I have a friend who earns 4000 rmb per month, but she spend very little on meals. She showed me a 2 Rmb meal which consisted of cooked Seagrass pickles and a some meat. I tired it a little and it is tasted nice. The meal does not lack nutrition because it consists of enough fiber in the seagrass and protein in the meat. It is more healthy than the fried things at KFC. This is not a way for saving money but it shows that cheap does not mean bad. In fact, she is trying to reduce weight and it worked well.