[boodm]

I'd argue the up front cost is much less than $50. However, using the numbers as provided, the break-even is still less than a single week.

In the breakfast example, you can buy a single McD meal or buy a dozen eggs with a container of quick oats - both are ~$6. The latter is much better for liquidity.

Not to mention, the eggs and oats is easy to cook, requires little 'ingredients and tools', is healthier, and will last multiple days (helping w/ liquidity).

[erikpukinskis]

Go ahead and try to plan out a week's worth of meals while building up the list of staples and cookware that you would need to support it.

I've done it. I think $50 is pretty conservative actually. It would be easy just to spend $50 on some fats and spices.

[maxerickson]

If you are talking about avoiding McDonald's to save money, it starts to get easier.

Plain pasta. Plain potatoes. Rice-A-Roni. Hamburger Helper.

Now, should someone stick to that diet for years? No. Will the savings compound at a fantastic rate using that diet? Yeah.

If it is sufficiently horrifying, a person could even limit themselves to the above for ~1/2 of meals.