a fried egg and a sriracha drizzle (all previously purchased). I scarf my breakfast down so I can get myself ready to look presentable on Zoom.

2:30 p.m. I make myself two pieces of raisin bread toast with butter (previously purchased) and lavender tea (previously purchased). I turn on How I Met Your Father to unwind. The interview went well again!

6:24 p.m. I'm so tired—sometimes I crash after an interview. I’m more of an introvert, so I think that has something to do with it. I sip on some coconut water—the one from Wegman’s—to perk myself up. I have dinner reservations with a friend at Inizio in 45 minutes. When we grab dinner together, we gravitate toward any restaurant that offers a nice plate of pasta.

7:22 p.m. My friend and I are seated at Inizio. We’re given complimentary prosecco upon arrival. Nice.

7:28 p.m. I order the pesto pasta with burrata ($33.00) and a glass of pinot grigio ($13.00). I wanted something springy to eat this evening after so much heavy, stick-to-your-ribs food this week. The former Buffalo News food critic had some good things to say about Inizio’s pesto, so it feels like the right decision for me tonight. My friend and I share a plate of maple-glazed carrots with whipped ricotta and toasted pecans as an appetizer ($17.00).

7:43 p.m. The carrots come out. They taste like dessert! I want to replicate this dish at home.

8:07 p.m. Our main courses hit the table. The pesto is grass-colored and tastes as springy as I had hoped. The snow subsides outside. We split the check shortly thereafter. Including tip, I spend $74.81.

8:49 p.m. I walk in the door and make some mint tea. My boyfriend and I watch Poor Things before going to bed.

Friday total: $96.30

Saturday

We really need to break this cycle of late-night dinners.

1:18 p.m. My boyfriend and I sleep in til noon since last night’s movie kept us up late. When I finally get up, I discover some baba ganoush (homemade, previously purchased at a farmer’s market) I forgot about in the back of the fridge. I nibble on that while making Oatly oat milk matcha lattes for me and my boyfriend. We decide to make bibimbap bowls for dinner with steak he purchased earlier in the week.

1:28 p.m. I pour our matcha lattes into mugs and top them with Penzeys Vietnamese cinnamon. (Previously purchased.)

1:35 p.m. I make an avocado bowl for breakfast. My boyfriend marinates the meat in gochujang and other spices using a recipe from Maangchi’s website.

4:02 p.m. After doing computer work all afternoon, I decide to have a snack: a slice of raisin bread with butter.

4:37 p.m. I go to Farm Shop to buy gray oyster mushrooms (dehydrated and produced by local brand Flat 12, $12.00), which my boyfriend says we need for tonight’s dinner. Farm Shop is basically a tiny indoor farmer’s market with lots of local products. I buy a few other goodies because I have a hard time resisting the urge to treat myself when I’m in there. I buy a block of Short Round cheese from Berle Farm ($12.00) and local smoked Canadian bacon ($7.14) for breakfast tomorrow.

5:14 p.m. The cheese is calling me. I dig into Short Round. It tastes like a bright, farm-fresh cheddar.

5:36 p.m. I decide to skip my workout and have a little cheese happy hour all by myself. I cut up a sage cheddar by McCall’s and a black label Roquefort by Papillon (both cheeses previously purchased). I enjoy the cheeses with some Maine Crisp savory fig and thyme buckwheat crackers, fig jam, and honey. (All previously purchased.) I’m in heaven.

6:18 p.m. I finish my Tallboy coconut water from yesterday.

8:07 p.m. My boyfriend and I start cooking dinner. We really need to break this cycle of late-night dinners. He cooks the rice, meat, and vegetables while I make a cucumber salad with some rice vinegar.

9:14 p.m. We’re finally finished making dinner. We eat in front of the TV—this time, we’re watching Shogun. This meal is really a bastardized version of bibimbap and not what I expected—my boyfriend mixed the meat and vegetables together. He says he likes it, but I’m not a fan. My cucumber salad wasn’t any great shakes either—too much vinegar.

10:59 p.m. I have dessert: a slice of buttered raisin bread with mint tea.

Saturday total: $34.64

Sunday

I feel toasty and happy after a few slurps of broth.

9:59 a.m. I’m the first person in line for Butter Block croissants at Farm Shop. I’m not an early riser, but these croissants are worth getting out of bed for.

10:13 a.m. I buy two chocolate croissants ($10.00), a plain croissant ($4.50) and some Savage Wheat sourdough crackers ($16.00) since there’s only a few buckwheat crackers left to eat cheese with next time I have happy hour.

10:52 a.m. My boyfriend wakes up and I make us an omelet using the Short Round cheese and yellow onion.

11:03 a.m. I supplement the omelet with the Canadian bacon I bought yesterday, half a mandarin orange each, and the plain croissant, which we also split. I warm up the croissant in the oven so the butter distributes. When I bite into it, it hits—it’s either especially wonderful today or I haven’t had one of these croissants in a while.

1:28 p.m. I go to Penny’s Coffee Shop after church for a cup of Turkish coffee ($4.26) and to read. Penny’s is notable for having an authentic Turkish coffee set up with sand. This shop always has a good coffee-shop soundtrack going, too. Today’s playlist features tracks from Adrianne Lenker’s new album and Karen Dalton.

1:33 p.m. The Turkish coffee is ready at the side counter. I pick it up. It comes in a cute porcelain demitasse cup. I sip and read til close.

5:24 p.m. I meet up with my boyfriend after running errands. We visit Asia Food Market—Buffalo’s version of H Mart—since we’re running low on rice. We buy a couple of other miscellaneous groceries there, but he foots the bill. I suggest that we go to Woo Chon Korea House for dinner, a favorite spot of ours for Korean soups and barbeque that’s not too far from Asia Food Market.

6:11 p.m. When we get there, the restaurant is pretty packed, but there’s room for us at our usual table.

6:19 p.m. We order two hot ginger teas ($8.00), pajeon ($14.95), and the Woo Chon hot pot for two ($36.95). A portable burner is placed on our table.

6:32 p.m. Tea and bon chon reach our table, as well as our hot pot. It’s a sight to behold: beef, dumplings, and glass noodles in a gigantic vat of red spicy broth, topped with what I think is a tiny mountain of watercress.

6:38 p.m. My boyfriend realizes that we got the kimchi mandoo hot pot ($31.95) instead of the Woo Chon hot pot, in a kitchen mixup. But we’re not really disappointed. It’s an excuse to venture back to Woo Chon House another day. I feel toasty and happy after a few slurps of broth.

6:44 p.m. The scallion pancake comes out. It’s piping hot and crispy. Yum!

7:35 p.m. I offer to split the check with my boyfriend, but he treats me to dinner.

8:32 p.m. We tune into Shogun again and eat one red bean mochi each, which my boyfriend bought earlier today at Asia Food Market.

9:43 p.m. My boyfriend goes to bed, but I stay up. I warm up half of a chocolate croissant in the oven.

9:55 p.m. I eat the croissant while watching TV. It’s a bit decadent after mochi and the meal my boyfriend and I shared earlier, but I feel like I need a little chocolate before the night is over.

Sunday total: $34.76

Originally Appeared on Bon Appétit

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