Woman says she was 10 cents away from going over budget at Walmart. Then walked out with dinner for 5 for under $15

Michelle, who posts on TikTok under the handle Shelbers, recently documented a successful mission to feed her family of five with only $15. The video, which has racked up 5 million views, shows her pulling up to a Walmart with a very tight budget and an empty pantry.

“I have $15 to my name. I gotta feed my family at 5 for dinner, and we have absolutely no food in the house. So come inside Walmart with me to see what we could get with $15,” she explains while in her car. “I’ve been on TikTok like for the last 20 minutes trying to figure out what the f— am I gonna make. I want something easy, like super easy, but filling that my family likes. So let’s go figure this out.” To meet that requirement, she does some targeted browsing to craft a complete meal. 

Michelle looks at quantity and prices so that she can stay within budget. Her journey starts in the frozen food aisle. She spots a family-sized box of Banquet meatloaf with gravy for $3.87 and decides to grab two, bringing that portion of the bill to around $8. She briefly debates another main. Then, since she knows her daughter isn’t a fan of meatloaf, she adds a $2 packet of Totino’s party pizza rolls to the cart.

Then come the sides

Moving over to the bread aisle, she weighs her options for some rolls. She looks at a pack of Hawaiian rolls, but eventually decides on a 12-pack of buttery rolls because they offer more value. For the side dish, she settles on a $1 packet of four-cheese mashed potato powder.

The final total on the screen hits $14.90. “Literally 10 cents away,” she says happily. Back in her car, she reflects on the experience, saying, “Yeah, I promise you. I’m as shocked as you guys are that I actually stayed within budget! Under $15. But thanks guys, so much for coming along with and doing this with me.”

According to Tasting Table, there are plenty of ways to maximize a budget by focusing on bulk staples and smarter shopping habits. In addition to using the many membership options, when it comes to food specifically, the site suggests using the app to find digital versions of up-to-date coupons for quick discounts, a feature known as rollbacks. 

The site noted that another way to save on produce and meat is to catch it on clearance, predicting that you are most likely to find those products in the morning. Additionally, instead of buying name brands, they suggest exploring Walmart-branded products. They note that this swap will likely be 20-30% cheaper.

TikTok responded with ideas, recipes and meal plans

The TikTok community also flocked to Michelle’s video to offer their own advice on how to stretch a dollar even further. Several commenters shared their own budget-friendly meal ideas. 

One user suggested, “$15 or under; 1.) Alfredo sauce + spaghetti sauce mixed together & 1lb ground beef over spaghetti or angel hair pasta. 2.) 2 cans Chicken broth + 1-2 cans cream of chicken over rice or orzo pasta . Rotisserie chicken optional 3.) Dirty Mac; Velveeta Mac and cheese + nalleys thick chili (if you have it near you) 4.) breakfast for dinner?”

Others focused on ingredients. One viewer pointed out, “Bag of potatoes, bag of rice, cans or bags of beans and some ground beef …will last longer than freezer foods,” while another asked, “Why don’t people get whole chickens and roast them? A couple potatoes some carrots onions… So cheap.” Some users offered simpler alternatives, such as “Little Caesars $5 pizza” or “2 rotisserie chickens and 2 packs of instant mash potatoes.”

Not everyone focused on the budget, though. TikTokers came forward to praise Michelle’s consideration of every family member. One user wrote, “Your an amazing mom, I hope one day luck gets to you and you get a billion of dollars to help support and feed your kids.” 

If you look around, you will find a lot of advice on how to stretch your dollar on TikTok. For instance, Meatdad, a butcher, teaches customers how to find premium cuts for less. Andrea Jones, out in Kansas, shows you how to find penny deals at Dollar Tree, although she says her last trip came with a racist confrontation.