I often hear grad students discussing the strange and curious life of a grad student. The demands of grad school coupled with the depressing economics are often seen by many as factors that make it impossible to live a good, quality life during post Baccalaureate education. But, being in grad school doesn't have to mean choosing between living well and racking up debt. It is the aim of this series of blog posts, The Prosperous Grad Student, to unpack some of the mysteries, provide practical tips and actions you can take, and begin a discussion about how best to master the grad student lifestyle.

It has been far too long since my last post to this section of my blog. I have high hopes for this section, but was simply very busy for a while with school. This year I'd like to get back to it because these posts have by far been my most popular and because I truly enjoy sharing my experience and hopefully, helping ease some of the stresses of living as a grad student in a struggling economy.

As a graduate student living off minimal income it can seem utter crazy talk to consider the possibility of saving money. And yet, month after month I prove that it can be done. As I always say, it is all about habits and discipline. Let's consider your top priority: Food.

As a grad student your biggest personal cost outside your rent should be the money you spend on food. It is easy for us to justify to ourselves money spent on food. It seems like an inevitable and necessary expense. But not all money spent on food is a noble cost. And, not all food expenses are created equal.

You can eat healthy, and eat well. I cannot promise you you'll put on a great deal of weight on a modest food budget. But you can avoid that trite 'starving artist' look and lifestyle we grad students have so nobly earned. And your other option - to rely on free food at events and conferences - is an unreliable and unhealthy alternative. So here are a few simple things you can do to get control of your food budget.

You CAN Learn to Cook
No skill that I have learned since beginning my PhD work has been as beneficial to my ability to prosper as a graduate student than taking the time to learn to cook well and prepare my own meals. When I came to WSU I had been cooking for about 2 years (if you can honestly call it that), and had always looked at the 'good cooks' as holding some mysterious power that I was simply incapable of learning. As far as I was concerned you were either a good cook, or you hoped to marry one. After spending 2 years during my Master's degree cooking a few simple, boring meals week after week and getting so sick of BBQ 3 nights a week that I came to WSU determined to beat the bland.

So Why Should I Cook?
There are many benefits to cooking for yourself. For one, it is a guiltless distraction from classes, research, and your other grad student responsibilities. You need to eat and your health is important. You should have no guilt about this hobby. In fact, I've found that I feel productive when I cook, and accomplished when I've made something good for myself or for Kelin and I. Also, the act of cooking helps reduce my stress and I'm re-energized after a good meal.

Second (if your mental and physical health is not enough), think about your pocket. Consider for a moment how much you really spend when you eat out, when you buy lunch a few days a week on campus, when you pick up fast food or a pizza for dinner. How quickly that adds up. For the next week carry around a piece of paper and a pencil in your pocket and jot down every time you spend money on food - specifically noting when you spent money eating away from home. In the next blog post, I'll show you how you can shop frugally at the grocery store. I live off of approximately $40 a week on food in total. We'll talk specifics about saving money next post.

How Do I Get Started?
Like most things, learning to cook is best done by starting simple and looking at the long term gains of your efforts. I got a simple cook book as a gift and began small (see note below about cookbooks). The book was called "A Man, A Can and a Plan." From there I built to more complex recipes. Soon I was impressing Kelin - who I was just beginning to date at the time. I was cooking complex meals in a few months. I got enough confidence to ask for a wok for Christmas 2 years ago. I even came up with my own chili recipe.

So here's what you should do to get started.

1) Equip Yourself
You're going to need some basic materials. I'd start out with a spatula, a large spoon, 1 pot, and 1 pan. From here, you can expand. Think simple things like measuring cups and spoons. You can find pots, pans, forks, knives and just about anything you'd need to cook a basic meal at a thrift store. If you can't find any cookware there, or the cookware is damaged, you can get inexpensive but good quality cookware from big box stores and many supermarkets. Ikea is a great option for inexpensive cookware and utensils, if there is one near you.

Another great item to get is a slow cooker. I bought mine from GoodWill for $5 when I moved to Pullman. Slow cooker meals are simple and easy to make - and a great thing to put up in the morning and let simmer all day on those days you'll be at home working.

2) Recipes
Under no circumstance do you need to spend money on cookbooks. There are dozens of free recipe sites. I suggest checking out and joining: RecipeZaar.com. Regular membership is free. This site provides detailed recipes including photos, nutrition information and feedback from community members. Use their advanced search engine to search for specific ingredients, types of recipes, preparation time, cost and much more. You can also browse. I suggest searching for inexpensive and easy meals - 5 ingredients or less. Work with these for a while and don't get discouraged if you make a few mistakes. Here is an example of 1 of my favorite simple and cheap chicken recipes: Restaurant-Style Parmesan Chicken. Another good site to check out is Cooks.com. A quick google search will produce many more such sites. Again, you don't need to waste money on cookbooks. But if you really feel the need, check out a used bookstore near you or get hand-me-downs. Recipes are timeless and you don't need a new book.

3) Food
Lastly you'll need the ingredients. That's simple enough. Next time I'll talk about Grocery Shopping Plans and how we'll spend as little money as possible on ingredients while not giving up quality or taste.

Behavioral Modification Goals
It is a game of attrition and you need to discipline yourself. It doesn't seem like a lot of money, and it isn't at the unit level: blowing $1 here and there on the snack machine at school, buying coffee a few days a week, grabbing lunch on campus for $5-10. You should only spend money on food at the grocery store. All other money spent on food is wasted money. Start thinking about it this way, rather than thinking of spent money on food as an inevitable cost. It is an expensive habit and one you must break. Keep track of the money you spend on food outside the grocery store and begin budgeting. Remain cognizant of the money you are wasting and you'll begin to feel guilty about it. Next, budget yourself. Start modest. $10 - $15 dollars total on non-grocery food a week and work your way down to 0 in a months time. You can do it. And when you start relying on the grocery store as your source of food you will have greater control over your diet. You will be free to begin eating healthy, eating better tasting and more satisfying meals and saving money. And you'll live a richer, more prosperous grad student life.

If you like my "Prosperous Grad Student" posts, pleas drop me a line and tell me what you think and share your experiences. Also, let me know about things you'd like to see covered.

See previous blog posts in this series.